Hebrews 7:1-10

Melchizedek’s name means “king of righteousness.” He was the King of Peace, because the name of the city he ruled as king was Salem, which means “peace.” And he was also a priest of the Most High God. Now when Abraham was returning from defeating many kings in battle, Melchizedek went out to meet him and blessed him. Then Abraham took a tenth of everything he had won in battle and gave it to Melchizedek. This Melchizedek has no father or mother, and no record of any of his ancestors. He was never born and he never died, but his life is like a picture of the Son of God, a King-Priest forever! Now let me show you proof of how great this Melchizedek is: – Even though Abraham was the most honored and favored patriarch of all God’s chosen ones, he gave a tithe of the spoils of battle to Melchizedek. It would be understandable if Melchizedek had been a Jewish priest, for later on God’s people were required by law to support their priests financially, because the priests were their relatives and Abraham’s descendants. But Melchizedek was not Abraham’s Jewish relative, and yet Abraham still paid him a tithe. – Melchizedek imparted a blessing on mighty Abraham, who had received the promises of God. And no one could deny the fact that the one who has the power to impart a blessing is superior to the one who receives it. – Although the Jewish priests received tithes, they all died—they were mortal. But Melchizedek lives on! – It could even be said that Levi, the ancestor of every Jewish priest who received tithes, actually paid tithes to Melchizedek through Abraham. For although Levi was yet unborn, the seed from which Levi came was present in Abraham when he paid his tithe to Melchizedek.