King Melchizedek of Salem

Genesis 14:17-24
     (See also the study about Bera from September 1, 2010)
     Abram was returning from battle. Four kings were making sweeps of the area and among others had just defeated the king of the city-state of Sodom. Sodom was looted and its people captured. Among those people was Lot, the nephew of Abram.
     When Abram got the news, he gathered his allies and the trained men of his camp and went in pursuit. He battled by night and brought back what had been taken.
     A man named Melchizedek stepped up to meet him on his return. One biblical scholar calls Melchizedek a mysterious figure. We know little about him. He appears here and is mentioned in a psalm. Then the author of Hebrews uses him in symbolic ways. But historically, our information is scanty.
     Melchizedek was the king of Salem. Salem is what would later become Jerusalem.
     Melchizedek is also a priest of God. He brings wine and bread to feed Abram and blesses him. Or rather, he notes that God has blessed Abram. Melchizedek lifts a blessing upon God for the victory.
     Now, previous to this, God hasn’t been mentioned in regard to the politics and the war that has taken place. Abram didn’t ask for help from God. Abram didn’t get permission or instructions from God.
     But Melchizedek thanks God anyway, and that brings up a side issue.
     People of faith, especially in the modern era, wrestle with this whole question. We struggle with the place of God even in wars that we believe are necessary and as righteous as anything can be where people get killed.
      We also sometimes struggle with thanking God for things we’ve received—when we know that other good and faithful people may not have been so blessed. We know we aren’t more deserving. We don’t want to be callous to the fact that others could be suffering while we are rejoicing. At the same time, we need to show our gratitude for the author of all good things.
     We don’t know if Melchizedek experienced any of that ambiguity.
     Probably not. He and Abram have had a common enemy. The threat was now averted, at least for a time. This was a moment for rejoicing. It was a time to praise God.
     Abram gives Melchizedek a tenth of what he’s brought back. This was not a political or military division of booty. Melchizedek was a priest and it was thus intended as a religious gift. Giving ten percent as a religious act seems to have been fairly common in ancient times. It wasn’t an idea that was exclusive to the worship of Yahweh.
      But in this case, both Abram and Melchizedek were worshippers of the same God. That may be more significant that it first appears. After all, Melchizedeck was essentially a foreigner to Abram. He is not of the same family. He is not of the line of people that would become the Hebrews. But he worships the same God and Abram’s tithe acknowledges this.
      In fact, the other Old Testament mention of Melchizedek also recognizes him as a legitimate priest of God. Psalm 110 says: The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent. Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” The book of Hebrews picks up the theme again.
     Although it has been often ignored, there is ample evidence in the scriptures of God’s connection with people outside the “recognized” family.