Melchizedek

by Miller, J. | Category: Types And Shadows In Genesis | Jun 1955

The historical setting in which this remarkable character, Melchizedek, appeared and ministered to Abraham's need is worthy of consideration first of all, before we turn to the lessons that Paul deduces, especially in Hebrews 7 where he deals at length with the Lord's priesthood being after the order of Melchizedek.

In Genesis 13, Lot, who had accompanied Abraham to Canaan, as it says, "Lot went with him," departed from him. Both had gone down to Egypt. For Abraham this was a step contrary to the terms of God's call to him while he was in Ur of the Chaldees. He was to get out of his own country of Chaldea and to come unto the land which God would show him, and which would in time be given to him and to his seed after him. But in time of famine he moved on to Egypt, and there both he and Lot became rich men; the cost of obtaining these possessions was too high.

Quite evidently the affluence of Egyptian life had had a serious effect on the spiritual life of Lot; so when the struggle for existence upon the arid uplands of Canaan became more strenuous from day to day, and pasturage for their flocks and herds more difficult to obtain, the eyes and thoughts of Lot wandered from the barren and sunbleached hills of Canaan to the lush pastures and fertile lands of the Jordan valley. But what else was in the Jordan valley, which bore so much resemblance to the land of Egypt (Genesis 13.10)? There were Sodom and Gomorrah, monuments to the wickedness of men! There dwelt men who were sinners exceedingly against the LORD. But what mattered that to Lot whose spiritual condition was so low that he could bear the thought of dwelling among them!

The friction amongst Abraham's and Lot's herdmen increased as they scoured the country to find pasture for the respective flocks and this strife was likely to break out between Abraham and Lot themselves. There were two heads in one encampment, and it became abundantly evident that they could no longer dwell together. And here we have the significant remark that "the Canaanite and Perizzite dwelled then in the land " (Genesis 13.7). Dare it be shown to them that there was strife between such men as claimed to have the knowledge of the true God, in whose encampment was raised an altar for the worship of the only true God? The effect on the pagans around would have been tragic, and fatal to testimony, not to speak of the disastrous results upon the men of Abraham's great encampment, which could boast of three hundred and eighteen trained men who were born there, men trained to defend Abraham's flocks and herds no doubt; skilfully trained, as David was at a later time, to face lions and bears and men.

The time of choice came; it was to be Lot's choice, not Abraham's. God had himself chosen where Abraham was to dwell, and for him there could be no second choice-the land of Canaan was God's choice for him. Abraham said to Lot:

"Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou take the right hand, then I will go to the left. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the Plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou goest unto Zoar. So Lot chose him all the Plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other" (Genesis 13.8-11).

Lot reached his objective, for it goes on to say, "Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the Plain."

In human choosing all may go well for a time, as in the case of Paul's journey to Rome. Paul's counsel was rejected, for the most part advised that they should sail from Fair Havens. They thought that they had gained their purpose, for the south wind blew softly, but the wind changed and the tempest broke and the result at length was shipwreck (Acts 27). So indeed was it with Lot. In time a war broke out and the cities of the Jordan valley were attacked by four confederated great world powers. After twelve years of subjugation and service they rebelled and Chedorlaomer smote nation after nation, and the kings of the cities of the Jordan valley were defeated and fled, and, alas, Lot was taken captive. What might have been his end we can only conjecture. Abraham heard of Lot's plight, that he had been taken captive, and he decided on a bid to rescue him from those who were carrying off their captives and their booty. He led out his trained men, three hundred and eighteen, and with those who were confederate with him, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, he pursued after the homewardbound kings, and in a night attack at Dan he smote them and pursued them as far as Hobah, near to Damascus. He brought back Lot and other captives and all the goods, and as he returned here begins the story of this remarkable man, Melchizedek.

The first to move out to meet Abraham was the king of Sodom, who evidently had heard of Abraham's victory, but ere he reaches him, Abraham is met by Melchizedek. This man was priest of God Most High, adhering in the midst of idolatry and wickedness to the worship of the true God. Melchizedek brought forth to Abraham bread and wine, necessary to the strengthening of one who had been engaged in battle, and in a strenuous and exacting pursuit of a fleeing enemy, and also in a long tramp back from Damascus, a distance of perhaps about a hundred and fifty miles.

Melchizedek, besides bringing forth bread and wine, blesses Abraham, saying:

"Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth:

and blessed be God Most High, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy

hand" (Genesis 14. 19, 20).

Then we are told of Abraham's act

"And he gave him (Melchizedek) a tenth of all" (verse 20).

Four items of interest are seen in this simple yet profound meeting.

(1)Melchizedek brought forth bread and wine to Abraham. (This strengthened Abraham physically).

(2)Melchizedek blessed Abraham of God Most High. (This strengthened him spiritually).

(3)Melchizedek blessed God Most High for giving to Abraham victory.

(4)Abraham gave to Melchizedek a tenth of all. (Melchizedek being a priest, the gift was to Melchizedek's God).

Besides these four, which I judge to be important points, there is another to which Abraham refers in the tempting offer of the king of Sodom,

"I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth that I will not take a thread nor a shoelatchet nor aught that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich" (Genesis 14.22,23).

There can be no doubt in the antitypical interpretation of this story and its characters-Abraham, a type of those believers who are not only saved, but who are obedient to the call of God: he was called out of Chaldea or Babylonia into the land of Canaan, the place where alone he could serve God as a pilgrim-worshipper; Melchizedek, after whose likeness the Lord is King and Priest; and the king of Sodom, a type of the evil one, ever on the alert to tempt God's called ones from loyalty to God and obedience to His word.

Lot, where was he? He never appears in this story at all. Though amongst the liberated captives he is entirely out of sight. What is the next sight we get of him? Alas, he is back in Sodom. The experiences of life have taught him no lesson. When the angels appeared at Sodom at even, it says, "Lot sat in the gate of Sodom." We leave the dregs of his sorrowful and wasted life.

The next reference we have to Melchizedek in the Scriptures is in Psalm 110.4,

"The LORD hath sworn and will not repent,

Thou art a Priest for ever

After the order of Melchizedek."

Here we have three points which should be observed: (1) the Lord (Adon), which is erroneously printed "lord" with a small "1" in the R.V., but correctly in the A.V., of verse 1, is made a Priest by the word of the oath, "the LORD hath sworn" : (2) He is a Priest for ever. "For ever" does not mean that He is an eternal priest, for He was made a Priest by the word of the oath: (3) He is a Priest after the order of Melchizedek, who was king of Salem and priest of God Most High.

Now we come to the epistle to the Hebrews, in which Paul enters fully into the Priesthood of the Lord. No other New Testament book deals with or refers to the Lord's Priesthood. In this matter the Hebrews is unique. In chapters 5. to 8. the Lord is referred to as a Priest after the order of Melchizedek. The moral qualities associated with this man's priesthood are found in the meaning of his name and the place where he was king. He was king of righteousness and king of peace. He was a king-priest, as the Lord is even now, seated on the throne of heaven at His Father's right hand, and also will be in millennial days, for "Behold, the Man whose name is the Branch; and He shall grow up out of His place, and He shall build the temple of the LORD: even He shall build the temple of the LORD; and He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon His throne: and He shall be a Priest upon His throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both" (Zechariah 6.12, 13).

Melchizedek, we are told is one who abides a priest for ever, or in perpetuity, "without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God." In what sense are these words to be taken? has often been asked. Note the words "made like" or assimilated to the Son of God; not that he was the Son of God. The simple and, as I believe, the correct interpretation is, that in a book of generation and genealogy, as the book of Genesis is, the parentage and Origin of this man are suppressed, to make him as he appears on the page of Scripture, a man who abides continually in his priesthood and leaves not his office to another. His origin and end must be entirely obscure, and his being enshrouded in mystery, if he is to be like the Son of God. As to the Son of God all we know of His Being is contained in that profound statement

"Thou art My Son,

This day have I begotten Thee" (Hebrews 5.5; Psalm 2.7).

If we believe this (which is to believe in Him), we shall live for ever; if we refuse to accept it by faith, we must and will perish. God ministers to man's need by the word of truth which He has sent concerning His Son, God the Son, but He will never minister to the prying curiosity of human minds which wish to penetrate, where angels dare not tread, into the secrets of the eternal Being of the Trinity, of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God has a Son who is without beginning of days, or end of life. God dwells in the high and holy place, and sees all things from His holy eminence, viewing both beginning and end, and knowing the Son fully, as He says, "No one knoweth (Epiginoskei, fully knows) the Son, save the Father" (Matthew 11.27). But we dwell down here in this present valley of humiliation, confined within the mountains which tower on every side, beyond which our eyes cannot penetrate. Here in this lowly place, in these bodies of our humiliation, our comfort and joy is for faith to travel along the beams of light from the throne of heaven, content that God has spoken in the Scriptures and asking no more!

God's eternal Son, who is the eternal" I AM," came here to earth, was born, lived and died, and by His sufferings was made perfect (Hebrews 2.10; 5.8-10), and so in His resurrection was made Priest by the word of the oath which is after the law (Hebrews 7.28). Though He has been perfected He never had infirmity or deficiency. By His sufferings and temptations here He is eminently suited to deal with poor, infirm, erring, weak and often disobedient people in their needs and temptations. Blessed Lord Jesus, our sweet and pitying High Priest!

The law made many priests by that which was a carnal commandment; that is, pertaining to the life of men in the flesh. But the word of the oath makes one Priest and one only in the power of an endless or indissoluble life. With the change of the priesthood has come a change in the law. He is the Surety of a better covenant, enacted upon better promises, and as the Aaronic priest of old bore the iniquity of the holy things connected with the service of Israel, even so does the Lord now. But for Him who is ever between us and God we could not find acceptance nor would the offerings of His people reach God the Father. As the One who is anointed with the oil of gladness, He adds the sweet perfume of holy joy as He presents the offerings of His people.

Though He is a Priest after the order of Melchizedek His service in any things is carried out after the typical teaching seen in Aaron in the past. In the Melchizedek priesthood we read of strengthening by bread and wine and by divine blessing, and of God being blessed and the tithe offered, but there is no question of sin and offering therefor. When the thought of sacrifice and service are introduced, then the Spirit takes up the typical teaching of Aaron and the tabernacle and deals with the substance of the shadows of the past.

Miller, J. | Jun 1955
Types And Shadows In Genesis