The key is in the ‘first mention’ of Melchizedek ....he was BOTH a KING AND A PRIEST. He was actually a historical king who reigned over the city of Jerusalem.

 

There are many preachers who claim that Melchizedek was an appearance of Christ in the Old Testament. This however conveniently overlooks the fact that Melchizedek physically reigned as a KING of a real historical city at the time of Abram.

 

((Are we to believe that Melchizedek was only a Christophany (ie an appearance of Jesus in the Old Testament) when Abram met him with the 'spoils' ...or did he continue to be 'Jesus' through all of his life?

Are these preachers seriously proposing that the bible teaches that Jesus was INCARNATE and reigning as a king on earth before He was born to Mary more than 42 generations later?

Did he die at some stage and then get re-incarnated?.....OR ...should we just blindly believe that Jesus 'became flesh and dwelt among us' more than once?))

 

The main reason this absolute rubbish is being taught is because covetous wolves such as Kenneth Copeland and Creflo Dollar are concocting support to get people to tithe to their ministries! (Titus 1:11)

 

Let us examine what the scriptures ACTUALLY say

 

Gen 14:18-20

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said:

"Blessed be Abram of God Most High,

Possessor of heaven and earth;

20 And blessed be God Most High,

Who has delivered your enemies into your hand."

And he gave him a tithe of all.

 

Now we should note that the following about this incident:-

*The bible here gives no indication that Melchizedek was Jesus (ie a Christophany). Abram acknowledged God every other time he encountered Him. He DID NOT on his occasion!

*Melchizedek did not appear to know the name of God….the LORD (YHWH) ...Abram indicates this in vs 22 

(‘God Most High ... El el-yo-vn) was also a name commonly used to refer to pagan deities in that region)

*Tithing of spoils of war WAS historically a widespread practice among pagan nations in that area….this is neither commended or prescribed to people as an example to follow. This certainly does not apply to income earned.

*Abram only gave a tenth of the spoils (Gen 14:16, Heb 7:4)….none of his own possessions or wealth was EVER given

*Abram was rich before he ever gave the tenth, so tithing did NOT bring the blessing which made him rich (Gen 13:2)

*Abram is not recorded as ever having given a tithe again, and curses did not result (He continued to increase in wealth)

*Abram was not yet saved when this incident occurred.....he was only 'reckoned as righteous' in Genesis 15

*The fact that bread and wine as given as only typical hospitality and it is never linked to communion in the bible by either Jesus or any of the Apostles including Paul!

(The phrase ‘bread and wine’ in the Old Testament refers only to normal food & drink in the following cases in the old testament...and not 'communion'  – Judges 19:19, 1 Sam 10:3, 2 Sam 16, 2, Neh 5:15, Eccl 9:7, Hag 2:12, etc....do a search yourself)

 

Melchizedek is prophetically linked to Christ’s ministry

David speaks of the coming messiah and his role

 

Ps 110:4

4 The LORD has sworn

And will not relent,

"You are a priest forever

According to the order of Melchizedek."

  

Please note the following :-

*David did not say ‘You are Melchizedek’….he said ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek’

*David’s revelation was received/occurred 14 generations later…..clearly speaking of ANOTHER priest…the Messiah who was to come a further 28 generations later!

*Jesus never referred to himself as ‘being a priest in the order of Melchizedek’….let alone ever hint that he may have been Melchizedek himself. 

 

Melchizedek priesthood typified in Christ's ministry in Hebrews (5-9) -  a shadow fulfilled

The key scriptures which are referred to are :-

Genesis 14 when Abram encountered him

David's prophecy from Psalm 110 referring to the coming Messiah

 

The book of Hebrews is addressed to the JEWISH believers who kept wanting to go back under the Old Covenant....its purpose is to show that the New Covenant is a better covenant...with better promises.....NOT to tell Gentiles to go 'under the Law' by tithing.

The context of Hebrews chapters 5-9 is that a priesthood greater than that of Aaron was now in place in Christ.

 

….one selected by God not men (5:1 and 5)

….one which would deliver eternal salvation as the sacrifice was perfect (5:3 and 9 and 7:11)

….one which has as high priest Jesus who lives behind the veil  forever for us….(6:20) rather than visiting once a year only (9:25)

….one which has a high priest Jesus who is both king and priest …(7:1&2)…not priest only

….one which has pre-eminence  over the priesthood of Levi (and Aaron) because it received a tithe from them through Abraham

….one which had as high priest Jesus the Son of God with an indestructible life not merely a human being with ancestry (7:16)

….one which ushered in a new and better covenant (7:12 , 18-19)

 

The incidental reference to tithing is clearly not the topic of the chapters. This passage is not intended as a teaching passage on 'tithing' ... but on the greatness of Christ's priesthood. The subject is the greatness of the NEW priesthood. This is proven in the following verse which concludes the topic.

 

Heb 8:1-2

Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2 a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.    NKJV

 

Let us examine each scripture from Hebrews

Heb 5:5-6

So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him:

"You are My Son,

Today I have begotten You."  

6 As He also says in another place:

"You are a priest forever

According to the order of Melchizedek ";  

 

Please note the following:-

*Christ was made to become High Priest …He was not Melchizedek re-incarnated

*Today speaks of Christ’s resurrection (Rom 1:4, Col 1:18, Acts 13:29-34)

It therefore cannot possibly refer to the time when Abram encountered Melchizedek!

 

Heb 5:7-11

7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, 10 called by God as High Priest "according to the order of Melchizedek,"

 

Please note the following:- 

*Jesus was called by God as a High Priest after ‘the days of His flesh’…….after ‘he had learned obedience (Gethsemane?)…….after ‘he had been perfected (Calvary)

*‘according to the order of’…ie in the similitude of…..NOT ONE AND THE SAME

 

Heb 7:1-3

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated "king of righteousness," and then also king of Salem, meaning "king of peace," 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.

 

Please note the following about Melchizedek :- 

*without father or mother…..Jesus had both

*without genealogy…Jesus had one (Mat 1 and Luke 3)

*made like the Son of God….he was NOT the Son of God…..he was ‘made like’...he was not 'uncreated'...he was 'made'

 

Speculation that Melchizedek was Jesus is not supported by this scripture…it is neither stated nor implied here. It would be reasonable to conclude that speculation that Jesus was actually Melchizedek is no more than 'a vested interest purporting to be revelation'...which is contrary to this and many other scriptures.

 

Heb 7:4-10

4 Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. 5 And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; 6 but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. 8 Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. 9 Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, 10 for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

 

Please note the following:- 

*consider how great this MAN was…..not a christopahny!

*Here (vs 8) …the context is …in this illustration ….and clearly Levites who were still receiving tithes from Israel (vs 5 and 9) The temple was not yet destroyed!

*mortal men receive tithes …clearly this speaks of Levite priests under the Law and not pastors today (ie context being set in vs 5 and repeated for clarity in vs 9 Levi, who receives tithes.

*but there….back in history when Abram gave his tithe (context is clearly referring to the encounter with Melchizedek and this is repeated in vs 6 received tithes from Abraham ...also in vs 9&10 Melchizedek remains the receiver. This is certainly NOT speaking about Jesus receiving tithes today as some like Kenneth Copeland claim)

*he whose genealogy is NOT derived from them ...  Melchizedek because Jesus's genealogy WAS derived from Abraham...he is his SEED

*he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives…..the context of this chapter is clearly referring to historic Melchizedek (vs 3 witnessing that Melchizedek 'having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually'.)

 

Any ‘revelation’ which claims that Jesus Christ is receiving our tithes ‘there’ in heaven as we give them to our local pastors ‘here’ on earth is beyond the teaching and text of this scripture by any recognized hermeneutics. …and is contrary to God’s Word

 

2 Cor 1:13

13 For we are not writing any other things to you than what you read or understand.    NKJV

2 Cor 11:3
3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity  that is in Christ. NKJV
 

 

Heb 7:15-17

15 And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest 16 who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. 17 For He testifies:

"You are a priest forever

According to the order of Melchizedek."  

 

Please note the following:- 

*another priest…not 'the same' re-incarnated (the Greek word 'eteros' precludes the possibility that He is the 'same as' Melchizedek)

*Jesus priesthood was not according to the Law

(We as gentiles are NOT under the Law ....John 1: 17, Luke 16:16, Acts 15:5, Eph 2:15, Col  2:14…plus Romans and Galatians)

*according to the order of……ie in the office of ….not the same person

 

Heb 7:20-22

And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath 21 (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him:

"The LORD has sworn

And will not relent,

'You are a priest forever

According to the order of Melchizedek'"),  

22 by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.

 

Please note the following:- 

*Jesus is our eternal high priest under an oath BY GOD

* the oath was given to David more than a thousand years after Abram met Melchizedek 

 

Heb 7:28

28 For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.

 

THIS OATH HAPPENED AFTER THE LAW…it therefore follows conclusively that Melchizedek could not have been JESUS because Melchizedek was before the Law....and Jesus ONLY became a priest AFTER the oath

 

The other key test which this doctrine FAILS is the absence of any scriptural witness!

 

Matt 18:16

16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.'     NKJV

 

The Bible teaches that Jesus is the only HIGH PRIEST (Heb)…& KING OF KINGS (Rev)

 

And today ALL believers are priests….and kings

 

1 Peter 2:4-5

Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

 

1 Peter 2:9-10

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

 

Rev 1:5-6

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings  and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

 

Rev 5:9-10

"You are worthy to take the scroll,

And to open its seals;

For You were slain,

And have redeemed us to God by Your blood

Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

10 And have made us kings  and priests to our God;

And we shall reign on the earth." 

 

No one group of people is authorized to be priests on behalf of others in the NEW Testament……to do their ministry…..or to collect tithes or take offerings from others….or to be a ‘covering’ for others before God over them. THIS IS JESUS ROLE AS HIGH PRIEST! (Heb 7:25)

 

1 Cor 11:3-4

3 But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. NKJV

 

Eph 5:23-24

23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.   NKJV

 

Note..Christ is the head of the church…NOT THE  “PASTOR”

 

The Clergy/Laity separation is OLD Covenant….every bit as much as offerings and tithes

 

Heb 8:11-12

11 None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. NKJV

 

1 John 2:26-27

27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. NKJV

 

But what about the following scripture?....which the critics like to use

 

John 8:56
56 Your father Abraham  rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." ....  NKJV

 

Note conclusively that Abram was the one who encountered Melchizedek in Genesis 14....NOT Abraham....his name was only changed in Genesis 17. Therefore this scripture does not in anyway support claims that Melchizedek was a 'Christophany' because it is NEVER recorded that Abraham ever encountered him!

 

So when then did this happen if it was not when he met Melchizedek?   

 

This scripture refers to the promise which Abraham the father of FAITH looked forward to.

Gen 22:8

8 And Abraham said, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering."    NKJV
 

When did Abraham see this day?

 

John 1:29

...John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold ! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!    NKJV
 

But you say....Wasn't Abraham dead?        (this is the question the Holy Spirit asked me)

 

Matt 22:30-33
31 But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying,  32'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living."    NKJV

John 11:25-26

25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"     NKJV
 

 

Brethren...Abraham as the 'father of the faith' is LIVING and was alive when Christ was announced on earth! (if you can hear it)

 

(Remember the key....the "New" is in the "Old" contained.....and the "Old" is in the "New" explained.

and....Always look for the revelation of Christ in the Old Testament illustrations....Luke 24:25-33)

 

And what about

 

Gal 3:8-9
8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham  beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed."   9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.     NKJV

 

Brethren....this has NOTHING to do with 'tithing' which is a 'work of the Law'......The gospel is ONLY about the fact that salvation is by FAITH and that God himself would provide the sacrifice! (Gen 22)....this is the Gospel!

 

 

THERE IS NO SCRIPTURAL SUPPORT IN THE PRIESTHOOD OF MELCHIZEDEK FOR ANY CHURCH or PASTOR TO RECEIVE or DEMAND ANY TYPE OF "TITHES"