Sorry I have not posted in a few weeks, but I have been spending time with my friend Mel, while I prepared for Women In the Word, a workshop sponsored by World Reformed Fellowship. The workshop is designed to develop Bible Study skills, and there is a passive and an active component. For the passive part, we had wonderful lectures by Libbie Groves, a teacher from Westminster Theological Seminary about expanding our view from a single passage to take in all of Redemptive History. For the active part, in the Teacher Track, we were given a passage, told to create a lesson we would teach, and then present it in a 5 minute condensed form, including the Central Idea of the passage. Piece of cake, right?
When we registered, we could choose Old or New Testament. I said either, relying on God to place me where I needed to be. When I got my assignment, I questioned my wisdom! Hebrews Chapter 7 was my assigned passage. Hebrews is a book written by an unknown author, seemingly in the form of a sermon, to a Jewish audience who would have been very familiar with Old Testament writings. He builds proof after proof in each subsequent chapter that Jesus is better that what his listeners knew in their old life of Temple worship and Sacrifice.
And here we meet Mel. Melchizedek to those who have not spent as much time with him as I have! Actually, he first appeared in the Bible way back in Genesis 14. After Abram (who God later changed in name to Abraham) returned from rescuing his nephew Lot, the Kings whose lands he restored came out to meet him.
After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him and said,“Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. (Genesis 14:17-20)
A couple of very interesting details are given here. First notice that Melchizedek is king of Salem. This is land that will one day be the location of Jerusalem, and the Temple where God will dwell with His people. He brings bread and wine. And he is called a priest of God Most High. God had not yet instituted the Levitical Priesthood, and this is the first time the word priest is used. It is also the only time that anyone but Jesus is mentioned as both a king and a priest.
Mel proceeds to bless Abram, and Abram gives him a tithe. Again, the tithe to the priest was something God initiated much later. The conclusion that we draw is that Melchizedek was somehow recognized by Abram as superior and connected to God, and Mel saw Abram as worthy of blessing. It is also important to note that Abram did not accept offers of tribute and honor from the King of Sodom.
Mel shows up one more time in the Old Testament, this time in a Psalm about the king. The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” Psalm 110:4 This psalm is about David at one level, but more about Jesus. This is the connection the writer of Hebrews goes into.
Melchizedek was of course, an Old Testament shadow of Jesus. Jesus is the eternal king and priest, without beginning or end of days, who lives forever to intercede for His people. He is the original! The writer of Hebrews points out that Mel was also superior to the priests from the line of Levi that God would appoint later, because these priests were in effect still in the loins of Abram when he paid tribute to Melchizedek. Therefore Jesus is a better priest than the Levitical priests and “This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.” Hebrews 7:22.
Consequently, he (Jesus) is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25
So while I enjoyed hanging out with my friend Mel, and learning about him, I say give me Jesus over him any day!
Soli Deo Gloria,
Diane