Hello everybody, and welcome in to episode 71 of the Bible 2021 podcast. We are reading Hebrews 7 today and our focus is on the best news in the world about something that is currently happening. We are a daily 10 minute podcast, where we will dig in to the truth of the Word of God by reading one Bible chapter a day and discussing it. Welcome to new listeners in . Thanks for listening! Our goal is to encourage DAILY Bible reading, so you can jump in at any time and join with us. We want to invite as many people as possible to join us in daily Bible reading, so help spread the word and share the podcast Don’t forget about our web-page, Bible2021.com – contact page, show notes, transcript and more – Click here for our Bible 2021 reading plan
Before we get to the greatest news currently happening – I know the suspense is killing you – let’s talk a moment about Melchizedek, who is most certainly one of the most enigmatic figures in the Bible. As a refresher, Melchizedek was a king of Salem in the Promised Land – this was the city that would become Jerusalem later on during the period where the Israelites took over Palestine, but they did not found the city – it is an ancient city. Interestingly, Melchizedek wasn’t just the king of Salem, he was also a priest of God Most High. In fact, Melchizedek is the FIRST priest mentioned in the Bible, and one of two kings who were also priests. Can you name the other? Yes – Sunday school answer…it’s Jesus. Last year in an earlier version of this podcast called the Bible Reading podcast, we discussed what I consider the biggest question of all about Melchizedek – is he a preincarnation appearance of Jesus? The reason that I ask that is because of passages like Hebrews 7:2-3:
First, his name means king of righteousness, then also, king of Salem, meaning king of peace. 3 Without father, mother, or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.
I don’t know many humans who don’t have a literal father or mother or genealogy nor beginning of days nor end of life. That description, if meant literally, could only apply to Jesus. Some view these verses as a bit of hyperbole, but I don’t actually think they are…I think the writer of Hebrews is telling us who Melchizedek really is. One other clue is that this chapter tells us that Melchizedek was greater than Abraham, which would be a pretty significant thing to say considering that the Jews consider Abraham to be their human father in many ways. If you want to read/hear more about this, check out episode 13 of the Bible Reading Podcast: Was Melchizedek Actually Jesus?
Our topic today is based on our verse of the day, which is also our verse of the month, Hebrews 7:25:
“Therefore, [Jesus] is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.” Hebrews 7:25
I consider this the best current news in the world right now. Yes, I am very aware that things are looking better and better in terms of the pandemic. I follow the numbers literally every day – I’ve maybe missed doing that less than 5 times since this pandemic started – and I follow Covid more than I want to, really. I am gladdened by the good news we are seeing. This is good news, but it is not the best current news going right now. The best current news going right now is that Jesus, the Son of God, who has died for our sins and defeated death, is CURRENTLY PRAYING FOR US. Hebrews 9 sheds a little more light on this glorious truth:
24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model of the true one) but into heaven itself, so that he might now appear in the presence of God for us. (Hebrews 9:24)
as does Paul in Romans:
34 Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. (Romans 8:34)
Let that sink in: Jesus is interceding and praying in the heavenly sanctuary, in the presence of God the Father, right now for His people. Erik Raymond reminds us of two great quotes about this glorious truth:
“It is a consoling thought that Christ is praying for us, even when we are negligent in our prayer life; that He is presenting to the Father those spiritual needs which were not present to our minds and which we often neglect to include in our prayers; and that He prays for our protection against the dangers of which we are not even conscious, and against the enemies which threaten us, though we do not notice it. He is praying that our faith may not cease, and that we may come out victoriously in the end. (Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology p. 403)
“If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me. (Robert Murray M’Cheyne p. 179)
Let’s read our passage and then close out with some words from the prince of preachers.
Jesus is praying for us. Jesus is praying for us! What a wonderful and heart-warming truth! Let’s close with some Spurgeon wisdom to help us remember and celebrate this wonder:
I love to read these words— “He ever liveth to make intercession for them.” This is one great object for which he lives. To make intercession for those that come unto God by him is the business of his life. Is not this wonderful? If some influential and powerful person should say to you, “I live to promote your interest; wherever I go and whatever I do, whatever I seek and whatever I obtain, I live for you”— it would show great friendship, and excite in us great expectations. Would it not? Yet here is the Lord Jesus declaring that he lives for us: for us he appears in the presence of God, for us he has gone to the many mansions of the Father’s house, for us he constantly intercedes with God. Oh, the deep debt of gratitude we owe to this glorious One, who having died for us, now lives for us!
It is more than if a brother should say, “I live my whole life for you”; for, remember, this might be said to be the second life which our Lord gives to us. He lived for us here below a whole lifetime! He laid down that life for us; and now he lives again for us. I know not how to speak what I feel concerning the surpassing greatness of his love. He could not be content to give his life once for us, but he must needs take it again and then give it over again for us. See how he loves us: he died for us! See how he loves us: he lives again for us! He lives for sinners, for he lives to intercede, and for whom is intercession but for those who need an advocate? “If any man sin we have an advocate.” May I say that Jesus lives two lives for us?
Yet more, it is said, “He ever liveth to make intercession for us”: so that the whole life of Christ throughout eternity,— his boundless, endless, glorified existence is still for his people. He glorifies the Father, and makes glad the hosts of heaven; but still this is the set purpose of his heart, to live for us. “He loved me, and gave himself for me” is true; but we may read it in the present tense if we like, and it is still true: “He loves me, and he gives himself for me.” Christ loved his church, and gave himself for it, and now he loves his church and gives himself to it. What inspiration lies in the endless life of Christ for us! Let our lives be lived wholly for him since he lives wholly for us.
Source: https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/the-ever-living-priest/#flipbook/
End of the Show: Bible memory verse for March: Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore, [Jesus] is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.”
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