Part I: A World Prepared for the Gospel, The Melchizedek Factor; Chapter 1: Peoples of the Vague God, pp. 23-37 Summary

Richardson surmises that the Athenians were not the only group of people prepared to be receptive to the idea of one God. He tells the Bible story of Abraham and Melchizedek as an example of this. Melchizedek is the king of the ancient Canaanite city of Salem. Abraham is the first person to be called by Yahweh or Jehovah, the God of Judaism and Christianity. When Abraham is traveling through Canaan, Melchizedek comes out of Salem and greets Abraham with food and drink. Since Melchizedek is also a priest of El Elyon, or God Most High, Abraham offers a tenth of his income at Melchizedek's altar, and...