

Who was the very first priest mentioned in the Bible? The answer might surprise you. It wasn't Aaron or anyone from the tribe of Levi. The first time the word “priest” appears in Scripture is in Genesis 14, and it’s used to describe a mysterious man named Melchizedek, who was not only a “priest of God Most High,” but also the “king of Salem” (Gen. 14:18).
From the opening pages of the Bible, God creates a "mental shelf space" for an idea that seems strange to us: the roles of priest and king combined in one person. This ancient figure provides the blueprint for a better priesthood, one that the Old Testament would consistently point towards. This trail of clues leads to a dramatic face-off, where a silent Priest-King stands before a law-breaking high priest, and everything changes.