Genesis 14: King of Peace. World at War

Key verses
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) 19 And he blessed him and said,
      “Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
20    and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” 
 
Meditation
The king of peace rescues believers from a world of war. And rescue demands response.
 
Today’s reading follows Lot's choice to live by sight, settling in the midst of warring kings who capture him and take his people and possessions (vv. 1-11). Abram responds by mobilizing his resources to pursue and defeat the kings who captured his kin (side note- notice Abram has 318 trained fighters ready to rescue. Wow!). Like Lot, many of us are taken captive by where we choose to steak our claim when we live by sight… and we, too, are in need of rescue.
 
After victory, Abram is met by two kings. He refuses treasure from the unnamed king of Sodom (vv. 21-24) but welcomes the mysterious Melchizedek. Melchizedek is the king of Salem (peace) who offers Abram bread, wine, and blessing. Melchizedek’s words and actions direct attention away from Abram’s strength and toward God’s sovereign role in Abram’s victory. Living by faith, Abram receives provision and blessing from the king of peace and responds with a tithe (vv. 18-20).
 
Worship of God is the proper response when faith recognizes rescue and that blessing comes from God alone. Melchizedek, both king and priest (Hebrews 7:2; Psalm 110:4), points forward to Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:19-25). Jesus secures a far greater victory, offering lasting blessing and true peace to all whose trust is in Him. Like Abram, we are often tempted to twist Jesus’ blessings by trusting the treasures offered by the kings of our culture. Faith, however, sees worldly resources not as objects of trust, but as instruments to demonstrate allegiance to King Jesus that is expressed, in part, through generous giving.
 
Today’s Reading
In the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, 2 these kings made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 And all these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). 4 Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in their hill country of Seir as far as El-paran on the border of the wilderness. 7 Then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh) and defeated all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who were dwelling in Hazazon-tamar.
 
8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out, and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim 9 with Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country. 11 So the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12 They also took Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way.
 
13 Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner. These were allies of Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.

Abram Blessed by Melchizedek
17 After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) 19 And he blessed him and said,

       “Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
20    and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”

And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. 21 And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ 24 I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.”
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from Abram’s response to different kings after he experienced victory?
 
-Where do you fall generally, receiving treasure from cultural kings or demonstrating the trust of your heart in the Lord by using your treasure to worship Him and build His kingdom?
 
-How does the finished work of Jesus give you the security needed to worship Jesus with your treasure? What does living more by faith than sight look like for you in this regard? Be specific.
 
Key verses
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) 19 And he blessed him and said,
       “Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
20    and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”