Passage: Genesis 14

The Big Idea

The first war in the Bible grew out of greed, lust, pride and ambition, and Lot got caught in it because he was living in Sodom. Abram rescued him. Then a mysterious king named Melchizedek appeared with bread and wine and blessed Abram. He’s one of the Bible’s great “Easter eggs,” a picture of Jesus, our King of righteousness, King of peace, and eternal High Priest. And when the king of Sodom offered riches, Abram refused, because friendship with God was worth more.

The First War (Genesis 14:1-11)

(How does an octopus go to war? Well-armed!)

Four kings from the east, led by Chedorlaomer king of Elam, had ruled over five kings of the Jordan valley, including the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, for twelve years. In the thirteenth year the five rebelled. In the fourteenth, Chedorlaomer and his allies swept through the region, conquering one people after another, and then met the five kings in battle in the Valley of Siddim, which was full of tar pits. The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some falling into the pits, and the invaders carried off all the goods and food of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Notice what this first war in the Bible grew out of: greed, lust, pride and ambition.

James asks where fights and quarrels come from. Isn’t it from our desires at war within us? We want something and don’t get it, so we kill. We covet and can’t obtain, so we fight and quarrel. We don’t have, because we don’t ask (James 4:1-2).

Greed, lust, pride and ambition aren’t from God. Yet people often point to wars, dictators and their consequences as reasons not to believe in God.

But wars and atrocities don’t disprove God. They actually point to Him! They violate what each of us knows deep in our hearts: there’s a right and a wrong. We know wars like this are wrong. So something must be right; something must be the standard. What standard? God. Logically, the very fact that we think anything is wrong points to a perfect God who created us with a moral sense.

And war always produces a thirst for more. It never satisfies those who fight.

Just Ask

Do you struggle with fighting to get your own way, trying to overpower people to get what you want? Do you know someone who does?

God tells us that if we come to Him, we’ll receive everything we really need.

We never have to look to others to get what we need. He wants to be our Provider, the One we look to whenever we need or want something. Jehovah Jireh: the Lord will provide (Genesis 22:14).
But we don’t like it when He says, “You don’t need that right now.” We don’t like hearing no.
But those who ask Him and wait on Him in faith and expectation will never be disappointed with His answer. He’s a Father who knows how to give good gifts (Matthew 7:11).
So many times He begs us to come and ask for what we need!

“How do I know if I’m asking for the right things? Can I ask for a million bucks?”

If you’re abiding in Christ and spending time in His Word, His Spirit will teach you what to ask for and prompt you to pray for specific things. If the Spirit wants you to ask for a fortune, you’ll be able to ask for it with total peace that it’s according to His will and in His name (John 15:7).

“How do I know if I’m abiding in Christ?”

Are you worshiping? Not just singing songs, but worshiping with your whole life?
When God tests you, or allows you to be tested, do you trust and obey without reservation?
Or do you hesitate, negotiate, argue and resist?

These wicked kings knew nothing about the victorious spiritual life. They were full of selfish, violent desires.

Lot Taken Captive (Genesis 14:12)

They also took Lot, Abram’s nephew, who was living in Sodom, along with his possessions.

If Lot hadn’t been living in Sodom, he wouldn’t have been caught up in this mess. Choose your friends wisely. I’m not saying don’t have friends in the world. Just watch where you’re living, where you’re abiding. We abide in Christ and His body. We’re just pilgrims in this world.

What’s really funny is that Lot doesn’t even learn from being kidnapped. A few chapters later, he’s right back in Sodom.

Abram to the Rescue (Genesis 14:13-17)

A survivor came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre with his allies. When Abram heard his relative had been captured, he armed his 318 trained men, born in his own household, and pursued as far as Dan. He divided his forces by night, attacked, and chased the enemy as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. He brought back all the goods, and Lot and his possessions, along with the women and the people. Then the king of Sodom came out to meet him.

(We’ll come back to the king of Sodom shortly. Stay tuned!)

Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18-20)

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High. He blessed Abram, saying, “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.

Who in the world is Melchizedek?

Hebrews tells us to consider how great this man was (Hebrews 7:4). But we have no idea where he came from, how he got there, how he became a worshiper and priest of the Most High God, or how Abram knew him.

Three verses in Genesis, and only a few more in the Old Testament. But this is a huge “Easter egg” in the Bible. Everyone loves Easter eggs: they show forethought, and they bring something hidden into focus.

So let’s put on our Sherlock Holmes hats and investigate. (Sherlock and Watson are working a case when Holmes picks up a blood-spattered chunk of limestone. “What is it, Holmes?” Watson asks. Holmes replies gravely, “It’s sedimentary, my dear Watson.”)

Here’s what we observe:

His name: Melchizedek, “king of righteousness.”
His title: king of Salem, “king of peace.”
He brought out bread and wine.
He was priest of God Most High (El Elyon). Not just “a higher power,” but the highest God.
He blessed Abram.
He said Abram belonged to God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth.
He blessed God.
He knew God had delivered Abram’s enemies into his hand.
He received a tenth of everything from Abram.

Clues, clues, clues! Let’s investigate.

1. King of righteousness

A name is a person’s identity. I only know one King of Righteousness, only one who reigns perfectly, whose life is right in every way: Jesus.

Most politicians and leaders are pretty disappointing. (What’s the difference between a good politician and a bad politician? A headstone.)

Jesus is King, and Jesus is righteous. He always does what’s right, and brings righteousness wherever He goes. His kingdom is righteousness; everything He rules over is made right. He’s the perfect leader.

When we pray “Your kingdom come,” we’re saying, “Make everything right! Bring everything under Your right rule: everything in my world, my life and my heart. Rule and reign over me!”

2. King of peace

Salem means “peace,” and it’s the place that became Jerusalem. The psalmist says God’s tabernacle is in Salem, His dwelling place in Zion (Psalm 76:2).

If His name is King of Righteousness, His title is King of Peace. Jesus’ whole kingdom is peace.

Peace between God and people. When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son; how much more, being reconciled, will we be saved by His life (Romans 5:10)!
Peace between people. Jesus told His disciples to have salt in themselves and be at peace with one another (Mark 9:50).
Peace in my own heart. Jesus gives us His own peace, not as the world gives, so our hearts don’t need to be troubled or afraid (John 14:27).

3. Bread and wine

At the Last Supper, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it to His disciples, telling them to take and eat, because this was His body. Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and told them all to drink from it, because this was His blood of the new covenant, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:26-28).

The purpose of Melchizedek’s visit was communion. What did he want with Abram? A deep relationship. In the East, eating together was a sign of close friendship and intimacy.

And what’s the foundation of that relationship? Bread and wine speak of the sacrifice and life of God:

Sacrifice: death for sin.
Life: the New Covenant life God gives us once we receive and believe in His sacrifice.

That’s the deepest relationship there is: receiving the sacrifice and love of Jesus, and then letting His very life grow and burst out from your heart. I believe this was a picture to Abram of how God would one day provide full atonement for sin through His own body and blood.

4. Priest of God Most High

Melchizedek was already a priest, already serving God and people. A priest goes between God and man, making the way for a right, fruitful relationship.

Most people think of Jesus only as their atonement, not as their Priest. They remember what He did, but not always what He’s doing right now. There’s a difference:

Atonement is about death; priesthood is about life.
Atonement is once for all, finished; priesthood is continuous.
Atonement was accomplished on earth; priesthood is carried on in heaven.
Atonement is for the sinner; priesthood is for the saint.

Jesus provides both. He saves us and sanctifies us. He justifies us and then changes us. He starts us and He finishes us.

And here’s where the evidence piles up. In Psalm 110:4, the LORD swears, and won’t change His mind, that the Messiah will be a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

That’s a prophecy of the Messiah! He will be a priest like Melchizedek, the Mediator between God and man, with His “bread and wine.”

5. He blessed Abram

He showed Abram favor. He loved Abram. That shows us the motivation of Jesus: He loves us.

After His resurrection, Jesus led His disciples out to Bethany, lifted up His hands and blessed them. And while He was blessing them, He was carried up into heaven (Luke 24:50-51). The last thing they saw was Jesus blessing them!
Jesus loves and lives to bless us with His love. He isn’t just hoping you’ll get better. He wants you to receive His love first, and He’ll take care of making you better.
Before the Passover, knowing His hour had come, Jesus, having loved His own, loved them to the end (John 13:1). His first priority was loving them; then He took care of the sacrifice.
Jesus said that as the Father has loved Him, so He has loved us; abide in His love (John 15:9).

Whenever your relationship with God becomes about something other than His love, you’ve misstepped. It isn’t about how much you love God. He’ll develop that; it will come naturally. You can only love Him as much as you abide in His love. Remember it, trust it, wonder at it, explore it.

6. Abram belonged to God

Abram’s identity was in God now. And God wasn’t ashamed of that. God was happy to have a friend like Abram, and He’s happy to have you.

7. He blessed God

Melchizedek loved God and made Him glad. What Jesus does pleases God. How do we know? God said so out loud, at Jesus’ baptism and on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 3:17; 17:5). And Jesus said the Father hadn’t left Him alone, because He always does what pleases Him (John 8:29).

Hebrews on Melchizedek

Hebrews says our hope is a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, entering behind the veil, where Jesus has gone as our forerunner, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 6:19-20).

Then Hebrews 7 unpacks it:

Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High, met Abraham returning from defeating the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything.
His name means “king of righteousness,” and “king of Salem” means “king of peace.”
Scripture records no father, mother or genealogy, no beginning of days or end of life for him. In this way he resembles the Son of God, and remains a priest continually.
Even Levi, the priestly tribe, in a sense paid tithes to Melchizedek through Abraham. And the lesser is blessed by the greater.
If perfection could have come through the Levitical priesthood, why would another priest need to arise in the order of Melchizedek? A change in priesthood means a change in the law.
Jesus came from the tribe of Judah, not Levi. He became a priest not by a law about physical descent, but by the power of an indestructible life.
The former commandment was set aside because it was weak and unprofitable (the Law made nothing perfect), and a better hope was brought in, through which we draw near to God.
Jesus was made priest with an oath, so He has become the guarantee of a better covenant.
The old priests were many, because death kept them from continuing. But Jesus lives forever, so His priesthood is permanent.
Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them (Hebrews 7:25).
He is holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens. He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices daily; He did it once for all when He offered up Himself.

Andrew Murray loved to set forth the glory of Jesus as He takes full possession of the heart He has bought, won and cleansed as a dwelling for His Father, leading a soul out of the bondage and failure of the Old Covenant into the real experience of the promise and power of the New.

Has Jesus taken full possession of your heart? Do you feel free to commune with your Father through the bread and wine? Is any part of you shrinking back in fear?

Your Friend and High Priest, Jesus, meets you on the road today, just as Melchizedek met Abram, and invites you into total freedom, total fellowship, total victory and total love. Do you believe it?

Hebrews tells us that everything you need is done for you, moment by moment, by Jesus Christ. He has done it, and will keep doing it forever. You’re free to just receive it and walk with your God.

The King of Sodom (Genesis 14:21-24)

The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, and keep the goods for yourself.” But Abram said, “I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, that I won’t take anything that’s yours, not even a thread or a sandal strap, so you can never say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ I’ll take only what my young men have eaten, and the share for the men who went with me. Let them take their portion.”

The king of Sodom is a picture of Satan, who comes along and says, “It’s fine if you want God. But I want the souls. I’ll trade you riches and blessings if you’ll just keep all this God stuff to yourself.”

Abram refused, declaring he didn’t care about the stuff. He only wanted to be known as a friend of God.
He didn’t want anyone to think of Sodom when they thought of him, or to say, “Sodom made him rich.”
This was an opportunity for Abram to expand his holdings, get ahead in the world, and become more secure. He turned it down.

I’d rather be poor and right with God than rich with sin in my heart.

Abram valued his friendship with Melchizedek, and with God Most High, more than anything in the world.

This life is full of wars. We can’t escape them. But Jesus will meet us, provide what we need to be right with God, and protect us from the temptations Satan throws our way.

Grace Takeaway

Jesus is our Melchizedek: King of righteousness, King of peace, and a Priest forever who brings out bread and wine and blesses us. He saved us once for all on the cross, and He lives forever to keep us. When the world offers its riches in exchange for your soul, remember who meets you on the road. His friendship is worth more than everything Sodom has to give.

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Who in the World Is Melchizedek?