Who is Melchizedek?

Prayer – Lord, open my eyes, my mind, and my heart to understand details in the Bible. 

The Lord will be refreshed from brooks---
like the Bumping River in Eastern WA.

A psalm of David. The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet." The LORD will extend your powerful kingdom from Jerusalem; you will rule over your enemies. When you go to war, your people will serve you willingly. You are arrayed in holy garments, and your strength will be renewed each day like the morning dew. The LORD has taken an oath and will not break his vow: "You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek." The Lord stands at your right hand to protect you. He will strike down many kings when his anger erupts. He will punish the nations and fill their lands with corpses; he will shatter heads over the whole earth. But he himself will be refreshed from brooks along the way. He will be victorious. Psalm 110:1-7

 

Meditate. Consider God’s protection.

 

Who is Melchizedek? A priest forever. He is mentioned in seventeen verses in the Bible. The first time we see Melchizedek, he comes as the king of Salem (Jerusalem) and a priest of God to Abram (before he becomes Abraham) serving him bread and wine, followed by giving Abram a blessing. Abram likewise blessed Melchizedek bestowing him with one-tenth of the spoils from a recent battle. Melchizedek was a priest before the lineage of priesthood through the family of Levi was established. It makes you wonder just why and how Melchizedek became a priest.

So if the priesthood of Levi, on which the law was based, could have achieved the perfection God intended, why did God need to establish a different priesthood, with a priest in the order of Melchizedek instead of the order of Levi and Aaron? Hebrews 7:11

So many questions…so little time! Jesus was a priest in the order of Melchizedek—but He  was not in the family of Levi, but a descendant of David and the line of Judah.

And if the priesthood is changed, the law must also be changed to permit it. ... This change has been made very clear since a different priest, who is like Melchizedek, has appeared. Jesus became a priest, not by meeting the physical requirement of belonging to the tribe of Levi, but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed. ... This new system was established with a solemn oath. Aaron's descendants became priests without such an oath, but there was an oath regarding Jesus. For God said to him, "The LORD has taken an oath and will not break his vow: 'You are a priest forever.'" ... There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office. But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. Hebrews 7:12, 15-16, 20-21, 23-25 (Read all of Hebrews 7 for yourself.)

Note that David wrote in this Psalm about the Lord not breaking this promise, this oath. It is quoted in Hebrews 7:17. The priest he was referring to was Jesus.

The LORD has taken an oath and will not break his vow: "You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek." Psalm 110:4

Jesus is our priest…as well as the King of Kings, and our Savior. Seek Him…and you will find Him. He is our priest and king—like Melchizedek. So does this answer the question…Who is Melchizedek?

 

Verse of Salvation ~ And no one can become a high priest simply because he wants such an honor. He must be called by God for this work, just as Aaron was. That is why Christ did not honor himself by assuming he could become High Priest. No, he was chosen by God, who said to him, "You are my Son. Today I have become your Father." And in another passage God said to him, "You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek." While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was God's Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. And God designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 5:4-10

 

Memory Verse of the Week ~ Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:7-8

It is November – consider daily: What are you Thankful for today?

 

 

© 2022 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

 

Parenting Day By Day - 

Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories