Psa 110:4 | KingComments | STEP | Now that His kingship has been established, we hear that “the LORD has sworn”. He has sworn an oath of which He says, as an additional endorsement, that He “will not change His mind”. In Psalm 109, at the suffering of Christ, the LORD has remained silent ( ; cf. ). In Psalm 110, the LORD spoke an oracle, a speaking of God ( ), and swore ( ). The oath implies that Christ will not only be King, but that at the same time He will be “a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek” ( ). In today’s world, power must be divided (the so-called trias politica). With the Lord Jesus, it is different. He can say that ALL power in heaven and on earth has been given to Him ( ). In today’s world, church and state must be separated. Even with the people of Israel, the priest must be of the tribe of Levi, descendant of Aaron, and the king must be of the tribe of Judah. A combination was not possible. King Uzziah experienced to his detriment that as king he could not take the position of priest on his own ( ). So not with the Lord Jesus, for He is a King and a Priest in one Person. Except here in Psalm 110:4, we find this truth one more time in the Old Testament and that is in Zechariah 6 ( ). The only one who could be a type of this was Melchizedek, the mysterious king of Jerusalem ( ). Melchizedek was king of Salem and a priest of God Most High ( ; ). He is a picture of Christ as King-Priest on His throne ( ). The time of blessing cannot come until the Lord Jesus has also appeared as Priest to bring that blessing. All blessing depends on Him as Priest. “The order of Melchizedek” – according to the order of Aaron, the Lord Jesus could not be a priest ( ) – is an order of blessing. According to that order, the Lord Jesus is King-Priest Who brings blessing from God for God’s people on earth. This will find its full fulfillment in the millennial realm of peace. We see this in picture in the meeting between Melchizedek and Abraham ( ). Melchizedek blesses Abraham from God and praises God for what He has done for Abraham. After Abraham’s battle, Melchizedek meets him with bread and wine and blesses him. Bread and wine speak of Christ as food and joy for the heart. This is the blessing of the realm of peace, where Christ is the source of all power and joy ( ). Just as Melchizedek, the king-priest, appears to bless with bread and wine after the victory has been won ( ), so Christ will appear as King-Priest to give the blessing after the victory has been won and all enemies have been set as a footstool for His feet. What is further striking is that He is called Priest according to the order of Melchizedek and not High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek. There is a beautiful explanation for this. A high priest presupposes other priests, but as Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, the Lord Jesus is alone. The priesthood of Melchizedek is mentioned in the Old Testament only in Genesis 14 and Psalm 110. This priesthood exists before that of Aaron and will continue even when that of Aaron is no longer needed. The priesthood of Aaron is now exercised by the Lord Jesus in heaven for the church, and it is exercised in view of the weaknesses of the members of the church ( ). When the church is caught up, that priesthood will no longer be necessary, for then there will be no weakness anymore. He will exercise the priestly service of Melchizedek at His return in view of His earthly people who will enjoy His blessing in the realm of peace. The letter to the Hebrews describes in detail the differences between the priesthood according to the order of Aaron and the priesthood according to the order of Melchizedek ( ). The main difference, however, is that the priesthood of Aaron is exercised by mortal men, while the priesthood of Melchizedek is exercised by One Who is a Priest “according to the power of an indestructible life” ( ). Christ has no successor, like Aaron, but is “a priest forever” ( ). This last verse is the quotation of from Psalm 110.

‏ Psalms 110:4

The Priest

Now that His kingship has been established, we hear that “the LORD has sworn”. He has sworn an oath of which He says, as an additional endorsement, that He “will not change His mind”. In Psalm 109, at the suffering of Christ, the LORD has remained silent (Psa 109:1; cf. Zep 3:17). In Psalm 110, the LORD spoke an oracle, a speaking of God (Psa 110:1), and swore (Psa 110:4).

The oath implies that Christ will not only be King, but that at the same time He will be “a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek” (Heb 5:6 ; Heb 6:20 ; Heb 7:17 ; 21). In today’s world, power must be divided (the so-called trias politica). With the Lord Jesus, it is different. He can say that ALL power in heaven and on earth has been given to Him (Mt 28:18). In today’s world, church and state must be separated. Even with the people of Israel, the priest must be of the tribe of Levi, descendant of Aaron, and the king must be of the tribe of Judah. A combination was not possible. King Uzziah experienced to his detriment that as king he could not take the position of priest on his own (2Chr 26:16-20).

So not with the Lord Jesus, for He is a King and a Priest in one Person. Except here in Psalm 110:4, we find this truth one more time in the Old Testament and that is in Zechariah 6 (Zec 6:13). The only one who could be a type of this was Melchizedek, the mysterious king of Jerusalem (Heb 7:2-3). Melchizedek was king of Salem and a priest of God Most High (Gen 14:18; Heb 7:1-2). He is a picture of Christ as King-Priest on His throne (Zec 6:12-13). The time of blessing cannot come until the Lord Jesus has also appeared as Priest to bring that blessing. All blessing depends on Him as Priest.

“The order of Melchizedek” – according to the order of Aaron, the Lord Jesus could not be a priest (Heb 7:14) – is an order of blessing. According to that order, the Lord Jesus is King-Priest Who brings blessing from God for God’s people on earth. This will find its full fulfillment in the millennial realm of peace. We see this in picture in the meeting between Melchizedek and Abraham (Gen 14:18-20).

Melchizedek blesses Abraham from God and praises God for what He has done for Abraham. After Abraham’s battle, Melchizedek meets him with bread and wine and blesses him. Bread and wine speak of Christ as food and joy for the heart.

This is the blessing of the realm of peace, where Christ is the source of all power and joy (Isa 12:3). Just as Melchizedek, the king-priest, appears to bless with bread and wine after the victory has been won (Gen 14:18-20), so Christ will appear as King-Priest to give the blessing after the victory has been won and all enemies have been set as a footstool for His feet.

What is further striking is that He is called Priest according to the order of Melchizedek and not High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek. There is a beautiful explanation for this. A high priest presupposes other priests, but as Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, the Lord Jesus is alone.

The priesthood of Melchizedek is mentioned in the Old Testament only in Genesis 14 and Psalm 110. This priesthood exists before that of Aaron and will continue even when that of Aaron is no longer needed. The priesthood of Aaron is now exercised by the Lord Jesus in heaven for the church, and it is exercised in view of the weaknesses of the members of the church (Heb 4:15-16). When the church is caught up, that priesthood will no longer be necessary, for then there will be no weakness anymore. He will exercise the priestly service of Melchizedek at His return in view of His earthly people who will enjoy His blessing in the realm of peace.

The letter to the Hebrews describes in detail the differences between the priesthood according to the order of Aaron and the priesthood according to the order of Melchizedek (Heb 7:1-19). The main difference, however, is that the priesthood of Aaron is exercised by mortal men, while the priesthood of Melchizedek is exercised by One Who is a Priest “according to the power of an indestructible life” (Heb 7:16). Christ has no successor, like Aaron, but is “a priest forever” (Heb 7:17). This last verse is the quotation of Psa 110:4 from Psalm 110.