MELCHIZEDEK

DALLAS M. QUINLEY

Who is the Melchizedek in Genesis 14? Genesis 14:18-20: "Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, creator of heaven and earth. 20 And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.' Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything." Melchizedek is an old Canaanite name meaning: "my king is (the God) or my king is righteousness." The god whom Melchizedek serves as a priest is "El Elyon." Since the name originates in Canaan, it is probably of god of their pantheon. This story may also relate to the conflict between the Levite priests descended from Abraham and the Zadokite priests of Jerusalem, who later changed their allegiance to Yahweh. The Zadokites monopolized the Jerusalem priest- hood until forcibly taken away to Babylon, at which time Levite priests asserted their own hegemony. The Melchizedek episode could reveal the reascendancy of Zadokite power. It would be unusual for an author of Davidic times to construct narrative with a Canaanite protagonist. The Melchizedek here, in Genesis seems to be a self appointed king and priest of Salem. Thus, he would be (melchi) a king, and (zedek) a priest- but not a true Melchizedek, being self appointed… unlike Yeshua (of Jesus) who was a real king and priest. The order of the priesthood was not called Melchizedek. Melchizedek would be the two name title, "melchi" for a king (in the line of David) and "zedek" for a priest (in the line of Zadok); Melchizedek.

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When Abraham, the ancestor of the Levites, paid a tithe to Melchizedek, it had nothing to do with the laws of tithing, but rather, the spoils of war. Abraham took a tenth of all he had captured in battle and gave it to Melchizedek. Abraham's tithe was clearly from the spoils of war, which had been taken from Sodom and Gomorrah. It was not from Israel, nor was it the defined food and herbs from that promised land. It did not match the description of tithes as defined under the Law. Neither did his tithe support a true Levitical priesthood (which had forsaken land ownership in order to serve Yahweh). Psalms 110, in referring to a future Messiah of the Davidic line, alludes to the priest-king connection as a prototype of the priest-king messiah. However, this foreshadowing may have no relation to the Melchizedek in Genesis, other than the priest-king connection. As a victorious king with Abraham, Melchizedek had first choice of the top of the heap of spoils; the first ten percent of the spoil. There is no hint in scripture that Abraham ever tithed any of his own personal property to Melchizedek- nor at any time in the future. The future king of Sodom is an ignored key player in the historical account of Genesis 14. While three verses (18-20) mention Melchizedek, four verses mention the successor to Bera, his friend and ally, the king of Sodom. The focus and climax of the narrative is Abraham's declaration to the king of Sodom, and not the tithe to Melchizedek. 2

Since the incident occurred just outside the palace of the priest- King, Melchizedek, the king of Sodom must have certainly been acting as Melchizedek's personal representative, and his ambassador. The text itself, gives no evidence that Melchizedek was anything other than a self appointed and self named pagan priest-king (similar to hundreds in his era). Melchizedek was the priest-king of Salem, which is the shortened form of "Urusalem' the city of peace, identified with Jerusalem. 'Shalem" was probably the Canaanite god of peace as 'Shalom' is the Hebrew word for 'peace.' This priest-king, recognizing Abraham's nobility and worth, supplied refreshment and sustenance for the weary warrior and his men. These gifts were tokens of friendship and hospitality. However, if Melchizedek worshiped the Canaanite gods, Zedek and Salem, then logically, El Elyon must have also been a Canaanite god. If Melchizedek were a true worshiper of Yahweh, then he, and not Abraham, would have been God's choice for starting a chosen nation. Melchizedek was already an established priest-king in a large city in Canaan, but it was because God could not find a man of faith in Canaan (like that of Abraham) as to why He sought out Abraham. We may erroneously and subconsciously associate Melchizedek's Jerusalem with that of David's Jerusalem (which came 1000 years later). Since the name of Jerusalem was known prior to the Jebusite occupation, it probably originally referred to the High Hill of Melchizedek's temple beside the valley of Zedek.

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The place which Melchizedek called "Salem" was his pagan Canaanite residence and not that of God's holy city. Even the term "Zion" was originally a Jebusite name for his fort. The Tell Mardikh Tablets contain the name "Urusalimum" and hundreds of other places along with personal names in the region. The name "Salem" probably meant founded by the god Shalem or a goddess (perhaps of the dawn) of the Amorites, a Consort of Zedek, that is, Jupiter. Archaeologists claim the Jebusites date back to the time of Abraham and Melchizedek. The title "Most High God" was also a common Canaanite title for both El and Baal. El Elyon is of very little importance to people like Adam, Noah, Moses, Isaac, Jacob, and Abraham. The Rabbin, and most of the Rabbinical writers, conclude that Melchizedek was Shem, the son of Noah, who was king and priest to those who descended from him- according to the patriarchal model. But, this is not at all possible. The geneaologies of Yeshua were destroyed intentionally by the Jews and Romans in order to hide that he was in fact, a Zadok High Priest. Luke 2:36 "There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel (she was actually the daughter of Yahshua III; her identity was hidden), of the tribe of Asher…" She was very old; and lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was made a widow by Herod (because she married a Davidian Prince who was killed by Herod). She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying for her children and grandchildren (who were hunted by Herod). 4

Hanna (Anna) knew Yeshua was the heir to the office of Zadok High Priest. There is only one reason Joseph and Mary would make a special trip to the temple to see this old woman… she was Mary's mother, Yeshua's grandmother! Yeshua was a direct descendent of Yahshua III and in direct line after John the Baptists to be consecrated Zadok High Priest of Israel. These women were Yeshua's aunts. They were the daughters of Yahshua III who had put them into protective custody of the temple, away from Herod's wrath and women in protective custody of the temple were called "daughters of Jerusalem." Herod knew the messiah would be a Zadok High Priest, so to

prevent the birth of the coming king, he had Yahshua III

executed. Yahshua III anticipated Herod would do this, because

Herod was already killing off all the aspirants to the throne of

David called "young lions of the Tribe of Judah." So, Yahshua III

hid his three daughters and put them into custody of the

temple and gave then new (or false) genealogies to hide that

they were his daughters. Then Yahshua III arranged young men

from the Davidian Dynasty to marry his three daughters in

arranged marriages to produce the messiah with the genetic

mix to be the Melchizedek. One of his three daughters was

Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, and another was

Annah, the mother of Miriam…Yeshua's lineage through all four

sets of grandparents prove He was a unique genetic fulfillment

of the House of David and the House of Zadok.

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Yeshua had to restore both, the throne of David and the Zadok Priesthood or He would not have been considered the messiah. Yeshua was the coming Melchi (king) and Zedek (priest), there- fore, prophecy was the testimony that Yeshua was, and is the messiah. Revelation 19:10 "At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.” There is no prophecy to bear to this extra Biblical mythical priesthood of the King of Salem called the "Melchizedek Priesthood." There are no promises to that bloodline, no genealogy, no prophecy… nothing. However, we do see promises made to the bloodline of the Zadok Priesthood. The true Messiah was foretold by the prophets of Yahweh as the one who would restore the throne of David, being a direct blood descendant of David through Solomon. That bloodline runs through Yeshua's earthly father, Joseph. It is that bloodline that is the witness of Yahweh and The testimony that Yeshua is the Messiah… by blood. Yeshua Was the "righteous branch" that would restore both the throne of David and the Priesthood of Aaron and the Levites within the context of the New Covenant. Jeremiah 33:14-17 "The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah. ‘In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior…

For this is what the Lord says: ‘David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of Israel…" In those days, Judah will Be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell safely, and this is the name by which He will be called: Yahweh our righteous king… Melchizedek, for this is what the Lord says: ‘David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of Israel… nor shall the priests, the Levites (of the House of Zadok) lack a man to offer burnt offerings before me, to kindle grain offerings, and to sacrifice continually… This is a promise to the House of Zadok, Ezekiel 44:24 "In any dispute, the priests are to serve as judges and decide it according to my ordinances. They are to keep my laws and my decrees for all my appointed festivals, and they are to keep my Sabbaths holy." Notice Ezekiel did not prophesy of a new priesthood called "Melchizedek." He explains how the Zadok Priesthood was awarded the land around the temple (in the coming kingdom). The Zadok High Priests were removed by the family of the Maccabees around 160 B.C. They were removed from their rightful position of authority as High Priests of the Jerusalem Temple. What followed was a corruption of the Aaronic Priesthood which violated God's word. Those who were Zadok High Priests had to hide their identity. If they would have been discovered, Herod would have most likely killed them. The false priests, empowered by the Maccabees, defiled the temple.

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I want to address the prophecy in Isaiah because orthodox Jews deny that Isaiah 7:14 and Isaiah 9:6 can be about Yeshua. Isaiah 7:13-14: "And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." Jews claim the virgin is not a virgin but rather, a young woman. Jews claim Yeshua could not be the sign since the sign was for Ahaz who lived 700 years before Yeshua. Jews claim this verse is not about Yeshua, but rather, a child born at the time of Ahaz. First, the word "Alma" is known to be "virgin." Plus, it wouldn't be much of a sign for a child to be born to a young women when compared to a child being born of a virgin. Next, the sign was originally meant for Ahaz but he refused it. Therefore, the sign was then meant for the whole house of Israel. King Ahaz would be dead long before Yeshua was born. The Lord offered a sign to Ahaz that he would defend Jerusalem, but Ahaz rebelliously refused it. In reply, the prophet addresses not Ahaz personally, but the House of David: "Hear O' House of David…the Lord will give YOU a sign…" According to Isaiah 7:15-16, by the time the child spoken of in the sign grows up, the threat that Ahaz faces will be in some sense over with. "Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings."

When Yeshua was born, Assyria was long gone as an empire. The northern kingdom of Israel was gone and the kingdom of Syria as well was simply a Roman province. The fulfillment might therefore have been further off in the future than Ahaz or even Isaiah realized, but the explicit terms of the promise were still met in Yeshua's birth. The Lord promised a sign to the house of David, a virgin bearing a son, who would represent the presence of God with his people- God with us. Isaiah 7:14 does not stand in isolation, but must be read in light of Isaiah's broader outlook. The whole scenario and context points to something special which may indeed lay beyond the horizon of Ahaz. His house would have no royal power when this sign came to fulfillment. Because of Ahaz's capitulation to Assyria, Judah would become a puppet state. Judah would be subject to foreign empires in one way or another even until the time of Yeshua. Furthermore, the gospel of Matthew claims that Yeshua's conception by the virgin Mary is the fulfillment of this promise, citing Isaiah's prophecy explicitly: Matthew 1:23: "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." The orthodox Jewish view of this verse is that since it is past tense, then it cannot be about Yeshua.

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However, Isaiah 9:6 is an example of Hebrew literary technique using the past tense to refer to a future event… Just because something is written in past tense, doesn't mean that it is actually about a past event. There are passages in the Bible that are in the past tense and are actual prophecies. One excellent example is Isaiah 53. In Isaiah 9, 10 and 11, God simply uses the events of Egypt, Midian and Assyria as a parallel to the events when the redemption comes through the messiah. How the Jewish people were first carried away and oppressed, but when messiah comes to establish the throne of David forever, Israel will be restored. God will send the messiah to redeem his people, which results in praises of Israel to their God in Isaiah 12. Isaiah 9:6 is an example of what we would call: "Prophetic Perfect Tense." Some will bring to attention Ezekiel 32:21 which says: "The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword." What bearing does this have on Isaiah 9:6 and Isaiah 10:21? None- the context of Ezekiel 32:21 is that it is speaking of gentile nations being judged, so verse 21 refers to Egypt. Ezekiel 31:11 and 32:21 are not actually saying that these heathen rulers were actual gods (even if in a lesser sense than Yahweh) nor were they being called mighty. These gentile kings were sarcastically being called "gods" who were subject to ruination and judgment for their sins. 10

This is completely unlike the context of Isaiah 9 where an inspired prophet gives the child the very titles of God himself as an indication of His character and rule. And Isaiah stresses the point that there is only ONE true God. In other words, Hezekiah is a foreshadowing of the messiah himself, with the messiah doing and functioning the same way Hezekiah did, with a few minute differences. Jews will use the Talmud to try and make their case that this is only about Hezekiah. They obviously have to explain away a number of Messianic passages. They are sadly, still denying the messiah. In Exodus 30:7, God tells us that in His word, the position of serving God at the altar of incense belonged to priest Aaron and his future son who would serve next as High Priest. By sending his angel (Gabriel) while Zacharia was serving God at this altar of incense position, God was telling us very clearly who the High Priest really was! God, in recognizing Zacharia as High Priest, was saying, "This is my priest who has the right to minister to me at this position." God also told him (through Gabriel) that he would have a son, so the line of the Zadok High Priests would now be able to continue. Zacharia and his wife, Elizabeth were both of Aaron's lineage, righteous before God, walking in Torah and blameless. The next miracle God did was to give divine conception of a child, a son to a virgin named Miriam (Mary), who was betrothed to a man of the Tribe of Judah. Mary was from this same Zadok High Priest family. This was Mary's secret which God revealed.

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Zacharia was the mystery Zadok High Priest, so Mary also Carried in her womb the seed for the Highest position of this Zadok High Priest family. God had done it all, arranging all the details perfectly. Remember, God keeps all His promises! And He kept all the promises to the Zadok Priests of the Aaronic priesthood. Messiah Yeshua, our king, who was born of the bloodline of David (blood) and born according to the flesh (water), and begotten (declared) to be the son of God with power according to the spirit of Holiness (spirit), by the resurrection from the dead. Yeshua's claim to messiah is founded first and foremost on the prophets in the scriptures that foretold of His coming as Messiah. He would be the human messiah priest/king known as Melchizedek which means "ruling Zadok priest." Yeshua was that prophesied messiah Melchizedek because he was born of the flesh (I.E. water), and born into the bloodline of the seed of David (I.E. blood), and begotten through resurrection (I.E. spirit). So- by blood, Yeshua fulfilled the requirements that the messiah would restore the priesthood and the throne of David. In no way did any type of priesthood descend down through Shem. The teaching of a Melchizedek priesthood is based on human tradition, Jewish tradition, the Talmud, and the spirit of the false messiah known as "incarnation." It is not based on sound scripture, but rather, on implied mistranslated scripture and misunderstanding of the plan of salvation through blood- lines. 12

There is no priesthood outside of the one established by Yahweh through Aaron. Yahweh's promise to Aaron was eternal and was never suspended by a mythical priesthood called … "Melchizedek (stemming from the king of Salem)." When Abram defeats the 4 kings and returns home with Lot, The king of Sodom and Melchizedek (the king of Jerusalem) meet Abram in the Valley of Shaveh. The Bible goes on to explain that Melchizedek was a priest to the God Most High, and he blessed Abram saying, “Abram is blessed by God, the creator of heaven and earth. Give praise to God who handed your enemies over to you.” Abram then gave Melchizedek 1/10th of everything. Some sources say this act represented a tithe and was an acknowledgment by Abram that Melchizedek was a priest who ranked higher than he did. The Bible tells us nothing about where Melchizedek came from or how he came to be a king and a priest. But here is what we do know: – Melchizedek was a worshiper and priest of the true God. – He was king of the original Jerusalem. – The name Melchizedek means “King of Righteousness.” Hebrews 7:3 adds even more mystery. Here Melchizedek is described as being “Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.” God forbade the kings of Israel to be priests and the priests to be kings. In 2 Chronicles 26:16-26, King Uzziah tried to do the work of priest, and God struck him with leprosy. Melchizedek was an exception.”

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At this point you’re probably wondering why it even matters Who this seemingly obscure character is? Well, Psalm 110:4 says that the priesthood of the Messiah is a priesthood according to the order of Mechizedek. All other Israelite priests were from the tribe of Levi, from the order of Aaron. The writer of Hebrews cites Melchizedek’s unique priesthood as a type superior to the old Levitical order and the priesthood of Aaron. People who base their claim primarily from the Book of Jashar (although they also cite various Jewish sources such as the Talmud and other oral Jewish tradition), which actually states that Shem was Melchizedek. The problem is, even though the Bible mentions the Book of Jashar in Joshua 10:12-13 and 2 Samuel 1:18-27, the Book of Jashar that exists today- although ancient- is not the Book of Jashar that was mentioned in the Old Testament. It is actually an eighteenth-century forgery written by Alcuin (an eighteenth century scholar) That claims to be a translation of the lost Book of Jashar. A second book claiming to be the Book of Jashar is often called the “Pseudo-Jashar.” This is a book of Jewish legends that scholars confirm did not even exist prior to AD 1625. According to the Old Testament law, all priests must come from the line of Levi. Now, Jews obviously do not accept the New Testament, and the identity of Melchizedek is one of many ways in which the Jews attempt to “debunk” the New Testament and deny that Jesus was the Messiah. 14

In Hebrews, the Messiah is described as the “high priest,” But Jews point out that Jesus is descended from the tribe of Judah. So, according to Old Testament law Jesus couldn’t fulfill the Hebrews description that the Messiah is the new “high priest”. But then, Hebrews 5:10 explains that the Messiah is a priest according to a different order- the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 7:11-20 goes even further saying that perfection could not be attained from the Levitical priesthood (which was a part of the law), so a new priesthood was required. It says that the Levitical priesthood was temporary, but the Messiah’s priesthood in the order of Melchizedek is permanent. In other words, men die- but Yeshua would never die. He would reign forever. Now, some Jewish Rabbis thought they could prove that Jesus wasn’t the Messiah by first claiming that Shem is Melchizedek, then using the genealogies to disqualify Jesus from the priesthood by definition of Old Testament law. Rabbis claim that Shem handed the priesthood down to Abraham, who passed it to Isaac, who passed it to Jacob, who eventually passed it down to Levi. Rabbis point out for Jesus to inherit the priesthood from Melchizedek, He would have to be a descendant of Levi. But He isn’t- Jesus is descended from Judah. By combining Melchizedek and Shem, the Jews are able to claim that the priesthood is still Technically by the order of Levi (not different as Hebrews states), thereby disqualifying Jesus from the priesthood since He is descended from Judah.

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Shem died 500 years before Abram was even born so he couldn’t have been the Melchizedek that met Abram in the Valley of Shaveh. Also Shem’s birth and death are recorded in Genesis, though Melchizedek is said to have neither beginning of life nor end of days. Footnotes: 1-Shem begat Arphaxad at age 100 which was two years after the flood. 2- Christians know from Acts 7:4 that Abraham was born when Terah was 130 years old not 70. This is an interpretive variance, not a textual one in spite of the fact that Jews from 300 BC to the present wrongly maintain that Terah was 70 when Abraham was born. 3- Total years from birth of Arphaxad to birth of Abraham in 2166 BC. 4- The Jews from 300 BC down to the present day wrongly set the age of Terah at the birth of Abraham at 70 which calculates an age of the earth at 4114 BC. The truth is that Terah was 130 years old, which calculates age of the earth according to the MT at 4114 BC + 60 = 4174 BC. 5- Flood date is calculated by subtracting [total Gen 5 years] from [creation date] and adding [98 years] because Shem was born in Noah’s 502nd year and the flood occurred when Noah was 600 years old. 6- Because Jews have wrongly believed from 150 BC to the present that Terah was 70 years old when Abraham was born instead of the correct begetting age of 130 you must add 60 years to the MT flood date of 2458 BC to arrive at the actual MT flood date of 2518 B.C. 16

7- While the numbers in the MT show that Terah was 130 when Abraham was born and that Abraham left Haran at age 75 after Terah died at age 205, the Jews incorrectly interpreted the birth of Abraham when Terah was 70. What this meant in their interpretation, was that Tarah continued to live in Haran for another 60 years after Abraham left for Canaan. This was always problematic until the Christian Bible explicitly stated that Abraham did not leave Haran until after the death of Terah at age 205 (see Acts 7:4). The Samaritans fudged the numbers for the life span of Terah from 205 down to 145 in order to have Terah die before Abraham left Haran. So, in the Samaritan corrupted chronology they incorrectly have Abraham born when Terah was 70 and Terah dying at age 145 when Abraham leaves for Canaan at age 75. But today we are certain that Terah was 130 years old when Abraham was born which creates a huge problem for the Samaritan Pentateuch because this means Terah dies when Abraham is only 15 years old and now Abraham continues to live in Haran for another 60 years after Terah dies before he leaves for Canaan. This is clear proof of a corrupt and fabricated Samaritan chronology because the prevailing FALSE view of Jews as far back as 150 BC to the present, is that Terah was 70 when Abraham was begotten. Had the Samaritans just left the text alone, they never would have been caught Red handed with irrefutable proof (Abraham was not 15 years old when Terah died), that they deliberately corrupted the Samaritan Pentateuch chronology in Genesis 5 and 11.

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8- Life numbers (total years lived) are not in the text of either the LXX or MT. However, they are added in the SP. For example, in Genesis 11:11 the Samaritan Pentateuch adds the words: “All the days of Shehm were 600 years and he died”. The SP adds the total life years lived for each person in the Genesis 11 chronology. This is a corruption of the original text. The Jews corrupted the Masoretic text in 160 AD by reducing the age of the earth in the Genesis 5 and 11 chronologies. As you can see, the chronological numbers Genesis 11 for the time span between Shem and Abraham in the Septuagint (LXX), Masoretic (MT) and Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) are all different... (MT) and Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) are all different... Genesis 11 Years from Shem to Abraham: Septuagint (LXX) (Correct original)

Masoretic (MT) (Corrupted)

Samaritan (SP) (Corrupted)

1230 years 450 years 1100 years The Jews compressed the genealogy in Genesis 11 but the Samaritans did not! The Samaritans also corrupted their genealogies in Genesis 11, but for different reasons. The Samaritans do not believe Shem is Melchizedek and the Genesis 11 chronology in Pale-Hebrew Torah proves it. 18

One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him. Melchizedek thus, inaugurated a priesthood superior to the one later awarded to the Levites. Levitical priests are mortal, while Melchizedek, seeing as neither his parents nor his death are recorded, must be immortal. Abraham recognized the superiority of Melchizedek’s priesthood When he paid him a tithe and received a blessing as his subordinate. The Levitical priesthood, which offers inferior sacrifices by mortal priests, is thereby defrocked by the author of Hebrews. Jesus, the eternal priest “after the order of Melchizedek,” offers the perfect once-and-for-all sacrifice, himself. Yahweh chose one bloodline through whom He would reveal his chosen ones, the family/bloodline of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob- not the king of Salem. 1 John 1:7 "The blood of Yeshua the messiah, the son of Yahweh cleanses us from all sin…" The authority to make that atonement is given in Numbers 25:10-13 to the eternal Zadok High Priest. Aaron had four sons, the beginning of the Aaronic priesthood; and all four sons were genetically from two tribes, Levi and Judah. Through Aaron, they were from the tribe of Levi, and through Aaron's wife Elisheva, they were from the tribe of Judah. This knowledge is key to this king-priest mystery. The line of kings comes from Judah and the line of priests comes from Levi.

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King Solomon was king over all Israel. Zadok and Abiathar were the priests. 1 Kings 2:26-27 "And to Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields, for you are deserving of death; but I will not put you to death at this time, because you carried the ark of the Lord God before my father David, and because you were afflicted every time my father was afflicted.” So Solomon removed Abiathar from being priest to the Lord, that he might fulfill the word of the Lord which He spoke concerning the house of Eli at Shiloh." Ezekiel 44:10-16 "And the Levites who went far from Me, when Israel went astray, who strayed away from Me after their idols, they shall bear their iniquity. Yet they shall be ministers in My sanctuary, as gatekeepers of the house and ministers of the house; they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister to them. Because they ministered to them before their idols and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity, therefore I have raised My hand in an oath against them,” says the Lord God, “that they shall bear their iniquity. And they shall not come near Me to minister to Me as priest, nor come near any of My holy things, nor into the Most Holy Place; but they shall bear their shame and their abominations which they have committed. Nevertheless I will make them keep charge of the temple, for all its work, and for all that has to be done in it. “But the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near Me to minister to Me; and… 20

…they shall stand before Me to offer to Me the fat and the blood,” says the Lord God. 'They shall enter My sanctuary, and they shall come near My table to minister to Me, and they shall keep My charge." This is the Zadok priesthood eternally serving Yahweh, not some mythical priesthood stemming from Shem or the king of Salem. They and they alone, were to enter the sanctuary. When Solomon became king, he removed Abiathar and kept Zadok and his sons in authority as God's appointed High Priests (sons of Eleazar). The Zadok priests remained in authority from the days of King Solomon to about 160 B.C., only to be removed from their authority as High Priests by man, the Maccabees. With removal of the Zadok priests from the Jerusalem temple, the Aaronic priesthood became corrupted. Melchizedek is a title, not the name of a king or priesthood. Yeshua was the rightful king by Yahweh's decree, making him the long awaited "Melchizedek." David's eternal throne would be delivered to the "on who came to whose right it was to sit on it." This is the promise upon which the title "Melchi" in "Melchizedek" derives its authority. In fact, it is two titles. In The Masoretic texts, the name is written as two words: (Meleki-aedeq מלכי־צדק), because Abraham had indentified this man from Salem as king and High Priest of his people. The title is composed from the two elements "Melek (king) and "Sedeq" (righteousness)… this led to the re-interpretation of the name as "king of righteousness" based on a hellenistic misunderstanding- twisted by the Greeks. Yeshua was a priest and king "in the order of" Melchizedek, ,but rather, "in the manner of" Melchizedek.

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Yeshua would fulfill the promise to Zadok and be the eternal High Priest, but in the manner of a righteous king, fulfilling the promise to David as well. The angel (priest) Gabriel said that the virgin Mary would have a divine child. God is telling us that Yeshua had been specifically chosen by God as the branch of righteousness, brought into the world through two families; David's family and Aaron's family. This is why His name is above every name. Malachi 3:1 "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and Yahweh, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant (Numbers 25:10-13), whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith Yahweh of hosts." Numbers 25:10-13 "The Lord said to Moses, “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites. Since he was as zealous for my honor among them as I am, I did not put an end to them in my zeal. Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace with him. Phineas the son of Elazar the son of Aaron the Kohen. Behold I give to him my Covenant of Peace (promise of the Renewed Covenant), and these promises be his and his progeny after him (a) Covenant of Everlasting Priesthood in turn of his zealousness for of his God, and he (and his progeny was given the right to) atoned for the sons of Israel." We then, see Yahweh promise to raise up a reliable priest

after His own heart, like a King (David) was raised up after

Yahweh’s own heart.

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God’s Son, the King and Great High Priest, Melchi Zedek, came to earth, born from the line of kings from David and high priests from Zadok of Aaron. Christianity believes that the Levitical Priesthood was old and fading away, being replaced by Melchizedek (see Hebrews 8:13)… Israel broke the first covenant, so it had to be repaired. What was really near to disappearing was the nature of man that caused man to break the Torah and the covenant. You may say that the blood of bulls and goats never took away sin. This is true because it was the act of faith that made these sacrifices valid. They were done in obedience to the Lord. Sacrifices had always been a shadow of Messiah's sacrifice. Animals were never to be the infinite payment for sin. The sacrifices pointed to Christ. Sacrifices related to matters of ritual purity (in regards to the Tabernacle). Sin prevented one from drawing near to God in the Tabernacle. Animal sacrifices functioned as a way to bring forth temporary atonement so the worshiper could be ritually clean and then, able to enter the Tabernacle or temple. Melchizedek has dual offices or authority. Never since the founding of Israel had one man been both a king and a priest. In Exodus 19:6 Israel is called a kingdom of priests, but in 1 Peter 2:9 we read, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

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And in Revelation 1:5-6 it’s even clearer… "And from Yeshua, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." So if we belong to God, we are a priest, we are one of His Cohanim and every priest and holy vessel must be separated from everything else, set apart to God… discerning between the clean and unclean. When the priest performed the Semikah, which was the placing of the sins of the people on to the sacrifice, they also had to confess their own sins over it. (Leviticus 16:21) They had to do both, for if they did not, the sacrifice could not die for those sins. This sacrifice could only die for those sins if it wasn’t guilty of them. Yeshua was clearly not guilty of our sins, yet He died as a sacrifice- placing the sins upon Himself. Yeshua is KING and Great High Priest of Heaven! He also fulfilled the earthly line of both Aaronic high priests of Aaron and the line of kings from king David! This great Mystery is now revealed and is part of the precious and sinless Blood of our Lord Yeshua! Yeshua is Heaven’s Priest coming from high priest Zadok of Aaron! Shalom.

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