Abram and Melchizedek: Theophany?

Melchizedek

I don't know who this mysterious Melchizedek is or was or what!

No one else does either. It's beyond our ken.
Was he person or angel or spirit divine?
Whoever he was he was holy, separte from us.

Have you not been blessed by mystery? Be blessed again today!

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In chapter 14 of Genesis, we read how a hostile king captured Abram's* (1996-1821 BC) nephew Lot. His uncle armed his servants, rescued him, and brought him home. When he did, we read of a remarkable visit:

An asterisk* after a name means the person is in SPIRITUAL LIVES.

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. Genesis 14:18-20 1912 BC/Ussher

This is all we read of this mysterious man of God, except in Psalm 110:4: The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

Who was he? Josephus (37 AD -?) says he was a prince of Canaan, a pious and religious man, eminently raised by God, and whose genealogy was kept a secret, that he might be in this as in other things a type of Christ. Psalm 110:4 buttresses this idea of a type of Christ* (4BC-30AD) as it is a messianic psalm and clearly says the messiah will be a priest after the "order of Melchizedek."

The ancient Jewish writers identify him as Noah's son Shem* (2446-1846 BC), who was still living. Melchizedek is not a proper name itself but a title, an office. The word is a joining of the Hebrew words Melek, meaning "king," and tsedeq, meaning "righteousness." So, he is called the king of righteousness and also "king of Salem," probably Jerusalem.

He relates to Christ, as a type or foreshadowing at least, but is he more? The New Testament gives us this:

For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all;

first being by interpretation King of righteousness,

and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;

Without father, without mother, without descent,

having neither beginning of days, nor end of life;

but made like unto the Son of God;

abideth a priest continually.

Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils….[22] By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. – Hebrews 7:1-4 & 22.

Jewish philosopher Philo (20 BC to 50 AD) identified Melchizedek as "the logos, the priest whose inheritance is the true God," using the same term John used to describe Jesus. This has been the subject of long discussions over two millennia.

Origin (225-254) identified Melchizedek as an angel and made this critical observation: "Our LORD and Savior was greater than Melchizedek, whose ancestry scripture does not trace." Much depends on our interpretation of " Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life."

Those who understand this to be simply an observation on the text in Genesis, i.e., that the scripture does not name his mother or father or give his genealogy, tend to see him as human, but those who interpret it as true see him as more than human, even divine.

In the 4th century, the Gnostics proposed that Melchizedek was a pre-incarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ, a Theophany or, more precisely, a Christophany.

Around the same time, Jerome* (347-420), translator of the Bible into Latin, writes about his visit to the ruins "Melchisdec's Palace," which he says were quite extensive.

Ambrose of Milan (370-390 A.D.) said he was Christ, and other church fathers held this opinion. The Protestant Reformers did not share this view.

Martin Luther* (1483-1546) believed he was Shem; John Calvin* (1509-1564) disagreed with this and believed Melchizedek was a type of Christ. John Owen (1616 –1683) wrote that he was “the first personal Type of Christ in the World” and arguably the “most eminent.” Jonathan Edwards* 1703-1758) agreed with this view, and I for some time.

Although many today believe Melchizedek was a pre-incarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus, I am not convinced. I part this is because he did no miracles or divine things we associate with Jesus. I conclude that he was a holy man called to a holy office to represent the Lord Jesus Christ to those who lived before His incarnation.

Our definition of a theophany is an encounter with a deity that manifests in an observable and tangible form. I don't see the glory or supernatural element here. Abram honors him as a holy person and gives him tithes and takes bread and wine from him, but he builds no altar and uses no terminology or expressions of adoration or worship. An element of the text that makes me think he was very human, was that he had a permanent residence and was a king.

Types of Christ we see in the Old Testament include Joseph, Joshua, Samson and David. Melchizedek seems a better "fit" among these than among glorious, supernatural and divine persons.

Now consider how great this man was.”— Hebrews vii. 4.

CONSIDER how great Melchizedek was. There is something majestic about every movement of that dimly-revealed figure. His one and only appearance is thus fitly described in the Book of Genesis,— “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: and blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.” We see but little of him, yet we see nothing little in him. He is here and gone, as far as the historic page is concerned, yet is he “a priest for ever,” and “it is witnessed that he liveth.” Everything about him is on a scale majestic and sublime.-----Charles Spurgeon -1885

Who do you think he is? Let me know in the comments. In the meantime watch for a theophany of your own. Jesus loves you, and is near.

Jesus, our Lord, ascend Thy throne,

And near the Father sit;

In Zion shall Thy power be known,

And make Thy foes submit.

What wonders shall Thy Gospel do!

Thy converts shall surpass

The numerous drops of morning dew,

And own Thy sovereign grace.

God hath pronounced a firm decree,

Nor changes what He swore:

“Eternal shall Thy priesthood be,