Melchisedec's Priesthood (Part 4) - Heb 7:19-24

Watch the video of this sermon on YouTube: Melchisedec's Priesthood (Part 4) - Heb 7:19-24 To learn more about Jesus Christ, click here: Jesus Christ To listen to or watch the previous sermon in the series, click here: (Part 3) To listen to or watch the next sermon in the series, click here: (Part 5) 18. Heb 7:19 - For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. A. Because the animal sacrifices could never take away sins, the law of Moses could not make anything perfect. B. Jesus, who is our hope (1Ti 1:1), did make us perfect (Col 1:28; Col 2:10; Heb 12:23). C. Perfect adj. - 1. Thoroughly made, formed, done, performed, carried out, accomplished. Obs. a. Of a legal act: Duly completed. 3. a. In the state proper to anything when completed; complete; having all the essential elements, qualities, or characteristics; not deficient in any particular. D. Our hope is the resurrection (Tit 2:13 c/w 1Jo 3:2 c/w Php 3:20-21 c/w Rom 8:22-25) which will make our bodies perfect as well (Php 3:10-12). E. We draw nigh unto God by Christ our hope (Joh 14:6; Act 4:12). F. Jesus brought us a better testament (Heb 7:22; Heb 8:6; 2Pe 1:19; 2Co 3:6), in which hope is found (Col 1:5, 23). G. The New Testament is the perfect law of liberty (Jam 1:25). 19. Heb 7:20-21 - And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: 21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) A. Paul reasons that Jesus was made a priest with an oath by God, quoting Psa 110:4 which said that the LORD swore. B. Swear - 1. intr. To make a solemn declaration or statement with an appeal to God or a superhuman being, or to some sacred object, in confirmation of what is said; to take an oath. 2. To promise or undertake something by an oath; to take an oath by way of a solemn promise or undertaking. C. When the LORD swears that He will do something, it is guaranteed to happen without fail or deviation (Isa 46:9-10; Psa 33:11). i. When God promised to multiply and bless Abraham, he swore by Himself (Heb 6:13-14). ii. In that it is impossible for God to lie, His oath is as sure as His existence by which He swore (Heb 6:17-18). iii. Therefore, it was impossible for Jesus to not become and remain a priest forever. D. The Levitical priests were not made with an oath, which shows the supremacy of Christ's priesthood over theirs. 20. Heb 7:22 - By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. A. Jesus brought us a better testament (see Heb 7:19). B. Because He was made a priest by the immutable oath of God, He was made a surety of the New Testament. C. Surety n. - II. Means of being sure. 5. A formal engagement entered into, a pledge, bond, guarantee, or security given for the fulfilment of an undertaking. Chiefly in phr. to do, make, find, give, put in, take surety or sureties; in, to, under, upon surety. D. Jesus being made a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec by the oath of God was the guarantee that the New Testament was a better testament than the Old Testament which was weak and unprofitable (Heb 7:18). E. The NT is better because: i. The sacrifices of the OT never took away sins (Heb 10:4,11), but Jesus' sacrifice took away all of the sins of His elect forever (Heb 10:12-14). ii. The OT was do and live (Rom 10:5), but the NT is live and do (Eph 2:10). iii. The OT was the message of death and judgment (Gal 3:10), but the NT is the message of life and mercy (2Ti 1:10). iv. The OT was temporary until the Messiah came (Gal 3:19), but the NT is an everlasting covenant (Heb 13:20). v. The OT was full of dark sayings (Hos 12:10), but the NT is characterized by great plainness of speech (2Co 3:12; 2Pe 1:19). 21. Heb 7:23 - And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: A. The Levites who did the service of the temple served from age 30-50 (Num 4:1-4). B. The term of the priest's office was a lifetime appointment which was terminated by his death (Num 35:25). C. Because the priests were mortal men, there were many of them over time. 22. Heb 7:24 - But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. A. Jesus' priesthood is likewise a lifetime appointment. B. But because He is alive forevermore (Rev 1:18; Rom 6:9), His priesthood is unchangeable (Heb 13:8) and will never be conferred upon another.