MELCHIZEDEK (GEN.14)
ABRAM THE CONQUEROR
Great wars broke out between the kingdoms that surrounded Abram and Lot in those days; four kings went to battle against five in the Valley of Siddim and both Sodom and Gomorrah were conquered and taken captive by the other savage nations, but a small few escaped and ran for the mountains. Lot and his family were taken prisoner during the battle, but one of the men who had escaped to the mountains (who lived close to Abram and had a mutual respect with him), ran to Abram ‘the Hebrew’ and told him that his nephew had been captured. When Abram heard this he ‘geared up,’ arming his 318 trained servants and headed out in grand pursuit.
While they were travelling home from battle, Melchizedek (KING OF SHALEM/PEACE), high-priest of the most high Alahim, offered bread and wine to Abram and his band of men, and as they shared a meal together he said, “What a wonderful victory and blessing Yahuah has given you all today. Blessed are you Abram, Yahuah’s servant and blessed is Yahuah the most high Creator of the earth and the skies”. This phenomenal encounter with Melchizedek left Abram awe-struck and he even offered him a tenth of everything he owned.
YAHUAH THE FATHER ACTUALLY APPEARED TO ABRAM AS A MAN, MEANING MELCHIZEDEK IS YAHUSHA THE SON, OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST, APPEARING IN PHYSICAL FORM.
Abram and his servants divided and conquered the enemy camp by night, attacking them as far as Damascus, rescuing many people (including Lot and his family) and all of their possessions too. The King of Sodom was so thankful to Abram and his `special forces team’ saying “Take all of the possessions and treasures that you have gained from my enemies, but please return our people”.
But Abram said “Nah it's fine mate, my Master Yahuah has won the battle today, He owns everything on the earth and in the skies. It is He and only He that makes me rich and victorious, no one else. I only need what my servants have eaten on the journey and that is enough reward for me”.
ABRAHAM KNEW THAT SODOM'S KING WAS THE MOST WICKED ON EARTH AND WANTED NO DEALINGS WITH HIM!
Paul gives us great understanding of who Melchizedek is :
HEBREWS 7 & 8
19Our hope in YAHUSHA is like an anchor for us, strong and sure and keeps us safe. It goes behind the veil. 20 And YAHUSHA has already entered there and opened the way for us, becoming our High Priest forever, in the order Melchizedek. 1Melchizedek was the King of Shalem and Priest of the Most High Yahuah. He met Abraham when he was coming back from defeating the kings. That day Melchizedek blessed him.2Then Abraham gave him a tenth of everything he had. The name Melchizedek has two meanings. First, it means “king of righteousness" (divine justice and purity) and “king of Shalem” (king of peace.) 3 Having no father or mother, or genealogy, or beginning of days or end of life, He appeared as the Son of Yahuah, and remains a Priest for all time. 4You can see that Melchizedek was very great. Abraham, our great ancestor, gave him a tenth of everything he won in battle.5Now the law says that those from the Tribe of Levi who become Priests must get a tenth from their own people, even though they and their people are both from the family of Abraham. 6Melchizedek was not even from the Tribe of Levi, but Abraham gave him a tenth of what he had. And Melchizedek blessed Abraham—the one who had YAHUAH'S promises. 7And everyone knows that the more important person always blesses the lesser important person. 8Those Priests get a tenth, but they are only men who live and then die. But Melchizedek, who got a tenth from Abraham, continues to live forever, as the Scriptures say. 9Now those from the family of Levi are the ones who get a tenth from the people. But we can say that when Abraham paid Melchizedek a tenth, then Levi also paid it.10Levi was not yet born, but he already existed in his ancestor Abraham when Melchizedek met him. 11The people were given the Law under the system of Priests from the Tribe of Levi. But no one could be made spiritually perfect through that system of Priests. So there was a need for another Priest to come - a Priest like Melchizedek, not Aaron.12And when a different kind of priest comes, then the law must be changed too.13-14We are talking about our Master YAHUSHA, who belonged to a different Tribe. No one from that Tribe ever served as a Priest at the altar. It is clear that YAHUSHA came from the Tribe of Judah. And Moses said nothing about Priests belonging to that Tribe. 15And these things become even clearer when we see that another Priest has come who is just like Melchizedek.16He was made a Priest, and not because he had to meet the requirement of being born into the right family. He became a Priest by the power of a life that will never end.17This is what the Scriptures say about Him: “You are a priest forever—according to the order of Melchizedek.” 18The old order of Levi is now ended because it was weak and the men kept dying.19And the Law of Moses could not make anyone perfect, but pointed to a better hope that's been given to us. And with that hope we can come near to YAHUSHA. 20Also, it is important that YAHUAH made a promise with an oath when he made YAHUSHA the High Priest. For when those other men became Priests, there was no oath.21But YAHUSHA became a Priest with YAHUAH’s oath. For YAHUAH said to him, “YAHUAH has made a promise with an oath and will never change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.’” 22So this means that YAHUSHA is the guarantor of a new, better Blood-Covenant between YAHUAH and His people. 23Also, when one of those other Priests died, he could not continue being a Priest. So there were many of those Priests.24But YAHUSHA lives forever and will never stop serving as a High-Priest.25So YAHUSHA can deliver those who come to YAHUAH through Him. YAHUSHA can do this forever, because He always lives and is ready to help people when they come before Him.
The translation has altered somewhat since this (1st EDITION) recording, but still easy-to-grasp :-)
