Volume 1- Issue 2 - FEBRUARY 1997
Topic of the month : Melchizedek Messiah?
Was Melchizedek the same personage as the one who died for our sins ? Was he Christ ? Many of today's churches of God think that he was. The Essenes ( a sect from antiquity) believed that Melchizedek was the arch-angel Michael and that Michael was the Messiah ; a position much like today's Jehovah's Witnesses. Hebrew tradition suggests that he was Noah's oldest son ,Shem , who had become at that time the worlds oldest living man. What does your bible say of this man to whom Abraham gave a tithe of all ? Just who was this Priest-King ? This article is not meant to offend but to clarify and allow the reader some food for thought. Who Melchizedek was is not a matter of your salvation but we are to "prove all things".
The first account of Melchizedek in Genesis 14:18-20 is very brief. What does it tell us ?
18 "And Melchizedek King of Salem brought forth bread and wine ; and he was the priest of the most high God .
19 And he blessed him, and said, blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth.20 And blessed be the most high God , which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all "
So we find that our mysterious Melchizedek was 1) a King 2). a priest of the most high God 3) blessed Abram 4) received tithes 5) presented bread and wine ( short note on this one at conclusion of this article). This is not much to go on ...or is it?
Now the reader must understand that previous to the time of Moses the head of each family or the oldest male member of the family was the one who acted as a priest for the family. He would offer sacrifices on their behalf. Thusly , the oldest living male in each paternal line was its priest and , as the family grew into a tribe ,this Head of the family priest also became its king (Priest-King) . Some 600 years later the Levites would , by appointment, assume this role of the priesthood ; and even later on the family line of David would always supply the kings. But our Melchizedek was both of these things, yet as it be, the bible is silent about his birth , death , genealogy or other details.
Its not until the book of Hebrews , supposed to be written by Paul , that we hear the name Melchizedek again. Hebrews 5:5,10 and 6:20 all echo that Christ was " made a high priest after the order of Melchizedek ". If Christ was this same Melchizedek could he be after the order of himself ? Was Aaron a priest after the order of Aaron ? Of course not ! That would be silly now wouldn't it ? Aaron was the original ; a pattern for the levitical priests to follow. Levi was after the order of Aaron ; Christ was after the order of Melchizedek just like we could say that Henry Aaron was a homerun hitter after the order of Babe Ruth . Now do we understand the meaning of the phrase ? ~May God let us see !
Hebrews 7:13-15 states " 13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe of which no man gave attendance at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah , of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning the priesthood. 15 And it is far more evident , for that after the similtitude of Melchizedek there ariseth another priest."
The word translated another in the Greek text is heteros meaning : another of a different kind ; the other of two when there are only two. The word translated as similtitude is homoiotes which Strong's Exhaustive Concordance renders as resemblance .
Now those who still would believe that Melchizedek is/was Christ will say " What about Hebrews 7:3 "?
3 " Without father , without mother , without descent , having neither beginning of days , nor end of life but made like unto the Son of God ; abideth a priest continually"
The Greek verb aphomoioo is translated as made like here. Aphomoioo always refers to two distinct and separate entities . This falls in line with our previous realization of the other words denoting two completely separate individuals . The Levitical priesthood was based on lineage ( a priest had to be a Levite , a descendant of Aaron and this beyond any doubt.). Let us refer to the reforming of the Levitical priesthood in Nehemiah 7:64.
" These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy , but it was not found : Therefore were they , as polluted , put from the priesthood."
The concept of Hebrews 7:3 is not that Melchizedek did not have a literal father or mother but rather that no record of his genealogy is found in the bible. In the bible even silence can speak volumes. Of course we know that Jesus Christ did have a father and a mother ( see Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23 -28 ). "having neither beginning of days , nor end of life " also refers to the bibles silence on such matters but has a second meaning in that according to Numbers 4:47 a priest could only serve in the priesthood from between the ages of 30 to 50 years old. He was not born into the priesthood ( no beginning of days ) nor ended his life in the service of the altar but retired at the young age of 50 . In the case of the high priest his service ended at death but we see that Melchizedek was called the priest of the most high God not high priest ; although he could have been.
The closed minded or deceived individual may still cling to this misguided presumption that Melchizedek was the one who became Christ by saying " Well , His name means King of Righteousness and that proves it." Not really ! Actually , the Armana Tablets, dated around 1400 BC , by its renditions of both individual names Melech and Zedek suggest that a more appropriate rendering would be " My King is righteousness ". Among the same Tablets , which were actually letters to the Pharoahs Amenophis III and IV , we find a letter from Ebed-Tob (Good Servant) who is said to be Melchizedek's successor to the priesthood! Yes , Melchizedek had a successor . His priesthood was not forever but Christ's is. If you are hung up on his name then consider Joshua 10:1 where we find a man named Adonizedek or Lord of Righteousness ! Was he Christ too ? Of course not ! His named more correctly is rendered " My Lord is righteousness " but please notice the similarity with our mystery Priest-King . In Judges 1:5-7 we find Adonibezek = Lord of Lightning or even a literal translation of Elijah would be God Jehovah ( really Jehovah is God ) . Now Melchizedek was obviously a righteous man . In Josephus' Antiquities of the Jews Chapter 1.2 " That name signifies the righteous king ; and such he was without dispute , insomuch that on this account , he was made the priest of God".The Hebrew people have a history of naming people and places after their God . So we see that the name Melchizedek does not denote deity and it was not an uncommon type of name . His name does appear to be a type for our Lord who is the true "King of Righteousness ".
Throughout the Hebrews text the author is showing Melchizedek as a type of Christ . He is explaining the change from the Levitical priesthood ( physical ) to the priesthood of Christ ( spiritual ). If you read the entire book ,or at least a chapter prior and a chapter after , you will see the context becomes much clearer and actually quite obvious . May God open your eyes and understanding of his word !
We now have seen the parallels between Melchizedek and the Son of God , and that is the exact reason he is referred to in Hebrews , to typify the coming High Priest . While few words are told of Melchizedek- the truth of the bible , God's word , speaks much . Let us not add our own wills or suppositions into scripture . Let us always pray for the truth from God and seek the simplicity that is in Christ. Let us not add to the words of these books as the warning in Revelation 22:18 . ~
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NOTE: One last point of interest and then we shall conclude. The bread and wine that Melchizedek brought out to Abram in Genesis 14 may remind you of something . While it is not altogether clear we see a type of the new Testament Passover being conducted here. A covenant is made by God with Abram promising the physical blessings to his descendants just as the New Testament covenant brings grace to the spiritual children through Christ Jesus who is the Promised Seed. Notice Genesis 15:17 of the vision of a smoking furnace ( a symbol of Israel's affliction ) and also of the burning lamp (represents God's deliverance of Israel -exodused from Egypt on Abib 15 ). This was "After the sun went down " (beginning a new day ) which was the day after the Melchizedek bread and wine type of Passover ( on Abib 14). Paul writing in Galations 3 shows that this covenant was confirmed to Isaac 430 years before the exodus on Abib 15. It is highly likely that Melchizedek's bread and wine were partaken of on Abib 14 , the future Passover dates , and the covenant was made on Abib 15th foreshadowing the things to come. ~Malachi 3:6 " I am the Lord, I change not;...."
May God Bless !
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