A.

The Meaning of Order

The word order from the “Order of Melchizedek” refers to the order of performing priestly duty.

In the earthly temple, many priests took turns performing the same priestly duty.

Lk 1:8, KJV And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course . . .

The Order of Aaron and the Order of Melchizedek

In the Bible there are two orders of priesthood: the Order of Aaron and the Order of Melchizedek. Aaron, the older brother of Moses, became the first high priest after the Law of Moses was established in the Old Testament times. The Order of Aaron is an expression that represents the priesthood of offering the blood of animals such as sheep and cattle in the Old Testament times.

Melchizedek was God’s priest who blessed Abraham through bread and wine long before the Law of Moses appeared, and he represents Christ who gives the blessing of the forgiveness of sins through the Passover bread and wine in the New Testament times. Therefore, the Order of Melchizedek represents the priesthood in the New Testament times.

In the New Testament, the Bible records that the priesthood in the Order of Aaron was imperfect that another priesthood needed to appear in the Order of Melchizedek.

Heb 7:11 If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come—one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?

The priesthood in the Order of Melchizedek is not only perfect but also eternal and never changing.

Heb 6:20 [W]here Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

Heb 7:23–24 Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.

Jesus Came as the High Priest in the Order of Melchizedek

What specifically does the priesthood in the Order of Melchizedek indicate?

First, we need to know who Melchizedek is.

Ge 14:17–20 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

In the days when Melchizedek appeared, the general way of sacrifice was offering the blood of animals ever since the sacrifice of Abel (Ge 8:20; 15:9–10). However, what is unique about Melchizedek is that he blessed Abraham through bread and wine, and after being blessed by Melchizedek, Abraham gave him a tithe.

Ps 110:4 The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”

A priest in the Order of Melchizedek must give blessing through bread and wine. Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Psalm 110 by giving the blessing of the forgiveness of sins and eternal life through the Passover bread and wine.

Mt 26:17–19, 26–28 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’ ” So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. . . . While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Jn 6:53–54 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life . . .”

The Mediator of a New Covenant

Jesus, who gives the forgiveness of sins and eternal life through bread and wine in the Order of Melchizedek, established the Passover as the New Covenant.

Lk 22:15, 19–20 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. . . .” And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

The priesthood in the Order of Melchizedek is to give blessing through the New Covenant Passover, so Jesus who is the High Priest in the Order of Melchizedek is expressed as the mediator of a new covenant. The high priest’s duty is to mediate between holy God and His people who are sinners, so the high priest is expressed as a mediator, being emphasized especially as the mediator of a new covenant.

Heb 8:1, 6–8 The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, . . . But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises. For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said: “The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.”

Heb 9:15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

The World Mission Society Church of God Keeps the Passover of the New Covenant

Nowadays, the majority of churches do not keep the Passover which Jesus the High Priest in the Order of Melchizedek established as the New Covenant. Each denomination takes communion on a date it arbitrarily appoints.

It was Jesus who said that He would keep the Passover and eagerly desired to eat the Passover. So the apostles taught by Jesus cherished the Passover (1 Co 5:7–8). Not keeping the Passover is no different than ignoring Christ who is the High Priest in the Order of Melchizedek.

Heb 5:8–10 Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

In the days of Abraham, there were many priests, but it was only Melchizedek who gave blessing through bread and wine. In the days of Jesus too, there were many priests who sacrificed animals, but only Jesus gave the blessing of eternal life through the Passover bread and wine. Today too, many churches claim to believe in Jesus, but the only church where you can receive the blessing of eternal life through the Passover of the New Covenant is the World Mission Society Church of God established by Christ Ahnsahnghong who came to this earth a second time.

If you truly believe that Jesus is the High Priest in the Order of Melchizedek, you must keep the New Covenant Passover according to His example (Jn 13:15).