The Problem with Hebrews

By Scott Nelson

Introduction

The following article demonstrates there are two doctrines commonly held among Christians that cannot be reconciled with each other. Only one position can be true. It is written for the sake of those who believe Yahshua (Jesus) is going to physically return to earth to rule and reign from Jerusalem for a thousand years, as prophesied in Revelation 20:1-6, and will at that time fulfill the many glorious kingly prophecies concerning the Messiah as recorded in Moses and the Prophets.  Those of us who hold to this picture are commonly referred to as “premillennialists”. This is the first of the two doctrines. This article is not for those who do not accept this picture… for whom these prophecies need no literal fulfillment.

The problem at hand is that the second doctrine is also clearly taught in the Bible… in the book of Hebrews. The author of Hebrews uses several Messianic prophecies to paint a very different picture. Bear in mind the book of Hebrews was written at a time not long after Yahshua had ascended to heaven, and most believers at that time were left confused as to how Yahshua fulfilled the glorious prophecies of the Messianic Kingdom. They didn’t understand that it would be many generations later before he would return to finish fulfilling these prophecies. The book of Hebrews was written largely for the purpose of answering the questions of that time, and it does so with a very eloquent, lofty, and authoritative-sounding discourse promoting the picture that Yahshua had indeed fulfilled these prophecies in a unique heavenly sense. Nowhere in the book can there be found the picture of Yahshua literally physically returning to fulfill these prophecies here on earth. This, in stark contrast to the Messianic pictures painted by the Prophets, Yahshua himself, and the book of Revelation.   

So here is the dilemma. Has Yahshua already fulfilled these prophecies in heaven, or will he literally physically return and fulfill them here on earth in the future?  The author of Hebrews himself borrows from some of these well known Messianic prophecies and gives them a new spin to promote his doctrine of a new-priesthood, new-law, and new-covenant, all of which have supposedly been inaugurated and fulfilled in heaven. Here is his logic.     

Like Melchizedek…  how?

In the 5^th chapter of the book of Hebrews, the author uses a Messianic prophecy from Psalm 110 to begin comparing Yahshua to Melchizedek.  

So also Christ did not glorify himself to become High Priest, but it was he who said to him: “You are My son, today I have begotten you.” As He also says in another place: “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek”,…   And having been perfected, he became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him, called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,” of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.  Hebrews 5:5-6,9-11

Then in the 7^th chapter, the author begins his new-priesthood argument by stating Yahshua is like Melchizedek in some rather strange and abstract ways. For instance, Yahshua and Melchizedek supposedly had neither genealogical record, nor beginning or end of days!

“For this Melchizedek, king of Salem ,… without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.”  Hebrews 7:1-3 

This certainly qualifies as “hard to explain”! The author is correct in determining from Psalm 110:1-4 that Messiah is like Melchizedek, but the connections he draws are bizarre and extremely weak arguments from silence. Does he seriously want us to believe that because we don’t have Melchizedek’s genealogical records, parent’s names, date of birth, or date of death written there in the book of Genesis for us… he had none?!  This is the weakest form of argument there is. To illustrate: Maybe, because there is nothing said about Melchizedek being married or having any children, we must conclude he was celibate! (On the off-chance some might actually consider this a good argument, here is another example.) Maybe, because nothing is said about Melchizedek’s apparel, we must conclude he had none and was a nudist!  Our author’s style of logic is just this non-sensical. How absurd is the notion that Melchizedek had no father or mother? If Yahshua is like Melchizedek, would it not be far better to compare him to Melchizedek on information we do have on him as opposed to information we don’t have on him? 

Hebrews then continues with another similarly weak argument stating Yahshua was like Melchizedek in that Melchizedek was not of the tribe of Levi.

“Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?...    …For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. Hebrews 7:11, 13-14        

There is one question that begs to be asked here. If Yahshua is like Melchizedek in that he has no genealogical record, how does the author know he is from the tribe of Judah?!

Of particular interest, is that within this text, he wants us to believe it logically flows, since there has been a change in the priesthood, there must therefore also be a change of the Law. 

“For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the Law.”  Hebrews 7:12        

Question: Where is this supposed fundamental truth written? Granting as hypothetical for a moment that the priesthood has indeed changed, we have to ask; why must the Law change if the priesthood changes? Is it the priests who determine the Law? Or is it God?   If there were a new priesthood to serve the same God, reason would assume the new priests would continue to abide by the established Laws of that God. But if any priesthood old or new served a new god, then it would logically flow that a new god would dictate a new law. The author’s logic simply does not flow... yet it should be evident that this presupposition is fundamental to his ongoing argument.  And again, all this is assuming his assertion that Yahshua is not of the tribe of Levi is correct in the first place. I will address this question in a moment. 

Yahshua is indeed like Melchizedek as Psalm 110:1-4 prophesied, but he is like Melchizedek in ways based on information God has given us and we do have on him. Very little is said about him, but everything we need to know about Melchizedek can be found in one single verse. Genesis 14:18

Then Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High.  

There it is. He was king of Salem and priest of The Most High God.

King and Priest in One

A King, who is also a Priest, has never existed in Israel’s history. The kingdom and the priesthood were always separate. The kingdom was established forever in David’s descendants, and the priesthood was established in the descendants of Levi and Aaron forever as well.  

 Here are some of God’s promises to David.

“My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David; His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me; It shall be established forever like the moon, even like the faithful witness in the sky.” Psalm 89:34-37

“For thus says the Lord; David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel;” Jeremiah 33:17

“David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them. Then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt: and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children’s children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever.” Ezekiel 37:24-25

“He (Yahshua) will be great, and will be called the son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Luke 1:32-33 

And here are some of God’s promises to the Levitical priesthood.

“And you shall gird them with sashes, Aaron and his sons, and put the hats on them. The priesthood shall be theirs for a perpetual statute, So you shall consecrate Aaron and his sons.” Exodus 29:9 

“You shall put the holy garments on Aaron, and anoint him and sanctify him, that he may minister to Me as priest. And you shall bring his sons and clothe them with tunics. You shall anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may minister to Me as priests; for their anointing shall surely be and everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.” Exodus 40:13-15 

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying; “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal. Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel .’”  Numbers 25;10-13

This is just the beginning of the story. Remember, God promised the Messiah would be both king and priest like Melchizedek in Psalm 110:4. God also spoke through other prophets on numerous occasions that He would indeed bring both offices into one in the Messiah.

“Behold, the days are coming”, says the Lord, “that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah; In those days and at that time I will cause to grow up to David a Branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell safely. And this is the name by which she will be called; ‘THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS’. For thus says the Lord; David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel; nor shall the priests, the Levites, lack a man to offer burnt offerings before Me, to kindle grain offerings, and to sacrifice continually.” Jeremiah 33:14-18   

“Behold, the man whose name is the BRANCH! From his place he shall branch out, and he shall build the temple of the Lord; Yes, he shall build the temple of the Lord. He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on his throne; So he shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” (both offices)  Zechariah 6:12-13

“For the children of Israel shall abide many days without king or prince, without sacred pillar, without ephod or teraphim. Afterward the children of Israel shall return, seek the Lord their God and David their king, and fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days.  Hosea 3:4-5 

“Then it shall be the prince’s part to give burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings, at the feasts, the New Moons, the Sabbaths, and at all the appointed seasons of the house of Israel. He shall prepare the sin offering, the grain offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offerings to make atonement for the house of Israel .”  Ezekiel 45:17

The author of Hebrews argues that because Yahshua is supposedly not from the tribe of Levi, there is therefore a change of priesthoods and subsequent change of the law. But God had said the Levites had and “everlasting” priesthood. The only way God could fulfill these promises He made to David and the Levites is if the Messiah was from both tribes. What our author obviously did not know is that Yahshua is exactly as God had prophesied the Messiah would be. Yahshua is descendant of both David and Levi! He is simply wrong on a number of levels. Both in the logic that a change of the priesthood demands a change of the law, and that there had been any change of the priesthood in the first place! 

I have yet to find any place where all the pieces of this puzzle have been put together by others. One can’t help but wonder if part of the reason doesn’t stem from the understanding that if Yahshua is in fact a descendant of Levi, the book of Hebrews would loose all credibility. Keep in mind, Yahshua not being of Levi, is a fundamental cornerstone of Hebrew’s doctrine.  

Yahshua, descendant of both David and Levi

In the book of Luke it is recorded that Yahshua’s mother Mary was a “cousin” (KJV) to Elizabeth who was “of the daughters of Aaron”. (Luke 1:5,36) The Greek word translated “cousin” literally means close blood (genetic) relative. The genetic connection can easily be seen by English speaking people in the Greek word “sungenes”. This literally means close kin (See Strongs 4773) This word could just as easily mean Elisabeth was Mary’s aunt. Considering Elisabeth was much older than Mary, this would appear to be more likely the case, but it is a moot point in light of the fact that it doesn’t make a difference either way as you will see.

In Leviticus, God commanded that Levite men were to marry only Levite women. (Leviticus 21:1,13-14, 22:12-13) Levite women on the other hand were permitted to marry outside the tribe. We know that Mary’s father Heli was a descendant of David of the tribe of Judah (Luke 3:23. Many scholars agree that Joseph was Heli’s son-in-law.) So if Mary was either a cousin ,or a niece to Elisabeth, it must mean that Mary’s mother had to have been either a sister or aunt to Elisabeth, which means that Mary’s mother had to have been a “daughter of Aaron” as well! Here is the breakdown. If Mary and Elisabeth were cousins, as it says in the KJV, then Mary’s mother was a sister to one of Elisabeth’s parents, both of whom had to have been full-blooded Levites for Elisabeth to be called a “daughter of Aaron” and be legitimately married to Zacharias the priest. If Elisabeth was Mary’s aunt, as is more likely the case, then Mary’s mother was a sister to Elisabeth. No matter how one works it, it comes out the same. Mary’s mother was a full-blooded Levite. She was then one of those who married outside the tribe when she married Heli of the tribe of Judah. Now it also logically flows perfectly well that if Yahshua had no earthly father, no new genetic material was introduced at his conception. Therefore his physical bloodlines must have been identical to his mother’s bloodlines.  Mary was a perfect blend of both tribes Judah and Levi!

There is also another likelihood that makes this even better.  Since God commanded the Levite men to marry only Levite women, it stands to reason that the genetic markers He recognizes as the Levitical priestly markers were passed down by the mothers, thus making the tribe matrilineal. These genetic matrilineal markers are located in what science today calls the mitochondrial DNA. The genetic markers of the other tribes were passed down by the fathers in the Y chromosome. It is also a  well established fact of science that the father’s genetic markers and the mother’s genetic markers do not compete with each other during the process of recombination, so neither of them is diluted by the other. This would mean that Mary, and subsequently Yahshua, carried all the genetic markers of both tribes!  It stands to reason that God intended for Levi’s genetic markers to be matrilineal for the very purpose of being able to bring all of Judah, and all of Levi together into one man. (See chart below)

The fact that Yahshua is indeed a descendant of the tribe of Levi, as God had promised the Messiah would be, is enough in itself to completely discredit the book of Hebrews. Hebrew's assertion that Yahshua was not of Levi is a fundamental premise of the author’s ongoing argument. There is no “new” priesthood. God had established the priesthood in Aaron’s descendants forever.  Furthermore, since there is no “change of the Law” even if there were a new priesthood, how much more established is the fact that there is there no “change of the Law” when there is no new priesthood? Nothing more really needs to be said concerning the credibility of the author of Hebrews! We should discard the book as a nice-try of purely human effort on this basis alone. But to further demonstrate the sad mistakenness of the author… consider his next argument.  

The New Covenant?

Again, the author of Hebrews has completely missed the fact that Yahshua will physically return and fulfill the remaining Messianic prophecies. This becomes painfully obvious in his on-going argument. Now he reasons that his new priesthood and new law fulfill the prophecies of a “new covenant”. Here, in chapter 8:8-12, he quotes the prophecy from Jeremiah. Please take special note of the fact that every time in the book of Jeremiah where God says, “Behold the days are coming”, He is speaking of the Messianic age yet to come. The actual prophecy reads;

“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah – not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out to the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My Law in their mind, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” Jeremiah 31:31-34

Then after quoting this prophecy, the author of Hebrews makes this statement, from which comes the concept of an Old (obsolete) Testament.

In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. Hebrews 8:13

Our author has obviously come to another very mistaken conclusion. He believes that God’s covenant with Israel at Mt. Sinai and His Law are one and the same. They are not. God’s Law is a list of do’s and don’ts. God’s covenant with Israel is a contractual promise to bless them if they obey His Law. Of course, if they broke the Law, in so doing they also broke the covenant, but that does not mean the Law is the covenant!  It should be evident in this passage that God continues to speak of His Law as though it will not change. Here it is again.

But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My Law in their mind, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Jeremiah 31:33

It is only after the author has blurred the line between the Law and the covenant, making them one and the same, and then drawn our attention to a new covenant, can he then make the leap of logic inferring that when God said “My Law” in reference to a new covenant, He meant “My new law”! This is obviously what he wants us to see here. Remember, he has already said there has been a “change of the Law”. But God did not say “My new law”. He is speaking of the same Law. The only difference is, when the new covenant is finally inaugurated, this same Law of Moses will be written on the hearts of the children of Israel so they will want to keep it. And herein is another point that is extremely important. This prophecy concerns only Israel . It does not concern Gentiles in any way! The only Gentiles who might be included in this are those individuals who have joined themselves to Israel through circumcision and obedience to God’s Law, in which case they would no longer be seen as Gentiles. The Christian church cannot claim this prophecy for itself… unless of course one is of the persuasion that God has replaced Israel... and the Christian church is the new true Israel of God! This repulsive teaching is a lie, and among other things has been used as justification for the deplorable anti-Semitism much of Christianity has perpetrated on the Jewish people throughout history. But I digress. The point is, you can’t have it both ways. Either Israel is Israel, or the Christian church is Israel. The prophecies concerning Israel and the new covenant have either been fulfilled, or they haven’t.

Some might argue that Yahshua said the “new covenant” was established in his blood, suggesting the new covenant took effect at the cross. Yahshua’s sacrifices certainly paid the price for the promised new covenant, but to assert that it was inaugurated at that time is reading more into Yahshua’s words than what he said.  The prophecy from Jeremiah clearly indicates that the new covenant is with Israel only, and doesn’t take effect until the Kingdom of God comes during the Messianic age which is still yet to come. Read again Jeremiah 31:31-40. This truth should also be clearly evident when taking Yahshua’s words in the fuller context of Luke’s account of the last supper.

Then he said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.” …”Likewise he also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood which is shed for you.” Luke 22:15,16,20   

Yahshua certainly paid the price for the new covenant with his blood, but it will not be inaugurated or “fulfilled” until he returns… and even then it will only be with Israel!         

There are numerous other parallel prophecies concerning the new covenant that prove God is speaking of His Law as given through Moses. What I have highlighted in bold print below includes the same new covenant spoken of in Jeremiah 31:33. Please read this quote one more time and dare to compare it to the following yet-to-be-fulfilled prophecies! Also, please notice that these prophecies concern only Israel during the Messianic age yet to come, along with the fact that they could not possibly have been fulfilled yet! Here is the "new covenant" prophecy that Hebrews uses first.

“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah…   …this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My Law in their mind, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.       Jeremiah 31:31,33

Now compare.

“Although I have cast them far off among the Gentiles, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet I shall be a little sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone. Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I will gather you from the peoples, assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.”’ “And they will go there, and they will take away all its detestable things and all its abominations from there. Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.”   Ezekiel 11:16-20

“For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.”  Ezekiel 35:24-28

“David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them. Then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children’s children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever.  Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people. The nations also will know that I, the Lord, sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.”  Ezekiel 37:24-28

What more needs to be said? The new covenant is without question the same Law, only God will cause Israel to want to walk in His ways when His Kingdom comes during the Messianic age.    

The book of Hebrews simply cannot be reconciled with the picture that the prophets, the book of Revelation, and Yahshua himself have given us of the Messianic age and the coming Kingdom of God. One picture has to go. One must choose to follow the author of Hebrews, or follow Yahshua, Moses, and The Prophets. The “new covenant” is either already fulfilled in a heavenly mystical sense, or it is yet to be inaugurated with Israel and fulfilled when Yahshua returns, delivers Israel from all her enemies, ascends the throne of his father David... and as a son of Levi as well, begins his high priestly ministry before God Most High as King and Priest… after the order of Melchizedek.  

***

Note. The new priesthood, new law, new covenant picture does in fact dovetail with Paul’s doctrine of a new Israel… one that has replaced the old... obsolete Israel! (Galatians 6:15-16) I do not say this to Paul’s credit. It is an utterly repulsive lie, and largely responsible for much of the anti-Semitism and evil perpetrated toward God’s people over the past 2000 years.

For more on Paul's own credibility, and his many mistaken doctrines, please obtain a copy of the book, Jesus Words Only – Or Was Paul the Apostle Jesus Condemns in Revelation 2:2, by Douglas J. Del Tondo, Infinity Publishing.  ISBN 0-7414-2965-9  My review, and ordering information can be accessed by clicking here. 

If you would like to print this article for handouts and would like the Yahshua's Bloodlines diagram to display properly, please email your request to judavschr@hotmail.com  and I will be happy to reply with an attached Microsoft Word file, free of charge. This file will have to be opened with Microsoft Word for Yahshua's bloodline diagram to display properly.  

If you have found this article compelling, please pass it on to family, friends, and clergy for further debate.  

Blessings in Yahshua,

Scott Nelson