Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. (Genesis 14:18-20)
Melchizedek is a pretty elusive character in the Bible. He has little to no backstory and no genealogy. There is a lot that we don’t know about him. It’s debated whether Melchizedek is a Christophany (an appearance of Christ pre-incarnation) or not. He is, at the very least, a type pointing to the coming Messiah. What we do know about him is that he is a king of righteousness and a priest of peace. We meet him after Abram and his men defeat these other kings and recover Lot.
This ancillary detail interrupts the progressing narrative. The tone completely shifts, acting like a commercial break in the middle of a TV show. Melchizedek shows up with bread and wine and blesses Abram. As quickly as he appeared, he leaves.
The blessing of Melchizedek is not only a signal of faith, but also a reassurance to Abram that he’s in the place that God intended him to be. This blessing is a result of Abrams’ faithfulness. Abram has followed God this far; he’s given deference to his nephew and returned to rescue him. Melchizedek shows up after the battle is over and offers Abram a celebratory meal. One that would stand as a reminder of God’s faithfulness forever. From Passover to the Last Supper to the sacrament of Communion, this moment makes ripples throughout our history.
Before Abram has had any children, before God has “made good” on His promises, Melchizedek arrives. Like a mile marker on the road, this blessing says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” God has brought you this far, but this is not the finish line.
I think that Melchizedek’s blessing is a reminder that the fulfillment of a promise is not the ultimate end goal. There are so many blessings along the way. Friend, I hope that in a season of waiting to see the promise, you would be interrupted by a blessing.
Kassie Lowe
Young Adults Lead