Tonight's guest Glenn Kimball will be discussing Melchizedek, whom he says was the first recorded person to be given the promise that he would have power over his death and not die (Hebrews 5: 4-10). Described as the King of Salem in the Bible, he was pictured giving Abraham bread and wine, in the famous painting by Rubens.
According to various sources, the name Melchizedek has represented different angelic identities over time. For instance, in the ancient Pseudo-Tertullian text, he was referred to as a "celestial virtue of great grace who does for heavenly angels...what Christ does for man." In the Dead Sea Scrolls, Melchizedek was said to act as God's agent, implementing the destruction of the angel Belial and his wicked brethren. And yet in another persona, informs the Dictionary of Angels, he was "the supernatural offspring of Noah's brother Nir...who becomes after the Flood, a great high-priest."