Paper 93 Overview: Machiventa Melchizedek

Machiventa Melchizedek's emergency incarnation on earth nearly 4,000 years ago represents one of the most remarkable interventions in human religious history. As revealed truth was fading from human consciousness around 2000 B.C., this extraordinary being materialized as a human to preserve the concept of one God and prepare the way for Michael's later bestowal as Jesus. Through his strategic work with Abraham and the establishment of the Salem colony, Melchizedek introduced the revolutionary concept that divine favor comes through faith rather than sacrifice.

Following his 94-year ministry and sudden departure, Melchizedek's influence continued through Abraham's lineage and eventually shaped Hebrew religious concepts. Though much of his original teaching became distorted over time, Melchizedek continued to work behind the scenes for nineteen centuries to prepare for Jesus's arrival. After Jesus's triumph on earth, Machiventa was elevated to special status as the Vicegerent Planetary Prince of Urantia, a position he may hold as long as our world remains inhabited.

The Melchizedek Sons are recognized throughout the universe as emergency administrators who respond to extraordinary situations with remarkable adaptability. They possess a unique capacity to function on diverse levels, including the ability to materialize in physical form—a trait shared only partially by the Life Carriers. Their versatility makes them invaluable problem-solvers in universe affairs.

A corps of twelve Melchizedeks has been particularly active on Urantia throughout its troubled history. They first served alongside the Life Carriers, then became planetary receivers after Caligastia's rebellion. They continued their oversight after Adam and Eve's default and maintained this guidance until Jesus of Nazareth assumed his role as Planetary Prince. Their enduring service demonstrates their critical role in stabilizing planets during crises.

Around 3000 B.C., the concept of God had become dangerously obscured in human understanding, threatening the continuity of divine truth on Urantia. The twelve Melchizedek receivers, aware that Michael's bestowal would eventually occur but uncertain of its timing, requested guidance from the Most Highs of Edentia. When instructed to handle the situation themselves, they found themselves in a challenging position requiring extraordinary measures.

Machiventa Melchizedek, one of these twelve receivers, volunteered for an emergency bestowal—a rare action that had occurred only six times previously in Nebadon's history. With permission from Salvington authorities, Machiventa materialized near what would become Salem, Palestine. This process involved the planetary receivers working with the Life Carriers and Master Physical Controllers to create a fully functional human-appearing being who could interact directly with the people of that time.

Machiventa Melchizedek appeared on earth 1,973 years before Jesus's birth, materializing without fanfare but with immediate purpose. His first human contact was with Amdon, a Chaldean shepherd of Sumerian descent, to whom he simply stated: "I am Melchizedek, priest of El Elyon, the Most High, the one and only God." That evening, he began his mission by pointing to the stars and declaring El Elyon as their creator and the supreme God of heaven.

Within a few years, Melchizedek established a following centered in Salem, which later became Jerusalem. Standing nearly six feet tall, he resembled the blended Nodite and Sumerian peoples of the region and wore the distinctive emblem of three concentric circles representing the Paradise Trinity. Though his physical body was specially constructed similar to those used by Prince Caligastia's materialized staff, it differed fundamentally from human bodies. Notably, he received a Thought Adjuster—the same divine presence that indwells human minds—which later served in Jesus's mind, making it the only Adjuster to function in two minds on Urantia.

Melchizedek organized educational institutions at Salem patterned after the ancient Sethite priesthood system, including the practice of tithing which Abraham later adopted. His core teaching focused on the concept of one universal Deity, whom he identified as El Elyon, the Most High, allowing his followers to associate this with the Constellation Father of Norlatiadek. He carefully limited discussion about Lucifer's rebellion and the status of affairs on Jerusem, adapting his message to the spiritual readiness of his audience.

Melchizedek employed a graduated teaching approach, offering basic truths to most followers while sharing advanced cosmological understandings with specially prepared students like Nordan the Kenite. The Katro family, with whom Melchizedek lived for over thirty years, preserved many higher teachings that eventually reached Moses. Despite this complexity of knowledge, Melchizedek consistently emphasized one primary concept: there is one God, a universal Creator and divine Father. He also prophesied that another Son of God would later come in the flesh, born of a woman—a prediction that created expectations later applied to Jesus.

The Salem religion was characterized by remarkable simplicity compared to the complex ritualistic practices of the time. Members committed to a straightforward creed consisting of just three beliefs: faith in El Elyon as Creator of all things, acceptance of the Melchizedek covenant based on faith rather than sacrifices, and a promise to share this good news with others. This elementary declaration was nevertheless revolutionary in a world firmly committed to ritual sacrifices and ceremonial appeasement of deities.

The seven commandments of Melchizedek's religion formed the ethical core of Salem teachings: worship only the Most High Creator; trust that faith alone brings salvation; refrain from bearing false witness, killing, stealing, and adultery; and respect parents and elders. Though Melchizedek prohibited sacrifices within Salem, he wisely created a substitute sacrament of bread and wine to help transition people from older practices. Despite this accommodation, many followers, including Abraham, continued to perform sacrifices outside the community—demonstrating how difficult it was to change deeply ingrained religious customs even with direct teaching from a divine messenger.

While it may be inappropriate to speak of "chosen people," Abraham was undoubtedly a chosen individual entrusted with preserving the truth of monotheism. Melchizedek's choice of Palestine for his mission was strategically calculated, considering both its central position relative to world trade and civilization, and the promising genetic potential found in certain families in the region. This location would also prove ideal for Michael's later appearance on earth.

The Melchizedek receivers had been observing Abraham's ancestors, particularly the family of Terah, for qualities that included intelligence, initiative, wisdom, and sincerity. Though Terah's family had learned of Melchizedek's teachings in Chaldea, their journey to Salem was delayed when they settled temporarily in Haran at the urging of Abraham's brother, Nahor. Eventually, following Terah's death, Melchizedek sent an invitation through his student Jaram the Hittite, prompting Abraham and his nephew Lot to travel to Salem. They established themselves near the city and began a remarkable relationship with Melchizedek that would fundamentally alter the course of religious history.

Abraham harbored ambitious plans to conquer all of Canaan, but Melchizedek persistently worked to redirect these military aspirations toward spiritual goals. During a pivotal conversation, Melchizedek persuaded Abraham to abandon his schemes for territorial conquest and embrace instead the spiritual concept of the kingdom of heaven. This redirection fundamentally transformed Abraham's mission from military leadership to spiritual stewardship.

The covenant Melchizedek established with Abraham represented a revolutionary departure from prevailing religious concepts. Looking up at the stars, Melchizedek promised Abraham descendants as numerous as the stars—a promise Abraham believed, and "it was counted to him for righteousness." This covenant established that God would do everything, while humans needed only to believe God's promises and follow his instructions. Such teaching about salvation through faith alone was radically advanced for its time and initially difficult for people to accept. After Isaac's birth, Abraham formally ratified this covenant, changing his name from Abram to Abraham and accepting circumcision as a symbol of his commitment.

Melchizedek continued instructing his students and training Salem missionaries who traveled extensively throughout the surrounding regions. These dedicated teachers carried the message of belief and faith in one God to Egypt, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, and eventually to the farthest corners of the known world. Their efforts represent an extraordinary chapter of religious devotion and missionary zeal.

The missionaries traveled remarkable distances, reaching throughout Europe and Asia. Some journeyed to the British Isles, the Faroe Islands, and even to the Andonites of Iceland. Others traversed China and reached the Japanese islands. Despite their heroic efforts and occasional successes, the enormity of their task and the primitive nature of tribal beliefs meant that Melchizedek's original teachings were often diluted or absorbed into local superstitions. Except in Palestine, the concept of one God struggled to maintain lasting influence against the powerful currents of polytheistic belief and nature worship that dominated ancient cultures.

Shortly after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Machiventa concluded that his emergency bestowal should end. Several factors influenced this decision, including a growing tendency among his followers to view him as a supernatural being deserving worship. This mistaken reverence, along with increasing superstitious fear, threatened to distort his essential message about the one true God.

Machiventa also recognized the importance of departing while Abraham was still alive to ensure the truth of monotheism would become firmly established among his followers. One evening in Salem, Melchizedek said goodnight to his human companions and simply did not appear the next morning, having been removed by his celestial associates. This abrupt departure, while confusing to his followers, was a calculated decision to prevent his own personhood from overshadowing his message about the Universal Father.

Abraham was deeply affected by Melchizedek's sudden disappearance, experiencing a profound grief he never fully overcame. The organization at Salem nearly disintegrated, though the essential teachings survived through the Sethite priests and eventually influenced Moses when he led the Hebrew slaves out of Egypt. Abraham, having abandoned his military ambitions at Hebron, now departed Salem and moved south to Gerar, exhibiting an uncharacteristic fearfulness without Melchizedek's guidance.

Over time, Melchizedek's teachings became increasingly distorted. Within five hundred years, many regarded his story as mythical, though Isaac maintained the teachings reasonably well. The Hebrew scribes later edited their records extensively during the Babylonian captivity, elevating Abraham's importance while diminishing Melchizedek's role. They preserved only the account of Abraham's meeting with Melchizedek after the battle of Siddim because it reflected well on Abraham. This revisionism unfortunately obscured Melchizedek's crucial teachings about the promised bestowal Son, contributing to the Jewish failure to recognize Jesus when he appeared.

When Machiventa concluded his incarnation mission, he signaled his eleven associate receivers who prepared for his transition back to his original Melchizedek status. Three days after disappearing from Salem, he resumed his interrupted career as one of the planetary receivers. His departure was as unceremonious as his arrival, without the dramatic events typically associated with the end of a planetary dispensation.

Following his incarnation, Machiventa maintained his interest in Abraham's descendants and collaborated with prophets and seers for nineteen centuries to preserve the truths of Salem until Michael's appearance. After Jesus's triumph on earth, Machiventa was appointed to the Urantia service on Jerusem as one of the twenty-four directors and was recently elevated to become the personal ambassador of the Creator Son with the title Vicegerent Planetary Prince of Urantia. It appears he may permanently remain earth's planetary minister representing Christ Michael. Some conjecture that in earth's future, when the planet approaches the era of light and life, Machiventa might appear simultaneously with Adam, Eve, Christ Michael, and other divine personalities as part of Urantia's unique destiny.