Herbert W Armstrong

   Then this other portion telling you where and what Christ has been doing. Where he's been. Of course, we may know where He's been but very few of us know what He's been doing for the last 1900 years. We hear a little preaching about what he did for 3 1/2 years on the earth. We hear a lot of preaching about His person exalting and extolling Him and deifying Him which is all very proper. But usually He is presented as a dead Christ that was great but He died. They don't say very much that the fact that He rose from the dead, that God Almighty, the Father in heaven raised Him from the dead, and that He is now very God and alive for evermore and that He's been on the job for 1900 years. Why didn't we hear something about that?

   One book in your Bible is devoted to the job, the office of Jesus Christ now. And that office is there to help you. And to give you the breaks when you need them. And to deliver you out of your trials and troubles when you're in them and you have them. Because everybody has. He's there to give you something you need that you have most of you not been getting.

   Now we're up into the middle of the seventh chapter, but just so that you get the picture, I want to go back again to the end of the sixth chapter to pickup the thought right in here. Beginning with the seventeenth verse, (Heb 6:17) "Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise" [because this book reveals, my friends, that you and I, are the heirs of promise if, if we have been completely conquered, by God, if we have really repented, if we have yielded ourselves to the government of God, the rule of God over our lives totally and completely which very few have and if, we have living faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and master and our ruler: Our present High Priest which this book is telling us about and as our coming king.

   Very few people know anything about Jesus Christ as Lord and master now, as our High Priest now and as our coming King. So, I'm presenting Christ to you right now, my friends, in that present office. Not some ancient office of 1900 years ago, but the present living office. Because Christ is living and He's the head of His Church.

   That's the Church I represent and that I belong to, which one do you belong to, my friends? The church I belong to, I didn't join, God put me in it. God called me out of this world, He struck me down, He brought me to a complete surrender. He put something in me by which He made me His son. And inducted, or baptized or put me into the body of Christ; His Church. That the church I represent and no man is the head of it, Jesus Christ is the living, dynamic head of it and He directs it in all of its activities and all of its work. And it has a great work to perform which is the greatest work on the face of this earth today. And the greatest privilege that could come to any living human being. And a number of thousands of people share with me is that in being His instruments in that very, very great work of carrying His living message, His living gospel, to the whole world today. Now, we are then the very heirs of God; co-heirs with Christ. Christ is the heir of all things. Christ has all power, all power in heaven and in earth has been given to Him. That's what He has now the living Christ that is alive now, for you on His Father's throne in heaven where He is at work in a dynamic activity for you but it's something can have the benefit only if you yield yourself to God. If you believe in living faith and you if come to Him for it. You actually have to come and get it!

   Now, "Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto [that is it reveal so we shall understand] unto the heirs of promise" [I hope that includes you, my friends, because we're co-heirs with Christ if we are begotten of God as His children.] the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: (Heb 6:18) "That 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:"

   What hope is that hope? The Apostle Paul tells about that hope when he was on trial for his life. He mentioned that this whole thing had arise because of what he was preaching of his great hope; the hope of the resurrection. Of being raised from the dead, of being changed from mortal to immortal, from human to divine, exactly, precisely as Jesus Christ was. Because Jesus Christ, born a son of God and therefore very God by resurrection, from the dead as you read in the very first chapter of the book of Romans, was merely the first born of many brethren, he is the pioneer of our salvation, as we've been reading here in this book of Hebrews and we're supposed to follow Him. That is we will follow Him, if, we have completely yielded to Him, if we believe in living faith, and if we overcome and we grow in grace and in the knowledge of Him. His knowledge and in spiritual things. In other words, if we develop and grow in character more and more like Him until we really imbibe and receive within of us so much of Him. So much of God; of God's thoughts, of God's character, of God's ways of His power, of His spirit, of His love, all of His character and attributes which He will instill within us if we yield and if we wanted and seek after it enough that we finally become Holy. Because God Himself puts that holiness within us! Holiness can come only from God, not from you, you cannot originate it, you can't create it, there's nothing Holy about you. And yet, you must become Holy because without Holiness none can see the Eternal. Now then, that is the hope, that we shall be born like Him and be co-heirs with Christ who is the heir of everything.

   (Heb 6:19) "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters into that within the veil; [Now of here it's speaking of course the vale in the typical tabernacle that they had in the wilderness in the days of Moses on this earth, way back when the children of Israel were on the way between Egypt and Palestine. And then in the temple as it was built by Solomon; in Jerusalem later. And there was the Holy of Holies that was the picture, the symbol of God's throne in heaven. Just a picture or two. But out was the Holy Place, outside and there was a vale or a great curtain between. No one but the High Priest could ever could go into the Holy of Holies and he even once a year on the day of Atonement in the fall, every year. It was the ten day of God's seventh month as God counts time but that's not according to our calendar. It wasn't July which was the seventh month of the calendar that we're going by which is merely a Roman calendar or is really a pagan calendar but the whole world uses it today.

   Now, then this hope we have is an anchor of the sole both sure and steadfast and which enters into that within the vale. In other words, to the very throne of God,] "Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, [Now you see High Priest entering into, behind the vale, that is into the Holy of Holies, which is a type of entering into the very throne of God which literally is up in heaven, was merely the type of Jesus Christ, our High Priest after He arose from the dead ascending to heaven to the very throne of God. And He ascended into the very intimate throne of God which was pictured by going into the most Holy or the Holy of Holies. The Holy place by the tabernacle that they had in the temple in Jerusalem back in the Old Testament times. Christ has entered there, at the very throne of God, now notice it, "Whither the forerunner is for us entered" on our behalf to serve us. He is our servant. He is our helper.

   You know, in God's Kingdom, my friends, in God's form of government it's quite different from that that we know on this earth and our human civilization. Here, the one who rules is the master of the people and he lords it over them. Doesn't make any difference whether he's in a position of government or whether he's merely a boss in a place of business or whatever or it's a women who employs servants in her household. Such a women will give her servants orders. And she's very stern, she expects them to obey her and she not only expects them to obey she expects them to serve her and to wait on her. She doesn't serve them. She has to pay them wages because she isn't going to be able to hold them if she doesn't. And, perhaps many of these stern women that have had servants in their homes would not have paid any wages at all if they could have gotten out of it. Such is human nature. We haven't had a chance to see human nature work in that way because competition and the fact that they could have gotten a job elsewhere has prevented. But that is human nature. A man in business who employee others, usually expect them to serve him and wait on him and do his bidding and do what he wants done. But is not so in the Kingdom of God, Jesus said, He that will be greatest among you, in other words, the ruler shall be the servant of all. Now, God Himself carries that out and Christ is now carrying it out. Christ Jesus is our Lord and Master, but He also is our servant. And He is there not only rule us, but to rule us for our good and to serve us as our greatest servant. Now, I'm speaking to you here from the radio studio at Ambassador College. It's in, certainly one of the most beautiful sections of Pasadena, California. I don't know of any more beautiful city anywhere than Pasadena. It's a cultural city. It's a lovely city. And here we are in this famous beautiful old south orange grove avenue section. Beautiful grounds, everything is beautiful here. Some of these fine stately old millionaire mansions are still standing and some of them are still in very fine shape up and down South Orange Grove avenue here in Pasadena.

   Now, practically everyone of these homes has its servant's quarters. But, my friends, they're finding it very difficult to get servants anymore. Wealthy people today aren't building these big eighteen and twenty and fifty room homes anymore; these great mansions. They just don't build them like that anymore. And one of the primary reasons why you find the wealthy people of America, the people that have made their millions or have inherited them, one or the other, why they are building these great mansions like they use to, at least not as much, in fact I don't believe I know of any great mansion that have been built recently, oh, I know there have been some, I just don't happen to know where they are. But the reason, my friends, is because they can't get servants anymore. And they want a job where they are more independent and where they can make more money.

   But the point I want to come to, my friends, is this: There is one servant, a supernatural divine power, that everyone of you can have and you don't have to pay any wages, any salary or anything. Well, you do have a price to pay, you price you have to pay is the subjection of your own will and your own mulish stubbornness. You'll have to give up a little bit of that and the wanting of your own way where your own way is wrong. As a matter of fact if your way is right then it's God's way too you would have to give that part up but it's that part of your way that we all seem to crave and want and it's wrong and you'll have to give that up. And you'll have to let the Christ who is own this throne of God in high heaven rule you, but He's going to rule you for your good because He is your servant. I don't believe that our minds can quite grasp what I'm trying to get over. What I'm trying to say is that He not only is the ruler and when He comes to rule this world He's going to rule it with a rod of iron. There isn't going to be any no or yes anyway at all except just the way He says. And yet He is going to rule for the good of all the people and in love and in charity, and in mercy and nothing else.

   You know, human nature is not like that and we humans don't rule like that, do we? I wonder if we can realize how Christ is going to rule when he comes? Well, that's the way He's ruling now, in heaven on the very throne of God, ruling over those who will voluntarily submit themselves to that rule. Who will really repent and who come to see how filthy and rotten and sinful and evil and wrong they have been and abhor themselves until they're willing to want to change and go the other way and they want to come to that Christ who is own that mercy seat which is also the ruling seat of God the Father in heaven. Where he is our High Priest and let Him be your ruler but also as your Priest He's there to intercede for you. And He's there as your helper and He is there as your servant. And He's there to give you wisdom where you lack it. And wisdom is merely ability to make a right decision in the right way and that always means best for you.

   Well, now Christ is made a High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. And then Melchizedek is introduced and we've been going through that. Melchizedek was without father, without mother, without descent; He has always existed. He is immortal. He has an endless life which means He is immortal. He will never die. He is a High Priest continually and yet, during the time from Moses until Christ, we had a nation Israel and they had a High Priest who was a human High Priest, a son of Levi. Now, during that time, there was a change made in the Priesthood. Now, since Melchizedek abides a priest continually, He was the real High Priest over and above but the people, well they didn't have the Spirit of God and they didn't have a spiritual contact except the prophets and the except through the prophets and so they had to have a human High Priest they could see here on the earth. Even though Melchizedek when actual fact did continue to abide a High Priest, there was a human High Priest set over the physical human nation of Israel. The tithes went to that High Priesthood. Prior, the tithes had gone, by God's law as Abraham had obeyed God's laws and he paid tithes to Melchizedek.

   But now they went to this human priesthood that had a physical type of mission to perform. They didn't preach the gospel, they didn't have a spiritual ministry, they had a physical ministry of killing lambs and goats and one thing and another for sacrifices of carrying on the various rituals, the carnal ordinances, the meat and drink offerings, the rituals of the law of Moses. Those rituals, my friends, were given as hard work to be performed and they did a good deal of that work. They were a constant round of duties; morning, noon and night, every day in the year with special things on every Sabbath. Other special duties and sacrifices and meat and drink offering on every time there was a new moon up in the sky and others on every annual Holy Day that God gave to His people. And so it was a constant round of physical duties to instill in those Israelites the habit of obedience.

   Now, they had The Ten Commandments which is a spiritual law but they were not able to keep that law in the spirit. All they could do is to keep it according to the letter. And in order to help them to keep it according to the strictness of the letter in a physical manner, they were given these physical duties. And, the Priesthood, the ministry was not preaching spiritual sermons of salvation or anything of the kind. They didn't go the world and preach the gospel. They were forbidden to go to other nations in the world, they merely ministered in this physical manner and all of the patriarchs of the men who had large homes, had Levites or priests, ministers right within there own estate. In their own homes, ministering to that large family.

   Well, now from the time of Christ the priesthood has changed again. Jesus Christ brought the Gospel. Jesus Christ said to the apostles, it is expedient for you that I go away. He foretold the fact that He would die to pay the penalty of our sins. And no one could be reconciled to God, no one could receive the Holy Spirit except in some manner that is not explained how the prophets did, otherwise the Holy Spirit of God and salvation was not offered as it is today. And Jesus Christ said the it is expedient to you that I go away. If I go not away, meaning to His Father's throne in heaven, the other comforter, the Holy Spirit, would not come. In other words, no one could become converted. No one could really become a Christian. Because no one is a Christian until they have been changed, converted, received the Spirit of God and are now being led by the Spirit of God that, in a sense, really, literally comes within and changes and totally changes the mind. Changes the whole direction of the mind and of their concepts and of their thinking in every way. And so, we're not carnal, but now we're spiritual. Well, that was a complete change.

   That's the difference between The Old Testament Church and the New Testament Church of which Jesus Christ is the head. Christ said, I will build my Church - then it hadn't been built when He said it, when He was no earth! That is a different church than the church of Israel or the congregation of Israel that it is called in the Old Testament. Church of Israel; same thing. You might as well call it the Church of Israel but that was a flesh born church. People were born into that Church by a physical birth. Now, how did the Priest come? They came by a physical birth. But, now Christ, by a re-birth being born from the dead by a resurrection, made a Son of God, and is now elevated to the very rank of Melchizedek. Now, since Melchizedek abides a High Priest continually.. actually Melchizedek is the one who was made flesh and dwelt among us and who was God with us and was the Son of God in the fact that God was His only Father and Mary was His mother. He was human and yet He was of divine origin too, and He was the one by whom God made the worlds and He gave His life for us and God raised Him from the dead. Now, there you are. And it's just that simple and yet it's seem quite complex too.

   Now, the Priesthood being changed, in verse twelve, of chapter seven. There is also of necessity made a change in the law, for He of whom, continuing on now, (Heb 7:13) "For He of whom these things are spoken pertains to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar." In other words, not the tribe of Levi as if had been for Moses to Christ. (Heb 7:14). For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah; [He was of the tribe of Judah, not the tribe of Levi.] of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. So this has nothing to do with the Mosaic dispensation, it supersedes it. It replaces it.

   (Heb 7:15) "for, it is yet far more evident, that after the similitude of Melchizedek, there arises another priest," [Now notice after the similitude of Melchizedek, back up here at the beginning it said Melchizedek had] "neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abides a priest continually" that was verse three (Heb 7:3). So you see the similitude or the likeness, "there arises another High Priest," after the rank or order or similitude of Melchizedek, "who is made not after a law of carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life." — (Heb 7:15, 16). Let me read that in the Moffat translation, that fifteenth verse, this become all the more plain when another priest emerges resembling Melchizedek, one who has become priest by the power of an insolvable life and not by the law of an external command. For the witness to Him is, now, you see the Levites were made priest by the law of an external command and by a flesh birth. But, Christ is not made a Priest by that kind of a law. Now, notice what law it is now speaking of. The witness to Him is the "thou are a Priest forever with the rank of Melchizedek" — (Heb 7:17).

   A previous command is set aside. Now what command? Why, that the High Priest had to be made one, by this command or this law that the Priest would be a son of Levi, because Christ is not of the tribe of Levi but of the tribe of Judah. So that previous command, the law of an external command, as it is in verse sixteen (Heb 7:16) there, is set aside on account of its weakness and uselessness, for the law, now referring to the whole law of Moses, the ritualistic law, the law of rituals, and of sacrifices and meat and drink offerings, the physical law, that was given to instill within them a habit of obedience.

   The law made nothing perfect! It was a schoolmaster to bring them to Christ. And there is introduced a better hope, by means of which we can draw near to God. That hope is the hope of the resurrection. They had not hope of that, my friends, under the Old Testament. But we have that hope now. Because we can repent and we can be reconciled to God because Christ has now died to pay the penalty of our sins and in our stead. They had,.. didn't have a savior who had died to pay the penalty of their sins until that time. But we have! We can be reconciled to God, we can be receive His Spirit, we can be begotten of His children and we can have that high hope of being born into the very family of God. That's a hope, my friends, that was never extended to the people under the Levitical Priesthood or in the times of Moses. So that we can grow near to God. A better hope, verse 20, (Heb 7:20),

   "because it was not promise apart from an oath." Previous priests became priests apart from any oath (Heb 7:21), "but He has an oath from Him who said to Him, The Lord has sworn, and He will not change His mind, Thou art a priest forever, [and as it has said in previous verses here,] of the rank of Melchizedek." And this makes Jesus surety for a superior covenant. The New Covenant which is so much superior to the old because it has eternal promises; the promise of eternal life, the promise of salvation, which they did not have under the Old Covenant.

   Now, haven't you always heard the teaching that they were saved by works, in the Old Covenant and we're saved by grace. Oh, my friends, what Poppycock! When will we wake up, when will we learn the truth? We had no salvation! He merely had physical, material promises that would become the greatest nation on earth if they had obeyed God. We have the promises of an endless life, eternal life in salvation.