Who Is Melchizedek and Why Did Abraham Respect Him So Much?

Hebrews 7:4 – Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!

Hebrews 7:7 – And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. 

The Bible tells us about Melchizedek a mysterious character. He has no parents. He has no beginning and no end. He will be a priest forever. The question is who is this Melchizedek?

Genesis 14:18 – Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High,

Genesis 14:19 – and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.

Genesis 14:20 – And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Abraham coming from war a victorious man, meets Melchizedek who blesses him. Only the greater can bless the lesser. Melchizedek therefore is greater than Abraham. Then Abraham shows respect and worship by giving Melchizedek ten percent of all he earned at war. Only the divine can be worshipped and given tithe. Levites received tithes on God’s order. Who is this  Melchizedek?

Psalms 110:4 – The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. ”

Hebrews 5:6 – And he says in another place, “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. ”

Hebrews 5:10 – and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 6:20 – where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

All these passages talking about Jesus, tell us that He is a priest in the order of Melchizedek. Priesthood of Israel was from the order of Aaron. Jesus was born in the tribe of Judah. The descendants of Judah were never priests. The Bible tells us Jesus will be a priest for eternity in the order of Melchizedek. Placing  Melchizedek at a significant place. Who is this Melchizedek?

Hebrews 7:1 – This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him,

Hebrews 7:2 – and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.”

Hebrews 7:3 – Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.

The whole of Hebrews chapter seven tells us more about Melchizedek. The emphasis here is that He was greater than Abraham and that He resembles Jesus. The emphasis also is that Jesus came as a priest in the order of  Melchizedek. Who is this Melchizedek and why did Abraham show Him so much respect?

Some Bible students have suggested that Melchizedek is a Canaanite king. This is unlikely so because Jewish writers wouldn’t place a gentile of a nation that God ordered to be destroyed on such an important pedestal in history. Secondly and most important is Melchizedek has characteristics that clearly dismiss any attempt to suggest that He is human. He has no father and mother. The only such human was Adam. He has no beginning or end. All human beings have beginning and end. He can’t be human!

Other Bible students have suggested that  Melchizedek is an Angel. An Angel with a priestly order. I would like to suggest that He can’t be an Angel because Angels were created they have a beginning. They may not have a father and mother, but they were created and have a beginning. Melchizedek is not an Angel.

The only options remaining are that  Melchizedek is a divine being. Other Bible students have suggested that He is Jesus and others the Holy Spirit. Other Bible students have suggested that He is the voice of God. We have no further evidence to emphasize exactly which one. Therefore it will suffice for me to say that He is a revelation of the divine.

Only the divine has no beginning and no end. Therefore the divine has no father and mother. Only the divine can be a priest FOREVER. Melchizedek is a revelation of the divine.

It is not unusual for the divine to make unique revelations. The divine appeared in a burning bush. The divine has appeared several times as “the Angel of the Lord.” The divine has also appeared in the person of Jesus Christ on earth until crucifixion and ascension. Melchizedek therefore could be one more revelation of the divine.

The exact identity of Melchizedek is not so crucial that if we don’t get it we would have a crisis on our salvation journey to eternity. There are aspects of scriptures that we are yet to fully appreciate because of our limitations, yet our need to accept God’s call remains clear and unhampered. Therefore it would be enough for now to look at Melchizedek as a revelation of the divine. This perspective most importantly is in congruence with other scriptural interpretations. This perspective ensures internal doctrinal coherence.

Hebrews 7:4 – Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!

Hebrews 7:7 – And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. 

Abraham gave Melchizedek the tithe because He was a representation of the divine. Melchizedek was and is greater than Abraham. This is why Abraham respected Him.

Whoever you give your tithe is great in your life. That is why tithe is given to God through the church. We give to God because He is great. If you don’t give tithe and you eat it, you are declaring that you are greater than God. If you give the poor, you are declaring that your judgment is greater than God. Tithe is given to God. Offerings can be shared with the poor. Whoever receives tithe is greater. Who is greater in your life?

May God continue to reveal Himself to us as He did to Abraham through Melchizedek. May we who know God show that He is great by giving tithes as prescribed. May the blessings Melchizedek gave Abraham be our blessings too. In Jesus’s name, Amen!

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