Why was Melchizedek's bringing bread and wine unusual?
Melchizedek's bringing bread and wine was unusual because bread and wine were not used in tabernacle worship and were never alluded to in the Old Testament economy. It pointed ahead to the death, burial, and resurrection, speaking of Christ's broken body and shed blood.
Les explains that Melchizedek, the king of Jerusalem, brought forth bread and wine, which was unusual because you did not use bread and wine in tabernacle worship and it was never alluded to in the Old Testament economy. This already leaps ahead to the death, burial, and resurrection, for the bread and wine spoke of His broken body and shed blood. Abraham likely had no concept of what Melchizedek was doing, but God did, because God knew the end from the beginning. Melchizedek was a priest, not of Judaism, Moses, and Aaron, but a priest of the Most High God. The term Most High God refers not just to Israel but predominantly to the non-Jewish world, showing He is the God of all. Since Israel was not yet on the scene, Melchizedek was high priest of the whole human race and a picture of the priesthood Christ would fulfill.