A Melchizedek Man

Reading:  Genesis 14:18-20; Joseph Smith Translation Genesis 14:25-40; Doctrine and Covenants 84:14, 107:1-4; LDS Old Testament Institute Manual commentary for Genesis 14:18.  (Institute Manual can be read here)

There are two ways to describe who someone is.  You can recognize all the facts like name, location, physical details, personality, etc. or you can discuss that person's character.  I don't know who the man Melchizedek was in detail, but as far character goes?  There was none better.

Melchizedek was a righteous man.  It is said that as a child he "feared God, and stopped the mouths of lions, and quenched the violence of fire."  He was faithful.  It was because of this faithfulness that he was ordained to be a high priest.  Not just any high priest, but a high priest after the order of the Son of God.  (I had to read a little about what this meant, and why it was special.)

The thing that was special about his ordination to this was that it was not given by man, or any other, but by God himself, by His own voice.  It was part of a promise that God made to Enoch.  God had sworn unto Enoch and his seed that every one being ordained after this order and calling should "have power, by faith, to break mountains, to divide the seas, to dry up waters, to turn them out of their course; to put at defiance the armies of nations, to divide the earth, to break every band, to stand in the presence of God; to do all things according to his will, according to his command, subdue principalities and powers." (JST)  What an amazing power!

He lived in a place (Salem) where the people were wicked.  They "waxed strong in iniquity and abomination," as stated by Alma the Prophet. But Melchizedek, in his faithfulness, preached repentance unto his people. They did repent, and he established peace in the land and became their king.  He was referred to as the prince of peace by them.  Having read about what power his ordination gave him, it does not seem out of line to think that he would have a spirit about him that would enable him to bring that many souls to repentance.

In our church, we have a Priesthood that has taken the name of Melchizedek.  Learning more about him, and the kind of person he was, brings so much more meaning to that Priesthood and responsibility.  I wrote last week about making a name for ourselves vs. taking a name on ourselves. When these men are ordained with the Melchizedek Priesthood, that is taking on a pretty significant name. 

I think about what kind of man it would take to be a man like Melchizedek was in the character sense, and I wonder if it would affect or influence who he was in the more factual sense?  I wonder if people who did not know who he was at the time, would be able to tell a difference in him if they met him on the street?  I wonder if I met a man of that caliber today, would I recognize it?  I can't begin to imagine what this world would be like if all men were like Melchizedek.  It would be a far better place for sure.