Melchizedek is Shem, the son of Noah...

Melchizedek is Shem, the son of Noah...

... well, it's not explicit in Scripture but it is very plausible, Scripturally. (Also, the Talmud, a central text of Rabbinic Judaism, holds this view, and some Church Fathers have promoted the idea.)  Genesis 14 describes the meeting of Abram & Melchizedek. Looking at the ages of Abraham & Shem, we find that Shem was still alive at the time, even outliving Abraham.

According to Genesis 11 Shem lived 600 years and the Flood happened when he was 98 so he died 502 years after the Flood. Abram was born about 292 years after the Flood. Abram-Abraham lived to be 175 (Genesis 25), dying in 467. So, Shem lived 35 years after Abraham died.

One thing supporting the idea that Melchizedek is Shem is because of the way in which God's blessing would be handed down to subsequent generations. The normal custom was for the first-born son to grow up and lead the family when the patriarch died. The patriarch would give the blessing to that son at some point. (Although, in the OT, most of the first-born sons forfeited their right and a younger son would get the blessing (ie Cain, Esau)). Noah gave the blessing to Shem. The scene with Melchizedek & Abraham is seen as continuing the line of Godly men, bridging the Old World (Shem who was born pre-flood) to the New World (Abram post-flood).


more info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melchizedek

http://www.bibletruthonline.com/melchizedek.htm

http://www.thesacredpage.com/2007/10/who-was-melchizedek.html