Genesis 14:

18) Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19) and he blessed Abram, saying,

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.

20) And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Hebrews 7

1) This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, 2) and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” 3) Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.

4) Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! 5) Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham. 6) This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7) And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8) In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. 9) One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, 10) because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.

Jesus Like Melchizedek

11) If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? 12) For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. 13) He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. 14) For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. 15) And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16) one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. 17) For it is declared:

“You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”[a]

18) The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless 19) (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

20) And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, 21) but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:

“The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever.’”[b]

22) Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.

23) Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24) but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25) Therefore, he is able to save completely[c] those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

26) Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27) Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28) For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

Abraham saw Melchizedek and time stood still. He had not even opened his mouth to speak when Melchizedek began to bless him. Melchizedek did not demand to be hosted and treated specially in any way. He was the one who brought out the bread and the wine that he and Abraham used to have communion. This means he was the Priest who offered Abraham the divine substance of sustenance. In return, Abraham gave him a tithe of everything! Abraham did not give tithes according to any law, he gave Melchizedek the best of his gains because he had received much more than that from Melchizedek in terms of supernatural presence and blessings. He acknowledged grace.

Many Christians argue over tithes as a means of obtaining blessings in the church today and they are very right to question it. They are right because the motive behind giving tithes in churches is no longer right. People give tithe because they are afraid of canker worms and palmer worms and locusts and curses and being called robbers etc.

If that is why you give a tithe, you are wasting your money. Imagine that you spent ten minutes in the same room with Elon musk or jeff Bezos or Aliko Dangote or Femi Otedola or any of their kind. In that ten minutes the man broke bread with you and gave you tips that would earn you billions. When it was time for you to leave, you then took out all the money you had in your pocket and gave the man one-tenth of it. Can you say then that the man took your hard-earned money while he sat in one place and called himself “Pastor”?

The answer will be no. Did you notice that from the moment Abraham met Melchizedek, he never experienced Famine again?

Melchizedek gave him the secret to corn and wine through this communion he shared with Abraham

Abraham passed this secret to Isaac and Isaac later gave this secret to Jacob when he blessed him “May God give you heaven’s dew and earth’s richness— an abundance of grain and new wine.” Genesis 27:28

This was why Isaac sowed in the land and reaped in hundredfold and why Jacob consistently multiplied Laban’s herd. Joseph also took this blessing to Egypt and saved the whole world from Famine with it. That communion Melchizedek shared with Abraham changed his life and the destiny of generations forever!

A father’s wise words and guidance are worth much more than a son’s financial gift to that father. There are fathers who lacked wisdom and the ability to guide, Melchizedek was not one of such fathers.

Tithing is based on relationships, not law, if you gave, you are blessed. If you didn’t give you are blessed.

If you have received much, you will give much with joy. If you have received nothing, you will grumble and complain and feel you are being forced to give. Abraham didn’t grumble to give to Melchizedek

In the days of Malachi, the people didn’t give up because they didn’t have a man or woman who played the role of Melchizedek in their lives. Where there is no relationship, every action is subject to compulsion.

One should never assume he or she is too intelligent, anointed, rich or blessed to acknowledge grace in the life of others who have been walking with God and in grace for many years. We learn many things from them and our lives are blessed by their experiences which they share with us to make our journeys smoother in life. This strategy will earn you shortcuts into great places without sweat in your life and help you overcome certain recurring issues that you have struggled with

–GSW–