Melchisidek

Several years ago I asked my friend Ben, a pastor, a question about a mysterious name in the ancient scriptures: “Who was Melchizedek?” “That’s a good question” said my friend Ben. Little did I know at that time that our curiosity about a mysterious priest would lead to a three-year odyssey of the mind, guided by the Spirit of the Lord. The journey started when Ben answered my question. He proposed that we turn to the scriptures in order to explore the question. So we did. Ben and Connie, Chip and Melody, Gene and Sharon, and widow BB joined with me and Pat to study the ancient scriptures to find the answer.

The mystery had started with some ancient words, found in the first book of our ancient scriptures, Genesis. The patriarch, Abraham, had just concluded a martial mission to rescue his nephew Lot from captivity in a prison camp near Damascus. So it was then that a funny thing happened on the way to world history. Hebrew scriptures have the event recorded this way: (Genesis 14: 18,19) “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was the priest of God Most High. He blessed Abraham and said, ’Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth.’ ” That was the beginning of a very long story, HIStory, which is recorded in that ancient book we call the Bible.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, so to speak, there we were, all in one place, a gathering of Christians alive in a special place, one small homestead, Ben and Connie’s living room. Our purpose was to rustle up some answers, by riding the written range of the New Testament, narrowing in on the book of Hebrews, drilling our attentions into the depths of ancient history and revelation. . . and this, among other notable ancient truths, is what we found: “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast, and one which enters beyond the veil, where Christ entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 6:19,20)

Now. . . all that to say, I had asked pastor Ben a question. We gathered with our friends to answer the question of Melchizedek. The answer was: God with US. YWHW The Creator of the universe, who later manifested Himself bodily in the person of Jesus, the WORD embodied, born to Mary in Bethlehem and crucified at Calvary; that Jesus had presented himself to Abraham in the ancient days. Why? That’s a stupid question. We’ll never figure it out. Just believe it, that the WORD was made flesh, and dwelt among us in Galilee, in Samaria, in Jerusalem, and in eternity after his Resurrection. The Creator of the universe, who, by the power of His Word had spoken the universe into existence, had earlier manifested Himself temporarily, as Melchizedek, in order to initiate the Revelation of Himself to the human race. He gave that First chapter of Himself to Abraham in the same sacramental way that He later distributed Himself with bread and wine at the last supper. The first seeds of the Christian faith had been sewn to Abraham. That seed was later planted into the fertile hearts and minds of ancient peoples, who spread it all the way to Babylon and Egypt and back. Then later, New testament peoples, then . . . on and on to the here and now, all the way to America and to the Boone community where we gathered at Ben and Connie’s to discover what that mysterious Melchizedek is all about. About five months ago, our friend Ben left this life. By faith, he has entered the eternal home of all God’s people, those who have believed since Abraham met Melchizedek. We will also meet those who, since that time, have believed, carried and evangelized that Christian faith, which was erected on the ancient Old Testament foundation that was documented by Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, Paul and millions of other believers. When I arrive in heaven, I will greet my friend Ben again, in the presence of that high priest who blessed Abraham, that high priest who later offered himself on a Roman cross, that high priest who was found worthy to break the seals and open scroll, (see Revelation 5:9) whose word was brought down through the centuries so that we could have the faith of Abraham, made complete by. the sacrifice of Jesus. What a glorious reunion that will be, even greater than our precious times in Ben and Connie’s living room, back in the day. When I get there, I’m thinking that Ben will be there to greet me, just as he did so many times at his own front door. Revelation 5:9