toldailytopic: WWJD. Jesus was Jewish, so why wouldn't He want all of us to become Je

[Paulos]

Was Mary really of the tribe of Levi? Since the Bible says Jesus was not...

This is a quote from Wikipedia's article on Mary:

"According to Luke, Mary was a cousin of Elizabeth, wife of the priest Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah, who was herself part of the lineage of Aaron and so of the tribe of Levi.[Luke 1:5;1:36] Some of those who consider that the relationship with Elizabeth was on the maternal side, consider that Mary, like Joseph, to whom she was betrothed, was of the House of David and so of the tribe of Judah, and that the genealogy of Jesus presented in Luke from Nathan, third son of David and Bathsheba, is in fact the genealogy of Mary, while the genealogy from Solomon given in Matthew is that of Joseph. (Aaron's wife Elisheba was of the tribe of Judah, so all his descendents are from both Levi and Judah.)[Num.1:7 & Ex.6:23]"

 

[elected4ever]

Hi elected4ever,
What a great post you wrote above! Enjoyed reading it and found nothing with which I disagree.

Thank you so much for your kind words.

I would like to make a comment on #6 because it stirred my thoughts.



God actually raised the dead body of our Lord and put is on again as one would put on an old garment. Remember, that he told Mary to not touch his body, because he had not yet risen to the Father.

That physical body that had died and was raised was taken into the heavenly realm. I believe that Revelation describes the presentation of that slain body and symbolically refers to it as the lamb destined to be slain before the world began.

God literally did take on our sins ... by putting on the mortal fleshly bodily garment of humanity. He really was tempted in every way, suffered and tasted death through that body, and was raised to life again - all before he received his glorification.

Is it any wonder that our LORD Jesus was called God, the son of God, and a son of man?.

It is recorded in the Old Testament where at times angles were referred to as God because they spoke in oneness with and the authority of God. Is it any wonder that they would be perceived as God. Our perception is often our reality. I personally do not see where Jesus or the Father ever says tat they are the same person but be that as it may I fail to see where such a belief or lack there off offers any substantative differance in who Jesus actually is. So let us agree where we can and rejoice in the work of the Lord. Things like that use to matter to me but not much anymore.

I think that it is important that Jesus be seen as the son of man not the son of a man. Jesus was born into a world of fallen men and it is that world that Jesus had to experience. Pain and suffering are not sin. They are the results of attacks of a perverted world upon all things. Jesus experienced all those things the same as us but without sin. Why? Because Jesus was born by the will of the Father and not the will of man. Jesus did not, would not and could not sin because Jesus was in the complete will and in perfect harmoney with the will of the Father. As it is said of Jesus, "I have come to do thy will oh God." This is why Jesus said, "The Father and I are one."and "I have come to do the will of the one who sent me." and "The words I speak are not mine own but of Him who sent me."

 

[Ps82]

Was Mary really of the tribe of Levi? Since the Bible says Jesus was not...

Where is the scripture that says that Jesus was not of the tribe of Levi?

I know that it says that Mary and Elizabeth were cousins ... and that Elizabeth was a direct descendant of Levi as was her husband.

I believe that the link to all of this connection is David's son Nathan. But, like I mentioned it has been quite awhile since I looked at what I had studied earlier. Sorry, I'm so busy with thinking about parties that I haven't checked this out. I'm not sure where I've packed away those papers ... but figure I have them somewhere - cause I'm one of those people who are prone to keep everything!

 

[Ps82]

Hi elected4ever,

You mentioned:

It is recorded in the Old Testament where at times angles were referred to as God because they spoke in oneness with and the authority of God. Is it any wonder that they would be perceived as God.

Well, I agree that there are reasons why people become confused, but if one reads scripture carefully and begins to seek out clues of the truth, then confusion flees.

Exodus 24 states clearly that the men of Israel SAW the God of Israel ... saw His body of heaven (IOW, super-natural body) clearly. This is not even some remote description of seeing some sort of OTHER angelic beings.

Exodus 6:3 KJV says in God's own words as he spoke to Moses:
I(God) appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the NAME of God Almighty, but by my name of JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

Then came the event in Exodus 24 where the 74 men of Israel (including Moses) SAW GOD at one time in a heavenly open vision where God seemed have a street of sapphire under His feet.

In order to deny the clear truth of the above statements ... one would have to dip into the argument that scripture is not to always be taken as the truth or to be taken literally or believed to be divinely inspired and preserved. And I believe that you know that these two examples are just two among a plethora of verses telling us that God appeared.

I'll be back to finish reading and responding to the rest of your post after dinner.

 

[elected4ever]

Hi elected4ever,

You mentioned:


Well, I agree that there are reasons why people become confused, but if one reads scripture carefully and begins to seek out clues of the truth, then confusion flees.

Exodus 24 states clearly that the men of Israel SAW the God of Israel ... saw His body of heaven (IOW, super-natural body) clearly. This is not even some remote description of seeing some sort of OTHER angelic beings.

Exodus 6:3 KJV says in God's own words as he spoke to Moses:
I(God) appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the NAME of God Almighty, but by my name of JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

Then came the event in Exodus 24 where the 74 men of Israel (including Moses) SAW GOD at one time in a heavenly open vision where God seemed have a street of sapphire under His feet.

In order to deny the clear truth of the above statements ... one would have to dip into the argument that scripture is not to always be taken as the truth or to be taken literally or believed to be divinely inspired and preserved. And I believe that you know that these two examples are just two among a plethora of verses telling us that God appeared.

I'll be back to finish reading and responding to the rest of your post after dinner.

What has that got to do with what i said. I don't think I mentioned a specific instance just to avoid an argument. You seem to wont to pick one.

 

[Ps82]

Hi Elected4ever,
You wrote:

Our perception is often our reality. I personally do not see where Jesus or the Father ever says tat they are the same person but be that as it may I fail to see where such a belief or lack there off offers any substantative differance in who Jesus actually is. So let us agree where we can and rejoice in the work of the Lord. Things like that use to matter to me but not much anymore.

Well, I think that is probably a good way to look at things... I just happen to love seeking out truth about My God and My Lord. The things I have found make so much of what Jesus said about himself and what others said about him more clear.

The way I understand the Messiah is that he was God while simultaneously being with God as the WORD. The simple way to comprehend this is that God is LIFE ... therefore, all of who the ONE invisible Spiritual God is alive. If he identifies and names any nuance of his being ...then it is alive. If he identifies the WORD ... then the WORD is alive while being God and with God. In fact the only reason I limit God to identifying himself as three entities is because he has chosen to do this. I believe an infinite God could identify himself as even MORE than three if he chose.

You wrote:

I think that it is important that Jesus be seen as the son of man not the son of a man. Jesus was born into a world of fallen men and it is that world that Jesus had to experience. Pain and suffering are not sin.

I totally agree with your statement about his being the son of man not the son of a man statement. I have another view of sin, which is: something or someone that has fallen short of God's original creation. When the body of man became perverted by the curse from God that brought mortality to the flesh ... then that body was a perverted body and was full of corruption and sin.

Through the divine curse upon the ground (the elements within the creation) all the world is IN a STATE of sin (a state of imperfection having fallen short of God's original design or plan).

You wrote:

They (pain and sin) are the results of attacks of a perverted world upon all things.

The curse caused the whole world to be out of its original course and then pain, suffering, and death came into the world also because of the rebellion of one man - Adam, which brought the curse.

You wrote:

Jesus experienced all those things the same as us but without sin. Why? Because Jesus was born by the will of the Father and not the will of man. Jesus did not, would not and could not sin because Jesus was in the complete will and in perfect harmoney with the will of the Father. As it is said of Jesus, "I have come to do thy will oh God."

I believe in something I'll call being born in a STATE or a condition of SIN. I believe that Christ was manifested in the womb of Mary and born into the world in that STATE of sin ... but he lived his life with ever committing an act of sin. He could do this because he was God.

Yet, his body that was full of corruption and death was equipped to die... so our God did experience death through that body born in that sinful STATE. I think it is important that God took on all our imperfections so that he could fix them all.
Sort of like providing the anti-venom to save us from our snake bitten condition.

You wrote:

This is why Jesus said, "The Father and I are one."and "I have come to do the will of the one who sent me." and "The words I speak are not mine own but of Him who sent me."

The Father and the Son are ONE for two reasons:
Spiritually they are the ONE God in every way:
John 3:34,35 KJV
For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given ALL things into his hand.

Now, if I only spoke the very words of God ... and fully had all his Spirit in me without IT being measured in any way ... and all God's authority had been given to me then I could make a good case that I was equal with God.

However there is another way that they are ONE ... Physically they both appeared as the ONE image of God. The image that was first mentioned in Genesis 1:26,27 KJV and referred to as OUR IMAGE. The IMAGE of God that was the firstborn of every creature. Jesus is said to have been that image that belonged to the invisible God.
Colossians 1:15 KJV
(Jesus) who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.

It was this very same ONE glorious presence that God shared with the WORD before the world was:
John 17:5 KJV
Now, O Father, glorify YOU me ... with the glory which I had with YOU (God) before the world was.

Yet, God manifested his glorious presence in the form of a mortal man ... and came into this world in order to save mankind. BTW ... the name of God's image is LORD ... the LORD God. This name was revealed to Moses before he wrote the first 5 books of the Bible.
Exodus 34:5 KJV
And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him (Moses) there, and proclaimed the NAME of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him(Moses), and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God... abundant in goodness and truth.

Is it any wonder why Jesus asked:
You do well to call me LORD ... but why do you call me LORD and not do the things I say?

Or why Jesus said: Why do you call me GOOD teacher? (The correct answer being - Only the LORD God is abundant in GOODNESS and truth ... and you the LORD - appearing as My Lord Jesus.)

Jesus tells us plainly: When you have seen me, you have seen the Father... for he was God's spiritual nature and his physical form.

 

[Ps82]

What has that got to do with what i said. I don't think I mentioned a specific instance just to avoid an argument. You seem to wont to pick one.

Nope, I'm just writing about things that excite me. I guess they didn't interest you -huh? I did think that you were referring to people becoming confused about appearing angels being God. I guess I totally misread your thought. I believe that scripture says that there were super-natural appearances and that the being did identify himself as being the LORD God Almighty.

I really am tired of arguing with people ... so you won't have to worry about that here from me today. I thought I had run across a few like-minded people and was really excited to be having conversations with them.

 

[Ps82]

This is a quote from Wikipedia's article on Mary:

"According to Luke, Mary was a cousin of Elizabeth, wife of the priest Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah, who was herself part of the lineage of Aaron and so of the tribe of Levi.[Luke 1:5;1:36] Some of those who consider that the relationship with Elizabeth was on the maternal side, consider that Mary, like Joseph, to whom she was betrothed, was of the House of David and so of the tribe of Judah, and that the genealogy of Jesus presented in Luke from Nathan, third son of David and Bathsheba, is in fact the genealogy of Mary, while the genealogy from Solomon given in Matthew is that of Joseph. (Aaron's wife Elisheba was of the tribe of Judah, so all his descendents are from both Levi and Judah.)[Num.1:7 & Ex.6:23]"

Hello Paulos,
Where do you find that Nathan was the third son of Bathsheba and David? I still have not had a chance to look through drawers of papers for my study notes. How could this be ... since it was Nathan that warned David that God was not happy with him about his adulterous affair with Bathsheba?

I also think I remember finding a connection with either the tribe of Ephriam or Mannasah ... therefore a connection to OT Joseph.

I just don't have time tonight to search. Going to spend time with my daughter now.

 

[elected4ever]

Nope, I'm just writing about things that excite me. I guess they didn't interest you -huh? I did think that you were referring to people becoming confused about appearing angels being God. I guess I totally misread your thought. I believe that scripture says that there were super-natural appearances and that the being did identify himself as being the LORD God Almighty.

I really am tired of arguing with people ... so you won't have to worry about that here from me today. I thought I had run across a few like-minded people and was really excited to be having conversations with them.

I apologize for my defensiveness. I am so use to getting attack for some, lets say, out of the mainstream views on some subjects. I have done my shear of arguing in the past and I am kinda tired of doing that.

 

[elected4ever]

Hi Elected4ever,
You wrote:


Well, I think that is probably a good way to look at things... I just happen to love seeking out truth about My God and My Lord. The things I have found make so much of what Jesus said about himself and what others said about him more clear.

The way I understand the Messiah is that he was God while simultaneously being with God as the WORD. The simple way to comprehend this is that God is LIFE ... therefore, all of who the ONE invisible Spiritual God is alive. If he identifies and names any nuance of his being ...then it is alive. If he identifies the WORD ... then the WORD is alive while being God and with God. In fact the only reason I limit God to identifying himself as three entities is because he has chosen to do this. I believe an infinite God could identify himself as even MORE than three if he chose.

You wrote:


I totally agree with your statement about his being the son of man not the son of a man statement. I have another view of sin, which is: something or someone that has fallen short of God's original creation. When the body of man became perverted by the curse from God that brought mortality to the flesh ... then that body was a perverted body and was full of corruption and sin.

Through the divine curse upon the ground (the elements within the creation) all the world is IN a STATE of sin (a state of imperfection having fallen short of God's original design or plan).

You wrote:


The curse caused the whole world to be out of its original course and then pain, suffering, and death came into the world also because of the rebellion of one man - Adam, which brought the curse.

You wrote:


I believe in something I'll call being born in a STATE or a condition of SIN. I believe that Christ was manifested in the womb of Mary and born into the world in that STATE of sin ... but he lived his life with ever committing an act of sin. He could do this because he was God.

Yet, his body that was full of corruption and death was equipped to die... so our God did experience death through that body born in that sinful STATE. I think it is important that God took on all our imperfections so that he could fix them all.
Sort of like providing the anti-venom to save us from our snake bitten condition.

You wrote:


The Father and the Son are ONE for two reasons:
Spiritually they are the ONE God in every way:
John 3:34,35 KJV
For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given ALL things into his hand.

Now, if I only spoke the very words of God ... and fully had all his Spirit in me without IT being measured in any way ... and all God's authority had been given to me then I could make a good case that I was equal with God.

However there is another way that they are ONE ... Physically they both appeared as the ONE image of God. The image that was first mentioned in Genesis 1:26,27 KJV and referred to as OUR IMAGE. The IMAGE of God that was the firstborn of every creature. Jesus is said to have been that image that belonged to the invisible God.
Colossians 1:15 KJV
(Jesus) who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.

It was this very same ONE glorious presence that God shared with the WORD before the world was:
John 17:5 KJV
Now, O Father, glorify YOU me ... with the glory which I had with YOU (God) before the world was.

Yet, God manifested his glorious presence in the form of a mortal man ... and came into this world in order to save mankind. BTW ... the name of God's image is LORD ... the LORD God. This name was revealed to Moses before he wrote the first 5 books of the Bible.
Exodus 34:5 KJV
And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him (Moses) there, and proclaimed the NAME of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him(Moses), and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God... abundant in goodness and truth.

Is it any wonder why Jesus asked:
You do well to call me LORD ... but why do you call me LORD and not do the things I say?

Or why Jesus said: Why do you call me GOOD teacher? (The correct answer being - Only the LORD God is abundant in GOODNESS and truth ... and you the LORD - appearing as My Lord Jesus.)

Jesus tells us plainly: When you have seen me, you have seen the Father... for he was God's spiritual nature and his physical form.

You make some interesting remarks and thanks for sharing them with me.

I was raised a trinitarian but over the years have found that the trinity is very hard to defend biblically. So now I am most comfortable with Jesus testimony of Himself and the Father's testimony of Him. I am to old now to care much about who is right or who is wrong on the subject.

 

[Jacob]

This is a quote from Wikipedia's article on Mary:

"According to Luke, Mary was a cousin of Elizabeth, wife of the priest Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah, who was herself part of the lineage of Aaron and so of the tribe of Levi.[Luke 1:5;1:36] Some of those who consider that the relationship with Elizabeth was on the maternal side, consider that Mary, like Joseph, to whom she was betrothed, was of the House of David and so of the tribe of Judah, and that the genealogy of Jesus presented in Luke from Nathan, third son of David and Bathsheba, is in fact the genealogy of Mary, while the genealogy from Solomon given in Matthew is that of Joseph. (Aaron's wife Elisheba was of the tribe of Judah, so all his descendents are from both Levi and Judah.)[Num.1:7 & Ex.6:23]"

This is what is giving me cause for thought:

Hebrews 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.

 

[Ps82]

This is what is giving me cause for thought:

Hebrews 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.

The passage above is discussing the seeming mystery that exists between Melchisedec the king of Salem/peace , the Levitical priesthood or descendants of Aaron, and our Lord Jesus, who was made priest after the fashion of Melchisedec.

Here is what I see in this matter.
Melchisedec the king of Salem ... is an eternal being ... having no mother or father ... but is the one who receives the tithe and is able to bestow blessings as well.

The descendants of Aaron, who were appointed priest much later ... are said to have paid tithes to King Melchisedec because at the time of Abraham paying his tithe to Melchisedec ... Levi their Father was within the loins (within the genetic pool of potential) of father Abraham.

Yet in I Samuel a remarkable prophesy was given unto Eli the high priest ... a son of Aaron that things were going to change.
Watch:
I Samuel 2:27-36 KJV (I will paraphrase for time, but you read it all for yourself.)

A prophet of God relayed the LORD God's words to Priest Eli:
"Did I (the LORD) plainly appear unto the house of thy father (Aaron), when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest...
Wherefore kick ye at (IOW, why do you disrespect) my sacrifice and at mine offering?"

Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith:
"I said indeed that your house (Eli's house), and the house of thy father (the house of Aaron of Levi); should walk before me for ever ... BUT (notice that the word 'but' means an important CHANGE IS COMING) ... BUT NOW the LORD says:
"Be it far from Me; because them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed."

Did you notice that change that was coming? Now, we know that the literal priesthood continued ... even after King Saul murdered most of them... yet a remnant of them remained and even in King David's day there were priests left of the lineage of Aaron still around.

Now, back to I Samuel 2:31-36 KJV (God is still speaking to Priest Eli through the prophet)
"Behold, the days come, that I will cut off your arm (authority), and the arm (authority) of thy father's house (Aaron), that there shall not be an old man in your house.
You will see an enemy in your habitation... and the man who I shall not cut off ... shall be (the one) to consume your eyes, and grieve your heart: All the increase of your house shall die in their youth. And this will be your sign that this has begun ... when your son's (Eli), both Hophni and Phinehas die on the same day.

AND THEN (here comes the future prophesy) I (the LORD) will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.
And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in your house (Levi, Aaron, through Eli) shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say, 'Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a piece of bread."

The next chapter shows how God introduced himself to the young lad Samuel... a chosen prophet and priest after Eli and his sons.

You see, God began respecting individuals who respected him from that point forward ... and not just respecting those who were descendants of Aaron.

I believe that this prophesy found within I Samuel 2 was pointing to our Savior Jesus Christ, who would one day be raised up to an eternal position as a high priest after the likeness of Melchisedec... having no earthly mother or father ... but being God himself come as his own Son.

I am prone to believe that Abraham called the LORD by the name of Melchisedec, the king of Salem ... because Abraham did not know the name of the ONE God who appeared to him. Exodus 6:3 KJV Abraham just knew that it was God who had blessed him in the battle he had just won ... and that it was to HIM the tithe was due. Obviously Melchisedec was the ONE who was able to bless Abraham ... and he administered the sacraments to Abraham at that meeting.
Genesis 14:18 KJV.

Well, if Melchisedec, was God, the KING and his own High Priest ... then our LORD Jesus, as God, destined to reign as our risen king, is as well the perfect match for the eternal high priest to be raised up.

After all, our Lord Jesus told us that he only did and said what was in God's heart and mind while he was on earth.

I hope I got the point across well ... there is so much that can be said about this matter.

 

[NoFinalConflict]

Jesus Jewish?

Jesus Jewish?

This is a very good question. The very first verse of the New Testament clearly proclaims the Jewish ethnicity of Jesus. “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). It is evident from passages like Hebrews 7:14, “For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah,” that Jesus descended from the tribe of Judah, from which we get the name “Jew.” And what about Mary, the mother of Jesus? In the genealogy in Luke chapter 3, we see clearly that Mary was a direct descendant of King David which gave Jesus the legal right to ascend the Jewish throne as well as establishing without any doubt that Jesus was a Jew ethnically.

Was Jesus an observant Jew religiously? Both of Jesus' parents had “done everything required by the Law of the Lord” (Luke 2:39). His aunt and uncle, Zechariah and Elizabeth, were also Torah-observant Jews (Luke 1:6), so we can see that probably the whole family took their Jewish faith very seriously.
Christians don’t follow Judaism today because the Mosaic covenant has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17). And the writer to the Hebrews wrote, “By calling this covenant ‘new,’ he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear” (Hebrews 8:13).

As Christians we don’t need to follow the old covenant any longer because that old covenant has been replaced. We now have a better covenant, with a better sacrifice, administered by a better High Priest! “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:19-23).

 

[Totton Linnet]

The Jewish people were charged with a task which is no longer necessary.

Hence, Jews are now irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

One could also ask... was Melchizedek Jewish? (Nope.. impossible) and Jesus is now a priest in the order of Melchizedek... We we can assuredly state that Jesus is no longer Jewish after his resurrection.

He is King of the Jews still

 

[HisServant]

He is King of the Jews still

And the Jews have nothing to do with ethnicity.. as Paul explains in Romans.

A Jew is someone who is circumcised of the heart.. not the flesh.

The children of the promise were characterized by faith.. not lineage.

Just as Jesus own lineage contains many people who were not ethnically Jewish.. but those that exhibited faith.

 

[Jacob]

I hope I got the point across well ... there is so much that can be said about this matter.

I'm not sure if I can agree with you.

 

[Ps82]

I'm not sure if I can agree with you.

I sort of expected it. That's okay.

You see, not many people will step out on a limb to say that King Melchisedec is divine. There are just so many clues I've found that point to the probability of that being the case.

Because the NT mentions as a High Priest ... people sometimes forget that he was a King. People over look the fact that the Almighty God had appeared to Abraham several times before this event and would have recognized Him when he saw him... but Abraham did not know the NAME of the Almighty God. Exodus 6:3 KJV.

A logical thing for Abraham to do would be to given him a name and refer to Him as the King of Peace. Is it any wonder that Jacob asked the divine being who wrestled with him for His name? Jacob didn't know the name of the ONE God, who appears, either.

One needs to remember that when we read the NAME of the LORD used in the OT ... it is there because God finally revealed that special name to Moses; therefore, Moses knew exactly how to use that name properly in the first 5 books of scripture ... unless there might be some historical significance in using another name.... such as using the name Melchisedec, the King of Peace ... to perpetuate what Father Abraham had said about the God who appeared to him; helped him win a battle and rescue Lot; and who deserved the tithe ... and who was able to bless him and offer him the ceremonial sacraments.

 

[Jacob]

You see, not many people will step out on a limb to say that King Melchisedec is divine.

I don't know. There is someone known to be a man in the Bible with a similar name. Joshua 10:1, 3.

 

[Ps82]

I don't know. There is someone known to be a man in the Bible with a similar name. Joshua 10:1, 3.

Well, that is interesting. It seems there was an ancient place called Urusalim.. a city of Salim... meaning city of peace.

However, there were many years between the days of Abraham and the days of Joshua... and King Adoni-zedek was an enemy of Joshua and sought to form a league of peoples to come against the city of Gibeon because they had made peace with Israel and Joshua.
Joshua 10:3,4

These were all obviously a literal kings of a literal neighboring cities. Joshua ultiamately defeated them and killed them walling their bodies up inside of a cave..


One might ask several questions regarding the difference between King Melchisedec and King Adoni-zedek:

Which one is known to have had no mother or father?

In the days of Abraham after he had defeated a league of enemy kings; while refusing to take any tribute from his defeated enemies or his appreciative allies ... why would he have turned around and given tribute to another literal king in the area, who had not even participated in the war?

Why has this event with King Melchisedec become historically associated with our practice of giving a tithe to God?

Here are few questions to carry divine appearances a little farther.

Did Joshua have a mysterious man come to him - right before Israel entered the promise land?

Did Joshua worship that mystery man?

Joshua 5:13,14, 15 KJV

Was that mystery man promised by God to come and lead Israel into the promise land?

Exodus 23:20-23 KJV
Exodus 33:1,2 KJV
Exodus 34:9, 10 KJV
Deut. 31:3-8 KJV

From these passages we find that God promised that His angel(His super-natural form) would go before Israel. Moses connected the name of "my Lord" to that promised super-natural being that was promised to help Joshua for us ... then Deut. 31:3-8 makes it double clear that he was the LORD.

Is it any wonder that Joshua fell down and worshiped this "mysterious man"?

Did this Lordly Captain of God's hosts, who was worshiped by Joshua, seem like a mere man in appearance when he was describe ... in the same way as had King Melchisedec?

Did King David know about this mysterious man who was known to be Israel's helper?
Psalm 110

The LORD God had sent "My Lord" the savior to help Israel. My Lord came appearing as a mere man ... a captain of God's hosts ... but he only looked like a mere man ... for his presence was that of the image of God come in a form that was not harmful to humanity. Not human flesh ... but of a super-natural essence ... just not a harmful presence as long as one was careful to obey him.

There are things I'm sure you have not read from me about my beliefs regarding the image of God and its appearing among men ... but I hope that you get my point above for the time being.

 

[Jacob]

One might ask several questions regarding the difference between King Melchisedec and King Adoni-zedek:

Which one is known to have had no mother or father?

Also I'm not talking about worshipping a man.

And with Melchisedec (remember the translation of his name) we don't know who his father or mother is... but that doesn't mean he didn't have parents. We are all descended from Adam and Eve and Noah.