A Man with the Multi-syllable Name...

After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley). And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him and said,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
(Genesis 14:17-20 ESV)
As David sings about the Messiah, the Anointed One to come, God has him tell us that he will be this "priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."(Psalm 110) (say that name fast five times...) Who is this priest? A priest of the Lord who came out and prophetically blessed Abram after he had rescued Lot. Why did he do so? To point out to everyone around that it was God Who brought the victory - not Abram or any of the other kings who had joined together. To God alone be the glory!  For the Messiah, the Son of God Who came to earth to be our Deliverer, it was also about the Glory of the Father, the will of the Father. He came to point us all back to Him. He Himself will receive glory from the Father, but when He came, He came as priest, to point us to God.  When we do all we do this year to celebrate Messiah's coming, may we not just look down into the manger to see a Baby.  May we then look up and give thanks to the God who sent Him, and stand in awe of His great love and salvation.