The king-priest Melchizedek of Salem brings the blood-stained Abraham back under God’s blessing through bread and wine. After turning his eyes back to God, Abraham expresses his enthusiasm for the blessing he has received by giving Melchizedek ten percent (Gen 14:18-20).
David writes about the Messiah in Psalm 110,1.4: “The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool. … You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”
Melchizedek means: “My King of justice and peace”. He is a figure for the reconciling ministry of the Messiah Jesus, who sits at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19 / Luke 22:69).
Jesus comes from the royal line of David and represents a priestly, reconciling ministry. Through bread and wine, he symbolised that we are reconciled to God through his coming and death on the cross. Jesus gives bread and wine as a sign of renewal. By accepting them as Abraham did, we place ourselves under God’s blessing. God is acting, and we express our thankfulness to him.
Abraham let himself be served. He could have been proud of the victory he had won. But he did not. He accepted the meal. He let himself be blessed. He joined in the praise of God and gave God what belong to him.
Messiah images in the Torah
- God seeks us – Adam where are you?
- The possibility of a choice – Two trees in the Garden of Eden
- Neediness instead divinity – A new view
- God’s master plan – Salvation through a human being
- A divine clothing – God acts
- A world upside down – Kai and Abel
- Living in the presence of God – Enoch
- God is calling – Noah
- A king-priest like Melchizedek
- God visits Abraham
- Life through a sacrifice – Isaac
- The ladder to heaven – Jacob
- New identity from Jacob to Israel
- Messiah Ben Joseph – Joseph the son of Jacob
- Shiloh, whom all nations will serve – Blessing on Judah
- Moses, the prototype of the Saviour
- References to Jesus in Moses
- The Passover Lamb
- The pillar of cloud and fire
- God wants to be with us – The tabernacle / The temple
- The snake on a pole – An image of a new beginning
- The rock in the desert – Faith is not a method
- A prophet greater than Moses
- A star from Jacob – Bileam