“He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30, NKJV)
In the previous teachings we learnt that according to the law one had to give a part of one’s tithe to the Israelites, specifically to the Levitical priesthood. Does this priesthood still exist within the New Testament?
We discussed this matter in detail in the teaching of Day 683-684. A few matters to refresh your memory:
- The first covenant had to be removed so that the last covenant could be put in place. Heb. 7:12 (Ampl) suggests: “For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is of necessity an alteration of the law [concerning the priesthood] as well.”
- In the end-time temple, which is no longer a physical building (Acts 17:24), but a group of people (1 Cor. 3:17; Rev. 21:9), the chosen sons of Zadok will minister, and no longer the sons of Levi.
- In the last book of the Old Covenant, Malachi, the issue concerning the Levitical priesthood reaches a climax.
- Jesus states that from Adam up until now there was no one with greater spiritual stature and importance than John the Baptist. From Matt. 11:7-12 it is clear that he is thus also greater than Aaron, the high priest. This comparison is deliberately made, as Aaron is the prototypical high priest from whom the priesthood, and also the sons of Levi, have come. And John the Baptist comes from the direct genealogical line of Aaron! Luke 1:5 explains it as follows: “There was … a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.”
- John the Baptist is not only greater than his ancestor the high priest Aaron, he is also greater than the total Levitical priesthood about whom Malachi had prophesied. It is this same Malachi who also prophesied that the spirit of Elijah would herald in the new dispensation.
When Jesus then comes to John the Baptist to be baptised, the conversation proceeds as follows: “He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?’ But Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he allowed Him.” (Matt. 3:11, 13-15).
What one usually misses here is not only the two cousins who are coming together (Luke 1:36), but also the two priesthoods. From previous teachings we carefully pointed out how John the Baptist and his father, the priest Zechariah (Luke 1:5), represent the priesthood of Levi. Jesus in turn comes from the royal bloodline of David, the tribe of Judah (Matt. 1:1). Two things that are said by John (as representative of the Levitical priesthood) and Jesus (as representative of the royal bloodline) in the text quoted above, is of great importance:
- that John feels he is not worthy to loosen Jesus’ sandal strap (Mark 1:7); and;
- that Jesus says that John should indeed baptise him, “for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15).
Let us first start with the second statement. Remember that the priesthood of Levi first lost favour with God due to their lack of obedience.
- Jeremiah for instance states: “Because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed in her midst the blood of the just.” (Lam. 4:13). In Jer. 23:11 he says: “For both prophet and priest are profane …”
- Ezekiel (22:26) makes it clear: “Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.”
- Zephaniah (3:14) makes a harsh statement: “Her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.”
- And then of course Malachi’s (2:7-8) final blow: “For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, and people should seek the law from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But you have departed from the way; you have caused many to stumble at the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” says the Lord of hosts.”
In this dramatic build-up of events the representative of the priesthood of Levi and his wife are presented in a very specific manner in Luke 1:6: “And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” It is of the greatest importance that these two descendants of Aaron and Levi are presented as righteous.
The first statement made in the text above at first sounds like an idiom: not worthy of loosening a sandal strap (Mark 1:7). The term ‘sandal strap’ is found three times concerning the same events in the gospel (also in Luke 3:16 and John 1:27). It is thus strictly speaking only used once as reference. And then the other interesting observation – it is only used once in the Old Testament, in Gen. 14. The context of this event is quite insightful: “Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: ‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.’ And he gave him a tithe of all. Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, ‘Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.’ But Abram said to the king of Sodom, ‘I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’”. (Gen. 14:18-23).
Abram’s epoch-making meeting with Melchizedek takes place here. The Complete WordStudy Dictionary explains the name of Melchizedek as follows: “Melchi-zedek, the king and high priest of Salem (Jerusalem). The name means ‘king of righteousness’ or ‘the king is righteous’.”
Just after they had enjoyed bread and wine – the New Testament covenant meal (Matt. 26:26-29), and Melchizedek had blessed Abram, Abram gave Melchizedek “the tithe of all”. It is very touching that it is said specifically like this, as this explanation of Abram’s sacrifice to the New Priesthood (long before the priesthood of Levi existed, in other words part of the “eternal covenant”, see Isa. 55:3; 61:8 and Ezek. 37:26) actually says: a tenth of the New Covenant, of the Priesthood of Melchizedek, is EVERYTHING. THE TITHE OF ALL! It is not a tenth of what Abram possessed; it is not a tenth of his spoils of war; it is not a tithe – it is a sacrifice that encompasses everything!
The blessing of the high priest that was carried over to Abram encapsulated the complete fullness of blessing of which we spoke about in the previous teaching (Day 922). It is an all-encompassing blessing, as explained by 2 Cor. 9:8 (Ampl.): “And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance …”
But just after that another important event takes place – the worldly king of Sodom tries to immediately make an agreement with Abram: “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.” Abram’s spoils of war rightfully belonged to the king, “which he was very willing Abram should have as his right, according to the laws of war, and as a reward of his labours” (John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible). This is important, because it means that Abram could strictly speaking not have offered something to Melchizedek that actually belonged to the king of Sodom!
But Abram’s choice concerning his covenant with Melchizedek redeemed him from the earthly and carnal claim by the worldly king. Abram then answers the king of Sodom: “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’”.
Both items Abram refers to are examples of objects that are almost worthless: a thread, and a sandal strap. In itself the sandal strap then here means something of worth that stands in opposition to the “riches” that Abram speaks of. His words to the king of Sodom is that there is nothing, not even a sandal strap, that he would receive from the king, as he knows he is completely provided for in Melchizedek!
Clearly the term sandal strap here connotes the idea of the least, in comparison to the most, that one could receive. It is then interesting to note that the gematria of sandal strap in Hebrew is 526, and that other words that share the same gematria are “give; possess; bless; receive”!
The other remarkable aspect is that God’s blessing that is given to Abram in Gen 12:3, also comes to a total gematria of exactly 526: “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Within this context one can understand what John the Baptist meant with: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30) – he represents an entire priesthood and covenant. Heb. 10:9 (Murdock) states it as follows: “He abolished the former, that he might establish the latter.” But within this new priesthood of Melchizedek lies the complete provision.
The Hebrew tradition was that the slave was to take off the shoes of his master in order to wash his feet, and before that was possible the sandal strap had to be loosened. This is a beautiful example of the Old Covenant that has to bow down, and which is not worth a typological thread of the New Covenant.
- Selah: Try to come to an understanding of what this teaching says about tithing and
- Read: 2 Sam. 13-18; Ps.3-4; 12-13; 28 & 55.
- Memorise: 3:8
