Mere Missions

J esus I s L ord : E ndearment • 41

that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’”

~ Genesis 14.18-23

By translation, Melchizedek means, King of Righteousness. He is also King of Salem, that is, King of peace. Here we have a shadowy picture of the one who is our righteousness (1 Cor. 1.30) and our peace (Eph. 2.14). The writer to the Hebrew followers of Jesus said that Melchizedek, “is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever” (Heb. 7.3). This Priest of God Most High offers Abram bread and wine as refreshment to his body, which he receives. It was a foretaste of a coming refreshment of souls seeking salvation, hope, and restoration of fellowship with The Most High God. “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Gal. 4.4-5). It was this same Jesus, our righteousness and peace who, “took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ And likewise, the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood’ ” (Luke 22.19-20). What a fitting future picture of the Lord Jesus instituting the Lord’s supper as a remembrance of His body (bread) and blood (wine) being given for our redemption and reconciliation of our souls. Like the bread and wine given to Abram for refreshment of body, so Jesus is our refreshment to our soul. Abram, in return, gives Melchizedek a tenth of everything as an offering of his gratefulness. We too, after receiving salvation in Christ, give back to God our lives as a living sacrifice (Rom. 12.1). This living sacrifice is to the very point where, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2.20).