Welcome to Nancy Guthrie’s guided journal “Hoping for Something Better,” which she based on her book of the same title (Tyndale 2007).
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Day 16
There is something better than depending on a person to bring us close to God temporarily. It is coming to God through Jesus who holds us close forever.
Read Hebrews 7.
It’s important to recognize why the writer to the Hebrews brought Melchizedek up—the only place he’s mentioned in the New Testament. This writer was trying to convince the Hebrew people that someone (Jesus) who wasn’t even a descendant of Aaron was the perfect high priest. Everybody knew that someone couldn’t be a priest unless he was from the tribe of Levi. So the writer to the Hebrews was building his case by reminding them that one thousand years before Aaron, there was a priest of God who was appointed by God and respected by Abraham, the father of their faith.
The most important thing for you to know about Melchizedek is this: He was a type—an illustration—of the permanence of the priesthood of Jesus. This means that our salvation is as secure as Christ’s priesthood is indestructible. Long after everyone you depend on in this life is dead and gone, Jesus will be alive and serving as your priest in the presence of God. When your future seems uncertain, rest in knowing that the priesthood of Jesus on your behalf is “forever, in the order of Melchizedek” (7:17).
In what ways was Jesus similar to Melchizedek according to 7:1-3, 15-17?
In 7:18-19, what conclusion does the writer come to about the law? What conclusion does he come to about our “better hope”?
What did the Old Testament high priests do that Jesus never had to do (7:27)?
What did Jesus do that the Old Testament high priests never did (7:27)?
–Nancy Guthrie