Monday, February 14, 2011
Genesis 14:8
Monday, February 14, 2011 |
And Melchizedek, king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
I am still studying Melchizedek and am not yet ready to be dogmatic as to whom this person may be. If I had to say right now what my opinion is I would most likely say he is a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. There are those that disagree, but remember, I’m still studying.
One thing for sure is that he is a lead character in the record of Bible history, and Bible Prophecy. In our devotional reading for today he is on the Biblical stage some 4,000 years ago and will be on the prophetic stage in the near future.
I had you read all 24 verses of Genesis 14 because I want you to get as much of the history of the “beginning” as possible. Remember, the foundation for Bible Prophecy is the book of Genesis. A true student of Bible Prophecy must know this book and not only the prophetic books in the Bible.
Let me point out to you the first usage of the word “Hebrew”, verse 13, in the Bible. The word is used 26 times in the Bible and it means, “one from beyond”. In this passage the author refers to Abraham as the “Hebrew”, describing the man that had come from the “land beyond the Euphrates”.
In verses 17 to 20 we see the record of the appearance of Melchizedek, the “king of Salem", verse 18. The word “Salem” is the word for “Jerusalem”, according to the Psalmist, Psalm 76:2.
King, and Priest, Melchizedek lived in Jerusalem and he came to honor Abraham with a “blessing” from the “most high God”. We have no record of the background of Melchizedek but we do have information on his future.
In the New Testament book of Hebrews, chapters 5, 6 and 7, nine times the Lord Jesus Christ is referred to as the “High Priest after the order of Melchizedek”. It is interesting to see that the “priesthood” of Jesus is not after the order of Aaron, the very first “High Priest”, of human lineage.
This is one of the many reasons that I am leaning towards the belief that Melchizedek is indeed a “pre-incarnate” appearance of Jesus. Jesus is the “highest” of the “High Priest”.
In His “priestly” responsibilities today Jesus is interceding for you and me with His Father. He is our special “advocate”, I John 2:1, and because of His own sacrifice He restores fellowship between each of us that are born again believers and His Father. This priestly ministry of Jesus will continue until He shouts for us to join Him in the heavens, forever more.
By the way, that “shout” could come at any moment, even today. I suggest that we all keep looking up for Him to call for us to join Him. Even so come Lord Jesus.
PRAYER THOT: I am so grateful that Jesus is my “special advocate” interceding for me with the Father. I’m also honored that He is our “High Priest” and all that this truth implies. Even so come Lord Jesus.
For further study –Genesis 14:1-24
The key verse for our devotional reading for today is a record of the appearance of the King, and priest, of Jerusalem, Melchizedek. This is an amazing personage of one that has been discussed by many Bible scholars over the years.I am still studying Melchizedek and am not yet ready to be dogmatic as to whom this person may be. If I had to say right now what my opinion is I would most likely say he is a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. There are those that disagree, but remember, I’m still studying.
One thing for sure is that he is a lead character in the record of Bible history, and Bible Prophecy. In our devotional reading for today he is on the Biblical stage some 4,000 years ago and will be on the prophetic stage in the near future.
I had you read all 24 verses of Genesis 14 because I want you to get as much of the history of the “beginning” as possible. Remember, the foundation for Bible Prophecy is the book of Genesis. A true student of Bible Prophecy must know this book and not only the prophetic books in the Bible.
Let me point out to you the first usage of the word “Hebrew”, verse 13, in the Bible. The word is used 26 times in the Bible and it means, “one from beyond”. In this passage the author refers to Abraham as the “Hebrew”, describing the man that had come from the “land beyond the Euphrates”.
In verses 17 to 20 we see the record of the appearance of Melchizedek, the “king of Salem", verse 18. The word “Salem” is the word for “Jerusalem”, according to the Psalmist, Psalm 76:2.
King, and Priest, Melchizedek lived in Jerusalem and he came to honor Abraham with a “blessing” from the “most high God”. We have no record of the background of Melchizedek but we do have information on his future.
In the New Testament book of Hebrews, chapters 5, 6 and 7, nine times the Lord Jesus Christ is referred to as the “High Priest after the order of Melchizedek”. It is interesting to see that the “priesthood” of Jesus is not after the order of Aaron, the very first “High Priest”, of human lineage.
This is one of the many reasons that I am leaning towards the belief that Melchizedek is indeed a “pre-incarnate” appearance of Jesus. Jesus is the “highest” of the “High Priest”.
In His “priestly” responsibilities today Jesus is interceding for you and me with His Father. He is our special “advocate”, I John 2:1, and because of His own sacrifice He restores fellowship between each of us that are born again believers and His Father. This priestly ministry of Jesus will continue until He shouts for us to join Him in the heavens, forever more.
By the way, that “shout” could come at any moment, even today. I suggest that we all keep looking up for Him to call for us to join Him. Even so come Lord Jesus.
PRAYER THOT: I am so grateful that Jesus is my “special advocate” interceding for me with the Father. I’m also honored that He is our “High Priest” and all that this truth implies. Even so come Lord Jesus.