Who Was Melchizedek?

Even as a child, Melchizedek feared God.  He was a faithful and righteous man.  Melchizedek was the king of Salem, whose people were very wicked.  He preached repentance to his people and brought them to righteousness which resulted in peace.  Hence, he was called the King or Prince of Peace.

Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek whom he received the priesthood through.  Melchizedek received the priesthood through the lineage of his father, a direct line to Noah.

The Melchizedek priesthood, the greater priesthood, is named after Melchizedek because he was such a great high priest.  Previously it was called "the Holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God."  It was changed to Melchizedek Priesthood to avoid frequent repetition of the name of God out of respect and reverence.

Jewish tradition suggests that Melchizedek is actually Shem, the son of Noah.  We know that the priesthood descended through Shem to all the great patriarchs after his father, Noah.  Shem was a great high priest and held the keys of the priesthood given to him by his father.  In the scriptures we can learn about Shem's birth and his ancestry, but not much is mentioned of his life. With Melchizedek we do not know of his birth or ancestry, but we do learn in the scriptures about his life and ministry.  If they were not the same person, could there have been two high priest at the time?  Shem's inheritance included the land of Salem.  Melchizedek was the king of Salem.  We cannot be certain if Shem and Melchizedek were the same person.

I am impressed with Melchizedek.  He was the king of a land that was ripe with iniquity.  Yet, he desired for his people to be as the city of Enoch.  He called them to repentance, which we know from other scripture accounts, is usually not successful.  But Melchizedek was successful.  His people went from wicked to righteous.  There was peace in the land.