So, who is Melchizedek and why is he compared to Jesus in the book of Hebrews? Now, when you start digging into that territory, it starts getting complicated really fast and the waters get very murky. And you find everything from remarkable correlations to fantastical things that you would expect to read in a adventurer or fantasy novel. So, if you want to lose yourself down that rabbit hole, there’s plenty of stuff to read about it. But if you want to stick to biblical scholarship than we still got a lot of thoughts about a lot of things. So, we don’t have several hours to talk about this, and I am nowhere near a leading expert on it. But overtime I have done enough research and scholarship on it to at least give us some context and a little bit of a baseline. Maybe just like a little platform from which you can do as many deep dives as you personally want to do. But in terms of what we do here every day as we go through a portion of Scripture and apply it to our lives, context is important. So, let’s try to get some context. Melchizedek is a figure that first appears in the Bible in the book of Genesis chapter 14. And obviously, we read that many months ago back in the month of January. The story is about Abraham and Lot and a battle where there were five kings against four kings, and Lot was captured and taken away in this battle, and Abraham went in pursuit and recovered, recovered everything. And on his way back, he runs into this figure, Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the most high God. And Abraham pays him a 10% tithe of the plunder from the battle and Melchizedek then in turn blesses him. So, no big deal so far, just a retelling of an event that happened and perhaps the first theological handle that we have in the Bible relating to Melchizedek is a distinction. And so, let’s look at that real quick. I’m reading from Genesis chapter 14, after Abram returned from his victory over Kedorlaomer and all his allies, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh, that is the Kings Valley. And Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God most high brought Abram some bread and wine. Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing, blessed be Abram by God most high, creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God most high who has defeated your enemies for you. Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had recovered. The king of Sodom said to Abram, give back my people who were captured, but you may keep for yourself all the good you have recovered. Abram replied to the king of Sodom, I solemnly swear to the Lord God most high Creator of heaven and earth, that I will not take so much as a single thread or sandal thong from what belongs to you. Otherwise, you might say I am the one who made Abram rich. I will accept only what my young warriors have already eaten, and I request that you give a fair share of the goods to my allies, Aner, Eshkol and Mamre.
Daily Readings and Commentary from the Daily Audio Bible