Melchizedek
 Do you like a good mystery? History is full of them! They usually involve people. One of the most mysterious people in the Bible is the king of peace, Melchizedek. He appeared one day in the life of Abraham (then Abram) and was never heard from again. What happened that day, however, was to be remembered throughout history and eventually became a subject of a New Testament letter (Hebrews).

This meeting between Abram and Melchizedek was most unusual. Although the two men were strangers and foreigners to each other, they shared a most important characteristic: Both worshiped and served the one God who made heaven and earth. This was a great moment of triumph for Abram. He had just defeated an army and regained the freedom of a large group of captives. If there was any doubt in his mind about whose victory it was, Melchizedek set the record straight by reminding Abram, "And blessed be God Most High, who has helped you conquer your enemies" (Genesis 14:20). Abram recognized that this man worshiped the same God he did.

Melchizedek was one of a small group of God-honoring people throughout the Old Testament who came in contact with the Jews (Israelites) but were not Jews themselves. This indicates that the requirement to be a follower of God is not genetic but is based on faithfully obeying his teachings and recognizing his greatness.

Do you let God speak to you through other people? In evaluating others, do you consider God’s impact on their lives? Are you aware of the similarities between yourself and others who worship God, even if their form of worship is quite different from yours? Do you know the God of the Bible well enough to know if you truly worship him? Allow Melchizedek, Abraham, David, and Jesus, along with many other persons in the Bible, to show you this great God, Creator of heaven and earth. He wants you to know how much he loves you; he wants you to know him personally.

1- Strengths and accomplishments

- The first priest/king of Scripture—a leader with a heart tuned to God
- Good at encouraging others to serve God wholeheartedly
- A man whose character reflected his love for God
- A person in the Old Testament who reminds us of Jesus and who some believe really was Jesus

2- Lesson from his life

- Live for God and you’re likely to be at the right place at the right time. Examine your heart: To whom or what is your greatest loyalty? If you can honestly answer God, you are living for him

3- Vital statistics

- Where: Ruled in Salem, site of the future Jerusalem
- Occupation: King of Salem and priest of God Most High

4- Key verses

"This Melchizedek was king of the city of Salem and also a priest of God Most High. When Abraham was returning home after winning a great battle against many kings, Melchizedek met him and blessed him.… Consider then how great this Melchizedek was. Even Abraham, the great patriarch of Israel, recognized how great Melchizedek was by giving him a tenth of what he had taken in battle" (Hebrews 7:1, 4).

Melchizedek’s story is told in Genesis 14:17–20. He is also mentioned in Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 5—7.

 

Melchizedek (or Melchisedec)

I. King of Salem and priest of the most high God. He came forth to meet Abraham after he had rescued Lot and those taken with him. Melchisedec brought forth bread and wine, and blessed Abraham, and Abraham gave to him tithes of all. He was a type of Christ as a royal-priest: "King of righteousness and king of peace," as He will be in the Millennium. Melchisedec was a priest of an entirely different order from that of Aaron, which passed from father to son. There is no mention of his progenitors, nor of any descendant: "without father, without mother, without genealogy; having neither beginning of days nor end of life:" being thus a beautiful type of the Son of God, who has been called by God to be "a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec." Nothing is said of any sacrifice being offered by Melchisedec to God: he rather brought forth from God that which symbolises life and joy, {cf. #Joh 6:51 2:1-10} and blessed him that had the promises. So when Christ comes it will not be to put away sin by sacrifice; but to refresh and bless His people. Blessing characterises the Melchisedec priesthood of Christ. #Ge 14:18-20 Ps 110:4 Heb 5:6,10 6:20 7:1-21.

II. King of righteousness, the king of Salem (q.v.). All we know of him is recorded in #Ge 14:18-20 He is subsequently mentioned only once in the Old Testament, in #Ps 110:4 The typical significance of his history is set forth in detail in the Epistle to the Hebrews, #He 7:1-28 The apostle there points out the superiority of his priesthood to that of Aaron in these several respects,
1. Even Abraham paid him tithes;
2. he blessed Abraham;
3. he is the type of a Priest who lives for ever;
4. Levi, yet unborn, paid him tithes in the person of Abraham;
5. the permanence of his priesthood in Christ implied the abrogation of the Levitical system;
6. he was made priest not without an oath; and
7. his priesthood can neither be transmitted nor interrupted by death: "this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood."

The question as to who this mysterious personage was has given rise to a great deal of modern speculation. It is an old tradition among the Jews that he was Shem, the son of Noah, who may have survived to this time. Melchizedek was a Canaanitish prince, a worshipper of the true God, and in his peculiar history and character an instructive type of our Lord, the great High Priest #Heb 5:6,7 6:20 One of the Amarna tablets is from Ebed-Tob, king of Jerusalem, the successor of Melchizedek, in which he claims the very attributes and dignity given to Melchizedek in the Epistle to the Hebrews.