Month: November 2024

Every Wind of Doctrine p4

Understanding the Order of Melchizedek has really fit perfectly as a subtopic under “Every Wind of Doctrine”. In part four of this series i want to unpack who and what others have said, believe and instituted, around this mysterious King of Salem. You see, Melchizedek is found in other Abrahamic religions with similar themes of his life and influence which confirms his existence.

For instance, in Islam: Melchizedek is not mentioned by this name but many Scholars believe he is referred to as Khidr in the Quran. In Isma’ilism, Melchizedek is known as Malik — Salám; “King of Peace.” In a 1300s Ismaili treatise it is said that Malik would return as a righteous judge and reveal the divine mysteries which have been kept secret by the prophets throughout history.

In Mormonism, Melchizedek, and Aaron are two biblical figures that Joseph Smith declares in “Doctrine and Covenants” to be the Order of Priesthood in which male followers of Mormonism are appointed. Melchizedek is also mentioned in Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox, and The Armenian Apostolic Church to name a few. In protestantism Melchizedek is a historical figure and said to be a type and shadow of Christ.

However, Melchizedek goes further back than Christianity, and Islam and offshoots thereof. In the Midrash text of Talmudic tradition — it says, that it is by Melchizedek that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, yielded their blessing and prosperity.

How is it that we get so much thought into who and what of Melchizedek with just a couple of passages in Scripture? And one of those being New Testament teachings of which came well after the Talmudic tradition, in fact many including myself would say, it is the Talmudic traditions that Yahoshua was speaking when he criticized the religious leaders of His day and not the Torah.

Here are the passages most Christians reference when referring to Melchizedek: Genesis 14:18-20; Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 5:6-11; 6:20-7:28.

Here’s where things get interesting, 11QMelchizedek is the label given for the ancient writings found among the Dead Sea Scrolls that speak on Melchizedek. Named thus because they were found in cave 11 of the Qumran writings. In these ancient texts it is said, that Melchizedek will return to proclaim the Day of Atonement, which is Yom Kippur, the Holiest Day in Judaism, where he will judge the people. He is referred to as being the general of heavenly armies, a visible representation of Elohim, redeemer of the people of Adonai, He is called El or Elohim.

The 2nd book of Enoch says Melchizedek was born miraculously, later taken by the Angel Gabriel to heaven and later returned to earth after the flood to institute and instruct the people in the ways of Elohim. It is said that he was Priest and King of Salem, many believe Salem to be Jerusalem. In Hebrews we read:

“He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of Elohim he continues a priest forever.” Hebrews 7:2-3

It is easy to see here that much of the story found in 2nd Enoch is present in the writing to the Hebrews. In fact one would say that it appears the Apostles were well versed in the traditions and teachings of Enoch, well enough to sight this instance since what we read in Genesis and Psalms do not include references to his genealogy or lack thereof. Melchizedek is also mentioned in the book of Jasher, both of these books, Enoch and Jasher are part of the Apocrypha but not the canon of Scripture therefore most Protestants are clueless to the magnificence of their history, and their influence on the New Testament writers.

Besides Jasher, Enoch, Genesis, Psalms and Hebrews, we read about Melchizedek through Philo, who was a contemporary of Yahoshua, he calls Melchizedek the king of peace, Elohim’s own Priest, The Logos which is the Greek word for ‘word’. He also says of Melchizedek that he was self taught and instinctive. Later, Josephus would also write about Melchizedek.

After all of this i was struck by a few things, the titles used;
King of Peace, King of Righteousness, The Word, General of Heavenly Armies, High Priest Forever of Elohim (YHWH), Redeemer. All of these same titles are given to Yahoshua. Another point of interest, Melchizedek met Abraham with bread and wine; and Yahoshua had a covenant meal of bread and wine with His disciples. So with all of this as i stated in my last post, is it possible that the Levitical Priesthood is what was done away with and not the Commandments of which they were caretakers?

If Melchizedek, and Yahoshua, had the same titles and as it appears, the same roles, past, present, and future, isn’t it reasonable to assume that the truth given to Abraham and the covenant given to him as well as that which was instituted prior to the flood, namely, Sabbath, clean and unclean, essentially the 10 Commandments and offerings unto Yahweh are universal and therefore carry the same significance today for the people of Yahweh? After all Yahoshua, states more than once, “If you love Me, obey My Commandments.” And if Yahoshua is the Word and the High Priest Forever, who makes atonement for us still declares to many, “Depart from Me you who practice lawlessness.” Which is actually better translated, without Torah, those without instruction. Yahoshua is the Word made flesh, He is our instruction and our instructor, He empowers us to keep the Word by writing it on our hearts.

The Priesthood of Elohim is not through corruptible man in the Levitical tradition but by the High Priestly role of the divine Yahoshua. Prince of Peace, King of Righteousness, The Word of Elohim, General of the Heavenly Armies, Redeemer, King Forever, who will soon return for the Day of Atonement and therefore also the Day of Judgement. Will you be found to be without instruction?

Looking ahead, i will explore the overlapping areas of the Levitical priesthood and the instruction instituted from creation and that which is to come in the millennium.

When Yahoshua returns will He find faith on the earth? Will you be found to be with or without Instruction?

You are loved,
cj

Every Wind of Doctrine p4

Understanding the Order of Melchizedek has really fit perfectly as a subtopic under “Every Wind of Doctrine”. In part four of this series i want to unpack who and what others have said, believe and instituted, around this mysterious King of Salem. You see, Melchizedek is found in other Abrahamic religions with similar themes of his life and influence which confirms his existence.

For instance, in Islam: Melchizedek is not mentioned by this name but many Scholars believe he is referred to as Khidr in the Quran. In Isma’ilism, Melchizedek is known as Malik — Salám; “King of Peace.” In a 1300s Ismaili treatise it is said that Malik would return as a righteous judge and reveal the divine mysteries which have been kept secret by the prophets throughout history.

In Mormonism, Melchizedek, and Aaron are two biblical figures that Joseph Smith declares in “Doctrine and Covenants” to be the Order of Priesthood in which male followers of Mormonism are appointed. Melchizedek is also mentioned in Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox, and The Armenian Apostolic Church to name a few. In protestantism Melchizedek is a historical figure and said to be a type and shadow of Christ.

However, Melchizedek goes further back than Christianity, and Islam and offshoots thereof. In the Midrash text of Talmudic tradition — it says, that it is by Melchizedek that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, yielded their blessing and prosperity.

How is it that we get so much thought into who and what of Melchizedek with just a couple of passages in Scripture? And one of those being New Testament teachings of which came well after the Talmudic tradition, in fact many including myself would say, it is the Talmudic traditions that Yahoshua was speaking when he criticized the religious leaders of His day and not the Torah.

Here are the passages most Christians reference when referring to Melchizedek: Genesis 14:18-20; Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 5:6-11; 6:20-7:28.

Here’s where things get interesting, 11QMelchizedek is the label given for the ancient writings found among the Dead Sea Scrolls that speak on Melchizedek. Named thus because they were found in cave 11 of the Qumran writings. In these ancient texts it is said, that Melchizedek will return to proclaim the Day of Atonement, which is Yom Kippur, the Holiest Day in Judaism, where he will judge the people. He is referred to as being the general of heavenly armies, a visible representation of Elohim, redeemer of the people of Adonai, He is called El or Elohim.

The 2nd book of Enoch says Melchizedek was born miraculously, later taken by the Angel Gabriel to heaven and later returned to earth after the flood to institute and instruct the people in the ways of Elohim. It is said that he was Priest and King of Salem, many believe Salem to be Jerusalem. In Hebrews we read:

“He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of Elohim he continues a priest forever.” Hebrews 7:2-3

It is easy to see here that much of the story found in 2nd Enoch is present in the writing to the Hebrews. In fact one would say that it appears the Apostles were well versed in the traditions and teachings of Enoch, well enough to sight this instance since what we read in Genesis and Psalms do not include references to his genealogy or lack thereof. Melchizedek is also mentioned in the book of Jasher, both of these books, Enoch and Jasher are part of the Apocrypha but not the canon of Scripture therefore most Protestants are clueless to the magnificence of their history, and their influence on the New Testament writers.

Besides Jasher, Enoch, Genesis, Psalms and Hebrews, we read about Melchizedek through Philo, who was a contemporary of Yahoshua, he calls Melchizedek the king of peace, Elohim’s own Priest, The Logos which is the Greek word for ‘word’. He also says of Melchizedek that he was self taught and instinctive. Later, Josephus would also write about Melchizedek.

After all of this i was struck by a few things, the titles used;
King of Peace, King of Righteousness, The Word, General of Heavenly Armies, High Priest Forever of Elohim (YHWH), Redeemer. All of these same titles are given to Yahoshua. Another point of interest, Melchizedek met Abraham with bread and wine; and Yahoshua had a covenant meal of bread and wine with His disciples. So with all of this as i stated in my last post, is it possible that the Levitical Priesthood is what was done away with and not the Commandments of which they were caretakers? Although, when the twelve tribes of Israel are regathered, i do believe the Levites will have a role again in the service of the Temple in the millennium.

If Melchizedek, and Yahoshua, had the same titles and as it appears, the same roles, past, present, and future, isn’t it reasonable to assume that the truth given to Abraham and the covenant given to him as well as that which was instituted prior to the flood, namely, Sabbath, clean and unclean, essentially the 10 Commandments and offerings unto Yahweh are universal and therefore carry the same significance today for the people of Yahweh? After all Yahoshua, states more than once, “If you love Me, obey My Commandments.” And if Yahoshua is the Word and the High Priest Forever, who makes atonement for us still declares to many, “Depart from Me you who practice lawlessness.” Which is actually better translated, without Torah, those without instruction. Yahoshua is the Word made flesh, He is our instruction and our instructor, He empowers us to keep the Word by writing it on our hearts.

i share this thought once before but i believe it demands repeating. i wrote this down during a Bible study and have since written on every week of my weekly planner.

Yahoshua declared, I Am The Way, The Truth, The Life

Torah is known as,
The Way, Path, Instruction
The Truth, Your Word is Truth
The Life, man shall not live by bread
alone but by every WORD of Elohim

Yahoshua is the Word made Flesh (John 1)

Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly

The Priesthood of Elohim is not through corruptible man in the Levitical tradition but by the High Priestly role of the divine Yahoshua. Prince of Peace, King of Righteousness, The Word of Elohim, General of the Heavenly Armies, Redeemer, King Forever, who will soon return for the Day of Atonement and therefore also the Day of Judgement. Will you be found to be without instruction?

Looking ahead, i will explore the overlapping areas of the Levitical priesthood and the instruction instituted from creation and that which is to come in the millennium. Keeping in mind this instruction from Yahoshua, “Then Yahoshua spoke to the crowds of people and to His disciples, saying: ‘The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.” Matthew 23:1-4 The Word of Elohim, His Torah, stands. And unlike the scribes and Pharisees, in this example, we are to follow, listen to, obey, follow, copy all that we see, hear, read, Messiah Yahoshua doing . . . In the High Priestly Order and authority found in the order of Melchizedek.

When Yahoshua returns will He find faith on the earth? Will you be found to be with or without Instruction?

You are loved,
cj

The Simplicity of Melchizedek’s Priesthood (P3)

Every Wind of Doctrine . . . Part 3

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does YHWH require of you but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your Elohim.” Micah 6:8

“The sacrifices of Elohim are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O Elohim, You will not despise.” Psalm 51:17 — i think it is important to define contrite — “feeling or showing sorrow and remorse for improper or objectionable behavior, actions, etc.” Merriam-Webster

Could it be that walking in line with Yahoshua’s Word, “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) is walking in line with Micah 6:8 and Psalm 51:17? The idea that Paul was getting at in his letter to the Ephesians, “That we may not longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into Him, who is the heard, Messiah.” Is this idea that we are to walk in Messiah, and as Messiah, in that we imitate Him in word, and in action, what fulfilling the law means? Well, of course it is.

You see Messiah Yahoshua, our High Priest in the Order of Melchizedek, walked in the fullness of the Torah, the Instruction of Elohim while at the same time fulfilling that which we were incapable. Not to remove it but in order to write it on our hearts and minds. No longer written only on tablets of stone or parchment, but on the very heart of the believer. On the hearts of those whom, with a contrite heart, do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with Elohim. Not seeking our own will but the will of the Father in Heaven. “Not My will but Yours be done.” “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

The counsels and the priesthood had developed their own way, their own will, their own priorities. Yahoshua, as part of His ministry was restoring the simplicity of a broken and contrite heart, that leads to — Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with Elohim.

“‘But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,’ declares YHWH, ‘I will put My law (Torah/Instruction) within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.’” Jeremiah 31:33

“‘For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,’ says YHWH: ‘I will put My law (Torah/Instruction) into their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. And I will be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.’” Hebrews 8:10

In a sermon given circa 1890 by Reverend Louis Albert Banks, he said; “We are each to be what Christ would be if He were in our place. As Dr. Greer of New York said to some young preachers not long since: ‘It is not enough that you preach Jesus Christ. You must be, each in His place and according to his ability, a Jesus Christ.’ And that is not applicable to preachers only, but to every one who has found in Jesus a divine Savior from his sins. Let us thank God we have so high and glorious an ideal. Let nobody say the ideal is too high. It is the very glory of our Christianity that it puts before us this sublime ideal and inspires poor human hearts, whose courage has been broken by sin, to struggle after it in brave and heroic effort.”

This is the contrite heart that seeks after our Messiah. We are to be like Him. We are to be the ones who pray, “Not my will but Yours be done.” We are to cry out, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” We are to be like Paul who said, “Imitate me as I imitate Messiah.” And as Abraham, who sought the High Priest and brought his offering to Melchizedek. So too, we should seek after the High Priest in the Order Melchizedek, to offer up our broken and contrite hearts and our lives as living sacrifices for His Kingdom.

You see there is no one good, no not one. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of Elohim. But in His (Elohim) infinite love for us made a way for us to become children of Elohim and brothers/sisters of Yahoshua, and joint-heirs with Messiah. We must believe in our hearts (broken and contrite), we must confess with our mouths that Yahoshua is Adonai, and if we truly love Him . . . We will obey His commandments. What does it look like to walk as Yahoshua?

i don’t know fully, but i am gonna dig into it and write again.

You are loved,
cj