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Comparison
Melchizedeck/Jesus Christ
A comparison of
Melchizedek and Jesus Christ as to:
Ancestry, Names, Kingdoms,
Priesthood., Gifts & Sacrifices, Blessings, Tithes
TITHES
- Melchizedek
This
principle of giving back to God so permeates the kingdom of God that it is
first represented in Abram's (meaning exalted father) encounter with
Melchizedek.
Abram
returned from war with great spoil, and after Melchizedek blessed Abram, he
gave Melchizedek, tithes of the spoil . It is interesting to note
that after tithing, he (Abram) returned all of the people and possessions
(the spoil) to the king of Sodom; saying that he did not want it said that
the king of Sodom had made Abram rich. Perhaps he knew that the blessing was
preferable to spoil, especially the spoil of the city of perversion. After
the return of the spoil, the word of the Lord came to Abram with a promise
of an heir, innumerable descendants, and inheritance of land.
Actually
the whole economy of Israel was based upon the tithe.
Jacob,
Abraham's grandson was the next person to give God 10%. It was part of a vow
after he had the ladder vision. You can read about it in
Gen.28:22
One thing
that I noticed about Abram and Jacob is that each gave or promised the tithe
at the place where they were blessed by God.
God later
established the Levitical priesthood based upon the principle of the tithe.
Actually
the whole economy of Israel was based upon the tithe.
Let's look
at the principle of giving to God
as shown
in many areas of scripture.
1)
Creation:
Genesis
2:1-3 shows us that the rhythm of God, in creative work, has rest.
"Thus the heavens and the
earth,
and all the host of them, were
finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and
He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God
blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all
His work which God had created and made.
Here we
see that God sanctified a time portion of rest for Himself.
2) The
Law (given by God to Moses)
Leviticus
27:30 establishes the tithe of the land.
Numbers
18:21 God ordains tithes of the tithes of Israel (heave offering) to
go to the Levites (priests).
Deuteronomy 14:29 shows inclusion of the stranger, fatherless and widow to
eat from the priest's tithes, with a promise of blessing.
3.
First born of man and beast are reserved for God Himself.
Exodus
13:2,12-16, 22:,29:30,34:19,20:
In
fulfillment of this, Jesus Christ was Himself designated by the Father as
the first begotten,
Hebrews 1: 5,6; Revelation
1:5,6; I Corinthians 15:20.
The term,
first begotten in Greek is "prototokos" meaning -- first born, taken from
"protos" meaning foremost (in time, place, order or importance).
Colossians
1: 13-19 gives the best picture of his preeminence as the first begotten.
Romans
8:29 shows us that He (Jesus) is the first born of many brethren.
(Romans 8:29 NKJV) For whom He
foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that
He might be the
firstborn among many
brethren.
I
personally believe that "many brethren" refers to a tithe of the peoples of
the earth. These would be those who voluntarily submit to being conformed
into the image of Christ.
(Those
found written in the Book of Life,
Revelations 20:15).
(Hebrews 1:5-6) For to which
of the angels did He ever say: "You are My Son, Today I have begotten You"?
And again: "I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son"? {6} But
when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: "Let all
the angels of God worship Him."
(Revelation 1:5-6 NKJV) and
from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead,
and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us
from our sins in His own blood, {6} and has made us kings and priests to His
God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
(Colossians 1:13-19 NKJV)
He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the
kingdom of the Son of His love, {14} in whom we have redemption through His
blood, the forgiveness of sins. {15} He is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn over all creation. {16} For by Him all things were
created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were
created through Him and for Him. {17} And He is before all things, and in
Him all things consist. {18} And He is the head of the body, the church, who
is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He
may have the preeminence. {19} For it pleased the Father
that in Him all the
fullness should dwell,
4.
First Fruits are another aspect of this principle.
In the Law
of Moses the first of the grain, oil, wine, fruit, and fleece were to be
offered to the Lord. They had to be free from blemish and offered at the
tabernacle. They were given as a wave offering, a heave offering and a thank
offering.
Concerning
the 12 Tribes one tribe was taken to serve God in service at the
tabernacle/temple The Levites were the family (tribe) of priests.
In the
New.Testament.,on the day of First Fruits, exactly 50 days after Passover,
which was part of the feast of weeks or harvest, the Holy Spirit fell upon
the disciples of Jesus with rushing wind and tongues of fire and utterances
in unknown tongues. This is considered the beginning of the Christian
church. (Acts 2:1-4)
(1 Corinthians 15:20 NKJV)
But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits
of those who have fallen asleep.
I believe
that we have more than established that Christ fulfilled the firstborn/firstfruit
principle.
First
there is the type ------ as shown in the Law
Then there
is the fulfillment----- as shown in Jesus Christ
Then there
is the entering in of anyone who desires it.
Concerning
the tithe, it was a foundation type that expressed the principle of giving
back to God. Whether it was in being blessed or in making vows.
The
fulfillment would be that we give our very lives to God as Jesus gave His
for the world. As regarding money,
it is now a heart issue,
as all that the New Testament has to say on the matter is to give:
1. without
pretentious or excessive display
Mt 6:1-4,
2.
regularly
1Cor16:2
3.
liberally
2Cor9:6-15
4.
cheerfully
2Cor8:11,12 9:7
If your
eyes, ears and heart have been opened
to see
Jesus Christ as The Lord,
you need
to make a personal commitment
to HIM who
is all in all! |
