King of Righteousness and High Priest
There was once a king named King Melchizedek, who was King of Salem. The name Melchizedek means righteousness. Salem means “Peace”. Not only was he a king of peace, but he was a high priest to El Elyon, meaning God most High, Creator of heaven and earth. King Melchizedek was both simultaneously a king and a priest.
Abram came upon King Melchizedek in the Valley of the Kings, as he was returning home after winning a battle against the kings who held his nephew, Lot, captive and was rescued by Abram.
King Melchizedek greets Abram in the Kings Valley and offers bread and wine to Abraham and his tired men. King Melchizedek blesses Abram in the name of El Elyon. Abram realizing King Melchizedek was a high priest serving the Living God offers the king a tithe of 10% of all he recovered from the battle.
King Melchizedek is a mysterious figure in the Bible. The Bible doesn’t mention his beginning or ending story.
”Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.” Hebrews 7:3. NIV
Jesus is a type of Melchizedek.
Jesus is King of Righteousness after His work on the cross and He is a High Priest who sits on the right hand side of God. As High Priest, He intercedes on our behalf to the Father. We are righteous because Jesus’ righteousness covers us in the Father’s eyes, despite our sins. We can bring our petitions to the Father, as well as our worship and praise to the Father thru Jesus. We end our prayers, “In Jesus name we pray,” because it is only thru Jesus, our High Priest, we can approach the Father.
”And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath but He became a priest with an oath when God said to Him:
”The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind. ‘You are a priest forever.’”
”Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office, but because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.” Hebrews 7:20-25. NIV
Thank you Lord for I have a Savior, a Shepherd , and Priest who is my King and intercessor to God the Almighty!
Jesus can be your intercessor too if you accept His free gift of grace by believing in His finished work on the cross.
”The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: ‘You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.’”
Psalm 110:4
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