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No.12.
"This oil of gladness."
pp. 129 - 135
In order that the reader may be aware of the nature of the study on which we now
embark, we repeat the list of items demanding attention with which the preceding article
closed:
(1)
The "sceptre" of Psa. 45: 6 is in the Hebrew shebet.
(2)
The "rod" in Psa. 110: 2 is in the Hebrew matteh.
(3)
But both words are translated rhabdos in the Septuagint.
(4)
The "rod" of iron of Psa. 2: 9 is the Hebrew shebet.
(5)
The "rod" of iron of Rev. 2: 27; 12: 5; 19: 15 is the Greek rhabdos.
(6)
The priesthood of Melchisedec is "for the age".
(7)
The throne of the Son is "for the age of the age".
(8)
Psa. 110: 1 is quoted in six places in the New Testament.
(9)
Three of these quotations are in the Gospels, and record the Saviour's challenge
"Whose Son is He?"
(10)
One is in the Acts, to prove that Christ ascended.
(11)
One is in Heb. 1: 13 and
(12)
One in I Cor. 15: 25 which takes us beyond the "age" of Psa. 110:, or the "age of the
age" of Heb. 1: 13 to the "End" when God shall be all in all.
The sceptre of Psa. 45: 6 is shebet in the Hebrew. It is this verse that is quoted in
Heb. 1: 8 and the apostle declares that these words were addressed to "The Son".
Kingship is indicated by the sceptre, as in the prophecy:
"The sceptre shall not depart from Judah" (Gen. 49: 10).
"Of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood" (Heb. 7: 14).
To those readers who can appreciate suggestions without having them worked out for
them here, we draw attention to the fact that the first occurrence of the word "sceptre"
says that it shall not depart from Judah, and that the last occurrence says that it shall
depart from Egypt (Zech. 10: 11). We have enough however before us, not to stop at
every interesting aside. We have noted in our list printed above, that the word "rod" is
the translation of the Hebrew matteh. Now Ezekiel speaking in a parable likens Israel to
a vine that had strong "rods" or "sceptres", but that this vine was cast to the ground, her
rods broken, "so that she hath no strong rod to be a sceptre to rule", referring presumably
to Zedekiah (Ezek. 19: 14). The point of interest to us at the moment is that a "rod"
matteh can become a "sceptre" shebet.
Now Aaron's "rod" was a symbol, not of kingship but of priesthood (Numb. 17: 9,
10). The rod of strength that is to be sent out of Zion (Psa. 110: 2) is the rod of a priest.
We are therefore prepared to discover that "king" (Psa. 45: 1) and "priest" (Psa. 110: 4)
unite in Him Who is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Nowhere else in the
New Testament than in the epistle to the Hebrews do we read of Melchisedec, but there
he is spoken of nine times, where he is set forth both as King of Righteousness, and King