Melchizedek: The Mystery Man

Melchizedek  was  a  man of mystery from the Hebrew 
Bible (Old Testament) in  which  he  made  only  one (1) physical appearance and a handful of honorable mentions throughout the entire Christian Bible. There is  no  mention  of  the  name  Melchizedek in the Qur'an or ancient Islamic literature, although some scholars such as, Abdullah Yusuf Ali, suggest a link between Melchizedek and Khidr (a revered figure in Islam, whom the Qur'an describes as a righteous servant of Allah). Buddhism rejects the idealism of Melchizedek because such a theory presents a nonritualistic concept  that does not parallel  the dogma, traditions, and teachings of the Brahman priesthood. With the passing of the centuries in India, the populace of the Hindu [religion]  returned in measure to the ancient rituals of the Vedas as they had been modified by the teachings of the Melchizedek missionaries (aka: Salem missionairies, who preached the one God of Melchizedek, the Most High of heaven) and crystallized by the later Brahman priesthood.

The Short Story of Melchizedek:

According to the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) and the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, Melchizedek made a brief appearance to Abram (Abraham) after his victory at the Battle of the Vale of Siddim in which Abram rescued his nephew, Lot, and his family, from the abduction during the rebellion of the Jordan River cities against Elam during the early to mid-Bronze Age  era. Melchizedek is listed as being the King of Salem (later to become Jerusalem), in the land of Mesopotamia, who annoints and blesses Abram:

Genesis 14:16-23:

¹⁶ And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people. ¹⁷ And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale. ¹⁸ And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. ¹⁹ And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: ²⁰ And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. ²¹ And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. ²² And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, ²³ That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:" 

Interpretations of Who Melchizedek Was:

Although Melchizedek is the first person in the Torah  to be titled a Kohen (priest), the Midrash records that he was preceded in priesthood by Adam (the first historical man). The Rabbis taught that Melchizedek acted as a priest and handed down Adam's robes to Abram. (Numbers Rabbah 4:8) The Rabbinic commentaries to the Torah explain that Melchizedek was essentially Shem, son of Noah, who was given the priesthood by his father's blessing. The Babylonian Talmud, presents the name Melchizedek (מלכי־צדק) as a nickname title for Shem.

According to 11Q13 of the Dead Sea Scrolls, Melchizedek is seen as a divine being and Hebrew titles as Elohim are applied to him. He will proclaim the "Day of Atonement" and he will atone for the people who are predestined to him. Melchizedek also will judge the nations.    

The Second Book of Enoch tells how Melchizedek was born of a virgin, Sofonim, the wife of Nir, a brother of Noah. The child came out from his mother after she had died already physically developed, clothed, speaking and blessing God, and marked with the badge of priesthood. Forty days later, he was taken by the archangel, Gabriel to the Garden of Eden and was thus preserved from the Great Flood without having to be in Noah's Ark.

The ancient historian, Josephus refers to Melchizedek as a "Canaanite chief" in War of the Jews, but as a priest in Antiquities of the Jews.

In Christianity, the only New Testament reference to Melchizedek appears in the Letter to the Hebrews in Chapters 5, 6 and 7 (composed by the Apostle Paul) which was most likely based on the passage found in the Book of Psalms (110:4), where King David describes the future Messiah as "a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek". Abram's transfer of goods (or tithes) to Melchizedek is seen to imply that he was superior to Abram. Melchizedek was the king of Salem, which means "peace", therefore making him the "King of Peace";  the Hebrew name of  Melchizedek itself means  "King of Righteousness".   In reference to the Holy Priest of Salem, Hebrew 7:3 states: "Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually". Jesus Christ assumed the role of High Priest after his resurrection. When Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene after he had been resurrected and commanded her to tell his Disciples, they did not believe her. When Jesus appeared to the 11 apostles, they did not recognize him [Jesus could have possibly had the appearence of the man who blessed and annointed Abram]. However, the Disciples soon learned this strange man standing before them, whom they did not recognize, was indeed their Lord and Savior. Not only by the authoritative words Jesus spoke as a commandment, but the miraculous ascension into Heaven the 11 men witnessed.   With these titles and similar descriptions all being associated with the person known as  Jesus of Nazareth, Christians proclaim that Mechizedek and Jesus are one in the same.   

Who Was Melchizedek?

 

Biblical scripture does not elaborate on the identity of Melchizedek, King of Salem; nor does the concealed reason for his brief presence of blessing Abram, which only extended two verses (Genesis 14:18-19), offer a proper explanation. Although a man of mystery, he was not forgotten when King David [of the B.C. era] wrote a Psalm in reference to him 900 years later (Psalms 110:4); and once more remembered when the Apostle Paul included several references to Melchizedek in the epistle to the Hebrews (5, 6, 7) in the 1st century A.D.  Few mysteries of the Hebrew and Christian Bibles have attracted more interest than the enigmatic identity of Melchizedek. 

"Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils" - Hebrews 7:4 

  

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Historically, fatherhood was born with our common ancestor, Adam [of Eden] who was the pre-Flood “father” of a great nation that endured for over 2,000 years. In the days of Moses, long after the Great Flood, when enumerating the households of the Hebrews (in the Book of Numbers) they [the people] were counted according to the 'house of their fathers'. 

Numbers 33:54 -

“And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance: every man's inheritance shall be in the place where his lot falleth; according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit.”

The 5th Commandment:

"And he [Moses] wrote on the tablets, according to the first writing [of God], the ten commandments, which the Lord spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the Lord gave them unto me. "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." - Exodus 20:12

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~   

The Jewish custom of honoring the "father" is based on the fifth of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:12 & Deuteronomy 5:16). The ancient Rabbinic writings of the Talmud (a collection of Jewish laws and traditions) stresses the importance of honoring parents; the sages wrote that when mankind honors his father (and mother), it is considered as though he is honoring God, who was a partner with our parents in our creation.  

"My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth." - Proverbs 3:11-12

"Everything that your father says to you, you are obliged to obey. But if he says to you: “Let us bow down to idols,” you must not obey him, lest you become an apostate." - Midrash, Yalkut Shimoni, Proverbs 960  

"I am the Lord your God, and both you and your parents are equally bound to honor Me, therefore, you must not hearken to them to disregard My word." - Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 143:15

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

In Christianity, one of the greatest "father" stories is about a priest [from the sons of Aaron] named Zecharias; husband of Elisabeth and the father of John the Baptist. Christians, as well as Muslims, believe him to be a prophet of great esteem.  The story is as follows from the New Testament:  

The Announcement of Receiving a Child: Luke 1:12-22 -

12) And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13) But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14) And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15) For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. 16) And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17) And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 18) And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. 19) And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 20) And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. 21) And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. 22) And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.

The Birth of John the Baptist: Luke 1:57-66 - 

57) When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58) Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy. 59) On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zecharias, 60) but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.” 61) They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.” 62) Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63) He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” 64) Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. 65) All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66) Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * 

Clearly outlined by Islam, “fatherhood” is one of various responsibilities, including being a guide in Life to lead and seek infinite happiness in the hereafter. As the Head of the family, the father ensures the family members are eluded from the fires of Hell and strives to have peace and prosperity in Life; free from concerns and anxiety that can damage the heart and mind.

“And Allah has made for you wives of your own kind, and has made for you, from your wives, sons and grandsons, and has bestowed on you good provision".
 - Quran 16:72

The Prophet Muhammad said: “The man is a guardian of his family, the woman is a guardian and is responsible for her husband’s house and his offspring; and so all of you are guardians and are responsible for your subjects." 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

While Buddhism teaches the importance of respecting one’s "father", the founder of this religion, Siddhārtha Gautama [Buddha], renounced his own father and family in search of enlightenment. What Buddha discovered on his journey of knowledge, besides the lesson of his ambivalent relationship with his own father and son, was the bonds between parents and children were fundamental to the social order of Life.

Buddha taught: “There are five ways in which a son should minister to his father and mother… he should think: having been supported by them, I will support them. I will perform their duties for them I will keep up the family tradition. I will be worthy of my heritage. After my parents deaths, I will distribute gifts on their behalf”

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Scriptural passages from Hindu texts, such as the Veda (composed between 1400 to 400 BC), glorify responsible family life as the backbone of society; the basic building block of Hindu society is the extended family, which usually consists of three or more generations living together. The "fathers" provide a pooled income, , as well as make the majority of important decisions based on their own Life experiences, which is used as a guidance tool for the younger members.

"God! Give us wisdom as a father gives to his sons. Guide us, O Much-invoked, in this path. May we live in light." - Veda 7.32.26   

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

The greatest "Father" of mankind is known by many names (such as: God & Yahweh) and is revered above all else. While the Muslims do not believe that Allah is the "Father", the other major religions do believe the Creator is "Father" to ALL.

Christianity: “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.” – Matthew 6:9

Judaism: “ Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.”

– 1 Chronicles 29:10

Buddhism: “I tell you, Shariputra, I, too, am like this, Being the Most Venerable among many saints, The Father of the World....I tell you, Shariputra,You men are all my children, and I am your Father. For age upon age, you have been scorched by multitudinous woes, and I have saved you all.” - Lotus Sutra 3

Hinduism: “The Great Principle, the Divine, is my womb; I cast the seed into it; there is the origin of all creatures.Whatever forms originate in any wombs the real womb is the Divine, the Great Principle. I am the Father that gives the seed.”

- Bhagavad Gita 14.4

Depending on the historical and cultural experience, there have been many variations in the roles of being a "father" [from educator to guardian]. In analyzing the various customs of fatherhood, one might be led to believe that respect for the father is a function of religious traditionalism and a great respect for the greatest "Father" of All mankind.

Israel's Third Temple

During the course of Jewish history there have been two (2) "Holy Temples" classified as supreme above all other Jewish holy sites (such as synagogues). Both supreme Temples were historically located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, which is the current site of the Islamic Holy Mosque, Dome of the Rock.  Historically, these Temples served and functioned as the center of ancient Israelite  and later Jewish worship. According to Jewish belief, the Temple is a figurative "footstool" of God's presence.

The first Holy Temple was known as Solomon's Temple and was the main temple in ancient Jerusalem and sat upon Mount Zion (later to become known as the Temple Mount). According to the Hebrew Bible, the holy site was constructed under the direction of King Solomon, king of the Israelites, around the 10th century BC (although secular date estimates vary). The first Temple was dedicated [to the God of Israel] during the era of the kingdom of Judah around 997 BC and housed the Ark of the Covenant, which carried the original Ten Commandments and Hebrew laws given to Moses on Mt. Sinai. The Temple endured for 410 years (per Rabbinic sources) and was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar II, after the Siege of Jerusalem in 587 BC. (according to Seder Olam Rabbah, he places construction in 832 BC and destruction in 422 BC and the Christian Bible places erection and destruction of the Temple at the years 957 BC and 586 BC, respectively).  Regardless of the correct date, the Temple was never rebuilt during the reign of the Babylonian Empire.

Depiction of  Solomon's Temple

The second Holy Temple was made possible after the accession of Cyrus the Great of Persia in 538 BC., who is also credited with re-establishing the city of Jerusalem. According to the Christian Bible, when the Jewish exiles [from the Babylonia captivity] returned to Jerusalem following a decree from Cyrus the Great (Ezra 1:1-4, 2 Chron 36:22-23), construction started at the original site of Solomon's Temple, which had remained a devastated heap during the approximately 70 years of captivity (Dan. 9:1-2). The second Temple was completed c/518-515 BC under the reign of King Darius of Persia (Ezra 5).

However, Flavius Josephus records that Herod the Great completely rebuilt the Temple, even going so far as to replace the foundation stones and to smooth off the surface of the Temple Mount. The Temple became known as Herod's Temple.  The Temple remained the Jewish center of worship and sacrifice for at least 585 years and was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD under the authority of Titus (who would later become Roman Emperor under the Flavian dynasty).  This period witnessed major historical upheavals and significant religious changes that would affect not only Judaism but Christianity and Islam as well. The origins of the authority of scripture, of the centrality of law and morality in religion, of the synagogue and of apocalyptic expectations for the future all developed during this era. Again controversy arises as to the date of the Temple's erection. Traditional rabbinic sources state that the Second Temple stood for 420 years and based on the 2nd-century AD work by Seder Olam Rabbah, place construction in 350 BC and destruction in 70 AD. While the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the Second Temple, the lower levels of the Western Wall form part of the few surviving remains of Herod's complex.

Depiction of Herod's Temple

A third Holy Temple, also known as Ezekiel's Temple, is architecturally described in the Book of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 40-42) as being a "dwelling place of the God of Israel on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem". This temple, which the prophet Ezekiel envisioned, has not yet been built. The prophets of antiquity, including Ezekiel, called for the temple's construction to be fulfilled prior to the Messianic age. The rebuilding of the Third Temple also plays a major role in some interpretations of Christian eschatology (mainly Protestants who believe a future temple will herald in the "End Times").

The Jewish religion is made up of three (3) divisions and they all have different views as to the reason for rebuilding: Orthodox Judaism believes in the rebuilding and the resumption of sacrificial worship, although there is disagreement about how rebuilding should take place. Orthodox scholars and rabbinic authorities generally believe that rebuilding should occur in the era of the Jewish Messiah at the hand of Divine Providence, although a minority position, following the opinion of Maimonides, holds that Jews should endeavour to rebuild the temple themselves, whenever possible. However, the followers of  Conservative and Reform Judaism, disavow the restoration of sacrificial worship.

While a few, such as Rabbi Shlomo Goren the chief rabbi of the IDF (and later chief rabbi of the State of Israel, who advocated the building of the Third Temple) have tried unsuccessfully to reclaim sovereignty over the Temple Mount, in January of 2005 a declaration was signed confirming the 1967 decision which stated no Jews were allowed on the mount due to issues of ritual impurity and holds that it is forbidden for Jews to enter any part of the Temple Mount.

Because of the religious sensitivities involved, and the politically volatile situation in East Jerusalem, only limited archaeological surveys of the Temple Mount have been conducted. Since no excavations have been allowed on the Temple Mount during modern times, there is no direct archaeological evidence for the existence of Solomon's Temple or Herod's Temple. But that has not stopped some from wanting to rebuild this sacred edifice.

Depiction of Ezekiel's Temple

From the ancient era until our modern times, the rebuilding of the third "Holy Temple" has been an ongoing challenge for completion amongst mankind.

Locating The Biblical City of Bethel

BETHEL was an ancient city once located between the territories of Benjamin and Ephraim and was originally the Canaanite city known as Luz . Bethel, meaning "House of God", was named by Jacob, (son of Isaac; grandson of Abraham) after fleeing from the wrath of his brother Esau. He falls asleep on a stone and dreams of a ladder stretching between Heaven and Earth and thronged with angels; God stands at the top of the ladder, and promises Jacob the land of Canaan; when Jacob awakes he anoints the stone (baetylus) with oil and names the place Bethel.

Bethel is mentioned several times in Genesis. It is first mentioned in Genesis 12, but the best-known instance is Genesis 28 [Jacob fleeing from Esau]. Another account, from Genesis 35 repeats the covenant with God and the naming of the place (as El-Bethel), and makes this the site of Jacob's own change of name to Israel. Both versions state that the original name of the place was Luz, a Canaanite name.

Where it's exact location is still remains a mystery, although there are many theories as to its locale.

Eusebius of Caesarea and Jerome describe it in their time as a small village that lay 12 Roman miles north of Jerusalem, to the right [or east] of the road leading to Neapolis.

Bethel escaped destruction during the Assyrian conquest of Israel (721 BC), but was occupied by King Josiah of Judah (c.640–609 BC), who, according to the book of Kings, destroyed the ancient Israelite cult centre because of their unholy practices of worshipping the "golden calf".

 

Edward Robinson (1794-1863) was a renouned biblical scholar of his time and identified the village of Beitin in Palestine with ancient Bethel in Biblical Researches in Palestine, 1838–52.   He based this assessment on its fitting the location described in earlier texts, and on the philological similarities between the modern and ancient name, arguing that the replacement of the Hebrew 'el' with the Arabic 'in' was not unusual. Beitin is located 10 miles north of Jerusalem. (Edward Robinson is pictured on the Right)

Ten years after the short-lived Six Day War of June, 1967, the biblical name of Bethel was applied to an Israeli settlement Beit El constructed adjacent to Beitin. Coincidently, a second biblical Bethel, in the southern portion of  Judah,  is  mentioned  in  the  Book of   Joshua  ( Joshua 8:17 and Joshua 12:16 ),  and  seems  to be the same as Bethul or Bethuel, a city  from the ancient  tribe of Simeon.                                                                                      

According to Robinson, Bethel was once again inhabited after its destruction in the BC era and fortified by Bacchides the Syrian in the time of the Maccabees. Josephus tells us that Bethel was captured by Vespasian. Robinson notes that after the writings of Eusebius and Jerome, he found no further references to Bethel in the written historical record. However, he notes that the ruins at Beitin are greater than those of a village and seem to have undergone expansion after the time of Jerome, noting also the presence of what appear to be ruins of churches from the Middle Ages.

The Ruins of Al-Burj in Beitin, Palestine

It is interesting to note that Bethel is also mentioned in the Book of Amos:

"But do not seek Bethel, nor enter Gilgal, nor pass over to Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, And Bethel shall come to nothing." Amos 5:5

However, in 2008, David Livingston, PhD refuted the actual location of ancient Bethel as well as Edward Robinson's findings. According to the Associates for Biblical Research Blog, Dr. Livingston is quoted as saying: 

"Most scholars today locate Old Testament Bethel at the Arab village of Beitin about 11 mi north of Jerusalem. An examination of the evidence, however, indicates that this identification in incorrect. It is important to correctly locate Bethel because Ai is located with relation to Bethel (Gn 12:8; Jos 7:2), and finding Ai has been a major focus of ABR’s research work.

How was Beitin originally identified as Bethel? Edward Robinson was the first to identify it in the 1830's. He equated the modern Arabic name of "Beitin" with "Bethel" (which is feasible, but not compelling). Actually, there was no village at the site in Robinson's day. Apparently, it was an area name rather than a village name. In fact, for over 1400 years the very name "Bethel" had been completely forgotten in the area."

*Ai was a twin city of ancient Bethel.

The modern village of Beitin, Palestine.

According to Livingston's conclusion, the biblical Bethel is located at El-Bireh (a modern day city situated on the central ridge running through the West Bank and is 860 meters (2,820 ft) above sea level, covering an area of 22.4 square kilometers (8.6 sq mi). Its name means “Water Well,” and is believed to be derived from the biblical "Beeroth".

 The modern city of El-Bireh, Palestine 

"Taking into consideration the topography of the area, its strategic placement in controlling the north-south roads, mileage measurements, and Roman milestone studies, Biblical Bethel should be found under modern El-Bireh. There does not seem to be any substantial reason to any longer equate Beitin with ancient Bethel." - David Livingston    

For more information about Livingston's theory please visit the following link:   http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2008/04/locating-biblical-bethel.aspx#Article