Melchizedek (hard to spell!)

Hebrews 7:2

Then Abraham took a tenth of all he had won in the battle and gave it to Melchizedek. His name means "king of justice." He is also "king of peace" because Salem means "peace."

16 He [Jesus] became a priest, not by meeting the old requirement of belonging to the tribe of Levi, but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed. 17 And the psalmist pointed this out when he said of Christ, "You are a priest forever in the line of Melchizedek."

An interesting note is that in Hebrews Jesus is said to be a priest forever in the line of Melchizedek. Melchizadek was the king of "Salem" which scholars believe was later Jerusalem. His name means king of justice and the word salem means peace, so he is "king of justice and peace" - how cool is that! Jesus is king of justice and peace and is king of the "new Jerusalem." The whole discussion of Jesus being a priest and offering a sacrifice once and for all isn't as meaningful to me not ever having lived with the ritual of blood sacrifice. I understand it, I just live in a time when that was never a part of my experience (hallelujah), so there is a part of me that cannot relate as fully as those people could to what that really meant. I imagine it was quite a change in thinking and behavior for them!! This is a really important point in Hebrews, much is said about why Jesus fulfills the requirement of the law regarding sacrifice and that He is the one and only High Priest that became a priest "by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed".

I look forward to what others are discovering as they read and study this great book of the Bible!

Gina