20160929 Thursday, September 29 2016
Hebrews 05: Melchizedek Of Salem

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him; Called of God an High Priest after the order of Melchisedec"

When Abraham and his nephew Lot parted company (see The Parting of Abram and Lot) because their flocks and herds had grown too numerous for them to remain together, Lot chose the beautiful, well-watered land around Sodom. As in the present day, evil can exist in beautiful places (keeping in mind that it was Satan's beauty that corrupted him i.e. "28:17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness" (Ezekiel 27:18 KJV).

When Sodom was attacked, the Sodomites (see Sodomites) were unable to defend themselves. Their city was looted and hostages were taken. Among them was foolish Lot.

Abraham was a righteous man of peace (see the 8-study biographic series for Abraham from A Biography Of Abraham: From Ur To Canaan), but he knew that peace is made, not freely given by those of ill will, so he mustered his servants and pursued the raiders far north, almost to Damascus. There, Abraham, with a relatively few men, rescued Lot and the others that the perverts of Sodom were unable to defend for themselves.

14:11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. 14:12 And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed." (Genesis 14:11-12 KJV)

"14:13 And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram. 14:14 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. 14:15 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. 14:16 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 14:13-16 KJV)

It was on Abraham's journey home from that battle, while passing Salem (the earlier name for Jerusalem; see the Fact Finder question below), that Abraham was blessed by Melchizedek, the King of Salem and the High Priest of God (terminology that is fulfilled only in Jesus Christ; see The Apostle And High Priest Of Our Profession).

"14:17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale. 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. 14:19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 14:20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all." (Genesis 14:17-20 KJV)

Those events in the life of Abraham were historic, but moreover are yet prophetic. King David wrote of it in the Psalms (Psalm 2:7 and Psalm 110:4), as quote in verses 5 and 6 below. Notice the direct prophetic symbolism of Melchizedek / Melchisedec to Jesus Christ: "And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him [see Christ Died For Repentant Sinners]; Called of God an High Priest after the order of Melchisedec."

"5:1 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: 5:2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. 5:3 And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.

5:4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. 5:5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him,

Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.

5:6 As he saith also in another place,

Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

5:7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 5:10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec." (Hebrews 5:1-10 KJV)

The apostle Paul (see Paul, The Apostle To The World) taught new converts as much as he taught the long-converted. But notice that the followers of the Word of God are expected to grow, not in knowledge alone, but in the application of that knowledge in their journey to eternal life (see Strait And Straight and Which Way Is Right And Left?; also Who And What Is The Way To Salvation? and Enter While The Way Is Open). Salvation is about living a life of turning to God's Way.

"5:11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." (Hebrews 5:11-14 KJV)

Fact Finder: What does the "Salem" part of Jerusalem mean?
See Salem In History And Prophecy