The order of arrangement in the revelation of the truths in the Bible is always marvelous. In the biblical types, after the ark and the good land, which typify the salvation of Christ and His riches, there is Melchisedec, who typifies Christ as God’s High Priest. While Abraham and his household were dwelling in the good land and were enjoying all the riches therein, suddenly they were attacked and disturbed by Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him. After Abraham defeated Chedorlaomer and the other kings, Melchisedec, the priest of the Most High God, went forth with bread and wine to meet, comfort, and bless Abraham. This is a type of Christ as God’s High Priest comforting and blessing those who are His elect and who enjoy the riches of Christ and fight for God.
Concerning Melchisedec, Hebrews 7:3 says, “Being without father, without mother, without genealogy; having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but likened to the Son of God.” For all the important persons in Genesis there is a genealogy, but not for Melchisedec. In the divine writing the Holy Spirit sovereignly gives no account of the beginning of Melchisedec’s days nor of the end of his life, that he might be a proper type of Christ as the One who is without beginning and without ending, the eternal One. This corresponds with the presentation in chapter one of the Gospel of John, which declares that the Son of God is eternal, having neither beginning nor end and being without genealogy.
The name Melchisedec first is interpreted “king of righteousness,” and then also “king of Salem,” which is “king of peace” (Heb. 7:2). Melchisedec typifies Christ as the King of righteousness who made all things right with God and made all things right with one another. Righteousness issues in peace (Isa. 32:17). As the King of peace (cf. 9:6), Christ, through righteousness, brings in peace between God and us.
Melchisedec was the priest of the Most High God (Gen. 14:18; Heb. 7:1). This is a type of Christ as God’s High Priest of the eternal order. Hebrews 6:20 says that Christ has “become forever a High Priest according to the order of Melchisedec.” According to the Bible, there are two orders of the priesthood, one being the order of Aaron and the other, the order of Melchisedec. The order of Melchisedec came before the order of Aaron and is higher than the order of Aaron. The order of Aaron was for the priesthood that was only in humanity, whereas the order of Melchisedec is for the priesthood that is in both humanity and divinity. Aaron was established in honor to be the high priest only for his lifetime, for he was prevented by death from continuing. But as the Son of God, Christ was ordained in glory to be our High Priest forever (Heb. 5:4-6). With Him there is no preventing by death (7:23). He is forever our High Priest (v. 17), appearing before God on our behalf (9:24) and praying for us that we may be saved and brought fully into God’s eternal purpose (7:25).
Hebrews 7:16 says, “[Christ] has been appointed not according to the law of a fleshy commandment but according to the power of an indestructible life.” Christ was appointed a High Priest not according to the powerless letters of law but according to the powerful element of an indestructible life, which nothing can destroy or dissolve. This life is endless, being the eternal, divine, uncreated life, and the resurrection life, which passed through the test of death and Hades (Acts 2:24; Rev. 1:18). It is by such a life that Christ ministers today as our High Priest. Hence, He is able to save us to the uttermost (Heb. 7:25).