Top of the Heap

Top of the Heap
Words of Faith 2-17-26
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2026
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Hebrews 7
[4] Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! [5] Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people that is, their brothers even though their brothers are descended from Abraham. [6] This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. [7] And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater. [8] In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. [9] One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, [10] because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.

        Abraham gave to Melchizedek a tenth of the plunder! The primary argument here is simply that Melchizedek was a greater priest than the Levites who came later. This is because the patriarch Abraham, who was far greater than Aaron (father of the Levites), spontaneously tithed to Melchizedek.

        The "tithe" was a revered part of Jewish life that symbolized God's ownership of every blessing. Here we see that a tithe, one of the first ever, was paid by Abraham, a patriarch, to Melchizedek, whom the Writer identifies with Jesus.

        The readers knew that the Law and practice of the day required tithing to the Levites, who then attended to the needs of the Temple and owned no land of their own. They also knew this unusual story of Abraham and the mysterious meeting with the King of Peace, Melchizedek. This was a powerful argument.

        This isn't an argument regarding modern giving practices. The point here is simply to recognize the primacy of Jesus   a priest after the order of Melchizedek. Don't miss how Abraham honored the priest when he met him. The word here means that he gave him a tenth "from the top of the heap".

        If there is a call and exhortation here, it is to honor the Lord Jesus from the top of the heap. He is the high priest after the order of Melchizedek. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. We are called to honor Him from the top of the heap of our time. The top of the heap of our energy. The top of the heap of influence. The top of the heap of our very love.

       Lord, may I honor You with all that I am and all that I have. From the top of the heap. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2026
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2026 Jeffrey D. Hoy.