Melchizedek
We are first introduced to Melchizedek in Genesis 14:18. Abraham’s nephew Lot was taken captive during a war amongst several kings. When receiving the news, Abraham and his men went to rescue Lot. “After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). Then Melchizedek, king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.”’ So people ask, “Who is this Melchizedek?” Hebrews 7:1-4 says this, “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, 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.” Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!”
Let’s take a closer look. Let’s start with the fact that he was a priest of God, but not any priest for he was without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. Now let’s start at the beginning. What we know is this, the Angel of Light, the Shining One, yes, Lucifer was the first high priest who stood before God. Ezekiel 28:12-19 says this, “Son of man, take up a song of mourning over the king of Tyre and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “You had the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: the ruby, the topaz and the diamond; the beryl, the onyx and the jasper; the lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald; and the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, was in you. On the day that you were created they were prepared. You were the anointed cherub who covers, and I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked in the midst of the stones of fire. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness was found in you.”
What Scripture is telling that he wore the Breastplate as we read in Exodus 28:15-20, “You shall make a breastpiece of judgment, the work of a skilled embroiderer; like the work of the ephod you shall make it: of gold, of violet, purple, and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen you shall make it. It shall be square and folded double, a span in length and a span in width. And you shall mount on it four rows of stones; the first row shall be a row of ruby, topaz, and emerald; and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond; and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; and the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper; they shall be set in gold filigree.”
Remember, Moses was to build the Tabernacle with all of its vessels and furnishings, and even garments, according to the heavenly pattern he saw. So the Shining one fell and Melchizedek took his place. The Scripture says that he was without father or mother or genealogy or beginning or end which would describe an angel. You see with God there is no time. The angels were created before the foundation of the world. They were created to be immortal, and much like Adam, who also had no mother or father or genealogy, and would have lived forever except he sinned and the result of that was death. Many people think that Melchizedek was Yeshua because of Hebrews 5: 8-10 which says this about Yeshua, “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.” And again in Psalm 110:4, “The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
Yeshua was made a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek, instead of the order of Levi, because we are talking about heavenly things. God resided in the earthly tabernacle, the Mishkan, where earthly people ministered, and so God chose the tribe of Levi to be its priests. Yeshua came down to earth momentarily, but then He ascended back to His Father, in which time God appointed Him to be the High Priest who stood before Him, thus replacing Melchizedek. Now let’s continue with the story. “Then Melchizedek, king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.” Melchizedek brings out bread and wine. Where else do we see this in scripture? Well let’s put this in context. Abraham won a great battle. He saved many people. For you to totally get the picture, let’s jump to Yeshua and then go back. Matthew 26: 26-29 says this, “Now while they were eating, Yeshua took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it with you, new, in My Father’s kingdom.”
Yeshua was partaking in the Passover Seder which happens to have bread (unleavened) and wine. This of course was before a great victory (on the cross) to save a people. Melchizedek, who was the king of Jerusalem, (of which one day Yeshua will sit on the throne of King David and rule and reign for one thousand years in Jerusalem, Revelation 20) was showing Abraham something very remarkable. In John 8:56 Yeshua gives the people a great revelation. “Your father Abraham was overjoyed that he would see My day, and he saw it and rejoiced.” Now let’s go back to after the war of the kings where God says this to Abraham, in Genesis 15:13-14, “Then God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years. But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions.” God shows Abraham another revelation, that his people will be enslaved in a foreign land but He will set them free. Now we know that Moses was told to keep the first Passover, and they too had a great victory. Finally Abraham tithed a tenth, not in money, but in the spoils of war to Melchizedek, because he was a king, and also, he was a high priest of the Most High God, so in tribute, Abraham tithed. Again a foreshadowing of the Aaronic priesthood who also received tithes back in its day. So many times God gives a foreshadowing of things to come, and if we are paying attention to it we will see God’s revelation before us, Matthew 24, 2 Timothy 3:1-5, 2 Peter 3:3-4, Luke 21:25-26, 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3. We must know the signs of the time.
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