The Old Testament scriptures are a deep and ample quarry of Messianic texts. In our last installment, we studied the prophecy of Moses in Deuteronomy 18. Today let us focus on Psalm 110, a Messianic prediction by king David, some 3000 years ago.
1 Of David. A psalm. The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." 2 The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion; you will rule in the midst of your enemies. 3 Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy majesty, from the womb of the dawn you will receive the dew of your youth. 4 The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." 5 The Lord is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his wrath. 6 He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers of the whole earth. 7 He will drink from a brook beside the way {or the One who grants succession will set him in authority}; therefore he will lift up his head.
So many things leap out from the text, it is a bit overwhelming. In this psalm, acknowledged by the Jews to refer to the Messiah, we learn that:
* The Messiah is the Lord of the psalmist. That is, even though he is a descendant of David, he is superior to David, and in fact his Lord.
* Like all the kings of Israel, he stands in a special relationship to God. (See Psalm 2.)
But his rule is not to be just over Israel; his dominion is global (verse 6).
* He will somehow be involved in the judgment of the nations of the earth.
* Not only is the Messiah a king. He is also a priest, but not a Levitical priest. As the Hebrew writer reasons (Hebrews 7), Melchizedek (Genesis 14) was superior to Abraham, and hence also to Abraham's great grandson Levi. And what is the function of a priests? It is:
o To offer sacrifices for sin.
o To bring God to us.
o To bring us to God.
No wonder this text has convinced millions that Jesus is the Christ? And no wonder the naysayers were speechless once Jesus explained the true import of the passage (Matthew 22:46, Mark 12:37, Luke 20:44)!
Next week we will focus on the book of Ezekiel, dating from the 6th century BC.
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