The Old Testament laws, rituals, symbols and stories are a pre-image - a foreshadowing of the ultimate reality and truth found in Jesus Christ. These shadows point toward the need and fulfillment of God’s promise.
The Backstory
Genesis 14:11-24
The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. 12 They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom.
13 A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshkol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram.
14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
15 During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.
17 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).
18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine.
He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth.
20 And praise be to God Most High,
who delivered your enemies into your hand.”
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.”
22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “With raised hand I have sworn an oath to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 23 that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ 24 I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshkol and Mamre. Let them have their share.”
Abraham -
Melchizedek -
Psalm 110:4
The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind:
“You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek.”
Hebrews 4:14-16, 5:7-10
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need….
7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, … he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 7
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, 2 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.” 3 Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.
4 Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! …
11 If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? 12 For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also…
22 Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.
23 Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.
Jesus -
Hebrews doesn’t compare Jesus to Melchizedek but Melchizedek to Jesus.
The mysterious story of Melchizedek’s life only makes sense when Jesus enters into it.
The story of your life only will make sense when Jesus enters it.
Jesus comes to us, like Melchizedek and offers bread and wine. The blessing of salvation.
Jesus fulfills our longing.
Before the throne of God above, I have a strong and perfect plea, a great high priest whose name is Love, who ever lives and pleads for me. My name is graven on his hands, my name is written on his heart; I know that while in heaven he stands, no tongue can bid me thence depart, no tongue can bid me thence depart.
When Satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt within, upward I look and see him there, who made an end to all my sin. Because the sinless Savior died, my sinful soul is counted free; for God the Just is satisfied to look on him and pardon me, to look on him and pardon me.
Behold him there! The risen Lamb, my perfect spotless righteousness; the great unchangeable “I AM,” the King of glory and of grace! One with himself I cannot die, my soul is purchased by his blood; my life is hid with Christ on high, with Christ, my Savior and my God, with Christ my Savior and my God.
-Before the Throne of God Above
