Today we are going to depart from our usual pattern. I had not planned this departure, but I believe that our reading from Genesis 14 needs a little more commentary. We find that commentary in the New Testament: Hebrews 7. So, let's mix it up a little, shall we?
Read Genesis 14
Read Hebrews 7
This can get kind of complicated, but we can reap great spiritual benefits by focusing on what we know for sure. Let's keep it simple...
Lot finds himself in trouble when war breaks out where he lives. The kings are the rulers of city-kindoms. Each city was a city-state, so to speak, and had their own king. One king had ruled over them for a while, but there was a rebellion. So now it was four kings against five. The four won. Lot was carried off with Sodom and Gomorrah.
Abram calls to action only 318 fighting men, and they pursue the victorious army (still weary from battle?) and defeat them. Lot is rescued. What is left of the 5 kings and their armies and possessions are rescued as well.
In thanks they offer possessions to Abram, but he refuses. God will bless him, not wicked kings.
But overshadowing this very interesting story is this priest of God who shows up out of nowhere. We don't know his ancestry or descendents. We don't know where he came from or where he went. We do know he was great, because Abram (Yes, the great Abram, blessed of God!) gave him, Melchizedek, an offering. So this King of Righteousness (that's what the name Melchizedek means) and King of Salem stand immortalized in the story, so to speak.
Hebrews 7 says that this Melchizedek character resembles the Son of God. So (stay with me), what we make of all this is that in the Genesis reading, this King of Peace who shows up, receives a tenth of Abram's possessions, and speaks a blessing upon Abram, is a type of Christ. In theological terms, a type is a person, place, or event that foreshadows Christ. So, in the Old Testament, we often see Christ's shadow (in the foreground), and then in the New Testament we see Jesus himself.
Hebrews 7 makes the point that Jesus is the High Priest who saves us. He was not a Levite (Levites were called to be priests), but he was in the order of Melchizedek, whose appearing in Genesis 14 signifies that the Christ will be eternal, powerful, full of righteousness, full of peace, and blesses the people of God. That is exactly what Jesus does. He has removed our sin when he sacrificed himself "once for all" (Heb. 7:27) on the cross. He is worthy of our homage, respect, and worship. He is worthy of our offerings. He is pleased when we humbly receive the blessings he speaks upon us - blessings of peace and righteousness.
There will be more opportunities to let the significance of this Melchizedek character sink in when we get to Psalm 110, and when we read Hebrews 7, all coming down the line. Yes, we'll read Hebrews 7 again because then we will better see in context what was said in that chapter about the law and the old and new covenants. But for now, we see in the person of Melchizedek a prophecy of the High Priest, Jesus, who paid for all our sins by his death on the cross, and rose and lives forever! Thanks be to God!
Ask Yourself:
Do I rejoice in the victory God has given me? What offerings do I bring the Lord? What offerings should I bring the Lord?
Abram could have gotten richer. Instead he made himself poorer (in earthly wealth) by giving an offering. On what did he lose out? On what would I lose out?
A small, Godly army routs a terrible enemy. Where do I see God winning victories today?
Pray:
Lord Jesus, High Priest forever, you are holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted in the heavens. Yet I know you are not separated from me, nor I from you, because in your once-for-all sacrifice you cleansed my sin and declared me righteous. Continue to intercede for me and intervene against the enemy. Strenthen me, that as you cleanse me of my guilt and sin, and propensity to sin, that you would also fortify me to face the foe. You are the King of Peace and King of Righteousness. To you be glory, now and forever! Amen.
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
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