One of the most brilliant examples of the use of faith, repentance, ordinances, and good works in the history of the world was Melchizedek. Melchizedek is probably a name-title rather than a personal name (Hebrew Malki-Zedek means “King of Righteousness”). The Savior was the King of Righteousness, and Melchizedek was a type of the Savior. He was a high priest after the order of the Son of God, the presiding authority on the earth in the early days of Abraham. Even the great patriarch Abraham paid his tithes to Melchizedek. After Melchizedek and his people were translated (see JST, Genesis 14:34), Abraham became the head of that dispensation.
Melchizedek was king over the land called “Peace” (Salem, or Shalem) and reigned under his father, meaning that he either ruled as a vassal king subordinate to his father, or he reigned after him. His people had become grossly sinful. All of them had departed from the ways of the Lord and had fallen into all kinds of abominable behavior, but Melchizedek exercised mighty faith and called them to repentance. So great was the impact of his message and ministry that the people did repent. We do not know how many years of intense, dedicated effort that took, but the king-prophet’s faith and works resulted in extraordinary reforms, elevating his people ultimately to a temporal and spiritual level of conduct that had been paralleled only by a few, including Enoch and his people. Melchizedek and his fellow citizens established peace in their land and eventually warranted departure from this telestial world; they joined Enoch and his people in a terrestrial and translated condition (JST, Genesis 14:34). 25
During his mortal ministry, Melchizedek, as God’s presiding high priest (D&C 107:2), had also served as “keeper of the storehouse of God” (JST, Genesis 14:37), which involved also his role as administrator or president of the holy temple in the city of Salem. How could a great high priest function in his priesthood without a temple? Or how could a people establish such righteousness that they were transferred from this telestial world without having the blessings of the temple? The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that the main object of gathering the people of God in any age of the world is “to build unto the Lord a house whereby He could reveal unto His people the ordinances of His house and the glories of His kingdom, and teach the people the way of salvation; for there are certain ordinances and principles that, when they are taught and practiced, must be done in a place or house built for that purpose.” 26
It is probable that a temple or sanctuary existed in Salem during Melchizedek’s ministry. The Jewish historian Josephus wrote anciently of “[Melchizedek] the Righteous King, for such he really was; on which account he was [there] the first priest of God, and first built a temple [there], and called the city Jerusalem, which was formerly called Salem.” 27 Temple ordinances were given so the people could look forward to the Son of God for a remission of their sins, that they might enter into the rest or glory of the Lord (Alma 13:16).
Melchizedek was a remarkable example of one who fulfilled his premortal ordination to use God’s power in order to save souls. Paul wrote, “Now consider how great this man was” (Hebrews 7:4), and Alma exclaimed, “There were many before him, and also there were many afterwards, but none were greater” (Alma 13:19).