Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. Genesis 14:18-20

Melchizedek, king of Salem, was from the land that will later be called Jerusalem. He appeared out of no where, blessed Abraham and showed a tremendous faith in God. Either God worked on the hearts of other people outside the line of Abram or Melchizedek has a different identity.

Some say Melchizedek was Christ. This is not unusual since God spoke directly to Abraham (Genesis 12 & 15) and Abraham entertained celestial visitors (Genesis 18 and the three visitors at the Oaks of Mamre).

Hebrews 7 compares Melchizedek and Christ.

• His name means “king of righteousness”
• A man without genealogy (he comes out of nowhere)
• Abram gave the tithe to him, a sacrifice
• He has an eternal quality, as stated in Psalm 110:4 – “You are a priest forever, by the order of Melchizedek.”

While the writer of Hebrews does not say Melchizedek was Jesus Christ and appeared to Abram, he certainly draws parallels between the two, saying Jesus appeared in the form of a man to greet the man whose faith would lead many to Himself.