King of peace – Heb 6:17-7:10
King of Salem v1; then “king of peace,” for Salem means peace. v2
Melchizedek was, as we saw last time, firstly the king of righteousness, but he was also King of Salem which means King of Peace. In the same way Jesus is firstly king of righteousness and, secondly, king of peace. There is much talk of peace in our world, but little evidence of it whether between nations or in the lives of individuals. We want peace, but not righteousness. Yet peace that is not built on a foundation of righteousness is not real peace, just wishful thinking or self-delusion.
We have never had more free time or more aids to make our lives easier, yet you don’t need to be a great psychiatrist to see that people are stressed and anything but at peace. Isaiah said that the wicked are like the troubled sea, When it cannot rest, Whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 21 “There is no peace,” Says my God, “for the wicked” – 57:20. This is such an apt description of our modern, sophisticated society.
The world around us holds out the offer of rest. Many people think that they will be at peace if they become powerful, rich or famous. Others try through Yoga, meditation, escaping the rat-race by living in the wilds or taking a pill and suchlike. It can sound plausible, but any peace they bring is transitory or illusory – you only have to read the papers to see that. Peace that involves shutting our eyes to danger or burying our heads in the sand is not real peace, just real stupid. Peace that only lasts until problems come is not real peace either.
Imagine you are on the deck of the Titanic. It has struck an iceberg and is taking on water. One man tells you to be calm because the designers foresaw this possibility and designed the vessel so that it could withstand the impact and not sink. Another man tells you that it’s all in the mind and that it’s not really happening so you do not need to worry. A woman tells you that what you really need is to practice transcendental meditation, you can then be at peace. Just then a ship’s officer comes past and says there is a lifeboat leaving in 1 minute. What do you do? Peace is all very well, but it needs to be based on reality. I’d rather be afraid on a lifeboat than calm on a sinking ship!
A peaceful king
I wonder if Salem got its name because of Mel’s character. Was his reign a time of peace with the people around his kingdom? Was he peaceable with his own subjects? Did he help other kings to resolve their disputes? Of course we don’t know, but I would like to think so, though it is ironic that we read about him only in the aftermath of the conflict between Abraham and the other kings.
Certainly God wants us all to be peacemakers. In one of the beatitudes Jesus said Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God Mt 5:v9. Interestingly this closely follows Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled v6. It preserves the important order, Righteousness first, Peace afterwards.
Peace that is not based on righteousness is not real peace. We won’t go into this in detail, but we cannot be at peace with those who slander our beloved Lord, deny the basic teachings of His Word or encourage immorality. Jesus was clearly a peacemaker, but that did not stop Him denouncing the hypocritical Jewish leaders or driving the moneychangers out of the temple. Don’t get me wrong though, I’m not suggesting that we all go out and buy AK-47s and C4 before mounting a raid on those who preach falsehood! Any offence should only come through the preaching of the truth. God wants us to live at peace with those around us; that even includes Church business meetings!
Ro 12:18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
Ro 14:19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.
Heb 12:14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
It was the Peace Child who brought together righteousness and peace – Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed - Psalm 85:10. Because God is holy he can’t just ignore sin and pretend it never happened. If He did that He would not be just anymore. Jesus lived a righteous, sinless life, as we saw last time and so death had no claim on Him, yet He chose to die in our place that God might be both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus Rom 3:26.
Jesus suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God. (1Pe 3:18) The holy, righteous Son of God bore our sins in His own body on the tree 1 Pet 2:22. As Paul put it in 2Co 5:21 the Father made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Only Jesus can reconcile these seemingly incompatibility truths and make us right with God. This is true peace because it is real, not imaginary, and is build on the foundation of God’s righteousness and reliability. That is why, as v 18 of the previous chapter reminded us, we can be confident once we have fled to Jesus for forgiveness and reconciliation and, in Him we can have an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast.
I can’t really take it in. He gave up His purity by taking on Himself my sin so that I might be freed from my sin and enjoy His Righteousness. What a great exchange! He was not content to remain righteous on His own. He wanted to make us Righteous too and gave His all to achieve this.
Yet when the King of Righteousness came into this world He was convicted and sentenced to death on trumped up charges, brought by jealous, frightened men. They taunted the King of Peace, mocked Him, beat Him and eventually nailed Him to a cross. Truly
Is 52:14 His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men;
But, before we are too hard on the Jews of that time I need to remind myself that it was my sin that nailed Jesus to the cross.
Is 53:4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.
Peace with God
When our sins are forgiven we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Ro 5:1. Many do not realise that we are enemies, naturally at war with God. But you are not immune from the effects of war just because you ignore it or don’t know it is going on! This conflict will result in our eternal separation from God in hell, but Jesus, as the King of Peace holds out to us the offer of an end to hostilities, but only on His terms.
Many people want peace with God, but think they can make their own terms. I’ll live a good life, I’ll go to Church, I’ll give some money to charity, I’ll burn a candle. God’s terms are complete surrender — nothing less. He says the only way to real peace is through faith in His Son and His death on Calvary’s cross. Are you at peace with God, or are you still at war? Surrender to Him today and ask for His mercy. He will not withhold it and the alternative to His righteousness and peace is His righteous judgement. God is truly the God of peace 13:20, nevertheless:
Ac 17:31 He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.
The Peace of God
God’s peace is not just pie in the sky when you die. It is something that touches every aspect of our lives today. Peace is not just about our behaviour and relationship with others, it is also a matter of our daily experience. Jesus said: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27 To properly enjoy this we need to learn to trust Him with our future and not to worry about the problems of this world – knowing that He loves us and is in control. Psalm 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; …8 … Do not fret–it only causes harm.
We have to let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Col 3:15 As our King of Peace He deserves our full obedience, but do we really obey Him? Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say? Lu 6:46.When we let Jesus rule our lives in practice then the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Php 4:7
Of course this won’t mean the absence of problems. Jesus never promised it would –“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 But it means trusting Him to be with us to bring us through these problems, knowing that He wants the very best for us: Rom 8:28 we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose … 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
Thank God, however, that there will also be pie in the sky when we die! We can enjoy God’s gift of Peace in this life through Jesus, the King of Peace. We shall fully enjoy God’s peace in heaven when all that spoils our rest and peace on this earth will be done away with forever. Perfect peace here would glue our hearts too much to this world, and make us cling, even more, to this world. It would weaken our desire to be with Christ in heaven.
Conclusion
Truly Jesus, the glorious Son of God is both the King of Righteousness and the King of Peace. May we submit to Him now as our loving King, or one day we shall face Him as our judge.
Oh that He would pour down His Spirit upon us from on high, … 16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, And righteousness remain in the fruitful field. 17 The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. 18 My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places, 19 Though hail comes down on the forest, And the city is brought low in humiliation. (Isa. 32)
