Why is intercession by a priest necessary?

Up to Genesis 14:18, there’s no mention of priests in Scripture. But then, out of the blue, appears Melchizedek, “priest of God Most High.” But why, when God hadn’t sent a priest to Abram up to this point? 

Abram knew Melchizedek, though, and deeply respected him too, because he “gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything” he’d brought back from his battle to rescue his nephew Lot (20).

But why such a large gift to Melchizedek? Because, as Melchizedek himself explained in verse 20, it was “God Most High who’d delivered Abram’s enemies into his hand.” Melchizedek, therefore, was on the scene as God’s representative, speaking on behalf of God in passing on God’s blessing to Abram himself (19), and then, in blessing God, relaying thanks to God for giving Abram such a resounding victory (20).

But why was it necessary to do all this through a priest? There’s a clue in why God gave us a Melchizedek priest too. The Message translation of Hebrews 6:18-20 phrases it this way: “We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us, in the order of Melchizedek.”

These verses tell us why we need a Melchizedek priest. He’s there in the very presence of God on our behalf, as the one designated by God to keep our lifeline to him secure so we never give up, or give in, when things happening to us in this world are overwhelming. He lives to anchor our hope in God and his promises (19).

Which is what Melchizedek did for Abram. God had made amazing promises to Abram in Genesis 12:2-3 that Abram had placed his hope in too. Then troubles hit in chapters 12 to 14 — famine, nearly losing his wife to a Pharaoh, quarrels in the family, and then a violent invasion. But that’s when the human priest of God’s choosing turns up – first of all, to meet the exhausted Abram’s physical need, and then to anchor his mind on God (14:19-20). The timing was exquisite, because it gave Abram the courage to fend off a major temptation coming up in verses 21 to 24. But this is “What God has priests for”….(next blog)