¹⁵This change has been made very clear since a different priest, who is like Melchizedek, has appeared. ¹⁶Jesus became a priest, not by meeting the physical requirement of belonging to the tribe of Levi, but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed. ¹⁷And the psalmist pointed this out when he prophesied,

“You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek” ^{(Ps. 110:4)} (Hebrews 7:15-17 NLT).

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Mystery! What thoughts does this word invoke in you? Maybe Area 51, the Bermuda Triangle, or Stonehenge. Life, love, and relationships are full of mystery, too. It can be defined as an event or phenomenon that cannot be fully understood or has not yet been explained. It describes things that remain obscure, hidden, or beyond human reason. Studying Hebrews, specifically the words Melchizedek and priest, has revealed to me one of the greatest mysteries in the Bible.  

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In the New Living Translation, the first heading in Hebrews 7 reads “Melchizedek is Greater than Abraham.” Who? Melchizedek? Abram, who is later named Abraham by God, is familiar to most people. God made an eternal covenant with Abram that his ancestors would outnumber the stars in the sky, and his descendants are the subject of most of the Old Testament. So, it is a mystery as to how Melchizedek can be greater than Abraham!  

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The first reference to Melchizedek is in Genesis 14:14-20, where he is identified as “the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High.” Abram and Melchizedek meet in an area named the King’s Valley right after Abram, with only 318 men, defeated four kings to rescue his nephew, Lot. Melchizedek brought Abram bread and wine to bless him by reaffirming God’s covenant and God’s sovereignty in the defeat of many armies with only a few men. This bread and wine offered to Abram is the first of its kind recorded in the Bible.  Abram recognizes Melchizedek’s authority and priesthood by giving him a tenth of the goods recovered while rescuing Lot. This tithe given to a mysterious man is the first record of tithing in the Bible. This first reference of Melchizedek is full of mystery!

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The next reference to Melchizedek is in Psalm 110:4, which is quoted in today’s Scripture. Psalm 110, written by David almost 1,000 years after the Genesis reference to Melchizedek, is one of the most quoted Psalms, and this mysterious man appears again! The first line of this Psalm reads, “The LORD said to my Lord.” The second Lord refers to Jesus, and the remainder of the Psalm describes Jesus. So why is Melchizedek mentioned in a Psalm about Jesus? Because Jesus is connected to Melchizedek through his priesthood, which is different from the Levitical priesthood. Melchizedek is identified as the King of Salem, an earlier name for Jerusalem, and as a priest approximately 900 years before the establishment of the Levitical priesthood in Exodus 28:1. The priesthood of Melchizedek is still a mystery to Bible scholars.

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The last reference to Melchizedek occurs in Hebrews, which was written 1,000 years after the Psalm reference. In today’s Scripture, Jesus is the different priest, who is like Melchizedek. How can Jesus, God’s Son, be like Melchizedek? Because this position in the priesthood of Melchizedek only applies to Jesus! Jesus changes the priesthood forever. Jesus’ death and resurrection are the one-for-all sacrifice for our sins. Jesus is the best king, the best priest, the best sacrifice.  

There are many mysteries surrounding Melchizedek, but love is full of even more mystery! The love that God has for His people is a mystery that I cannot fully understand. The way He weaves all the details in the Bible together to reveal that love and eternity has yet to be fully revealed. It is not a mystery that God can restore lives and relationships even if we do not understand how, but we can feel His unconditional, unfathomable love for us as the mysteries in our lives unfold. Take a moment to thank God for the mystery of His unimaginable love that embraces you.