Seventh-Day Adventist Church

June 12, 2021

THE ORDER OF MELCHISEDEK—13

Codified Love #1

The blue represents the ten commandments, the character of God – love. The ten commandments are codified love. The law shows what the truly loving will do in every circumstance. When God’s character, expressed in Jesus, came down and combined with human flesh, our great High Priest resulted. Paul says, “Forasmuch as children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise partook of the same.” (Hebrews 2:14) Why? That He might become a faithful high priest. The ephod is made of blue, purple, scarlet, and gold – as are the veils of the temple – representing the humanity of Jesus Christ. The girdle of the ephod was made of the same material as the ephod. Our high priest’s heart is girded with the feeling of humanity. And on the ephod the breastplate made of the same substance was bound.

On the breastplate the high priest carried the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. And on his shoulders, upon the onyx stones, he also bore the names of the twelve tribes. What do you do with your shoulders? Carry burdens? When a father picks up his son and puts him on his shoulders, that little fellow can go through all dangers! So, the high priest bears upon his shoulders the children of Israel. Now, what do you do with your heart? You feel, you sympathize, you understand. And the high priest bears the children of Israel on his heart. He gives them all the sympathy they need, he gives them all the power that they need. He carries them on his shoulders and upon his heart right into the presence of God. That is what He intends to do with each one of us.