Week 2 Who is Melchizedek

Who is The Man Melchizedek?

From the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament we find relatively little information about this man other than he was the King of Salem and that Abraham paid tithes of all he possessed. Who was this man who blessed Abraham? What can we learn about him from his name?

How grateful we ought to be for modern day scripture which can shed light and give more information on this great High Priest. In the days of Abraham the patriarchal order was observed and Abraham would have been next to Melchizedek in the priesthood. We can learn from the Joseph Smith translation that Melchizedek was a man chosen of God from an early age who, “stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fires”. We also know that he served next to his father and that there were many before and after him, but none greater. From this we can see that he was in the similitude of the Son of God and so righteous was he that his name was chosen to reference the high priesthood to reverence the name of deity whose priesthood it is and is named after.

According to Alma Melchizedek King over the land of Salem and his people were full of all manner of abominations and wickedness. Melchizedek exercised great faith and the office of the high priesthood and preached repentance, because of this his people repented and Melchizedek received the title the prince of peace, another similitude of the Son of God. Many of his people in time were also lifted up to dwell with the people of Enoch. From these we can conclude that Melchizedek was a great and holy High Priest whose righteousness must have been next to God in order that Gods holy priesthood should be called after his name.