The mysterious character of Melchizedek shows up only once in the book of Genesis. There he meets and blesses Abraham after the patriarch defeats Lot’s captors and liberates his nephew, the rest of the town, and their possessions.
Abraham gives Melchizedek a tenth of the plunder.
Yet this seemingly straightforward story also intrigues.
First, Melchizedek means “king of righteousness.”
Next, he’s a priest of God Most High. This is the Bible’s first mention of a priest, so it must be significant.
Third is that Salem—his kingdom—means “peace.” Interestingly, the city of Salem occurs nowhere else in the Bible except in this passage regarding Melchizedek.
Therefore, we see Melchizedek as a priest and the king of righteousness who rules in peace. We must consult the book of Hebrews in the New Testament for additional insight.
Hebrews states that Melchizedek has no father or mother, no genealogy, and lives eternally without beginning or end.
Therefore, he remains a priest forever with a never-ending priesthood. And he resembles the Son of God. His characteristics parallel Jesus. Some think that Melchizedek is, in fact, Jesus or at least he personifies the Messiah.
Though Jesus physically has a mother and a father, spiritually he has no genealogy. He lives eternally with no beginning or end. Through his death and resurrection, he remains a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4).
Moses institutes the idea of God’s people having priests, but it doesn’t start with Moses’s brother Aaron. Melchizedek is the Bible’s first mention of a priest, occurring four centuries earlier; he precedes God’s priestly line through Aaron.
There’s also the tithe, a gift of ten percent. Moses also institutes the practice of the tithe, but Scripture’s first mention of giving a tenth occurs here, with Abraham giving ten percent to Melchizedek.
Abraham tithes to long before Moses commands it.
Jesus is a priest like Melchizedek, who both precedes and transcends the law of Moses.
[Read about Melchizedek in Genesis 14:18–20. Discover more in Hebrews 7:1–17.]
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More Old Testament Sinners and Saints is part of the Bible Character Sketches series.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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