Shabbat shalom kol beit Yisra'el and Mishpachah. This is the last sabbath assembly and sermon of the biblical year and one I have been therefore thinking a lot about all week. Knowing that great change was around the corner, I have been wondering what kind of foundation needs to be laid (or relaid) so that when the anointing comes we will be prepared for it, understand it, and know how to properly teach it to those who want to know what Yahweh is doing among us.

It's been a couple of years since we last looked at the subject material I want to cover today, but it's extremely important. One of the reasons Christendom is in such confusion and disarray is that it does not understand what I am about to talk about. Messianics do not have their gaze on this at all but on something dead and finished, and Evangelicals, though understanding this in part, are on the whole too lawless to be able to bring it into sufficiently sharp focus to be able to incarnate it. Mention this subject, and Mormons get all excited for all the wrong reasons, Talmudists who worship their traditions hate it, and all the rest just look at you blankly. You could say that Yahweh has kept this mystery hidden in plain sight. Today we have got to unpack it carefully so that we can see it, understand it, and rejoice in it.

We have to go back in time to around the year 1933 BC, that's nearly 4,000 years ago, to a time before Jacob, Israel, Judah, Levi, and Jerusalem existed or were even conceived of. The only history that was known covered a mere ten pages of our Bible, up to about Genesis 14. The pre-flood era was over, and Yahweh's 'man of the moment', as it were, was Abram, before he was renamed Abraham for his faithfulness. But he was not Yahweh's only faithful servant in those days, and though the population of the earth had swelled following the flood, most of it had already turned away from Yahweh and had succumbed to the lies of Satan and once more embraced numerous endlessly mutating forms of paganism.

Now I said that Abraham was not the only 'man of Elohim (God)' in those days even though he was centre stage and was Yahweh's new focus for the regeneration of the human race, including being set-apart as the bearer of the messianic seed. There were others, though not many of them, who were Yahweh's men and women. They were very old - for you will remember that there were still patriarchs and matriarchs living to a very great age, even though following the flood the life-span of man was starting to shorten considerably - but they were no longer centre-stage. Though they were by no means unimportant, and at least one of them is very important to the prophetic story, their ministry was more of less over and they lived in relative isolation. As Abram was entering the stage, they were exiting it.

The man of Elohim (God) whom I want to talk about to you today is mentioned ten times in the Scriptures which you may take as a prophetic number if you want to, 10 being the number of completeness of order. Yahweh summarised all the mitzvot (commandments) in 10 which Yah'shua (Jesus) later summarised into 2.

The name of this man literally means 'the king of righteousness' and he was the literal king of a city in the Promised Land which would later fall into the hands of a pagan king and finally be captured by a servant of Yahweh to become world famous. This venerable man, who was of a very great age, had a much higher status and authority than the young, strapling Abram.

He is described in the Tanakh (Old Testament) as "cohen (priest) of El Elyon (the Most High God)" (Gen.14:18,22; Heb.7:1). Indeed, he has the distinction of being the very first cohen (priest) mentioned in the Scriptures. And in case you are not sure what a bona fide cohen or priest is, he is a man, called of Yahweh, to bear His image and carries His toqef or authority. He isn't someone who just 'works for Elohim (God)' as an employee does for his employer - a cohen (priest) is one who contacts Yahweh in their daily life and becomes filled with Him. He isn't someone who merely performs some sort of 'religious activity' - there are plenty of those whom Yah'shua (Jesus) He will reject when He comes back to judge the world (Mt.7:22-23). Thus a true cohen (pirest) of Yahweh is one who contacts Elohim (God), is filled with Elohim (God), from whom the flowing of Elohim (God) will transform the lives of those around Him, and especially those who yield to his toqef (authority).

When Abram met this man for the first time, he knew this was Yahweh's Servant, and he submitted to him, gladly. He had toqef (authority) outwardly, as one appointed by Yahweh, and inwardly as one through whom the Ruach Elohim (Spirit of God) naturally flowed. The name of this cohen (priest) in the Hebrew, to whom Abram submitted, was Malchi-zadok - malchi meaning 'king' and zadok meaning 'righteousness' - which in English we better know as 'Melchizedek', and he was the king of a city perched on the top of a high hill called Salem, which is the same as the Hebrew word shalom and the Arabic salam and means 'peace' [1]. Paul identifies him as the 'King of Peace':

"This Melchizedek was king of Salem and cohen (priest) of El Elyon (God Most High). He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means 'king of righteousness'; then also, 'king of Salem' means 'king of peace.' Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of Elohim (God) he remains a cohen (priest) forever" (Heb.7:1-3, NIV).

Ancient Salem was the nucleus of the later city of Jerusalem and you will find scriptorians pointing out that its name was incorporated as Jeru-salem. Certainly upon first inspection it appears to be that way. However, as those of you who know a little Hebrew will be quick to point out, our English word 'Jerusalem' is a bit of a misnomer because in actual fact the city is called Yeru-shalayim in Hebrew, the suffix being the plural form of shalom! This is not one city but at least two (and maybe even more) and you will find many theories amongst those who comment about this name as to why it is so, and as much as I would love to get into that today, I want to focus on the man Melchizedek to understand why he is so important to the Remmant gathering. Certainly we are all agreed that Jerusalem is, or was, or will be, important, and we all agree that at least four cities - Melchizedek's Salam, the pagan Jebus (Ps.76:2), David's Jerusalem, Rome's Aelia Capitolina, the Ottoman Jerusalem and the modern Jerusalem have existed - or existed - on this one piece of heavily contested historical real estate. Finally, there is the City of Hagar (the modern city, since the apostles, at least) and the City of Sarah (the New Jerusalem which has yet to come - Gal.4:24-25). So, that is a story in itself! At least you now know why the city's name is a plural shalayim and not Jerusalem or Yeru-shalom.

After Abram had defeated Chedorlaomer and his confederacy of kings, the patriarch came to the Low Plain of Shaveh-Kiriathaim (Gen.4:5), which literally means the 'twin cities of the level plain' or 'the king's low plain'. There "Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was cohen (priest) of El Elyon (God Most High), and he blessed Abram, saying, 'Blessed be Abram by El Elyon (God Most High), Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be El Elyon (God Most High), who delivered your enemies into your hand.' Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything" (Gen.14:18-20, NIV; also Heb.7:4).

Now there are those who claim that Melchizedek served Abram a kind of prototype 'Lord's Supper' but I think it is pretty clear from usage of the same expression elsewhere (e.g. Judg.19:19) that this probably refers to an ordinary meal which was given to Abram as a show of friendship and hospitality. I am not saying that there aren't prophetic allusions in this event to the messianic Master's Supper because I think there are, just that we need to be careful not to let our imagination run wild and to impose meanings which aren't necessarily there. The same kind of disputes are to be found in the Messianic Scriptures (New Testament) over the administration of the Master's Supper amongst the early talmidim (disciples) which are more likely to have been shared common meals rather than eucharists.

A similar debate has arisen over Melchizedek's use of the unusual term, "El Elyon (God Most High), Creator of Heaven and Earth", which is not typically used in Scripture, because these were known to also be common appellations of the Canaanites to their pagan deities in ancient times. This has led some theologians to speculate that Melchizedek was no more than a Canaanite priest-king, which would make no sense as do we seriously believe that Abram would pay sacred tithes to a pagan? Irrespective of what or who he was (and we're coming to that), Abram, by identifying Melchizedek's 'El Elyon' with Yahweh (Gen.14:22), at the very least bore testimony to the one true Elohim (God), whom, these theologians claim, had come to know. Personally I do not accept the theory that Melchizedek was a Canaanite convert to Yahweh but I mention this so that you know what some Christians scholars are claiming. It's at least a theoretical possibility.

Now the priest-king Melchizedek is a much more important character than one who had the authority to accept the tithes of Abram and bless him and we are first given a hint of this in a very famous messianic prophecy given through David:

"Yahweh ('the LORD') says to my Adon ('Lord'):
'Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet...'
Yahweh has sworn
and will not change his mind:
'You are a cohen (priest) forever,
in the order of Melchizedek'" (Ps.110:1,4, NIV).

Why was this prophecy so important? Because it informed the Hebrews the very clear revelation that the promised Messiah would combine the offices of Cohen (Priest) and Melek (King) as a means of positively identifying Him. He would not just be one or the other. And if there was ever any doubt that this would be so, the writer of Hebrews, believed by many to be Paul, wrote:

"[Messiah] has become a Cohen Gadol (High Priest) forever, in the order of Melchizedek" (Heb.6:20, NIV; also 5:10).

There can be no doubt that it was Yahweh Himself who appointed Melchizedek to be a cohen (priest) as you read the Epistle to the Hebrews:

"Every cohen gadol (high priest) is selected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to Elohim (God), to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.

"No one takes this honour upon himself; he must be called by Elohim (God), just as Aaron was. So Messiah (Christ) also did not take upon Himself the glory of becoming a Cohen Gadol (High Priest). But Elohim (God) said to Him,

'You are my Son;
today I have become your Father.'

And He says in another place,

'You are a cohen (priest) forever,
in the order of Melchizedek' (Ps.110:4).

"During the days of Yah'shua's (Jesus') life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission. Although He was a son, He learned obedience from what He suffered and, once made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him and was designated by Elohim (God) to be Cohen Gadol (High Priest) in the order of Melchizedek.

"We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn" (Heb.5:1-11, NIV).

Now it is very important to state, and underline, that Melchizedek's priestly status was not linked with the priesthood of Israel, because the nation of Israel did not exist at this time, and nor did the Mosaic Covenant. Indeed, Scripture makes is clear that the Melchizedek Order was, and is, a higher or greater Order than that of the Aaronic or Levitical Priesthood. Consider why Abram showed deference, submission and respect to Melchizedek!

Remember, Abram was the forefather of the entire nation of Israel, including the priestly tribe of Levi. Don't forget that this is Abraham, "Elohim's (God's) friend" (Jas.2:23) who became "the father of all who believe (have emunah/faith)" (Rom.4:11, NIV), who gave his "tenth" or tithe to this cohen of El Elyon - the Most High God. Paul shows in his writings that Melchizedek, who "did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham" (Heb.7:6, NIV) and "Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor" (Heb.7:9-10, NIV). In other words, though the Levitical cohenim (priests) received tithes from the people of Israel, they, as represented by their ancestor Abraham, paid tithes to Melchizedek.

The lesser, temporary priesthood [2], was therefore symbolically paying tithes to the greater, permanent priesthood! Can we be in any doubt about that? I know a lot of messianics, who think the old Levitical Priesthood has simply been 'renewed', who struggle with this but it is so important to get right otherwise we will miss, as some messianics sadly do, what the New Covenant is altogether. The superiority of Melchizedek's priesthood is demonstrated in that he blessed Abraham, Paul pointing out that "the lesser person is blessed by the greater" (Heb.7:7, NIV). Such factors are among those making Melchizedek a suitable type of the great Cohen Gadol (High Priest), Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ).

Are you with me so far? Good. Because it is very important for messianics particularly to understand what Paul said about the impossibility of attaining perfection (commanded by Yah'shua/Jesus - Mt.5:48) through the Old Covenant Levitical (Aaronic) Priesthood. That is why it was necessary that a cohen (priest) appear in the tavnith (pattern) of Melchizedek. Remember, that Paul reminds us that Messiah sprang from Judah, a non-priestly tribe, but, citing Yah'shua's (Jesus) similarity to Melchizedek, shows that He became a cohen (priest) "not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life" (Heb.7:16, NIV). In other words, Messiah was, and is, Elohim (God), and though Melchizedek himself was not divine, the priesthood he bore represented that indestructible messianic life in as much as this priesthood would never come to an end like the later Levitical one would and represented a power the Levitical one never enjoyed...which is why it could never perfect anyone.

Aaron and his sons became cohenim (priests) without an oath, but the priesthood conferred on Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) was ordained by an oath of Yahweh, as we read:

"The former [Old Covenant Levitical] regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the Torah (Law) made nothing perfect), and a better tiqveh (hope) is introduced, by which we draw near to Elohim (God).

And it was not without an oath! Others became cohenim (priests) without any oath, but He became a cohen (priest) with an oath when Elohim (God) said to Him:

"Yahweh has sworn
and will not change His mind:
'You are a cohen (priest) forever.'"

"Because of this oath, Yah'shua (Jesus) has become the guarantee of a better covenant" (Heb.7:18-22, NIV).

Also, whereas the Levitical cohenim (priests) kept dying and needed to have successors, the resurrected Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) "lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to Elohim (God) through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them" (Heb.7:24-25, NIV).

And now we come to what appears to be a great mystery concerning Melchizedek. Let's look at that verse which I cited at the beginning of this talk without making comment:

"Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of Elohim (God) he remains a cohen (priest) forever" (Heb.7:3, NIV).

This passage has led to all kinds of unwise speculations, including that Melchizedek was the pre-incarnate Messiah Himself, which of course is impossible since Melchizedek was a flesh-and-blood mortal. Plus the comparison "like the Son of Elohim (God)" (Heb.7:3) argues against such an interpretation. Like other human beings, Melchizedek was born and died. He could theoretically have been an orphan, I suppose, to explain these mysterious words, though I don't believe that is the solution to this mystery.

So what does this mysterious scripture mean? Quite simply, that we have no record of his genealogy - we don't know who his mother and father were, his ancestry or posterity are not disclosed, at least not in the Tanakh (Old Testament). The Scripture contains nothing about the beginning of his days or the end of his life. The writer of Hebrews, in accordance with Hebrew interpretation, uses the silence of Scripture about his ancestry to instead portray him as a prefiguration of Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ)'s priesthood. Melchizedek's priesthood anticipates the Saviour's eternal existence and His unending priesthood, without human parentage, because it's not a priesthood like the later Levitical one which was propagated by breeding. I suggest that it's no more complicated than that.

So who was Melchizedek? Was he no more than a local Canaanite king who converted to Yahweh? If he was, nothing is said about that anywhere and he exists in no tradition that anyone has ever heard of. However, the Targums (Commentaries) of Jerusalem and of Jonathan, which have gained wide acceptance in many quarters, especially as they maintained that the Messiah would be Divine, is that Melchizedek was Noah's son Shem. We know that Shem was alive at that time and that he outlived Abraham's wife Sarah (Gen.9:26-27) even though it is not directly stated in Scripture. Why has Yahweh chosen not to reveal this detail in Scripture? Because, in my view, this is so as not to diminish the prophetic symbolism as it pertains to Messiah, so that his name could typify Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ), who by Yahweh's sworn oath, "has become a Cohen Gadol (High Priest) forever, in the order of Melchizedek" (Heb.6:20, NIV). All the glory is centred on Messiah.

So I absolutely believe Melchizedek was Shem and this is confirmed by our revelations and teachings over the last 30 or more years [3] and by the Hebrew sages themselves who concluded it through a thorough study.

Last but not least, does what Paul wrote about the weakness and inferiority of the Levitical Priesthood and the Old Covenant mean that Abraham had no Torah (Law)? Are we to understand that the New Covenant Melchizedek Priesthood is a licence to lawlessness, as Protestants and others interpret it? If so, what did Yahweh mean when He testified:

"Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My mitzvot (commandments), My chukkim (statutes), and My torot (laws)" (Gen.26:5, NKJV).

Now it's true we don't know exactly how much, or what kind, of Torah Abraham had but we can deduce from the pre-Mosaic scriptures that there must have been a substantial amount, as for example, the kashrut laws, since Noah and his sons (including Shem) were clearly aware of the distinction between clean and unclean animals (Gen.7:2,8). We also know that animal sacrifices were instituted right at the very beginning with Adam and Eve and their sons Cain and Abel. How much Abraham learned directly from Yahweh by revelation and how much he learned from Melchizedek/Shem is anyone's guess.

If Melchizedek was a believer, as clearly he was, then I think it is fairly safe to conclude that the citizens over which he was king in Salem were believers too and must have been obeying this pre-Mosaic Torah. Though only one meeting with Melchizedek is recorded in the Tanakh (Old Testament), it seems highly probable to me that there were later contacts between him and Abraham, and I'll tell you why. Later in Genesis 22 we learn of Abraham's offering of Isaac at Mt.Moriah which formed the eastern ridge of the City of David (Jerusalem) and must either have been located in Melchizedek's Salem or at the very least (and probably more likely) adjacent to it. My own conviction is that Mt.Moriah (where Yah'shua/Jesus was crucified and made atonement for mankind's sins) was just outside Salem and looked down upon the City of Melchizedek, and it was here Abraham offered Isaac as a type of our Heavenly Father offering His own Son, and all within the clear view of the City of Peace, a type of the abode of those who would accept the Saviour and His salvation. What potent symbolism! And unless he was on the farthest side of the hill, Abraham would have been able to clearly see Melchizedek's city of Salem. For the City of Melchizedek - the City of Peace - was a type of the New Jerusalem, the future home of the redeemed of Yahweh (Rev.3:12; 21:2)!

What is so important about this Melchizdedekian City of Salem? You need to remember that in Scripture certain mountains are key conflict zones between Yahweh and fallen malakim (angels). But this mountain - Mt.Moriah, or Mr.Zion as it's also known (before being separated into two by Solomon's quarrying operations) - is not just one of many mountains - it is the mount, the dominant Mount of Assembly not just on earth but in the whole Cosmos! Remember Satan's boast and Yahweh's response:

"You said in your heart,
'I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne
above the stars (angels) of Elohim (God);
I will sit enthroned on the Mount of Assembly,
on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.
I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like El Elyon (the Most High).'
But you are brought down to the grave,
to the depths of the pit" (Isa.14:13-15, NIV).

You see, this mount - Mt.Moriah - will be Yahweh's future home on earth, as it was when Solomon built him a temple there. It was there He tested Abraham's emunah (faith). It did not fall to Joshua during the Conquest but remained in Amorite hands until David captured it 400 years later (1 Chr.11). It remained under the control of the Kingdom of Judah until Nebuchadnezzar made an end of that nation in 586 BC.

If you read the nevi'im (prophets) carefully you will discover that there were two chief rival mountains to Mt.Moriah - one was called Zaphon and the other Hermon. You've all heard of Mt.Hermon, of course. There are many prophetic polemics against these two mountains, if you care to look them up, because of the false gods - that is, fallen Watcher malakim (angels), who made them their home:

"O mountain of the gods (har elohim) [4], mountain of Bashan (Hermon);
O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan (Hermon)!
Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain,
at the mountain that Elohim (God) desired for His abode (Moriah),
yes, where Yahweh will dwell forever" (Ps.68:15-16, ESV).

Those of you familiar with the pseudepigraphical Book of Enoch will know that, according to tradition, the mountain of Bashan or Mt.Hermon is where the rebellious Watcher malakim (angels) made their landing on earth and there made their headquarters and established a counterfeit Mount of Assembly to rival Yahweh's at Moriah, making it the seat of their insurrection.

This is a very big but important subject that we can't go into today [5] and the only reason I raise it is to give you a vision as to why Melchizedek's City of Salem had to be where it was. Now you might not think that Mt.Moriah isn't much of a mountain (it's only 2,430 feet high, after all), especially when compared with the majestic peaks of Mt.Hermon (which is 9,232 feet high), or nearly four times as tall, but that's not the point: it was, and is, Yahweh's qadosh (holy, set-apart) mountain, and always shall be. Why do you think there has been such a great contest over this piece of real estate over the millennia? It is commonly mistaken today for the Temple Mount when in actual fact it is outside the Old City and is known as the 'Western Hill'. But then a lot of the ancient places have been misidentified, for a prophetic reason, I believe. So many key events occurred at the original Temple Mount in Yah'shua's (Jesus') day as well as on Mt.Hermon which was the scene of the Transfiguration in which the Saviour sent a clear message to the fallen ones that their days were numbered.

Today this mount is being contested by the sons of Islam and the sons of Talmudic Judaism in a brilliant but diabolical Enemy psyop, a perfect bad cop/good cop set up. The thing is, it doesn't rightly belong to either of them; and even if the Talmudists had been living Torah like the ancients (which they are not - theirs is an occultised, kabbalised mutation), the Levitical Priesthood and its Covenant are over. For the last 2,000 years the rightful occupants of Mt.Moriah have to be those cohenim (priests) after the Order of Melchizedek, not Levi (real or pretended). And that will not happen until the Qadosh (Holy, Set-Apart) Mount is cleared of all imposters. And I am saying that to you so that you are aware what of has to happen in the Middle East, and particularly in that part of the world, before Yahweh can return through Yah'shua (Jesus) to occupy His throne on earth. So whatever you do, don't emigrate to the Republic of Israel! Both that nation, and the surrounding nations, are going to go through terrible days. They will be emptied of inhabitants prior to the culmination of the Final Exodus.

Hopefully you will now understand why we, as Messianic Evangelicals, are very interested in Melchizedek the man, his Order, his priesthood as it relates to Messiah, the New Covenant and His people, and the end-times. We have barely scratched the surface of this important subject today. Consider this an introduction, or at least a retatement of an introduction made a couple of years ago. Our next task, Yah willing, will be to understand the New Covenant Melchizedek Priesthood and what it means as a living experience, and how those who bear it correctly can experience relief from the suffering caused by condemnation that most believers experience. Our goal is to truly know Yahweh's heart so that we can go directly to Him through His Son to experience His ahavah (love) and forgiveness and thereafter to go to Him every day and learn to contact Him in the Ruach (Spirit), just as the Patriarchs did, so that our condition can be radically changed.

So with these thoughts I bring this sabbath address to a close, and indeed end all the sabbath addresses of the last calendar year. In two day's time Rosh Chodesh and the New Year begin. Thank you all, at home and abroad, for your support, your prayers and your patronage of this ministry, our website and social media, as we once again lay it on the alter of sacrifice, as Abraham did with Isaac, so that He may decide what He wants to do with us and our labours. May ahavah (love), shalom (peace) and praise be His in Yah'shua's (Jesus') Name. Amen.

Endnotes

[1] See The Olive Branch, p.879, footnote #775
[2] See The Olive Branch, p.380-381, footnote #349 on the Melchizedek Law
[3] Shem figures prominently in the Books of Abraham, and in particular, the Third Book of Abraham
[4] Wrongly translated in most English translations the "mountain of God" (ESV) or "O mighty mountain" (NRSV)
[5] I recommend everyone read Derek P.Gilbert's, The Great Inception: Satan's Psyops from Eden to Armageddon (Defender, Crane, MO: 2017)

Further Reading

[1] Melchizedek: King of Salem
[2] The Order of Melchizedek: The Rainbow Upon Yah's Head
[3] An Everlasting Levitical Priesthood?
[4] El Elyon: Is It the Name of the Father?
[5] Seth Instructs Abram in the Mysteries of the Firstborn (3 Abraham 6)
[6] The 10% Tithe: It's New Covenant Application
[7] In Search of the Heavenly Country (Sukkot 2011 V)
[8] The Royal Chavurat Bekorot Melchizedek Priesthood Logo
[9] Royal Melchizedek Priesthood Banner