The Holiest of All By Andrew Murray

232 abe fbolfest of BH
from the father of the whole people. There is more ;
in Israel men
who die receive tithes ;
but here one of whom it is witnessed
that He liveth, who abideth continually. And in Abraham,
even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes.
All was so ordered
of God as a hidden prophecy, to be unfolded in due time, of the
greatness of Christ our High Priest. Consider how great this
man was.
There is a second proof of his greatness ; Melchizedek
blessed Abraham.
But without any dispute the less is blessed
of the better. Abraham had already been blessed of God
Himself (Gen. xii. 2).
He here accepts a blessing from Melchi
zedek, acknowledging his own inferiority, unconsciously sub
ordinating himself and the whole priesthood that was to come
from him, to this priest of the Most High God.
The unfolding of this divinely-ordained type not only reveals
the superiority of Christ to the Levitical priesthood, but sets
before us most suggestively two of the characteristics of our
relation to Christ as Priest. We receive blessing from Him ;
He
receives tithes from us.
Christ comes to bring us God s blessing. We have seen in
chap. vi. 14 what God s is.
blessing It is in Christ that the
blessing is confirmed and imparted. And if we would know
fully what the blessing is Christ brings us, we have only to
think of the priestly blessing in Israel.
On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto
them,
The LORD bless thee, and keep thee ;
The LORD make His face to shine upon thee, and be
gracious unto thee :
The LORD lift
up His countenance upon thee, and give
thee peace.