Hebrews 7:4-10 (HCSB)
Now consider how great this man was—even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the plunder to him! The sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have a command according to the law to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their brothers—though they have also descended from Abraham. But one without this lineage collected tenths from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. Without a doubt, the inferior is blessed by the superior. In the one case, men who will die receive tenths, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives. And in a sense Levi himself, who receives tenths, has paid tenths through Abraham, for he was still within his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
The way the writer of Hebrews approaches the Genesis text might seem strange to some. But he is standing on very solid ground.
The writer makes two points. The first is that when Melchizedek blessed Abraham, and when Abraham not only accepted that blessing, but responded to it by giving Melchizedek a tithe (Genesis 14:14-16), it was an acknowledgment by him that Melchizedek, in his office of as priest of God Most High, was greater than he himself. Thus, those who venerate Abraham as their greatest ancestor must acknowledge that Melchizedek was even greater.
The second point is that, even though the law requires that a tithe be paid to the descendants of Levi, the ancestor of Levi paid a tithe to Melchizedek. This means essentially that the priest in the order of Melchizedek is superior to the Levitical priests. This was a concept that would have been unthinkable in the times that the writer was penning this letter, and to the audience to whom he was writing. But it is demonstrably clear from a plain reading of the Scriptures, as the writer points out.
The overall point is that Jesus, the Messiah, a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek by God’s own declaration (Psalm 100:4), is and always will be superior to any priest or high priest in the Levitical priesthood. Which, of course means that turning away from Jesus to serve under the rules of that Levitical priesthood is willfully stepping backwards, from greater to lesser, from more effective to less effective, from stronger to weaker. And that would be the epitome of foolishness.
Father, thank You for helping me to see this more clearly. And it really is clear. To ever turn away from the supremacy of Jesus to anything else is, of necessity, turning from the best to something less, and is supremely foolish! Help me, Lord, to stand firm in You, no matter what, to serve You every day with all my heart, and to glorify You with every thought, my every word, and my every deed. Amen.