My Opinion

By CM Strawn 2/3/21

         Abram received the written record from Melchizedek. These records are an account of God, Yahweh, from the creation of Adam until the present. This record has been passed down from father to son: Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Methuselah, Noah, and Seth are the antediluvian chosen line. (Enoch is skipped because God took him, and Jared was still alive. Lamech is skipped because Methuselah was still alive, so the line went to Noah.)

         It is believed by some scholars that Melchizedek, in Genesis 14:18, is Seth, son of Noah. Kimberly Rogers-Brown in a persuasive article establishes the Melchizedek lineage from Adam through Abraham and ultimately to Yeshua, Jesus Christ, the priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Margaret Hunter on the Amazing Bible Timeline website gives brief arguments for and against Shem and Melchizedek as the same person. The writer of the article about Melchizedek at the Verse by Verse Ministry traces the Melchizedek line from Adam through Jesus Christ, Yeshua. In the above references, Shem, the son of Noah, is passing on the priesthood of Melchizedek to Abram who is the next recipient of this elite priesthood.

         The records produced by Adam and continued by Shem would now be Abraham’s responsibility to protect, update, and pass on to the next Melchizedek, which would be Jacob/Israel. Israel would then confer the priesthood of Melchizedek to Joseph.

         Joseph may have secured the records in the Egyptian library where he updated them. While the Hebrews were in Egypt, the records may have remained until the time of Moses.

         Moses was raised as Egyptian royalty in line to inherit the throne of Egypt. During his forty years in the Egyptian court, Moses knew that he was Hebrew. To learn more about his people’s history, who were enslaved in Egypt, he could have accessed the Hebrew records in the Egyptian library.

         When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, he almost certainly took the Hebrew records with him. During the 40 years in the desert would have been the most probable time that he compiled and updated the records for the next Melchizedek.

         From the time that Joshua took the Israelis into Canaan via Jericho until the time of king Solomon, the records may have been kept with the priesthood and the Tabernacle. The records were likely kept with the Book of the Law and added to by whoever was Melchizedek at the time. The records may have been kept by the Aaronic High Priest. It is also likely that the scribes kept meticulous records of lineage and would know who the Melchizedek was and where the records were.

         The prophets of God were probably keenly aware of where the records were and may have themselves had the records to keep them safe. It may be that the prophets kept the records current. This would have carried through the kings and the temple and through the captivity.

         Upon returning from the captivity, the records may have remained with the prophets until the birth of Jesus Christ, Yeshua.

         This Melchizedek priesthood would have passed along from father to son until it was bestowed upon Joseph, husband of Mary, mother of Jesus. The lineage of Mary is established in Matthew 1 from Abraham. In Luke 3:23-37 the lineage of Joseph is established from Adam. Jesus, Yeshua is the rightful heir of the Melchizedek priesthood from both his mother Mary and his stepfather Joseph.

         The Melchizedek priesthood is passed to the son upon the death of the father. Yeshua resurrected to eternal life after his death, so He retains the office of Melchizedek priest forever, because He lives forever.

         The records would have passed into cannon by now. This is where the Torah and the Talmud come from. This is the Jewish scriptures, or the Old Testament.

         In around 300CE, the Christian scriptures underwent a major overhaul at the Nicene Council. There were books that were removed from the cannon of scripture by consensus. Despite the academic gymnastics going on, Jehovah, Adonai will preserve His Word.

         The last Melchizedek is Jesus Christ, Yeshua, who is the Word. His Spirit lives within believers. Yeshua speaks to individual believers through His Holy Spirit. Therefore, His Word is written upon our hearts. Jew and Gentile believers are walking records of God’s extraordinary grace toward fallen man. He will redeem whoever trusts in the name of Jesus Christ, Yeshua.