Paper 93 Overview: Machiventa Melchizedek

Machiventa Melchizedek was an emergency Son who came to earth (Urantia) to keep the truth of one God alive. He appeared as a human about 2,000 years before Jesus was born and lived for 94 years near what later became Jerusalem. He taught that there was one God and that faith alone was needed to gain God's favor.

Melchizedek worked most closely with Abraham, who became his best student and helped spread his teachings about one God. After Melchizedek disappeared, his teachings were kept alive through Abraham's family line and eventually influenced Hebrew beliefs. Later, Melchizedek helped prepare the way for Jesus's later arrival on earth.

The Melchizedeks are known as emergency Sons who handle special problems across the universe. They can take on different forms, including human form, which is very unusual for their order. A group of twelve Melchizedeks has been very active on earth throughout history.

They served with the Life Carriers, helped after Caligastia rebelled, assisted when Adam and Eve failed in their mission, and continued to guide earth until Jesus arrived. Melchizedeks are problem-solvers who step in when something extraordinary needs to be done.

Around 3,000 B.C., the idea of God was becoming very unclear in people's minds on earth. The twelve Melchizedek receivers knew that Michael (Jesus) would eventually come to earth, but they didn't know when. They asked higher authorities for help but were told to handle the situation themselves.

Machiventa Melchizedek, one of the twelve receivers, volunteered to go to earth as a human being. This was very unusual and had only happened six times before in the history of the local universe. The authorities in Salvington gave permission, and Machiventa became a real human being near what would later become Salem in Palestine.

Machiventa appeared on earth 1,973 years before Jesus was born. He first met Amdon, a Chaldean shepherd, and told him, "I am Melchizedek, priest of El Elyon, the Most High, the one and only God." That night, Melchizedek began teaching about the true God who created the stars and earth.

Within a few years, Melchizedek gathered followers who formed the community of Salem. He looked like the local Nodite and Sumerian people, was about six feet tall, and wore a symbol of three circles on his chest. His body was specially made, similar to those used by Prince Caligastia's staff, and he received a Thought Adjuster just like humans do.

Melchizedek set up schools in Salem based on the old system of the Sethite priests. He taught that there was one universal God, whom he called El Elyon (the Most High). He remained quiet about Lucifer and the problems on Jerusem, and most of his students thought that Edentia was heaven and the Most High was God.

Melchizedek taught at different levels depending on what his students could understand. For most people, he taught basic truths about God, but to advanced students like Nordan the Kenite, he taught deeper truths about the universe. All of his teaching focused on the idea of one God, preparing people for Michael's (Jesus's) later appearance as the Son of God.

The Salem religion was very simple. Those who joined had to learn and agree to three basic beliefs: 1) belief in El Elyon as the Creator of all things, 2) acceptance of the covenant that God would favor those with faith, and 3) a promise to obey seven commandments and tell others about the covenant.

These seven commandments were: serve only the Most High Creator; believe that faith is the only requirement for salvation; don't lie; don't kill; don't steal; don't commit adultery; and respect your parents and elders. Melchizedek didn't allow animal sacrifices, but he did create a bread and wine ceremony as a substitute for those used to other practices.

Melchizedek chose Abraham to help keep alive the truth of one God. Palestine was selected as the place for Melchizedek's work partly because it was centrally located for trade and travel, and partly because of the potential of Abraham's family. Abraham's ancestors had the right qualities of intelligence, initiative, and sincerity.

Abraham's family had heard about Melchizedek from a teacher named Ovid and had planned to go to Salem. Abraham and his nephew Lot eventually made the journey after Abraham's father died. They built a stronghold near Salem for protection from raiders and Abraham became one of Melchizedek's best supporters, paying a tenth of everything he owned to the Salem treasury.

Abraham wanted to conquer all of Canaan, but Melchizedek wouldn't support this plan. Instead, Melchizedek persuaded Abraham to focus on spiritual matters rather than military conquest. He told Abraham, "Look now up to the heavens and number the stars if you are able; so numerous shall your seed be."

Melchizedek's covenant with Abraham was simple: God would do everything; humans only needed to believe God's promises and follow his instructions. This was different from older beliefs that salvation came through sacrifices and offerings. After Abraham's son Isaac was born, Abraham formally accepted this covenant and changed his name from Abram to Abraham.

For many years, Melchizedek continued teaching his students and training missionaries who traveled to surrounding areas like Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Asia Minor. As time passed, these teachers went farther away, carrying Melchizedek's message of belief and faith in God to distant lands.

Salem missionaries reached all parts of Europe, even the British Isles. Some went to Iceland, while others traveled through China to Japan. These brave men and women tried to spread enlightenment to the tribes of the Eastern world. Unfortunately, the task was enormous and the people were not ready, so the results were unclear and temporary.

After the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Melchizedek decided it was time to end his stay on earth. Several factors influenced his decision. People were starting to see him as a supernatural being and were worshiping him with superstitious fear, which was inappropriate.

Also, Melchizedek wanted to leave while Abraham was still alive so his teachings about one God would become firmly established in his followers' minds. One night, Melchizedek said goodnight to his friends in Salem, and when they looked for him the next morning, he was gone, taken away by his fellow Melchizedeks.

Abraham was very sad when Melchizedek suddenly disappeared. The great organization at Salem nearly fell apart, though some traditions survived and later influenced Moses. Abraham was so sad that he moved south to Gerar, and he became fearful after losing his spiritual mentor.

Over time, the memory of Melchizedek faded. Within 500 years, many people thought his story was just a myth. Later Hebrew priests edited their records to make Abraham seem more important than Melchizedek. Unfortunately, in doing so, they also lost sight of Melchizedek's teachings about the coming of Jesus, which is why many Jews couldn't recognize Jesus when he finally appeared.

After Machiventa left earth, he immediately returned to his original Melchizedek status. His departure was as sudden as his arrival, with no special ceremony or announcement. After getting approval from the proper authorities, he resumed his role as one of the planetary receivers.

Machiventa continued to be interested in Abraham's descendants and worked with prophets and seers over the next 19 centuries to keep the truths of Salem alive. After Michael's (Jesus's) triumph on earth, Machiventa was made a director on Jerusem and later became the personal ambassador of Jesus, with the title Vicegerent Planetary Prince of Urantia. He may remain in this role as long as earth is inhabited.