The Momentous Meaning of Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18-20)

Children's Lesson (click here)

I. A Man in Black?

When most people today hear the word “priest”, can you guess what comes to mind? I have no hard data on this, but I feel pretty confident in saying that what pops into their head is the image of a man (often an older man) dressed in black, with a white clerical collar around his neck. Of course that kind of priest, whether he be Roman Catholic or Anglican (or even in some places, Lutheran... that kind of priest) is not found anywhere in Scripture, at least not by that title. And yet, the term priest is everywhere in the Bible. The words priest, priests, or priesthood appear 152 times in the New Testament (NT), with 41 of those instances being in I Peter, Hebrews, and Revelation (that is, not Gospel references to the Jewish priests). But in the Old Testament (OT), the Hebrew words for priests and priesthood appear almost 800 times! Clearly, this is not an obscure topic in the OT. But how central was it... how important was this idea of priesthood?

Did you know that the first time the word “priest” appears in Scripture it's used in our main text for this morning, Genesis 14:18-20. Let's turn there, if you haven't done so already, and see how the first occurrence of that word can provide us with a doorway into the amazing fullness of what God has revealed about the importance of priests and priesthood.

II. The Passage: “The Priest of God Most High” (14:18-20)

To give you a little context for the three verses we'll be looking at this morning it's helpful to know what has just taken place in the first half of chapter 14. If you were using the Reading Plan last week, then you may remember that in the previous chapter, Lot and Abra(m/ham) separated because their individual flocks were getting too large. But in verses 1-16 of chapter 14 we read about how, as a result of some regional battles between various kings, Abraham's nephew Lot (now living in the Jordan Valley) was taken captive by one of these armies. So Abraham, and the men who worked for him, as well as some of his neighbors, went after these pillaging armies and rescued everyone and everything that had been taken. In verse 17, we read about how one of the local kings who himself had been defeated by these ravaging armies... we read about how he went out to meet Abraham in a place called the Valley of Shaveh. Then we read this...

[Verse 18] And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) [19] And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; [20] and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

So Abram and his allies have just defeated a number of kings in battle, and now, as he makes his way back home, he is met by two more kings: the king of Sodom and the king of Salem. The king of Sodom has come looking for what was taken from him. But the king of Salem has come out to bless Abram and his men with bread and wine.

But notice what the writer here tells us about this king of Salem, this Melchizedek (a name which means, “king of righteousness”). We're told that he's more than just a king. He's also a priest. What kind of priest. A priest of “God Most High”. In Hebrew that title is “El Elyon”. Of course, as we see here, Melchizedek not only blesses Abraham with bread and wine. He also pronounces a blessing over him in the name of El Elyon.

Now, in many ways, this story might be understood simply as an interesting aside. Genesis never comes back to Melchizedek. Though he is mentioned once in the Psalms, no other historical book of the OT tells us anything about him or this meeting with Abraham. As I said, this story could be understood simply as an interesting aside. That's it. But let me point out three features of this passage that I believe can help us better understand its significance:

First, the title El Elyon seems to be a more universal name for God. If you drop down to verse 22 in your Bible, you'll see that Abram identifies this “God Most High” with Yahweh, the covenant God that he serves. Unlike the divine name Yahweh, which occurs over 6500 times in the OT, the title “God Most High” or the “Most High God” or just the “Most High” only appears a little over 40 times. But when it is used, it is often used in the context of all nations; that is, it refers to the God who is highest or exalted over all other gods.

Second, it's important to note that Abraham glorifies God and honors Melchizedek's position by giving him a tenth (or a tithe) of all the spoils he took from the recent battle. Later, under the old covenant give through Moses, this tithe was also a way for God's people to honor the priestly tribe of Levi. So Abraham recognizes the significance of Melchizedek's position and the significance of the blessing he's received through his ministry.

Third, something that's striking about this passage is that we're told so little about this priest named Melchizedek. We don't know how he knows the true God. We don't know how he became a priest of the true God. And we don't know what happens to him, or what becomes of his priesthood. So much about this man is simply a mystery.

Okay, while this priest-king is very interesting, and while this passage does teach us some important things about Abram's faith, it would be completely understandable if you were sitting there asking, “Why is this brief story, why is this short passage, important for us... today?” Well, to answer that, we need to go back to that number I gave your earlier. I told you that the Hebrew words for “priest” and “priesthood” appear almost 800 times in the Old Testament. While some of those occurrences are referring to the priests of false gods, most of these hundreds and hundreds of instances refer to the priests in Israel; those priests who offered sacrifices in the Tent of Meeting or in the Temple in Jerusalem (like on Yom Kippur, which was yesterday!).

Now, you may be thinking, “Okay. But again, what does that have to do with us, with me?” Well, one of the things that the old covenant was teaching Israel, and ultimately all of us, is that if our sin was to be dealt with, a sacrifice was required. Blood needed to be shed. But God's people were also learning that a priest was required. A purified advocate. A holy intercessor. A set-apart mediator between God and man (remember, almost 800 references!). Both of those things were not only true for ancient Israel, they are also true for every single person on this plant. If the sin that separates us from God is truly going to be addressed, we need both priest and sacrifice.

But that presents us with a problem. The priesthood referred to hundreds and hundreds of times in the OT, that Levitical priesthood, the descendants of Aaron (the brother of Moses), that priest-hood is gone. Along with the Temple and that ancient arrangement God set up to deal with sin, those intercessors have vanished. “But,” you might say, “we're saved by Jesus, the Lamb of God, not by any animal sacrifice.” True. That's wonderfully true. But we might ask, just as many first-century Jews were asking, “If Jesus offered himself, and thus, was both priest and sacrifice, how could a man from the tribe of Judah serve in the office of priest, since only those from the tribe of Levi were designated for that office. And it's that question, that exact question, that helps us understand the stunning significance of Genesis 14:18-20 for you and me.

I mentioned a few minutes ago that the name Melchizedek only appears one other time in the OT, in the Psalms. Specifically, Psalm 110. This is what David tells us in v. 4, “The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.'”

Okay. Who is David talking about here? Well verse 1 tells us that he's addressing the Messiah, the coming king. That means one of David's own descendants, from the tribe of Judah, would be a priest-king like Melchizedek. So the priests of Israel, the priests from Aaron, are not the only order of priests in God's economy. You see, more universal is the priesthood of Melchizedek. It always has been. And Jesus is the priest-king you and I desperately need. Listen to how the author of Hebrews describes the superiority of Christ's Melchizedekian priesthood:

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything... He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.... those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these [priests] also are descended from Abraham. But this man (Melchizedek) who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises... Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron?...But... a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God... For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever.’”This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he [Jesus] holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. (7:1-2a, 3, 5-6, 11, 19–25)

III. Our Perfect Priest

Brothers and sisters, Genesis 14 reveals something so profound, that you and I will spend eternity worshiping God in light of it. Just as Galatians 3 revealed to us this past week how Genesis 12 was declaring the gospel when it promised blessing to all nations through Abraham, so too does Genesis 14 introduce us to the order of Melchizedek; the very order that makes it possible for you and me to have peace with God. Talk about a monumental passage!

But I think, wonderfully, all of this should drive us to ask, “Am I thankful for my priest?” The whole message of Scripture, when rightly understood, is meant to leave us incredibly desperate and incredibly thankful when we realize the stunning extent to which God is holy and good and just, and the terrifying extent to which sin is toxic and repulsive and destructive. So as sinners, we are left incredibly desperate for help, but incredibly thankful when we discover that Jesus will represent us; that he will be our advocate; our intercessor; our priest. His sacrifice on the cross was perfect, and through his resurrection, his “forever” priesthood is also perfect. If Jesus is your priest this morning, I'd encourage you to think about how this day, and every day this week can be a day in which you meditate on, and give thanks for, and worship in light of, and encourage one another in, and share with others the amazing truth about Jesus our eternal priest-king. But if cannot say with any confidence that Jesus is your Advocate with God, then please know that can change. He wants to represent you before God. Like Melchizedek, he wants to bless you by God Most High. Will you accept Him as your priest this morning? Turn from sin and self and trust that God has made a way; then rejoice with us this morning that there is a “better hope” of eternal life with God. Let's give thanks this morning for our perfect priest!