PRECEPTS

Melchizedek / Saul-David / Hezekiah

1. Genesis 14:18 - “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God”. After this cameo introduction, the Bible says nothing else about Melchizedek until a thousand years later in Psalm 110, and then it’s ANOTHER thousand years until the Book of Hebrews elaborates on how Jesus is the figure of Melchisedec (spelled with an ‘s’ and a ‘c’ in the New Testament). Melchizedek is a King AND a Priest, to contrast with how the kings of Israel were not permitted to usurp the duties of priests. 2Chr26:18. Ps 110:4 “The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek”. So the books of Genesis and Psalms and Hebrews all contribute to our knowledge of the King-Priest of ‘Jerusalem’.

2. The Hebrews desired to have a king over them (as the other nations), and God disapproved, 1Sam10:19, but granted them a king from the Tribe of Benjamin named Saul, who was ‘a head taller’ than others, 1Sam9:2, so I gather he looked the part, even though at first he seemed reluctant to receive the title. Gradually he became a ‘take-charge’ king and became envious of young David who seemed to be winning more battles than Saul. After David’s win over Goliath and Saul’s error in not waiting for the Prophet Samuel, the crown was taken away from Saul and awarded instead to young David.

When we read this story with hindsight; knowing how the New Testament speaks of the ‘old man of the flesh’ and the ‘new, hidden man of the heart’, we can begin to see how the tale is telling in figurative language of how Saul becomes David. David is reluctant to kill off the old-man, because the two are ‘one’. The Amalekite’s are a type of Satan who eventually do the job (cause the suicide) 2Sam1:10. They’re the same nation that fights against Israel and loses whenever the hands of Moses are lifted (helped by Aaron and Hur, Ex17:12) and Joshua becomes victorious in the background of this figurative battle.

3. King Hezekiah is one of the greatest kings in the Old Testament; following after the LORD with all his heart, and observing a noteworthy Passover, 2Chr30. His story is told in 2K25 and 2Chr30, and in chapters 36-39 of Isaiah, and he’s the only person in the Bible who knows the year of his death, after being awarded an added 15 years. When he wants a sign to confirm he’ll go to the Lord’s House ‘on the 3rd’ Day’, 2K20:5, following those 15 years, it’s the shadow of the sun dial moving backwards for ten degree’s. Then, his only son, Manasseh, is born 3 years later, because he’s only 12 years old when he inherits Hezekiah’s reign. 2K21:1.

If we can believe our calendars at all, then Calvary occurred over 2,000 years ago, and when a thousand years are as one day, to the LORD, it has only been about two days. Therefore, we may be in the LORD’s Third Day right now! And Y2K may have been the beginning of our 15 added years – that is, if Hezekiah’s story had a deeper meaning than we’ve been giving it credit for…