Our Ever-Existing High Priest

Hebrews 7:4-10 

4 Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. 5 And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; 6 but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. 8 Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. 9 Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, 10 for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

The comparison between the Levitical priesthood and that of the eternal priest in heaven is contrasted.  The unknown Melchizedek received tithes from God’s people as a shadow of those we give to Jesus Christ as our true High Priest in heaven, for He truly came from outside all God’s people and seemingly from unknown parts.  This is because before Abraham was, He is.  As the great I AM, Jesus showed Himself as both God and man to minister to us effectively and eternally as priest to His chosen people, which now adds the nations to Israel.  This promise was before Abraham and Israel to all He would call, and now we revel in knowing Him and give all we have to Christ as we find true Sabbath rest in His work of grace by faith.