The Third Coming of Christ!
Hopefully, you were able to see from part 1 how scripture was changed in the Hebrew Masoretic texts. To me, it is obvious how the earlier three witnesses of the Greek Septuagint, the Samaritan Pentateuch, and Josephus, used the correct days. Shem should be able to be crossed off your list of potential candidates of who Melchizedek was. Now let's visit the theory that Melchizedek is Yahusha one more time and hopefully we can put that theory to rest as well.
As I mentioned in part one, in order to believe Yahusha was Melchizedek, you would have to believe Yahusha existed prior to his birth in Bethlehem (as a god, an angel, or a man), and also believe he lived as a human earthly king, and then either died or simply disappeared. At that point the kingdom he was ruling would have been left leaderless. He then later came back as a baby, before ascending to heaven, therefore leaving a second time, so he could then come back a third time. We then shouldn't be looking for the second coming of Christ, we should be looking for the third coming of Christ. Or fourth, or fifth, or who knows how many times he has come and ruled as an earthly king undetected.
The disciples in Acts 1 should have asked: 6 ...Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? I mean, you did such a good job ruling Salem. We have no doubt that you'll be a good king again. (if it weren't obvious my words are in black)
Melchizedek in Hebrews 5, 6 & 7
Let's look at the book of Hebrews. It should be clear that Paul did not think Yahusha was Melchizedek. I have shortened chapters 5 through 7 for time's sake. As usual, any verses omitted are indicated by an ellipsis (...).
Hebrews 5
1For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: 2Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.
3And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. 4And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
So we see here that Paul is simply talking about high priests, and how they should provide an offering, for their own sins, as well as the people's. And no man should take the honor of being a high priest unless he is called of God. This rule may also apply to "normal" priests, but at a minimum, it applies to high priests.
5So also Christ glorified not himself to be made a high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
6As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. (Psalm 110)
Notice here, Yahusha did not even glorify himself to be made a high priest, but there was a certain day that Yahuah said "TODAY, have I begotten thee" (Psalm 2) and a time Yahuah said to him "thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek".
7Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
8Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
9And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
10Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec
11Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. 12For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God....
So we see from chapter 5, Paull makes no allusion that Yahusha was Melchizedek. Rather, he points out twice, that Yahusha was called A PRIEST FOREVER, after the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 6
Children of Yahuah have hope of living an eternal life under a new heaven and on a new earth. This hope is strenthened by believing that Yahuah can and will raise the righteous to an everlasting life. If you believe Yahuah raised Yahusha from the dead then you believe Yahuah can........ and will..... raise the righteous to eternal life. On this, believers set their hope. Paul is talking about this in chapter 6, and mentions that the forerunner has entered everlasting life first, that is Yahusha, who was made a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Let's begin chapter 6 at verse 12:
12That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises......
18That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
19Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; 20Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Can you imagine being a disciple of Yahusha and hoping for eternal life, not knowing when or how Yahuah was going to accomplish this feat? And later personally seeing the one you were following die and later be resurrected. Surely this bolstered the disciples' hope of being resurrected too. Paul was trying to "increase our hope" at the end of chapter 6, and at no point does he allude to Yahusha being Melchizedek.
Hebrews 7
1For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; 2To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
3Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
Verses 1 through 3, in my opinion, are probably the verses that trip the most people up. In verses 1 and 2, Paul states the name Melchizedek means King of righteousness.
And there you have it. That's all they need.
"Jesus is the King of righteousness! Jesus is Melchizedek, the KING of righteousness!"
But wait... did not many of the Israelites choose names regarding either righteousness or referring to Yahuah some how? Well let's see. ( https://www.behindthename.com/names/usage/biblical)
Jehu means, Yahuah is he
Artaxerxes means, righteous ruler
Jeremiah means, Yahuah will exalt
Joshua or Yahusha means, Yahuah is salvation.
Malachi means, my messenger or my angel
Mattaniah means, gift of Yahuah
Zedekiah means, justice of Yahuah
Zadok means, righteousness, and the website linke above has this to say about the name Zadok. This is the name of several characters in the Old Testament, most notably the high priest of Israel during the reigns of David and Solomon. Solomon was anointed by Zadok.
So you see, many people in the Bible had names that referred either to righteousness or Yahuah someway. In no way should someone see the name Melchizedek and instantly think, 'wow, that's Yahusha!'.
Next comes verse 3 where it says: 3Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
So the whole without father, without mother thing just throws so many people off. In their minds all humans have a father and mother, therefore this person must be god or an angel or something. But Paul was stating that we do not know who his father and mother is. If you believe that Melchizedek had no father or mother, and that Melchizedek is Yahusha, then you make both God and Yahusha a liar...
Yahusha said God was his father.... Look at John 20:
17Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
The good news translations of Hebrews 7:3 reads as:
3There is no record of Melchizedek's father or mother or of any of his ancestors; no record of his birth or of his death.
Paul was not saying Melchizedek had no father, he was saying we do not know who his father was. Let's continue with verse 4.
4Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
5And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
6But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. 7And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better. 8And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
9And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. 10For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
Jesus a Priest Like Melchizedek
11If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? 12For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
Now there are two things I would like to point out. Verse 6 states "he whose descent is not counted from them". So it sounds like Paul is stating that Melchizedek's descent is not counted from, or in other words not part of the Levitical lineage. If verse 6 was not fully convincing, I believe that when it is combined with verse 11 it is.
Verse 11 states: If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
WOW!! Paul point blank states that another priest was to arise and not be called after the order of Aaron. If the Melchizedek and Levitical priesthood were the same, then "arising priest" that Paul was talking about would be after the order of Aaron, but Paul states this is NOT the case. Paul continues..
13For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe,
(Wait what? Pertaineth to another tribe? Another tribe then Levi? Melchizedek couldn't be Shem, read that one more time. 13For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe,
It couldn't be more clear. This priest that was to arise after the order of Melchizedek:
1. Descent would not be counted from among the Levites
2. Would NOT be called after the order of Aaron
3. Would pertain to another tribe other than Levi
It couldn't be more clear. Let's cotinue....
of which no man gave attendance at the altar. 14For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. 15And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
So Paul first states it is evident, or in other words, "it's obvious" that Yahusha came from Judah, and in verse 15 Paul states "and it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchizedek there ariseth another priest", so he is saying,
Yeah, it's obvious that Yahusha came from Judah, but....
IT IS FAR MORE OBVIOUS that another priest was supposed to arise after the similitude of Melchizedek!
To Paul, this was so obvious, it was so clear, some priest would arise after the similitude of Melchizedek. Paul doesn't say Yahusha was Melchizedek. Now would have been the perfect time to say so if he believed that, but no, he says another priest would arise after the similitude of Melchizedek. The word similitude means being similar to. You can see the definition below that was copied and pasted from Google.
si·mil·i·tude
/siˈmiləˌt(y)o͞od/
noun
-
the quality or state of being similar to something.
16Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
17For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
So this priest that was supposed to arise, would not be made after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life, or in other words, this priest would be made after receiving the power of having eternal life. Did Yahusha have an endless life before he died? No, he died. But he was risen and given an endless or eternal life.
That is what Yahusha was praying for. To not die eternally. We see Yahusha praying spoken about again in Hebrews 5:
7Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
So we know back in verse 17, Hebrews says: 17For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
When did Yahuah testify that Yahusha was a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek? Yahuah testified that Yahusha was a priest forever AFTER he raised from the dead. Let's read Psalm 110 now.
1[A Psalm by David.] The LORD says to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."
When do you think Yahuah told Yahusha to sit at his right hand until his enemies were made a footstool for his feet?
Before his death resurrection?
Or after his death and resurrection?
Yahuah told Yahusha to sit at his right hand AFTER he was raised from the dead. He was to sit there until after his enemies were made a footstool for his feet. When Yahusha was on earth, his enemies were anything but "a footstool" under his feet. Psalm 100 continues with:
2The LORD will send forth the rod of your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of your enemies.
3Your people offer themselves willingly in the day of your power on the holy mountains. Out of the womb of the morning, you have the dew of your youth.
4The LORD has sworn, and will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek."
5The LORD is at your right hand. He will crush kings in the day of his wrath.
6He will judge among the nations. He will heap up dead bodies. He will shatter the head throughout a vast territory.
7He will drink of the brook in the way; therefore he will lift up his head.
We have a witness to confirm that Psalm 110 referred to the time after Yahusha ascended into heaven. Peter, spoke of Psalm 110 during Pentecost. This comes from Acts 2:
29Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
30Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
31He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
32This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 3
3Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
34For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
35Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
36Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
So Peter states that David was a prophet, and he wrote Psalm 110 about how Yahuah would say to "the fruit of his loins" ...
Sit thou on my right hand, 35Until I make thy foes thy footstool."
Later in the chapter Yahuah makes the proclomation: "You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek." Therefore we can say just like Hebrews 7:16 says, that Yahusha was made a priest "16 ...not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life." Let's finish reading the rest of Hebrews 7.
18For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. 19For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. 20And 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:)
22By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
23And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: 24But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
26For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 28For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
By now, I hope you know that Melchizedek was NOT Yahusha. If you still need convincing or if you just want to solidify your belief that Melchizedek was 'his own person', I will leave you with this. Look at the last verse of Hebrews 7. It says:
28For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
Let's read the NASB version to make it a little easier to understand if it isn't already crystal clear.
28For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.
but the word of the oath, which came after the Law
but the word of the oath,
which came after the Law
So, this oath, sworn to this individual that was to sit at Yahuah's right hand, WAS MADE, AFTER the law. Melchizedek lived before the law.