Exodus 23:18

“7. You shall not offer the blood of any sacrifice with leavened bread.

“8. The sacrifice of the feast of the Passover shall not be left until morning.

“3. You shall not neglect to keep the feast of unleavened bread.

“10. You shall not seethe a kid in its mother’s milk.

“6. You shall not fail to observe the feast of the first fruits and the feast of the ingathering at the end of the year.

“2. You shall not make molten gods.

“9. The first of the first fruits of the ground you shall bring to the house of the Lord your God.

While no sacrifices were permitted within the colony, Melchizedek well knew how difficult it is to suddenly uproot long-established customs and accordingly had wisely offered these people the substitute of a sacrament of bread and wine for the older sacrifice of flesh and blood. It is of record, “Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine.” But even this cautious innovation was not altogether successful; the various tribes all maintained auxiliary centers on the outskirts of Salem where they offered sacrifices and burnt offerings. Even Abraham resorted to this barbarous practice after his victory over Chedorlaomer; he simply did not feel quite at ease until he had offered a conventional sacrifice. And Melchizedek never did succeed in fully eradicating this proclivity to sacrifice from the religious practices of his followers, even of Abraham.

When Jesus had thus established the supper of the remembrance, he said to the eleven: “And as often as you do this, do it in remembrance of me. And when you do remember me, first look back upon my life in the flesh, recall that I was once with you, and then, by faith, discern that you shall all sometime sup with me in the Father’s eternal kingdom. This is the new Passover which I leave with you, even the memory of my bestowal life, the word of eternal truth; and of my love for you, the outpouring of my Spirit of Truth upon all flesh.”

5. You shall not drink intoxicating liquors.