High Priest

We started with psalm 110 this morning as it is the only other reference to King Melchizedek outside of Genesis 14 Hebrews 7 that we will read here this morning

Though the Psalm is written by David from the Lord, is seems to poetic as well!

You could read it from the perspective of Jesus as well!

This morning we are going to look specifically at two kings and priests

Starting with Melchizedek, we don’t know very much about this king, in fact, we will read everything we know

It starts when Lot was taken into captivity in the battle of the kings in Genesis 14.

Abram hears about it and this is where we pick up

Genesis 14:14–15 ESV

14 When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus.

Genesis 14:16 ESV

16 Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.

And here is where it gets interesting

Genesis 14:17–18 ESV

17 After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.)

So, you have the king of Sodom who brings nothing and then you have Melchizedek, who brings out bread and wine and blesses him…

So, this is all that we know about melchizedek, He was king of Salem and was a high priest, and he blesses abram

Genesis 14:19–20 ESV

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.

Genesis 14:21–23 ESV

21 And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’

Genesis 14:24 ESV

24 I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.”

So, we have Melchizedek blessing Abram after the battle

We have no other biblical record of Melchizedek and he show up in no other genealogies. He does pop up in some Jewish writings but is still hard to pin down

In fact, some don’t even believe that he was a real person, or some believe that this portion of Genesis was added later…

Maybe, he was just a typology of the Christ to come

I don’t take that view, I think he was a real person, but I also believe it is possible that God didn’t want a big fuss made out of him as we will see in a minute that I do believe he represents the coming Christ

So, the second time we hear of him, is in the psalm that we just read

The last time is in Hebrews, in which we will read a chunk of here so turn to Hebrews 6. Where we will read the end of it and into 7

As we wrap up this morning, I want you to think about some things:

What does this new covenant mean to you?

You see, we are no longer under this old covenant where it was about keeping the law and doing everything right….where it was about being a “good person”