5. A King of Peace

Genesis 14:17-20 & Hebrews 7:1-22

Key verse:

For it is declared: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."

Hebrews 7:17

What an odd little moment in history.  When it actually occurred, probably not much was thought of it.  Abram certainly had no idea that this moment in time had any significance at all.  He had just won a battle and had set his nephew free, along with the rest of the members of his nephew Lot's town.   Abram is in the Valley of the Kings when, out of the blue, a king approaches named Melchizedek   He is not only a king, but also a priest of God Most High.  He blesses Abram and serves him bread and wine.  Then in turn, Abram out of all the wealth that he has captured, which we could call Abram’s earning for winning the war, gives Melchizedek ten percent as a thank offering.

Abram appreciated the blessing that Melchizedek offered and went his way.  As far as we know, they never met again.  Melchizedek disappears into history at least as far as Genesis is concerned, but he is not forgotten.

We know very little else about Melchizedek   Where did he come from?  The text says "Salem," but we know it better as Jerusalem, the place of peace.  Even then, God was mapping out history.  And later, Messiah, Abram's descendant, becomes the priest in the order of Melchizedek   Even the offer of bread and wine to Abram serves as a foreshadowing of Jesus' offer of bread and wine to His disciples the evening before His crucifixion.  There are no accidents in God's design.

The book of Hebrews finally explains the reason Melchizedek appeared as he did in Abram's story.  The writer of Hebrews does a good job of explaining how Jesus actually fulfills this priestly role of Melchizedek.  What this incident signifies for us, however, is the intimate detail that our loving, Father God will employ to weave His tapestry of salvation and redemption for the world.  Christ wasn't an accident.  He wasn't just thrown on this earth as a surprise.  He was planned for.  He was expected. 

Melchizedek serves as just another one of those signs along the road, showing us, Messiah is coming.  Be patient!  He will be here at the right time.  No one knew him for what he was at the time, but in God's time, all was made clear.  Even the learned men of Jesus’ day would have probably only seen Melchizedek as an odd figure of history.  It was after Jesus’ ministry that this odd little piece of the puzzle truly fell into place.  Often, when something happens, good or bad, we want to know "why?"  Many generations would pass before the answer to this one would come.

Hymn:  "Praise My Soul, The King Of Heaven"