Melchizedek, di Priest-King

One man wey don tire dey come back from war. Two kings come out to meet am. One bring bread and wine, and blessing. Di other one bring offer. Which one Abram go listen to?

No long before, war don pass through di land. Four kings from di east attack di cities for di Jordan plain, plus Sodom, and dem carry people and property go. Among di people wey dem capture na Abram brother pikin Lot, wey dey live for Sodom. When Abram hear, e gather three hundred and eighteen trained men from im own household, e pursue di attackers go far for di north, and e bring everything back: di property, di women and di other people, and Lot too. Now e dey on im way back home.

For di Valley of Shaveh, wey dem also dey call di King Valley, di king of Sodom come out to meet am. But before we hear wetin e talk, another king come forward. Im name na Melchizedek, king of Salem. E bring out bread and wine, food for men wey don tire and dey hungry. And Genesis tell us something wey surprise. E be priest of God Most High. Here, for di middle of Canaan, outside Abram family, one king dey wey know di true God and dey serve am.

Melchizedek bless Abram. Make God Most High, wey make heaven and earth, bless Abram. And blessed be God Most High, wey put your enemies inside your hand. Notice wetin dat blessing do. Abram just win one big victory against four kings. Melchizedek remind everybody, Abram inside, who really win am. And Abram answer by giving Melchizedek one tenth of everything.

Then di king of Sodom talk. Give me di people, and keep di property for yourself. E sound like say e get good heart. Abram fit waka comot as very rich man. But Abram answer am, I don raise my hand to di Lord, God Most High, wey make heaven and earth, and I don make serious promise. I no go collect anything wey be your own, not even one thread or di rope of one sandal, so dat you no go ever fit talk say, Na me make Abram rich.

Abram make only two exceptions. Im young men fit keep wetin dem don already chop. And di men wey fight beside am, Aner, Eshcol and Mamre, fit take dia share. But for imself, e no want anything from di king of Sodom. Think about di two kings. One bless God and dey give freely. Di other one dey rule one city wey people don already know for wickedness, and e dey offer deal. Abram just use di very words of Melchizedek blessing, God Most High, wey make heaven and earth. E want make e clear to everybody say anything wey e get, na from God e come.

Melchizedek show for only few verses for Genesis, and then e no dey again. But people no forget am. Psalm one hundred and ten talk about one king wey be priest forever, according to di order of Melchizedek. And di letter to di Hebrews for di New Testament use one whole chapter talk about am, e explain say im name mean king of righteousness, and say Salem mean peace. Hebrews see for am one picture of Jesus as priest and king. As for Salem itself, Psalm seventy-six put Salem side by side with Zion, and most teachers, old and new, talk say na Jerusalem, even though no be everybody agree.

Melchizedek, di priest-king of Salem. You go find dis story for Genesis chapter fourteen, verse seventeen to twenty-four. Abram give God priest with open hand, and e refuse gift wey for make am owe di king of Sodom. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. When good tins happen to you, who you dey thank, and any offer dey wey you suppose say no to?