There is no scripture that specifically identifies Melchizedek. However, in Psalm 110:4 (NIV)God speaks to His Son saying, "Thou art a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek." Again in Hebrews 7:1-3, Paul teaches that Melchizedek pictures Jesus, “For this Melchizedek…by translation of his name, ‘King of righteousness,’ and then he is also king of ‘Salem,’ that is, king of ‘Peace.’ He is without father or mother or genealogy, and has neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest for ever.” This means that Melchizedek is a title – not a name, and that we are specifically kept unaware of both his parents and his children.
This lack of knowledge is by God’s direction and the lesson for us is that what Melchizedek, or the “King of Righteousness” does is where we should focus our attention. When our Lord Jesus Christ takes up his great authority as both King and Priest he will indeed be the king of “Peace” of the order of Melchizedek.
Respecting the historical figure, we read in Genesis 14:18-20, “Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, ‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.’ Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.” From this we learn that Melchizedek was Abraham's superior, deserving of his tithes.
Many Biblical scholars also speculate that Melchizedek may have been the builder of the Great Pyramid of Giza. As leader of the peaceful Hyksos kings, he was in the area during the time period when the pyramid was built. However this thought, like nearly everything surrounding this remarkable man, is something we can not now know with certainty.
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