King of Righteousness, King of Peace that Everyone Needs (Heb. 7:1-10)
Let us bless one another, Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Your one word of blessing can be a word that allows the other person to enjoy the blessing of heaven. The title of today’s message is, “King of Righteousness, King of Peace that Everyone Needs.” It’s possible that the content of Hebrews 7 will not really hit your heart because this is the content that will really touch the heart of mostly just the Jewish people. Then, why did God give us these words? It means there’s a message God is giving to us as well, and there’s also a message in here for the nonbelievers.
Why is it that the Hebrews who had converted to Christianity were continuously shaking? We shake when we face problems, and it’s because we have something rightful within us that has no choice but to face problems. If you keep facing problems, you shouldn’t cast the blame on someone else. It doesn’t matter how much you blame the country of America; it’s not going to help you.
There’s something rightful within me that left me no choice but to face this problem. The Hebrew people who had converted to Christianity had something rooted inside of them that was rightful to face problems; they were bound to face problems within this specific time. Then what is God’s absolute plan? That is the content of today’s Word.
You must always be asking this. You’re facing a problem? Then what should come has come. Why did it come now? Because it is necessary now. Then what is God’s plan? Today’s message is about finding that.
1. The King the Jews need
The Hebrews, in other word the Jews who had converted to Christianity, had the Old Testament ideologies rooted in them, and these are the people who, for thousands of years from birth until death, would follow the words of the Old Testament, but if you don’t know the truth, then those words can become a snare. We have been given a solution so no problem we face is a problem, but they don’t know that. When we go out into the field of the world, many people should be blessed through me, but we don’t know this fact. That is the true fact, that if you truly know and enjoy the gospel, wherever you go will be blessed, but there’s something within us that blocks us from knowing this, just as the Jewish people in today’s passage had something within them.
1) Melchizedek (Heb. 7:1)
(1) King of Salem (Heb. 7:1)
(2) Priest of God Most High (1)
(3) One who blessed Abraham (1)
What is that? Today’s message will change this thing. That’s why they’re calling out one specific person, Melchizedek, to talk about Jesus Christ. Melchizedek is the king of Salem and the priest of the Most High God. He was a king and at the same time a priest, and he was the one who blessed Abraham.
Why are we saying this? In the Old Testament, the priests must come from the tribe of Levi, who was a descendant of Jacob, and we can only receive atonement for sins through these priests, and without a doubt, the Israelite people needed someone in the position of the priest. Jesus Christ said He has given us salvation by grace, but the Israelites are not able to understand it because he’s not from the Levite tribe, so how could he be a priest? Then, they’re in a state that, because of the biblical knowledge they had, they were not able to accept Jesus Christ in His True State.
If you completely accept Jesus Christ and receive him, then you will be transformed into a state of righteousness and peace, and you will enjoy the true peace God gives you. Problems and circumstances don’t matter because God gives you His Word. There’s nothing for the sheep of a flock to worry about; they just have to follow the shepherd. The Israelites who had converted to the Christian religion were stuck in this state.
2) Tithe
(1) Abraham gave to Melchizedek (Heb. 7:4)
(2) The people gave to Levite priests (Heb. 7:5)
(3) One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham
(Heb. 7:9)
After Abraham came back from the war, he gave a tenth of everything he received to Melchizedek. The original reason for the tithe was so that the Levite tribe doesn’t have to do any work, but they can focus on tending to the Tent and the Tabernacle, and the other tribes would give a tenth of their possessions and give it as an offering to the Levites. So, Abraham who was part of the Levite tribe should have been receiving this tithe, but instead, he is giving this to Melchizedek.
3) Melchizedek and Christ
Who exactly is Melchizedek? It means there was a priest and king even before the tribe of Levi, so this passage is saying that we think priests can only come from the tribe of Levi but that’s not true. Even before Abraham, there were kings and priests. Who is this Melchizedek?
(1) First, means “king of righteousness” (Heb. 7:2)
In Heb 7:2, the order is very important. First, he is the “king of righteousness,” it means you must not switch this order.
(2) Then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace” (Heb. 7:2)
Then also, “King of Peace.” If you understand these words correctly, then no matter what happens, nothing is a problem to you. But if there’s something stuck inside of us that prevents us from understanding these words, may we receive the blessing to understand today. There’s something else inside of us that gets stuck here, there’s something inside of you that leaves you no choice but to get caught in the problem when you face problems. People who are religious or legalistic when they go to church cannot understand these words.
Why is the King of Salem the King of Righteousness? You must first have the King of Righteousness in order to have the King of Peace. Righteousness is not the “righteousness” that the people of the world talk about; we cannot find peace from the righteousness of the world. Only when the righteousness of God comes into us will peace come upon us as well.
(3) Without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the son of God, he
remains a priest forever (Heb. 7:3)
(4) Christ is the king the Jews need
2. The king the Gentiles (nonbelievers) need
1) Me
(1) An unrighteous sinner – Death (Rom. 3:10, Eph. 2:1)
We can never become righteous by our own actions. Romans 3:10 and Romans 3:23 says no one is righteous, they don’t even look for God. Therefore, we can never be regarded as righteous based on our actions before God to find peace. The fear you have in the future and the fear that has no choice but to turn to drugs is because you don’t have peace. Once the King of Righteousness and Peace comes into our hearts, the problems of our past, present, and future will disappear because He is the One Who has solved all our problems.
The righteousness where someone without sin dies for sinners must come within us by faith. However, the Jewish people had a root inside them where they wanted to be seen as righteous before God with their own good actions and behaviors, that’s why they’re not able to enjoy the gospel in completeness. We are not regarded as “righteous” before God because of our good actions, but because of our faith in Jesus Christ who died for our sins, we are regarded as righteous and therefore have peace.
Even though we believe in Jesus Christ and are righteous, we still have sin, and that’s rightful. Because we did not become righteous by our own abilities but because of our faith in Jesus Christ, our own abilities are on the level of sin. But God covers up our sin and calls us righteous. If you’re not able to enjoy this, you’ll be oppressed by your church life, you’ll be oppressed by guilt, you’ll be so afflicted and oppressed by the wrong words you’ve said to someone, because this person is under the misconception that they’re righteous because of their good, clean actions.
Then, what must we do? We must acknowledge we’re lacking, and even so, through Jesus Christ, God called me righteous and I am His child, just brush it off and stand up, then the peace of God will come upon you. But how does the devil oppress you? “Look at what you’ve done, look at what you’ve said. Are you sure you’re even a Christian?” Because the devil oppresses you with the law, so that you’re completely downcast.
You must be able to enjoy, if you’re facing a problem, you’re not able to change it with your actions. Because you’re a child of God, God opens the way. It doesn’t matter what problems come your way. Because I’m already a righteous person, as a result, God gives me His peace, and as evidence of that, His Word guides my way. That’s why the Word of God is necessary for me as well as the Jewish people who have converted to Christianity and for unbelievers.
This Melchizedek doesn’t have a genealogy, he doesn’t have parents or ancestors. He is someone without beginning or end, like the Son of God, He is like Jesus Christ. This Word is telling us that right now, the Jewish people are thinking that a priest must come from the Levite tribe, but it goes beyond that, there was a priest and king even before Abraham, and then Jesus Christ came. If you break through that wall, you can enjoy the gospel. If you believe in Jesus Christ, you become a little shameless.
But people who do not believe in Jesus Christ and only try to rely on the law, the more time passes, the more they will be oppressed. They are going to oppress themselves because they realize their actions cannot be clean and righteous, and they will oppress other people when other people aren’t acting well. The Bible is talking about forgiveness and love, but that’s impossible for these people. They’re not able to forgive themselves, nor anyone else, then it’s a war. That’s hell. Even before you go to eternal hell, you taste hell on earth, and that’s your life.
But when the words of the gospel come into us today, we acknowledge that we had no choice but to be like that; that’s why Jesus Christ had to die on the cross for me and is with me now in life and spirit. From that point on, the peace of God comes upon me. We live with that strength; that’s our entire life.
Kids are oppressed by their studies because they think, “If I don’t get good grades, my life is a failure,” but Jesus says, “You are my child, and I will take responsibility, I will guide you.” Do not listen to the words of people but only listen to the words of God, and you must absolutely hold onto and enjoy this.
For unbelievers or Gentiles, they must receive this Word and understand it logically and rationally for them to understand God’s Word, because God’s Word is eternal and is applicable to everybody. Then, what is the state that unbelievers have? There are unbelievers around you who don’t believe in Jesus Christ, you must be able to see this accurately to testify and prove Christ.
(2) Follow the ruler of the kingdom of the air (Eph. 2:2)
It doesn’t matter if this is your own child or someone you’re close with, or someone you’ve just helped out. If they don’t have salvation by the grace of Jesus Christ, then they are spiritually dead because of their sin. It says this in Ephesians, so the reason this person has no choice but to live their lives the way they are is because they’re a sinner. That person will not be able to understand, but they wonder why the same problems keep happening in their family line. They work and act so diligently to try to overcome these cyclic problems, but they’re not able to. That’s the six states of the unbeliever.
(3) Cravings of our flesh – By nature deserving of wrath (3)
In Ephesians 2:2, it says that they have no choice but to follow the ways of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, and the way they follow this is by following the cravings of their sinful nature. They can’t help themselves. They want to live an upright life but they cannot control themselves. Because their spirit is dead, they don’t receive grace from God, so their spirit is dragged around by the ruler of the kingdom of the air and they can’t control it. Fundamentally, they’re by nature objects of wrath to receive the curses and disasters of God.
This is the same state, even if someone becomes the president. They may be in the position of the president, but the internal content is the same, it’s their family line. There was a former president who did a strange act in the White House with his secretary, and his mother actually did the same thing. Those things will never change, no matter how educated or successful you are, even if you become the president. Why? Because their nature is not going into the grace of God, they have no choice but to flow in this stream, then they have no choice but to act upon their thoughts and the things inside their heart. That’s what it means to be dragged around.
2) Deception
(1) The god of this age has blinded the minds (2Cor. 4:4)
That’s the state of the unbelievers, and the way they are being confused is because of their confusion or blindedness. Religion is about living a good life, people are sinners, so it’s impossible to live a good life. That’s why the Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:4 that the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, they completely confuse their minds, that’s why life itself is so difficult. When you face a problem, you can’t make heads or tails of it. You should be able to see the future but you cannot. You should be able to see why you lived your past the way you did but you cannot, because Satan has blinded you with religion.
What is religion? Religion is about trying to receive something from God through your good things. There’s a large variety of good actions, maybe through your prayers or offering, you’re trying to receive something good in return. But can a sinner be changed into a righteous person? No. That’s why Satan blinds people and the representative of that is transcendental meditation, which is completely popular with the elites in America; they are blinding people.
(2) Meditation – Act of finding true self
Transcendental Meditation tells you that, whatever you think about, whatever is in your heart, that’s not the real you, so you must get rid of it. Who is the real “you”? You must find your true “you,” and once you find the true “you,” you’ll have peace in your heart and everything will be restored. It’s similar to the ideologies of Enlightenment or transcendence in Hinduism and Buddhism, and they find this through the act of Transcendental Meditation.
Is that right? That’s how the world is tempting, they say that the true “you” is one with the universe, and they say that’s God. They say God is inside of you, and that’s you; you have to find that. That’s why they make people do transcendental meditation. It’s effective, but what’s the Bible say?
(3) State worsens (Mt. 12:43-45)
It tells about those who do this, they purify themselves to receive some sort of spiritual cleanness, and they cast the demons out, but they come back seven times worse. This is something the Lord told us 2000 years ago. Who is the true “me”? The true “me” is the life of God inside of me, but it’s through Jesus Christ that we are regarded righteous. You need to find the true blessing.
You do not find it with transcendental meditation, you cannot find it with your religious actions, you cannot find it with your goodness or diligence, either. We must be covered by the righteousness of Jesus Christ for us to be regarded as righteous; that’s how we will be in a state of alignment with God. Before that point, we were opponents, and that’s why the blessings of God were blocked from us, and that’s why Satan was able to fully control us.
Do you have peace? Shalom? The King of Salem, Shalom, that’s what it means. That’s the core of believing in Jesus. The way you can get this peace is righteousness. It’s impossible through your actions, so that is why we are only righteous by faith. When Abraham received Isaac, he was regarded as righteous because of his faith. But when Abraham used his own diligence and his body to have a son with his maid Hagar, God said it was not righteous. Whatever we gain by our own diligence or effort may result in something, but it’s not right with God. Only when we believe will we change to become righteous, then the blessing of God’s peace will find us.
If you have depression, you may get a little better with medication, but do you think you will change through that? No, the fundamental you will not change, and you’ll have another problem. Most of these problems are not treatable by medication, but even if you’re not able to treat it, you’ll find another problem. The only fundamental healing comes when you have peace. Even if you have depression, it doesn’t matter to you. That’s not forcing some kind of thought into your head, but because you realistically have peace, these thoughts just come. How are you going to overcome panic attacks? If you go to the hospital, they give you medication.
Let’s say one day your panic attacks stop, does that mean that people who never have panic attacks are better? Those people have other problems. What is the source of that problem? The true blessing is for me to be regarded as righteous and to receive the blessings of God’s peace.
3) Snare
(1) Belong to Satan (Jn. 8:44)
The unbeliever’s spiritual state is being completely seized by Satan, so their spiritual state is completely devoid of God and they are being dragged around. Do you know how your state changes when you watch a movie, listen to music, or watch a drama in the evening? You watch it because it’s entertaining, but you’re not going to want to listen to the Word of God the next day. Then, when someone talks about the Word of God, it’s going to seem so dull, do you know why? The reason it’s so fun for us to consume books, media, movies, and music is because it’s all centered on people, so we can relate to it.
We can feel the pleasure by watching someone else enjoy something, we watch a drama and see how someone uses all their effort to reach great success, and we are able to participate, too. Or, let’s say there’s a particular singer who sings such sad melodies, and it really connects with my heart. What is all of that? It’s dragging you in a direction that is not towards God. As evidence of that, once you sleep and wake up in the morning, God is not in your mind. Does that mean you shouldn’t do any of that? It’s okay if you’re in a spiritual state where even as you consume media, you’re able to distinguish.
(2) Spiritual problem (Ex. 20:3-5)
It’s possible for this to be hard to understand. I’m talking about the spiritual problems that unbelievers have, meaning it’s a spiritual problem that is invisible. The state of their spirit is without God. Believers on the other hand have salvation so they do have God, but our spiritual state is going in a direction that does not have God, it is focused on the physical, so that’s why we’re loaded with unnecessary hope, and we fall into unnecessary despair as well. That’s because of our spiritual state.
(3) Mental problem (Mt. 11:28)
Because of that, we’re mentally afflicted as well, we face mental problems. These mental problems don’t come randomly all of a sudden, but they come after progressing for a long time. When you’re young, you can kind of endure, but as time passes, there will be problems all over your life. Those things actually existed previously, they just were not revealed externally.
(4) Physical problem (Ac. 8:4-8)
Let’s say there was a bad gas leak in the basement, then, is it safe? At some point, it’s going to come up, and wherever there’s a crack in the ground, the gas comes up. The problem isn’t a problem once it comes through the floor, the problem was originally there. Unbelievers have the fundamental problem of being spiritually separated from God, and when they face a spiritual problem, it becomes revealed. The original problem will be revealed mentally and physically. “It’s a big problem,” but actually the problem has progressed for a long time. The problem of your family line is a continuation since Adam, and it has now flowed down to you.
(5) Problem of the future generation (Mt. 27:25)
It’s not because my kid met the wrong friends, it’s not because my parents are weird. It’s simply being revealed now when I’m in a state where I am separated from God.
(6) Problem of the afterlife (Heb. 9:27)
Then, this goes into our family problems, our future generation’s problems, and the eternal problem of hell. What is it that you must tell these unbelievers? Your actions can never change this. You must change their status. You must change your status from a sinner to a righteous one. You must be regarded as righteous because you have faith in Jesus Christ who has died for your sins in order for you to escape from your fate. You have to break down the wall that made you enemies of God in order for God’s grace and blessings to rain upon you. In other words, your status as a child of God has to be restored for the special rights of heaven to come upon you.
If you become the president, you have so many special powers. Let’s say you become the president with your skills. Not anyone can be president, but you cannot become a child of God by your abilities, it is only by grace through faith, we call that a freebie, or grace, and we should be able to enjoy this freely, but legalistic people cannot because of their own actions. If you face a problem, you must enjoy this with boldness. If someone says something mean to you, you have to be able to bless them while you enjoy this, that’s the special right of a child of God. There’s even greater blessings.
4) King of righteousness and peace – Christ
(1) Died for sinners – Became righteous (Rom. 5:8-9)
(2) Enemy – Reconciled to God (Rom. 5:10)
(3) Child of God (Jn. 1:12)
3. King that I (Child of God) need
Why is it that we, the saved children of God, always need the righteousness and peace of God? Because our very nature is always trying to return to our thoughts. But we were not created to live according to our thoughts; we were created to live with God through the thoughts of His Word. Animals can live a healthy and good life without God because they don’t have a spirit.
1) Me – Imprint the word (Thoughts)
(1) Image of God (Gen. 1:27)
Human beings were created in the Image of God, meaning that we have the Spirit of God within us and we need to have the breath of life to live.
(2) Blessing, breath of life, living being (Gen. 1:28, Gen. 2:7)
The blessing of God’s breath of life, in other words, the blessing of the Word of God, must come upon us in order for us to revert to normal.
(3) Rule over, conquer (Gen. 2:1-17)
God created Adam and Eve so He could entrust all of creation, all the animals and vegetation to Adam’s care. How are we going to restore that? The work you’re doing itself desires to be blessed by God, but the work you’re doing is from a state that, even if you work hard, there’s no fruits. Why? The Bible tells us.
2) Strength of prayer – Root (Heart)
(1) Spiritual strength (2 Ki. 2:9)
Your status as a child of God is important, but if you want everything that you are doing and working on in the field to be a blessing, what do you have to do? First you have to receive strength. What strength? So that the spirit inside of you will completely control and seize you. If you’re walking into an ocean and the water goes up to your feet and knees, you can still walk around. But once you are submerged entirely, you’re completely at the whims of the current.
(2) Filling of the Holy Spirit (Ac. 1:8)
The Life of the Holy Spirit is within us. If that Holy Spirit only fills our hearts and thoughts halfway, then we’re going to move according to our thoughts and hearts. If the Holy Spirit fills us less than halfway, then we’re going to move according to our thoughts and heart even more. But, if the Holy Spirit of God that is Life fills us completely, then we’re at the whims of the current and the stream, then it’s no longer my strength, but I’m following God’s strength. This is the blessing God has promised you, you have to receive this strength in prayer.
In Acts 1:8, Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses.” Elisha said to Elijah to give him a double portion of Elijah’s spirit, and because of that, God’s thoughts become our thoughts; God’s heart becomes our heart; God’s emotions become our emotions. All healing and restoration is contained within this.
All the decisions you make at work are from your thoughts and heart, but if you make your decisions based on the thoughts and heart that God gives you, then you’re led by the Holy Spirit. We think we’re at a dead end, but when God comes upon us, we see the path He has prepared. Everyone says this is a crisis, but because the heart and thoughts of God come upon me, I see it as an opportunity.
Noah built the Ark and everybody else died in the flood, but for Noah who was filled with the Word of God, this crisis turned into an opportunity for blessings. There’s no one who can compete with the success God gives you because if someone doesn’t have the thoughts of God within them, then God blocks them from seeing them at all.
In Genesis 41:38, the Pharaoh said of Joseph, “Who can we find who is filled with the Spirit of God like this man?” It wasn’t because of Joseph’s thoughts, but because the Holy Spirit was guiding Joseph’s every thought, he had the answer to every problem, and when he became the governor, he changed the entire economy of the land. Can we become like that too? Yes, we can, that’s today’s message, but there’s something blocking this. The things that are deeply rooted within me from my past that are not the Word of God are blocking me.
The one who has all authority in heaven and on earth is with me for eternity. Being filled with that spirit is strength. I really want to tell you, there’s nothing else I do. Every morning when I wake up, I do this. It’s not about doing something, but before I do anything, the Spirit of God must come upon me so that He does everything. Then God guides me for the rest of the day, it’s like surfing or riding the wave.
Everyone asks, “Is it hard?” But what is there to be hard? It’s only difficult because you don’t believe God comes upon you. There are cases like that for me, too, then it’s hard, yeah, but what is necessary? Early in the morning, holding onto the covenant of God’s Word. I know my thoughts, my heart, and emotions, and that’s not going to cut it, so may the Holy Spirit of God completely fill me.
I tell my daughter but she doesn’t understand. One day she will understand, so every time I give her a ride, I ask her, “Did you pray today?” “Yes.” “How many times?” “Twice.” “What did you pray for?” “Filling of the Holy Spirit.” “Do you know what the filling of the Holy Spirit is?” “I don’t know.” One day she will understand and it will be finished.
I told her to do deep breathing. I said, “You use your brain so much but your brain is limited, so you have to strengthen it by receiving a lot of oxygen.” When I drove her back home, I said, “If you pray 10 times, I’ll give you a present. Whenever you inhale, ask for the filling of the Holy Spirit. Then when you exhale, pray for the Holy Spirit to work upon your studies, school, and worship,” and because I promised her a present, she does it.
She doesn’t receive presents often, because when she fights back against me, the count goes back to zero. Lately, she’s becoming more audacious, “Fine, I’ll pray 10 more times and I’ll get another present.” Then one day it’s going to change into the gospel. Try this, it doesn’t take money and it doesn’t even take time. Whatever is inside of you, may I be filled with the Spirit of God, then what happens? The peace of God series me.
I have more fear than anyone. I can’t say anything too severe to the kids, because my heart is racing more than theirs. If I do happen to speak harshly, it’s because my heart is so vulnerable that I put on a strong face, but I don’t have a strong heart. I say harsh words and I’m always afflicted by it. Then, how can I overcome the words of the world? With God, with the Word and prayer.
(3) Authority of the heavens and earth – With (Mt. 28:19-20)
3) Restore the field (Conquer) – Nature of evangelism (Life)
(1) Life of the field – Prepared person who needs Christ
(2) Prepared person to restore the life of the field
(3) Witness that restores all things (Rom. 8:19-22)
Prayer is not about asking to receive something, but it’s about asking God to completely control you, then it is finished. Then there’s one more thing, you’re going to go into your fields of school and work. Whatever you’re doing, in Romans 8, it says the entire creation is groaning, because everything God created was created to be used for God, for God’s glory, but humans have usurped that purpose and are using it for human purposes, so all of creation is suffering.
However, if the children of God use this work for God’s work, He will change it into the original blessing it was. We are restoring what is original, Romans 8:19 says the whole world is in eager expectation for the Son of God. There are so many buildings, and all of these buildings are eagerly anticipating being used for God’s glory when the Son of God is revealed, but all these buildings are being used as bars and for other purposes, so they’re suffering. When we try to use these things for God’s original intention, then God restores the blessings.
People are the problem. Depending on who is doing the work, the work will change back and forth from being a curse to a blessing. God gave us all our studies and academics for God’s good purpose, but we’re using it for people’s glory, so the studies themselves are burdensome and they cause suffering. But when children of God utilize it for God’s purpose and glory, it will be restored into its original blessing, and that’s what it means to subdue and conquer.
That’s what we call the economy of light. God has hidden it, and in the field of your work, all the blessings are hidden. God has prepared the people who will hear this gospel in your field. You have to change these people into children of God for this work to turn into a blessing. Otherwise, everyone is just going to live according to their level of diligence.
God has also prepared those who will relay this blessing and the gospel just like you, and you’re going into your field like a scavenger hunt to find them. Once you’re aligned with God, God will change anything you do into a blessing, just look at Joseph, he went in as a slave, and the entire world was blessed. We have received such incredible blessings, but the things within us make us lose hold of all of it. By Jesus Christ, God regards me as righteous; I’m a child of God. Once I’m aligned with God, everything comes from God, because we’re now connected.
Throughout the week, may you restore all of the work and people you meet.
Conclusion
1. I became a righteous person through Christ
2. I have peace through Christ
3. I will give peace to the world through Christ
Prayer
Let us pray holding onto the Word we have received and pray together, and I believe God will answer your prayers.