Melchizedek

by Adam Becker
(Alpharetta, Ga)

I agree that Melchizedek was either Shem or Eber. Both were in the line of the priesthood and their lives overlap Abram's. Many names at the time are actually titles. Names could change during an individual's life.

If you go into the non-canonical work of Jasher, Abram lived his early life with Noah, Shem and Eber while learning about Yah. When Abram comes to the land of Canaan, the first place he comes to is Bethel, where he offers sacrifice to Yah.

Many works translate Bethel to mean 'house of God' but this is in fact wrong. "El" when looked at in the paleo-hebrew, means 'strength, authority', ie 'mighty'. When used alone as a title it is 'The Mighty ONE'. It CAN BE a reference to Yah BUT it is really based on the speaker and the context.

Anyone of 'mighty authority' could be considered 'El'. I, personally, believe that Noah settled in this area with Shem and Eber. I believe Abram journeyed to visit Noah at 'Bethel' or 'house of Noah'.

He found that Noah had died by that time. Either Shem or Eber was, at that time, king of the nearby city of Salem, which was across a small valley from the city Jeru, which later merge together into a single city Jerusalem.

The priestly line passed from Noah -> Shem -> Eber -> Abraham, then on down to the line of Levi. The significance of Melchizedek is that he was a king and a priest. This is why Yeshua is of the order of Melchizedek.

He is high priest now, and will be crowned King after the wedding feast of the Lamb, and rule as a king during the Millennial reign.