The King of Peace

Scripture: This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. Hebrews 7:1-3

Observations: There have always been things about Melchizedek in Genesis that bothered me. Here was God's own high priest, who ... appears from nowhere, returns to nowhere, is king from a place never discussed elsewhere, yet isn't God's chosen patriarch, and that patriarch honors him in exchange for a blessing. Everything about that is "off" - it's upside down and wrong.

If Abraham is the most faithful man in the world and thus God's covenanted patriarch, coming straight out of battle against other kings, why isn't a king who honors God bowing down to honor Abraham?

I once read an explanation, and this passage in Hebrews skirts close to that explanation: That Melchizedek was Jesus - he was God, presented in human form, choosing to directly engage with Abraham and directly bless him, and with the full recognition of that fact Abraham gave his tithe to God.

This passage calls out the kinds of traits that align Melchizedek to Jesus. He is without parents, without beginning or end, resembles God, is high priest forever, with a name meaning righteousness, and from a place of peace.

Application: I have read these concepts before - that Jesus appears in the old testament, not just as a prophetic reference but actually showing up. I do NOT have the theological understanding to know if this is true. As God three-in-one, eternal, and knowing that Jesus existed at creation, it is of course possible. However, I don't know enough to state it as fact here ... or anywhere else.

However, I love the thinking it takes to ponder such an idea, at it allows me to meditate on God's word. Even thinking about a mystery and NOT solving it brings me closer to God, I think.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for Melchizedek, and thank you for Jesus. And if I was just redundant, so be it :-)  And thank you for your living word, and the time to delve into your word ... may my heart be ever open to your teaching, even when I don't understand, or perhaps especially when I don't understand.