Who was Melchisedec? I believe that the Bible is plain enough if we take the trouble to read the Scripture and study it carefully and prayerfully. I have never talked with anyone who seemed to have any idea as to who Melchisedec was. In fact, most have little interest or even seem to care. I am more than anxious to know, if possible, who he was. I myself am satisfied in my own mind as to his identity.
Melchisedec is mentioned only a few times in God’s Word. In the Old Testament, we read about him in Genesis 14 and in Psalm 110:4. The Genesis account tells the most about him. It tells where he met and blessed Abraham when he returned from the slaughter of the kings. In the New Testament we read about him only in Hebrews 5, 6, and 7. As the writer explains the priesthood, he quotes from the Genesis account where Abraham paid tithes to Melchisedec.
“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; 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; 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” (Hebrews 7:1-3).
I am going to tell you why we see by the third verse that Melchisedec was to be a high priest forever. He was without beginning and without end of days like unto the Son of God, a priest continually. That being the case, He was coexistent with God Himself.
In the ninth chapter of Genesis, God had made a covenant with Noah and blessed him. He then told him to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. In the tenth chapter of Genesis, God gives the generations of Noah’s sons. By the eleventh chapter of Genesis, about 140 years after the flood, we find the people began to multiply on the earth. “And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth” (Genesis 11:2-4 ).
In less than 150 years after Noah and his family had come out of the ark and God had made a covenant with them, we see the whole multitude trying to build themselves a way to heaven against God’s will. So the Lord came down and confused them by confounding their language and scattering them over the whole earth. They were afraid to trust God and started to build a city and a tower to make a name for themselves. I suppose that they thought if they could build themselves a city and build a tower to heaven, they would be independent of God. They did all this to keep from being scattered abroad over the earth, but it turned out to be the very thing that caused them to be scattered abroad over the whole earth. When they turned against God and failed Him after He had brought their fathers through the flood, He had to look for some way to get a people that He could raise up, a people that He could depend upon. God knew a man down in the land of the Chaldees in Ur. Listen to what He told him.
“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-3).
First, God made Abram a promise of material blessings, and then a promise of spiritual blessings. God stated clearly the conditions that had to be met. Before Abram could claim either the material or spiritual blessings, he had to meet the conditions that God had required of him. God asked Abram to give up everything that was near and dear to him. Let us see how near Abram came to meeting the conditions. (Before I go any farther, I want to remind you of our question: Who was Melchisedec? Let us watch carefully and see if we can determine who he is as we go along.)
How close did Abram come to meeting the conditions? First, he was to get out of his country and from his kindred and from his father’s house and go to a land that God would show him. God had asked Abram to give up everything. It is hard for a man to give up his own country and go into a land he has never seen. It was hard to leave his father’s house where he no doubt was born and raised. Abram had been taught to worship another god–he and his family were idol worshippers. Abram had probably never heard of God until God called him to go into the country He would show him. Of course he was not acquainted with God, but God knew that he was the man he wanted to use to raise up a people. God knew Abram’s heart.
“So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came” (Genesis 12:4-5).
You can see that Abram went into the land of Canaan–that much of the condition he met, but he was to leave his kindred. He left his father’s house all right and went to the land that God was to show him, but he had taken his brother’s son with him. Of course it was permissible for him to take his wife and servants with him; his wife and he were one. But to take his nephew with him was different, especially since he became Abram’s partner. God called Abram for a special purpose–Abram and his wife were to raise up a people. I believe that the way God led Abram out is one of the best examples of how God will lead an honest heart out into the clearest experience. Note, I said an honest heart.
“And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.
“And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land. And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee” (Genesis 12:6-13).
Notice that the Lord appeared to Abram at the first altar and promised to give the land to Abram’s seed, but Abram did not call on the name of the Lord. At the second altar though, the one between Beth-el and Hai, Abram did call upon the name of the Lord. After that he journeyed on toward the south, for there was a grievous famine in the land.
At that time, if a ruler saw a beautiful woman, he would kill her husband and take her unto himself to be his wife. She had no choice in the matter. Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, was a beautiful woman, so they decided that she should say she was his sister so the people would treat Abram well for her sake.
Now Abram obeyed God the Lord when He called him and was willing to go into a strange land. He was like many people today who seem to think that God doesn’t mean more than about half of what He says, for Abram failed to trust God completely. If he had, he would never have gone down into Egypt. God did not call Abram into Egypt; He called him into Canaan. When the test came though, he was afraid to trust God, and he went down into Egypt and told a lie about his wife. “And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. And he entreated Abram well for her sake . . .” (Genesis 12:14-16).
God had mercy on Abram and, instead of chastising him, He protected both him and Sarai. God knew that Abram’s heart was right though his judgment was bad. “And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife. And Pharaoh called Abram and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way. And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had” (Genesis 12:17-20). God protected them, and no doubt Abram was true to God. He did not do like so many people when they go down into Egypt spiritually but go right on professing to trust God. Abram did not do that. He went right back to the altar. “And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journeys from the south even to Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Hai; Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD” (Genesis 13:1-4).
You remember that I said he failed to trust God and that if he had trusted God, he could have stayed in Canaan. Instead of punishing him for his failure to trust, God protected him. He led him out into a good experience, and we never see where he ever failed to trust God again. He went right back to the altar and got on where he got off. In other words, he did his first works over. Amen. I thank God that He made it possible that when we blunder we can repent and get back. I am equally thankful that we have to repent and again do our first works; for if we did not, what kind of place would heaven be? From now on we will begin to see in Abram’s life the effects of his second trip to the altar.
“And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left” (Genesis 13:5-9).
If you will notice, Abram’s second trip to the altar can be seen plainly in his dealing with Lot. He does not show any disposition to take advantage; but on the other hand, he seems to be inclined to give Lot an opportunity to take advantage of him. He seems to be perfectly willing to trust his affairs to the Lord.
As we go along, you will notice that it begins to show where Abram made his mistake by taking Lot with him. You remember that God told Abram to get out of his country and from his kindred and from his father’s house unto a land that He would show him. God’s call was to Abram, but Abram was like a lot of people, for he seemed to think there was no harm in taking Lot. No one else can do the work that God has for you to do. Notice that God did not make a covenant with Abram until he met the conditions that God required of him. “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance” (Romans 11:29).
“And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly” (Genesis 13:10-13).
Lot was quick to take advantage of Abram, but Abram never complained. “And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever” (Genesis 13:14-15).
As I said, God never made a covenant with Abram until he had met the conditions that God required of him at the beginning. God means just what He says. We may not quite understand, and we may make mistakes, but in the long run we will have to get in God’s will. As long as we are honestly endeavoring to do God’s will, God will lead us out just as he did Abram. Now we may say that we are endeavoring to do God’s will, and it may seem to others that we are, but God knows. It isn’t what we think we are or what other people think, but it is what God thinks that matters. Just as sure as we are endeavoring to do what God wants us to do, God will lead us out. See how He led Paul out and Peter out. God loves every one that is honestly and sincerely trying to do His will, as He did Paul or Peter or any of the others. An honest and a contrite heart He will not despise (Psalms 51:17).
I do not wish to be misunderstood, and I hope I have made it very plain. I do not want anyone to think that I believe that God does not require obedience, for He does. Before we can be of service to Him, we will have to be willing to be led out into an experience that can take place only after we have been born again. We first have to be made a new creature. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Abram doesn’t show a born-again experience only in his dealing with Lot, but in all of his future dealings that are recorded in the Bible. We find that Paul, as well as other New Testament writers, holds him up as an example, though Paul writes about him more than the others do. In Romans we read, “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform” (Romans 4:20-21). In Galatians Paul writes, “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians: 3:29).
So we see that though Abram blundered for quite some time, he did it through ignorance. God who knows the very secret recesses of our hearts and never makes a mistake, led him out. God never leaves an honest heart, but will lead him out as He has so many that we find written about in the Word of God.
In the fourteenth chapter of Genesis, we find that several kings joined together to make war with the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah as well as some others. “And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed. And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew . . . . And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people” (Genesis 14:11-16).
We now come to the place where Abraham returned from the slaughter of the kings, and Melchisedec went out to meet him. “And Melchizedek [Old Testament spelling] king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all” (Genesis 14:18-20).
Remember the name of this message, “Who Was Melchisedec?” Here in Genesis 14 is the first place that we see Melchisedec’s name mentioned. Let us see what the Bible says about him. “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; 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; 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” (Hebrews 7:1-3).
Now it might be well for us to notice what the Bible says in the preceding verses about the meaning of his name: “first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace.” We see here that a name indicates what position one has in the work of the Lord. In Genesis 14:18 where he is spoken of as king of Salem, the word king is spelled with a small “k”; and in Hebrews 7 where the word king is used in connection with his name, it is spelled with a capital “K” except in the first verse. The first place where it is spelled with a capital letter is in the second verse where it gives the meaning of his name. The last clause of the third verse reads: “but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.” The use of the capital would indicate deity. Another thing to notice is that Melchisedec is priest forever. He would have to be coexistent with God if he is a priest continually.
David wrote concerning the eternal Christ in Psalm 110:4, “The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” If Melchisedec and Christ were two separate individuals, they would both have been appointed for life, and we would have two high priests. I cannot find anywhere in the Bible where there were two high priests anointed at the same time. (See Exodus 29:5-6 and 29:29-30.)
Let us turn again to Hebrews to see what the writer says about this. “Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people” (Hebrews 9:1-7).
Now Aaron and his sons were all appointed priests. His sons ministered in the first tabernacle which is called the sanctuary. Beyond the veil was the second tabernacle called the holiest of all. “But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people” (vs. 7).
So we see that there is only one high priest appointed at a time. “And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod: And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre. . . . And the holy garments of Aaron shall be his sons’ after him, to be anointed therein, and to be consecrated in them. And that son that is priest in his stead shall put them on seven days, when he cometh into the tabernacle of the congregation to minister in the holy place” (Exodus 29:5-6, 29-30).
Nowhere in God’s Word do we find two high priests anointed at the same time. If there were two high priests, one would be idle, for only one could officiate, so he would be the high priest. Also, we see that Melchisedec was “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” (Hebrews 7:3). Being a priest continually makes Melchisedec coexistent with God. We read in John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” We see that the Word as used here refers to the Son of God. It also says that the Word was God. We see that the Son was with God from the beginning, and so the Son was coexistent with God. The Bible makes it plain that the meaning of the word Melchisedec is King of righteousness, also King of Salem (meaning peace). Salem was the name of Jerusalem at that time. Melchisedec being high priest would be, by virtue of his office, the King of the city. Being the Son of God, who is King over the earth by right of creation, Christ would be Prince of peace, with Jerusalem being His seat of Government. Being the Son of God, Christ would be called the King of righteousness.
We see in Hebrews 7:3, “but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.” Taking into consideration the meaning of the word Melchisedec, namely King of righteousness, which is what Christ really is, and King of Salem, which is what Christ’s function is as Prince of peace, who else could Melchisedec be but the Son of God Himself?
Is it not reasonable to suppose that God had a purpose when He called Abram to get out of his country and from his kindred and from his father’s house, unto a land that He would show him? That purpose was to raise up a people for His name’s sake, and Abram was the father of God’s chosen people.
The Son had been with the Father all through the creation. In fact, the Bible tells that everything that was made was made by the Son, called at that time the Word. Since God called Abram for a special purpose, it seems reasonable that He sent His Son to Abram as the high priest. “The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek” (Psalms 110:4). What is the meaning of the name Melchisedec? King of righteousness.
Christ came with God in the beginning to take an important part in creation. He came during the times of the patriarchs, beginning with Abram until the time of the law, as the King of righteousness. At the end of the law, He came as a Savior, the Messiah, which means Christ. He was never called Christ or Jesus until He was born of the Virgin Mary, having been conceived of God through the Holy Ghost. He was perfect man and perfect God, or the God-Man, which was the only way He could be a perfect sacrifice.
He has had a part in everything that the Father has done since the beginning, and I am sure He will continue to have a part in everything until He turns the Kingdom over to the Father. “Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power” (1 Corinthians 15:24).
So we see that He has been with the Father from the beginning to the end. I am convinced that from the time that God called Abram, Christ–as we now know Him to be–was the King of righteousness (Melchisedec) that God made high priest forever. All that time He has been God’s high priest and still is unto the end. Yes, I believe that He, the Son of God, is Melchisedec as spoken of in Genesis. He is the King of righteousness, the everlasting God, the Prince of peace. Amen.
March 5, 1954
J. W. Whitney
© 1957 J. W. Whitney
All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV).
For clarity and ease of reading, this sermon has been edited and condensed by Barbara Carpenter and Wynona Haun (granddaughters of J. W. Whitney) with special help from Elvin Dillard and Marie Haun. The author’s primary message remains.
Please feel free to duplicate the sermon for nonprofit purposes, and be sure to include the credits and Web address on all reproductions. You are welcome to contact us with questions and comments.