1 Dear Friend, this is a transcript of a sermon preached by Pastor Jeremy Tan from the pulpit of Amazing Grace Baptist Church Singapore. We are committed to expository preaching because we believe it is the most effective way to expose, explain and expound the Holy Scriptures. And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, [Jesus] expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself (Luke 24:27). Through careful systematic and sequential exposition, the preacher is able to declare unto you all the counsel of God (Acts 20:27), and Christians are blessed with a regular, well-balanced diet of God s Word. Expository preaching also helps us to have a high view of Scripture. We wish to extend a warm welcome to you to join us in our church services for a time of uplifting worship and helpful Bible study, which will bring rejoicing and refreshment to your soul. Do visit our church website at www.amazingracebc.org or write to us at amazingracebc@gmail.com. MEETING MELCHIZEDEK Genesis 14:18 20 One measure of Abram as a great person is the amount of space given to him in the Bible. Whereas we have eleven chapters in Genesis for the first two thousand or more years that preceded him, a period that covers at least nineteen earlier generations, fourteen chapters are about Abram. The history of Abram and his immediate descendants occupies the middle portion of the book, from Genesis 12 to 36. Beside Genesis, there are also some key passages in the New Testament that affirm the greatness of Abram; these are in Romans 4, Galatians 3, and in Hebrews 11 where he is prominent. In Genesis 14, we have the narrative of Abram returning victorious from the war against the four eastern kings and the rescue of Lot his nephew. After the war, two kings came out to meet Abram, one of them a personage greater than him. The royal meeting is in Genesis 14:18-20 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. The king of Sodom came out to meet Abram without any gift or gratitude. His sole desire was to recover from Abram the possessions that he lost during the war, especially the people who were under his rule. In contrast, Melchizedek the king of Salem brought out a banquet and words of blessing for Abram. In this meeting, their two exchanges reveal one person as greater than the other. First, Melchizedek blessed Abram; it is always the greater person who blesses the lesser. In the second exchange, Abram s tithe to Melchizedek is his acknowledgment that the king-priest was greater than he. With the space afforded to Abram, we know much about his background and biography, but who is Melchizedek? What can we know about this great man? From where did he come? Who were his family, his ancestors and his descendants? How did he become
2 the priest of the Most High God? Other than the two exchanges with Abram, nothing more is revealed in the narrative about Melchizedek. As priest of the Most High God, Melchizedek reminds us of the godly Sethites that worshipped God, offered the proper sacrifices as Abel did, and proclaimed the name of the LORD (Genesis 4:26). Abram descended from Shem in the line of Eber, but Melchizedek was a descendant of Canaan, the cursed son of Ham. So why is it, that this Canaanite was not cursed together with the members of his race? How did he even become priest of the Most High God? And how did he become greater than the future patriarch of the Hebrews? Let us consider some suggested possibilities. According to Jewish tradition, Melchizedek was Shem, who lived until the time of Abram. This is the view Martin Luther adopted. But if Melchizedek was Shem, why did Moses not reveal the identity? Moreover, Hebrews 7:3 states that his ancestors were unknown. Another view of Melchizedek is that he was an angel, since he had no parents, and had no beginning of days, nor end of life (also in Hebrews 7:3). The third view of Melchizedek is of him as the preincarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, we note in Psalm 110:4 and the book of Hebrews that Christ is described as a priest in the order of Melchizedek, but not that Melchizedek is Christ Himself. The plain reality is that Melchizedek was none other than a Canaanite king whom God called and converted out of heathen darkness to become a believer, and also to become the priest of God Most High. There are many questions about Melchizedek that the Bible does not answer. Nevertheless, there is objective biblical revelation about this man, so let us learn what is revealed in the Bible about him. We have two main points in this study, beginning with I. The Significance of Melchizedek s Priesthood. After his first historical appearance in Genesis 14, Melchizedek is not mentioned again in the next millennium until the time of David. Psalm 110 is about David s ascendancy to the throne as the king of Israel, but Melchizedek is named in it. Psalm 110:4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. David links Melchizedek to the Lord s Anointed, who will rule in Zion. The Lord s Anointed is not David because God forbade the offices of king and priest to be invested in one person. Instead, this is a prophecy of the Messiah who would be both priest and king. After his one-verse appearance in the Psalter, Melchizedek is not mentioned again for another thousand years until Hebrews 5-7. In the book of Hebrews, there are deep truths about Melchizedek s relationship to Christ that the writer found difficult to teach to his readers because of their ignorance. Melchizedek is introduced in Hebrews 5:6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Hebrews 5:10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. But immediately after introducing Melchizedek, the writer laments in Hebrews 5:11-14 about his readers lack of comprehension because of their spiritual immaturity. They could
3 not grasp the deep truths of God, so he digresses from the subject of Melchizedek until the last verse in Hebrews 6. Hebrews 6:20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Then he continues in Hebrews 7:1-2 1 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; 2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; The writer presents the historical Melchizedek priest of the most high God, as a type of the ultimate priesthood of Christ. The Jews knew the personal name of God as Jehovah, but the title Most High God, which is El Elyon, means that He is not only the God of Israel but the God of heaven and earth. Therefore, unlike the priesthood of Aaron that was limited to Israel, the priesthood of Melchizedek is universal. The priesthood of Christ in the order of Melchizedek is for the whole world. Then he points out the two titles of Melchizedek. First, he is the King of righteousness. As a Canaanite, Melchizedek lived in a land of idolatrous and sinfully corrupt people. As for the cities in the plain of Jordan, especially Sodom and Gomorrah, the lifestyles of the people were abominable to God. Thus like the people that they ruled, the Canaanite kings were unrighteous. But not Melchizedek; he was the king of righteousness. The other kings would not look to Melchizedek for friendship or as a partner in their alliance, nor would he join them. Likewise, we who are the believers in Christ must live righteously and not join with those who are rebels against God through their unbelief and sin. We must be separated from sin and be sanctified in our lifestyles. Melchizedek s second title is the King of Salem or the King of peace. In a land of war, his subjects enjoyed peace. These two titles of Melchizedek are perfectly fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ. In Isaiah 9:6 one of the titles of Christ is Prince of Peace. According to Ephesians 2:14, Christ is our peace. In Psalm 85:10 we have the beautiful statement, Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Only in Christ do we find the meeting of the righteousness of God and the peace of God. Many people long for peace, but the righteousness of God is essential to the peace of God. We must have God s righteousness before we can have His peace. Why? We need the righteousness of God because our root problem is sin. We must deal with our sin problem before we can enjoy peace with God. The apostle Paul made this point in Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: To be justified means to be made righteous or be found righteous. By nature and by choice, we are sinners and we are not righteous at all. But by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, sinners can be justified, and then they can have peace with God.
4 Next we read Hebrews 7:3 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. This is the verse that lends mystery to the persona of Melchizedek. What is the meaning of without father, without mother, without descent? This statement seems to suggest that Melchizedek was an immortal being. But these words do not mean that he had no parents, or even that he had no human birth! Rather, the writer is stating that Melchizedek s genealogy is unrecorded. The book of Genesis is a book of beginnings, and this book is filled with genealogies. Yet we have no genealogy for Melchizedek, one who was greater than Abram. How unusual, yet also how significant! The priests of Israel had the genealogy as the sons of Levi that could be traced to Aaron. Without descent from Aaron, a man is not qualified to become a priest. But for his priesthood, Melchizedek had no priestly genealogy. Likewise, the Lord Jesus did not have a priestly genealogy; instead of Aaron s lineage, Christ belonged to the tribe of Judah. In effect, Jesus had no genealogy that qualified him to be a priest. What is the point? It is that the priesthood of Christ, like Melchizedek s, was based solely on the call of God, not on heredity. Next, we note that Melchizedek had neither beginning of days, nor end of life. This statement does not mean that he had no birth and did not die. All it means is that his birth and death are not recorded. Why? Melchizedek lacked a genealogy and the birth and death record because he was made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. The Greek verb translated like unto always assumes two distinct and separate identities, and that one person is the copy of the other. Melchizedek was not the preincarnate appearance of Christ, but he is a type of Christ. Melchizedek did not set the pattern for Christ; instead, his priesthood was patterned after Christ s. As the eternal Son of God, Christ has neither beginning of days, nor end of life. Thus, the priesthood of Christ is a continual ministry. In contrast, the human priests of Aaron are limited in their years of service, and all of them die. Our great need is for a priest to mediate for us with God, one who is not fallible and sinful as we are, and one who will not die. We need a priest to mediate for us today, tomorrow, and also when we die. The priest who is able to meet all our needs is the Lord Jesus Christ! According to Hebrews 13:8, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever. Christ is the perfect priest for sinners. This brings us next to II. The Superiority of Melchizedek s Priesthood. Hebrews 7:4-6 4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. 5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: 6 But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
5 Note the challenge of the writer in Hebrews 7:4, Now consider how great this man was. We have noted Melchizedek s superior priesthood through his two exchanges with Abram: blessing and tithing. But why is Melchizedek superior because he received the tithe from Abram? The Levitical priests also received tithes from the people under the Law. Notice in Hebrews 7:6 that Melchizedek, without a priestly genealogy, received tithes from Abram. Yet Abram acknowledged his superiority by giving the tithe to him. However with the tithe, Abram also represented his descendants, especially the priestly sons of Levi. This is the big difference between the priests of Aaron and the priesthood of Melchizedek. Hebrews 7:7-10 7 And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better. 8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. 9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. 10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him. Abram acknowledged the superiority of Melchizedek with the tithe. Since Abram also represented the sons of Levi, his descendants, this means that Melchizedek is superior to the Levitical priests. This is the principle of representation, which is also demonstrated in our relationship to Adam. When Adam sinned against God in the Garden, none of us were present. Yet as the father of the human race, Adam s sin became our sin. Adam represented his race. As the descendants of Adam, we all possess his fallen nature. But we thank God that the principle of representation also applies to the salvation of sinners! In Romans 5, the apostle Paul explains this principle. We will note one key verse in Romans 5:19 For as by one man s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. When Adam sinned, we all sinned with him. But in Christ and through His obedience to God unto the death of the cross, sinners who believe in Him are made righteous. Adam is our representative for sin, but Christ represents the believing sinner for righteousness. In Adam, we are unrighteous; but in Christ, we are made righteous before God. Conclusion Melchizedek is greater than Abram, but this Old Testament king-priest is only the type of the ultimate superior priesthood of our Lord Jesus Christ who, according to Psalm 110:4, is a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. A priest is one who mediates between man and God. Who is your priest? 1 Timothy 2:5-6 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. The Lord Jesus Christ is the one mediator between God and men. Unlike human priests who are sinners by birth and nature, Christ is the perfect priest without sin. Christ offered Himself to die on the cross as the perfect atoning sacrifice for sinners who believe in Him as their personal Saviour. As the Son of God, His sacrifice is perfect, never needing to
6 be repeated. Therefore, it is unbiblical and blasphemous for human priests to interpose themselves between sinners and God. Many people follow the Pope, human priests, or monks, but all of them will die. But Christ proved His eternal priesthood through His resurrection from the dead. Christ is the perfect priest for His people, and this is why Christians pray to God in Jesus name. Christ is the only mediator for sinners before God, and He is their Advocate. 1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: In Hebrews 4 believers are invited to go to Christ, the Great High Priest, in their time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16 14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Do you know Christ, the Great High Priest? Salvation for sinners is through Christ alone. If you are not saved, come now to Christ in faith as your personal Saviour, and God will answer your prayer. Permission: We share our materials with you as a blessing from the ministry of our church. You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format, provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For web posting, a link to this document on our website is preferred. Any exceptions to the above must be explicitly approved by Amazing Grace Baptist Church. Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: Copyright: Amazing Grace Baptist Church Singapore. Website: www.amazingracebc.org. Used by permission as granted on website.