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When I was in college, I had a friend named Randall who lived a few doors down the hall from me. Even though he was a senior and I was a freshman, we quickly hit it off. I suppose it had something to do with our mutual passion for the game of ping pong. On many occasions we played late into the night and had a lot of fun.
Randall was a peculiar fellow. He a deep thinker and had a pleasant personality, but he didn’t like anyone asking too many questions about his background or anyone taking his picture. His photograph never appeared in a single year book, even from when he was a kid. He said, “I just like to protect my identity. I always thought this was a little strange.
After college, Randall attended the same seminary that I did. While in seminary he became very interested in the relationship between theology and politics, and he took a lot of classes at Harvard. After he graduated, he got a job with the CIA and I never heard from him again. I always thought it was ironic that my non-photographed friend wound up in the CIA.
Has that ever happened to you? Has someone ever come into your life, had a profound influence on you, and then they were gone and you mysteriously never heard from them again?
Like my friend Randall, today’s Bible character is mysterious. We don’t know where Melchizedek came from or whatever happened to him. We know very little about his life, but he has had a profound influence on biblical history. The Bible only gives us three verses about his life (Genesis 14:18-20) but it gives us two whole chapters on his significance (Hebrews 5 & 7). Today I would like for us to try to unravel the mystery of Melchizedek’s life and see its significance for us!
Melchizedek’s Life (Genesis 14:17-20)
Melchizedek first appears in Genesis 14. It is the story of Abraham rescuing his nephew Lot from captivity. If you remember, Lot and Abraham parted company because their households and herds were getting too large to remain combined. Abraham allowed Lot to choose whichever part of the land he wished, and Lot chose the Valley of Siddum, known today as the Dead Sea. But it was not dead in that day. Rather, it was a lush, fertile valley, reminiscent of the Garden of Eden. Lot settled in a city located in that valley called Sodom. Abraham turned and went in the opposite direction.
One day a messenger arrived at Abraham’s tent with terrible news. A coalition of kings captured Sodom and enslaved all of its inhabitants – including Lot and his family. Abraham immediately organized a rescue party. He eventually caught up with the raiders and attacked them at night. He recovered his nephew and all of the wealth of Sodom.
However, the most unusual part of the story took place on the return journey. The king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh. This was presumably the place where kings came to negotiate. And Melchizedek, king of Salem, also came out to meet Abraham.
Melchizedek’s Name- “King of Righteousness” (Hebrews 7:1-2)
The first thing we notice about Melchizedek is his name. When we name our children today, it is often only because we like the sound of it. But names in the ancient world were full of meaning, especially among the Jews. Names were given to tell something about the character of the person. This is why you occasionally see a person whose name is changed in Scripture. This was the case with Abraham. His name was originally Abram, which meant “father of high places.” But God changed it later to Abraham, which meant “father of a multitude.” The name Melchizedek is actually a compound name. It is made up of two Hebrew words that have been joined together. “Melek” is the Hebrew word for “king.” “Zadok” means “righteousness.” So, as the author of Hebrews tells us, Melchizedek is the king with righteous character.
Melchizedek’s Rule- “King of Salem” (Hebrews 7:1-2)
The second thing we know about Melchizedek is where he reigned. Both Genesis and Hebrews tell us that he was the King of Salem. Salem is one of the ancient names for the city of Jerusalem. Before the city became the capital of Israel, it belonged to a people known as the Jebusites. Their city was alternately known as “Jebus” and “Salem.” Its name today reflects a composite of those two names: Jebus+Salem = Jerusalem.
But remember, names have meaning. And the meaning of the word Salem is “peace.” It is a derivative of the word many Jewish speaking people use as a greeting, “Shalom,” which also means “peace.” So Melchizedek is the King of Salem, ancient Jerusalem, or according to the meaning of his name, he is the King of peace.
Melchizedek’s Ministry- “Priest of God Most High” (Hebrews 7:1-2)
The third thing we know about Melchizedek is that he was a priest of God Most High. This is somewhat surprising because at this time the region around Salem was inhabited by Canaanites, and they worshipped false gods. Somehow Melchizedek came to know the One True God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth. God revealed himself to Melchizedek and ordained him a priest and he acted as a mediator between God and his people. He presented offerings to God, interceded on behalf of his people in prayer, ministered to their needs, and pronounced blessings upon them. As a priest and king, he was a religious and political leader, watching over the physical and spiritual well-being of his people.
When Melchizedek heard about Abraham’s victory against the kings in war, he went out to the Valley of Shaveh to meet him and performed two priestly functions: he ministered to Abraham by bringing him bread and wine and he pronounced a blessing upon him. Abraham showed his appreciation for Melchizedek’s ministry by giving him a tenth of the plunder.
Melchizedek’s Genealogy (Hebrews 7:3)
The fourth thing we know about Melchizedek is actually something that we don’t know at all—his genealogy. The author of Hebrews says in 7:3, “Without father or mother, without genealogy…” This doesn’t mean that he was supernaturally born; it simply means that he doesn’t have a recorded genealogy. Genesis doesn’t identify his father or mother and his role as a priest was not genealogically derived. Unlike the Levitical priesthood, he received it directly from God.
Likewise, when the author of Hebrews says, “Without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God, he remains a priest forever” he doesn’t mean that Melchizedek wasn’t ever born or ever died. He means that his priesthood was not for a fixed term (as in the case of the Levitical priests). Under the Old Testament law, priests began their service at the age of 30, and the Levites served until they were 50 years old. (Num. 4:3; 8:24-25).
Since Genesis doesn’t say anything about Melchizedek’s genealogy, birth, or death, he didn’t have the right qualifications for the Levitical priesthood in the Law of Moses. The Levites were priests by virtue of heritage and ceased from the office upon death, but Scripture places no such limitations on Melchizedek’s priesthood. This is why Jesus is a priest forever, “in the order of Melchizedek.”
Melchizedek’s Superiority (Hebrews 7:4-10)
The fifth thing we know about Melchizedek is that his priesthood is superior to the Levitical priesthood. The author of Hebrews calls our attention to this in verse 4 where he says, “Just think how great he was…” The patriarch Abraham, the father of Israel, showed his spiritual inferiority to Melchizedek by receiving his blessing and giving him a tithe of the plunder. In Old Testament times, the greater person always blessed the lesser person, not the other way around. And since the Levitical priesthood hadn’t even been formed and the Mosaic Law hadn’t been given yet (it was still in Abraham’s body), Abraham’s tithe shows that Melchizedek’s priesthood is superior. Abraham established the practice of tithing a few hundred years before it was instituted in the Law of Moses.
Melchizedek & the Messiah
Now that I have told you everything we know about the person of Melchizedek, let me tell you about his significance. His primary role in the Old Testament was to foreshadow the coming Messiah. His primary role in the New Testament is to help us understand the Messiah that came. And we are still beneficiaries of his ministry 4000 years later. But how?
“King of Righteousness”
Melchizedek, a king of righteousness points us to Jesus, the true king of righteousness! Jesus Christ is the only human being who ever lived a truly righteous life. He is absolutely perfect; there is no moral wrinkle or blemish in him. He is the spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. If Jesus had been a sinner like us, his blood couldn’t atone for our sins.
When we respond to Christ in faith, we are justified in God’s sight. He gives us his righteousness in exchange for our sin. Even though we are sinners who deserve eternal punishment, God sees Jesus’ righteous in us. Therefore, we can escape judgment and enjoy eternal life in heaven. Jesus offers us his righteousness because he is the king of righteousness! Have you put your trust in Jesus Christ and received his righteousness?
“King of Peace”
Melchizedek was also a king of peace, but he points us to Jesus, the true king of peace. In Isaiah 9:2 we read that one of the Messiah’s names is “Prince of Peace.” Jesus came to restore peace. Ever since Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden, the world had been at war with God and each other. Jesus’ death on the cross healed our broken relationship with God.
His sacrifice satisfied God’s wrath, paid our penalty for sin, and set off a great chain reaction of peace. Jesus restores peace to our relationship with God. When we have peace in our relationship with God, then we experience internal peace in our souls. When we have internal peace in our souls, then we can have peace in our relationships with one another. And when we have peace in our relationships with one another, then we can have peace in our society and world! True peace begins with Jesus Christ, the king of peace!
“Priest of God Most High”
Melchizedek, a priest of God Most High points to Jesus, our great high priest who sympathizes with us in our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he was without sin. The Apostle Paul said, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men.” (I Timothy 2:5-6)
The Levitical priests sacrificed animals to atone for the sins of the people. But unlike the other high priests, Jesus does not need to offer sacrifices day after day. His sacrifice on the cross was once and for all. No other sacrifice needs to be made.
Jesus’ priestly ministry continues even now. After Jesus completed his ministry on earth, he sat down at the right hand of the Father and serves in the true tabernacle that was built by God, not man. He always lives to intercede for his people. As our great high priest, he is praying for us right now!
“Bread to Eat and Wine to Drink”
When Melchizedek met Abraham in the Valley of Shaveh, he brought him bread to eat and food to drink. That is a very interesting meal, isn’t it? This is actually a foreshadowing of a foreshadowing. Melchizedek’s meal foreshadowed the Passover meal that was instituted during the Exodus. Remember, Moses about to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. The night before, they had a meal of bread and wine. The bread was unleavened because they didn’t have enough time to let the yeast make the bread rise. This meal was reenacted every year to remind the Israelites of how God saved them.
The Passover meal was a foreshadowing of how God would save the world from its sins though his son Jesus Christ. As he and his disciples ate the Passover meal the night before he was crucified, Jesus showed how the meal foreshadowed his death. The bread represents his broken body. The wine represents his spilled blood. He instituted communion as a constant reminder of his compassion.
Melchizedek’s meal looked forward to Christ’s sacrifice. It was no accident that Melchizedek served bread and wine. This shows us that God planned for his Son to die on the cross 2000 years before it actually happened.
Well, as I mentioned, we don’t know much about Melchizedek, but we do know that his ministry of pointing to the Messiah is significant. I hope that Melchizedek’s ministry has pointed you to Jesus Christ!