"After The Order Of Melchizedek”

“After the Order of Melchizedek”

A Deep Dive

By

Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.

OPENING: - Melchizedek is a name that briefly appears in scripture in Genesis 14 before the Law of Moses and the Children of Israel, but it carries some of the deepest mysteries of the entire Bible with it. Melchizedek enters the scene without mother or father no beginning or ending his name literally means King of Righteousness and he is the King of Salem which means Peace, most commentators and Bible scholars hold that Salem is Jerusalem. Melchizedek not only is a King, but he is also a Priest which is something that will be forbidden under the Law of Moses but something that Jesus will be centuries later. Melchizedek brings bread which represent spiritual sustenance and wine which represents spiritual life gives it to Abram and Blesses him exactly as Jesus will do with the disciple in the upper room at the Last Supper centuries later. He receives tithes from Abram then vanishes from the pages of scripture there is no mention of death or anything His incarnation as the pre-incarnate Christ or after His Resurrection. There is no mention of his name in scripture for over a 1000 years until David prophecies of the Messiah in Psalm 110:4.

People have asked who is Melchizedek? Was he just a man or something more. Why did Abraham pay tithes to Melchizedek? Was he an Angel? Was he a Christophany – a manifestation or non-physical appearance of Christ before His incarnation.

PRAYER

SCRIPTURE: - Psalm 110:4 “The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek”.

BACKGROUND: - Theres a war and four Eastern kings led by Chedorlaomer of Elam attacked five kings from the region of Sodom and Gomorrah the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zoar, and Zeboiim were defeated their cities looted and their people and possessions taken captive. Lot Abram’s nephew is captured and taken captive. When Abram hears Lot has been captured, he gathers 318 trained men and pursues the captors as far as Dan and north of Damascus. Abram and his 318 trained men, with the favor of God attacked the enemy at night won the battle, rescued Lot, gathered the spoils and began the journey home.

THEN SOMETHING HAPPENED ALONG THE WAY! He had an encounter with Melchizedek.

Genesis 14:18- 20 “And Melchizedek 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”.

Melchizedek = King of Righteousness He was the King of Salem = Peace (Jerusalem)

Melchizedek was a King & Priest something that would be forbidden under the Law of Moses, but this was before the Law and before the Nation of Israel. Under the law God set a Divine Boundary between the 2 King and Priest. Kings led in battle, governed the nation, and handled political affairs. Priest stood as mediators between Man and God, offered sacrifices and maintained spiritual purity of the people, the two were never to be crossed remember Saul in 1 Samuel 13:13-14. Melchizedek was both his name king of righteousness & king of Salem (peace). Jesus is our righteousness Jeremiah 23:6 and the Prince of Peace Isaiah 9:6 after the order of Melchizedek.

Melchizedek gave Abram bread and wine and blessed Abram. This was representative of the spiritual nourishment and sustenance and spiritual life-giving sustenance that Jesus would give the disciples in the upper room and us on Calvary Cross centuries later.

Then Melchizedek blessed Abram, and this is powerful he empowered him, equipped him, consecrate for a special purpose just as Jesus would do to the disciples in the upper room centuries later.

Then Abram did something unique And he gave him tithes of all”. This was before the Law of tithing, about some 430 years before. Abram tithed a tenth of all he had. Understand you always tithe up you never tithe to someone who is an equal you always tithe to a superior because it is an act of reverence acknowledging that the one receiving the tithe is greater. This now raises the question who was Melchizedek? Abram recognized Melchizedek was greater than himself; therefore, Melchizedek was not just an ordinary man. Melchizedek received tithes from Abram, now no place in scripture are Angels allowed to receive tithes or worship every time an Angel appeared and someone bowed and started to worship them the Angel would stop them and say “See that you not do this I am your fellow servant, and with your brothers the prophets, and with those keeping the words of this book Worship God” they are not allowed to receive worship or tithes so Melchizedek could not be a Angel. The Bible gives no definitive answer to the identity of Melchizedek, but I like the Christophany Theory which is a manifestation or non-physical appearance of Christ before His incarnation it seems to be the best fit. Besides I personally have a theory or a belief that can’t be proved but can’t be disproved either, especially when you understand the pattern of Heaven. The Tabernacle and the Priesthood was established after the pattern of Heaven according to scripture Exodus 25:40 as well as Hebrews 8:5. In Heaven (Salem) there is an actual heavenly priesthood in operation and Melchizedek is the King and Priest of that realm and that is none other than God Himself. Like I said that is just a theory I have and one day I will see!