Genesis 14

 

Who is this man Melchizedek and where does he come from? 

Melchizedek is the king of Salem. Salem is a place that will eventually be called Jerusalem. Jerusalem the place where God will allow his Temple to be built, the place that will be called The eternal City, and in eternity there will be a New Jerusalem. We aren't told why God chose this place but for me I wonder if it didn't have something to do with Melchizedek and the people of the city of Salem.

Melchizedek is clearly a picture of Christ. It is the first time bread and wine are seeing together as they will be used in the Passover and later in the communion. The book of Hebrews speaks of Christ being a priest of the order of Melchizedek. And many biblical scholars believe that Melchizedek is actually Christ. I don't necessarily believe that but if it's true I don't have a problem with that either. My thought of why I believe because it was a regular human actually goes back to the the city of Jerusalem itself and the fact that it was chosen. I tend to lean to the idea that Melchizedek and his people were devoted to God and therefore God gave them or at least their City a special place in his salvation history.