Abram and the Kings of the Earth

ABRAM AND THE KINGS OF THE EARTH

An Exposition of Genesis 14:1-24

By Pastor Brian Wilbur

Date: October 9, 2022

Series: The Book of Genesis

Note: Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard   Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

THE SCRIPTURAL TEXT

Holy Scripture says:

¹ 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.

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.” (Genesis 14:1-24)

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Genesis 14 is quite obviously about kings. The words “king” and “kings” occur more than twenty-five times in these twenty-four verses, in which ten kings are identified. Nine of the ten kings are involved in war: “four kings against five” (v. 9). After the battlefield is cleared, a tenth king arises – seemingly out of nowhere – and he just so happens to be the most important of the ten kings.

Of course, the reason why Chapter 14 is relevant to the narrative about Abram is because Abram is made to care about the war between kings. The reason he is made to care about it is because his nephew Lot, who in Chapter 13 had separated from Abram and “journeyed east” (Genesis 13:11) and “moved his tent as far as Sodom” (Genesis 13:12) and dwelt in Sodom (Genesis 14:12). The city of Sodom was involved in the war between kings, and in due course Lot became a prisoner of war. Now Abram had to act, not in order to meddle in a conflict between pagan kings, but to rescue his nephew.

Geopolitical Conflict

As the chapter begins, we are introduced to a geopolitical and military conflict in the Middle East. The four kings mentioned in verse 1 were from Mesopotamia: Shinar is in Babylonia (modern-day Iraq), and Elam was to the east (modern-day Iran). The location of Goiim is difficult to pin down, but Ellasar was probably located in Babylonia. So basically you have a Mesopotamian Alliance of four kings, with King Chedorlaomer of Elam clearly functioning as the leader of the alliance, as indicated by the phrase “Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him” (v. 5, v. 17). Since Abram was from Ur of the Chaldeans, in Mesopotamia, he would have been familiar with these eastern kingdoms.

The Mesopotamian Alliance sought to dominate land that was several hundred miles to its west. The five kings mentioned in verse 2 were from the cities of the Jordan Valley that we learned about in Chapter 13: Sodom, Gomorrah, and Zoar are mentioned in Genesis 14:2 and they were previously mentioned in Genesis 13:10. These are “the cities of the valley” (Genesis 13:12) among which Lot settled. In addition to Sodom, Gomorrah, and Zoar (which is actually referred to as Bela in Chapter 14), the other two cities mentioned in Genesis 14:2 are Admah and Zeboiim. All of these cities were in close proximity to one another and to the Dead Sea, also known as the Salt Sea, near the eastern edge of the land of Canaan. Let’s call these five cities and their kings the Jordan Valley Alliance.  

Now the Mesopotamian Alliance in the east (v. 1) was bearing down on the Jordan Valley Alliance in the west (v. 2). The four eastern kings “made war with” (v. 2) the five western kings. For their part, the five western kings “joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea)” (v. 3).

Verse 4 tells us that the five cities of the Jordan Valley had been in subjection to King Chedorlaomer of Elam for twelve years, but after twelve years this Jordan Valley Alliance decided to rebel. The early stages of the rebellion probably meant a refusal to render tribute, taxes, honor, or obedience to the king of Elam. Eventually the rebellion of the Jordan Valley Alliance would lead to the battlefield (v. 8-12).

But before the Mesopotamian Alliance and the Jordan Valley Alliance met on the battlefield, the Mesopotamian Alliance swept down and defeated a number of other cities in the Syrian, Jordanian, and Canaanite regions: Ashteroth-karnaim, Ham, Shaveh-kiriathaim, the hill country of Seir, En-mishpat, and Hazazon-tamar. The point of verses 5-7 is that the Mesopotamian Alliance was dominating the region around the cities of the valley. Did the Jordan Valley Alliance of five cities really stand a chance?

Nevertheless, the five western kings from Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela made their move and “joined battle in the Valley of Siddim” (v. 8) against the four eastern kings from Elam, Goiim, Shinar, and Ellasar – “four kings against five” (v. 9). As it happened, the Mesopotamian Alliance triumphed over the cities of the valley and it plundered “all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions” (v. 11).

Abram Gets Involved

Except for one detail, the report of this war may have been relegated to the annals of Mesopotamian history and never made it into the Bible. But details matter, and the consequential detail is that the Mesopotamian Alliance took Abram’s’ nephew Lot as a prisoner of war, along with Lot’s possessions. Now Abram had a horse in the race.

As we come to verse 13, we learn that Abram was still “living by the oaks of Mamre”, the place near Hebron where he had settled at the end of Chapter 13. Mamre is the name of a person – “Mamre the Amorite” (v. 13). Mamre’s people, the Amorites, had been defeated by the Mesopotamian Alliance, as we learned in verse 7. Mamre had two brothers: Eschol and Aner. As Amorites, Mamre, Eschol, and Aner were descendants of Canaan, the cursed son of Ham (see Genesis 9:18, 25; Genesis 10:15-16). Even so, these three Amorites “were allies of Abram” (Genesis 14:13). Sometimes you will discover allies in unexpected places or among unexpected peoples. Don’t despise the allies that God sends your way. You might even be instrumental in their conversion.

Now “one who had escaped” (v. 13) from the battle of verses 8-12 “came and told Abram the Hebrew” (v. 13) that Lot “had been taken captive” (v. 14). Facing the circumstance of a family member in crisis, Abram proved to be a man of action: Abram led 318 of his own trained men to pursue “the enemy” that had plundered Sodom and had captured his nephew. Of course, Lot wasn’t the only prisoner of war; there were a number of others, as the end of verse 16 makes clear.

Abram and his fighting force pursued the Mesopotamian army “as far as Dan” (v. 14), about 150 miles north of Hebron. From there, Abram “divided his forces by night” (v. 15), thus enabling his fighting force to attack from two directions. Abram’s men defeated the Mesopotamian army “and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus” (v. 15), which is at least another 50-60 miles northeast of Dan. Of course, Abram had no militaristic or geopolitical ambitions; he simply wanted to rescue Lot and recover Lot’s possessions. Nevertheless, the entire city of Sodom benefited from Abram’s action: “Then he brought back all the possessions” (that is, “all the possessions of Sodom” that had been taken in verse 11), and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.” (v. 16)

After Abram’s Victory

After “the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him [Abram] at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley)” (v. 17). At this point the meeting between Abram and the king of Sodom is interrupted by a tenth king who only now steps onto the scene. As it turns out, Abram’s brief and mysterious encounter with Melchizedek is one of the most important events in the entire Bible. More on that a little later.

After Abram’s encounter with Melchizedek, Abram’s meeting with the king of Sodom resumes. The king of Sodom tells Abram to keep the goods that had belonged to Sodom and that Abram had just recovered from the enemy army. Abram, however, felt compelled to refuse the king’s offer. “I will take nothing”, Abram said. Abram allowed his men to receive a share of the goods – after all, laborers (including trained men who recover stolen goods) are worthy of their wages. But Abram would take nothing for himself.

FOUR LESSONS FROM GENESIS 14

There are a number of lessons for us to consider from Genesis 14.

Lesson #1: The effects of the fall are now seen in geopolitical conflict.

Lesson #1: The effects of the fall are now seen in geopolitical conflict. We may assume that there was clan against clan or nation against nation conflict before Genesis 14. But Genesis 14 is the first time that such conflict is mentioned in the Bible. Before Genesis 14, both in Genesis 6 and in Genesis 11, the peoples were unified in wickedness and rebellion. But it was only a matter of time before the brother against brother conflict of Genesis 4 would be magnified into regional geopolitical conflict between nations. The conflict between the Mesopotamian Alliance and the Jordan Valley Alliance gives us a first glimpse of large-scale conflict that will recur throughout history in the Middle East and elsewhere, such as we now see in the bitter conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Lesson #2: God shows undeserved kindness to the sinners of Sodom.

Lesson #2: God shows undeserved kindness to the sinners of Sodom. One of the most striking features of Genesis 14 is that Sodom gets a new lease on life. In Chapter 13 we learned that “the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD” (Genesis 13:13). We also learned that the Lord was going to eventually destroy Sodom (Genesis 13:10). So when we read in Genesis 14 that Sodom came up short on the battlefield, and that its possessions and provisions were taken by its enemy, and that some of its people were taken as prisoners of war, we might have assumed that this is the end of the road for Sodom. We might have assumed that the Lord used the Mesopotamian Alliance to deal a death blow to Sodom. Remarkably, though, this wicked city is physically resuscitated: Abram, with no loyalty to Sodom but with love for his nephew, not only “brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions”, but also “brought back all the possessions” of Sodom and the other residents of Sodom who had been taken captive (Genesis 14:16). Abram’s successful military operation was not something that he achieved by his own wit and strength, but rather came about because “God Most High… delivered [Abram’s] enemies into [his] hand!” (Genesis 14:20)

The city of Sodom did not deserve to have its people and possessions restored. When a city or nation or some other group is outwardly blessed with prosperity, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the Lord is pleased with that city or nation or group. The Lord was not pleased with Sodom. However, the Lord was pleased with Abram, and the Lord had his compassionate eye on Abram’s nephew Lot. Sometimes the wicked are treated far better than they deserve simply because the Lord’s blessing upon the righteous overflows to the wicked.

Another part of this lesson is that the Lord has appointed times of judgment, and his appointed time for the judgment of Sodom was not yet (but it will come in Genesis 19). From a human perspective, any time that God’s judgment is deserved but delayed, this is a demonstration of God’s kindness that should lead the wicked to repentance. As Paul wrote in Romans 2:

“[Do] you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.” (Romans 2:4-5)  

I’m sure that Sodom was glad to get its people and possessions back. But instead of humbling themselves under God’s sovereign hand and thanking Him for His abundant mercies and resolving to put away their wickedness, they only used their new lease on life as an opportunity to keep on sinning. The Lord is not amused: “He will render to each one according to his works” (Romans 2:6).

Lesson #3: Abram preserves his independence from a wicked king.

Lesson #3: Abram preserves his independence from a wicked king. In verse 21 the king of Sodom told Abram to keep the recovered possessions for himself. But Abram refused, saying,

“I have lifted my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, 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.’ I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eschol, and Mamre take their share.” (v. 22-24)

Abram was content to let his trained men and his three allies have their share (for a laborer is worthy of his wages), but Abram was unwilling for himself to benefit financially from his rescue operation. Why?

The obvious reason for Abram’s refusal of compensation is the simple fact that Abram had vowed to the Lord that he would not take any of Sodom’s possessions for himself. A person is under no obligation to make vows to the Lord, but if person does make a lawful vow to the Lord, then he or she should be careful to keep it: “When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.” (Ecclesiastes 5:4-5)

But the fact of Abram’s vow just pushes the question back a step: why did Abram make this vow to not take any of Sodom’s possessions for himself? It is not as if Abram was always unwilling to be enriched by a pagan king. When “Abram went down to Egypt” (Genesis 12:10), he was greatly enriched by Pharaoh (as we learn in Genesis 12:16). Why was Abram willing to be enriched by the pagan Pharaoh of Egypt but unwilling to be enriched by the pagan king of Sodom?

I would suggest – and it is only a suggestion – I would suggest that Abram didn’t want to benefit financially from the king of Sodom because Sodom was exceedingly wicked. In terms of his public testimony, he did not want the king who presided over this exceedingly wicked city to be able to say, “I have made Abram rich” (v. 23). Abram didn’t want to appear to be indebted to a wicked king. Moreover, Abram didn’t want to appear to be in league with the city of Sodom. After all, there is very real sense in which he had just saved the city! In this unique circumstance, he wanted to be careful to preserve his independence from Sodom. Abram was not a partner of Sodom and didn’t want to be seen as such. Besides, Abram was already “very rich” (Genesis 13:2), so why give an especially wicked king any plausible reason for thinking and saying that he was the one who had enriched Abram? Abram wanted to make it very clear, in this particular circumstance, that he was indebted to the Lord, and not to the king of Sodom. Abram wanted to make it very clear that he was indebted to the Creator of heaven and earth, not to the corrupt king of a wicked city.

Lesson #4: Melchizedek is superior to the other kings, outranks Abram, and previews the Messiah.

Finally, we come to the most important lesson of Chapter 14. Lesson #4: Melchizedek is superior to the other kings; he outranks Abram; and he previews the Messiah.

The way that God sovereignly orchestrates events is truly remarkable. From a human perspective, if Lot had never made the foolish decision to settle in Sodom, then Abram never would have had to undertake a military operation against the Mesopotamian Alliance. And if Abram hadn’t undertaken a military operation against the Mesopotamian Alliance, then it would seem that Genesis 14 never would have been written. And yet, God oversees every movement and every development on the world stage. Every breath, every life, every dynamic and every moment is in His sovereign hand, and He never fails to accomplish His overarching purpose. And part of God’s overarching purpose in and through the events of Chapter 14 was to reveal Melchizedek to everyone who would ever read it, because he stands alone as the picture of a perfect priest, and only a perfect priest can mediate salvation to a sin-sick world.

By God’s providential design, Genesis 14:18-20 is Melchizedek’s moment to shine. Noah got four chapters in Genesis. Abram gets fourteen chapters in Genesis. Melchizedek only gets three verses in one chapter. But his outsized significance will be recognized by King David in Psalm 110 and will eventually be unpacked in depth in the New Testament Book of Hebrews. So, let’s slow down and make several observations about the excellence of Melchizedek.

Eight Observations about Melchizedek

First, Melchizedek is set apart. He is set apart from the other nine kings who are identified in Chapter 14. He is set apart from the six people groups (in v. 5-7) and the five cities of the valley (in v. 2) that were defeated by the Mesopotamian powers (in v. 4-12). Melchizedek was not entangled in these conflicts. Although these geopolitical and military conflicts took place on Melchizedek’s doorstep, he somehow managed to remain above the fray. Melchizedek is set apart, and he presides over a city that is set apart.

Second, Melchizedek is the king of righteousness. Melchizedek’s name derives from two words: ‘Melchi’ derives from the word that means ‘king’; ‘zedek’ derives from the word that means ‘righteousness’. So the name Melchizedek means 'my king is right [righteous]'[1] or simply “king of righteousness” (Hebrews 7:2).

Third, Melchizedek is the king of peace. Whereas ‘king of righteousness’ was tied to his name, “king of peace” (Hebrews 7:2) is tied to the name of his city. Salem means ‘peaceful’[2], and thus Melchizedek presided over a peaceful city, a place of peace.

Fourth, Melchizedek serves a celebratory meal of bread and wine. If I am not mistaken, this is the first recorded instance of a wholesome meal in the Book of Genesis. Food, of course, is regarded positively in Chapters 1, 6, and 9, and human beings certainly ate and drank on a regular basis. But the first recorded act of eating in the Bible is the consumption of the forbidden fruit in Genesis 3:6. And the first recorded act of drinking in the Bible is the excessive consumption of wine that led to Noah’s drunkenness in Genesis 9:21. Finally, after thirteen chapters, we have the fruit of the earth and the fruit of the vine set before Abram, and we have every reason to assume that they ate and drank to the glory of God.

Fifth, Melchizedek is “priest of God Most High” (v. 18). Whereas a king rules on God’s behalf, a priest offers sacrifices to God. A king presides from the throne room in the palace, but a priest presides at the altar in the temple. A priest mediates fellowship between God and people, invites people to eat and drink in God’s presence, and pronounces blessing upon God’s people. The remarkable thing about Melchizedek is that he is both priest and king – a priest-king.

In the wisdom of God, God would separate the kingly throne from the priestly altar throughout the history of Israel. King Saul got in trouble precisely because he overstepped his bounds and offered a priestly sacrifice that was not lawful for him to make. King Uzziah fell into the same trap. The kings of Israel were expected to sit on the royal throne but they were not permitted to officiate at the altar. The separation of throne and altar is necessary when you’re dealing with ordinary sinful people who can’t handle too much power. But God’s ultimate plan involves the union of throne and altar: the ideal king is also priest, the ideal priest is also king.

Psalm 110 reveals that God’s plan is for the Messiah who sits at God’s right hand (Psalm 110:1) to rule as king in the midst of His enemies (Psalm 110:2) and to serve as “a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110:4).

Sixth, as “priest of God Most High”, Melchizedek is in a position to pronounce the blessing of God upon Abram. As we have been reading the previous two chapters in Genesis, we know that Lord told Abram “I will bless you” in Genesis 12:2. From that moment going forward, we are able to see that the Lord’s blessing, favor, and protection is upon Abram, even when Abram acts foolishly down in Egypt. And now it is Melchizedek the priest-king’s privilege to pronounce a priestly blessing upon Abram:

“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!” (v. 19-20)

Melchizedek understood that God is sovereign over heaven and earth, and that God rules over the affairs of men. Melchizedek understood that it is God’s prerogative to bless, and that it is God’s prerogative to ordain victory and defeat as He sees fit. Since Melchizedek was a priest of God, God made sure that Melchizedek knew about God’s plan to bless Abram. And God made sure that Melchizedek understood that “the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him” was not a chance happening, but that He had delivered them into Abram’s hand.

Seventh, Melchizedek is worthy of tribute. Abram understood that this priest-king who had blessed him was no ordinary man. Abram understood that it was fitting to give a tenth – a tithe, ten percent – of everything to Melchizedek, since Melchizedek was a holy and set apart representative of the Most High God.

Eighth, Melchizedek transcends the genealogical categories. If you haven’t been with me for the two important sermons on genealogies, then this point may not make a lot of sense, but bear with me.

The Lord saw to it that Melchizedek’s grand entrance on the world stage in Genesis 14 was described in a way that would tell us the truth about the Messiah. What we have learned so far in the Book of Genesis is that the promised Messiah is going to be the offspring of the woman through the genealogical line that unfolds through Seth and his descendants (in Genesis 5), through Shem and his descendants (in Genesis 11), and then through Abram and Isaac and Jacob and Judah, and eventually through David. Thus the New Testament begins,

“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” (Matthew 1:1)

For this reason, I have made it a point to highlight the importance of the genealogies in Genesis 5 and in Genesis 11 – because this is the genealogical line that will lead us to the Messiah, the seed of the woman who will crush the head of the serpent. The recounting of other genealogical lines fizzle out, as far as the Book of Genesis is concerned: the recounting of Cain’s line fizzles out in Genesis 4; the recounting of Japheth’s descendants and Ham’s descendants fizzles out in Genesis 10; the recounting of Ismael’s descendants will fizzle out in Genesis 25; the recounting of Esau’s descendants will fizzle out in Genesis 36.

Here’s the point: in the Book of Genesis, if you have a really important role to play, you are part of the genealogical line that leads to Messiah – or, in the case of Joseph, part of the genealogical extended family (Jacob/Israel) that was entrusted with the promises of God that pointed forward to the Messiah (the genealogical line leading to Messiah went through Jacob’s son Judah, not Judah’s brother Joseph).

And there’s another thing about the Messiah’s genealogical line in the Book of Genesis: we know how old people were when they died. So consider this: if you have a really important role to play in the Book of Genesis, it’s because you are part of the genealogical line (or the genealogical extended family called Israel) that leads to Messiah and we know how old you were when you died (for example, Noah lived for 950 years, Shem lived for 600 years, Abraham lived for 175 years, Jacob lived for 147 years, Joseph lived for 110 years).

Think about it: If you have a really important role to play in the Book of Genesis, it’s because you are part of the genealogical line (or the genealogical extended family of Israel) – except for Melchizedek. If you have a really important role to play in the Book of Genesis, we know how old you were when you died – except for Melchizedek.

Here's the point: Melchizedek transcends genealogical categories.

Melchizedek appears to come out of nowhere. We have no record of his father and mother. We have no record of his physical lineage. We have no record of how old his father was when he was born. We have no record of how old Melchizedek was when he died. And all of this is by design. This is what the Book of Hebrews says:

“He [Melchizedek] is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.” (Hebrews 7:3)

The priesthood of Melchizedek was not tied to physical lineage or bodily descent. Instead, the priesthood of Melchizedek testifies to the reality of a priest who lives and never dies, and who therefore continues as a priest forever (see Hebrews 7).

When we read these three verses about Melchizedek the priest-king in Genesis 14, we’re supposed to see a preview of the high priesthood of Jesus Christ. With respect to Jesus inheriting the throne of His father David, that came about through physical lineage: the incarnate Son, the Word made flesh, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, “descended from David according to the flesh” (Romans 1:3). But with respect to Jesus being the great high priest, He did not descend from the priestly line of Levi, and He did not descend from Aaron, Israel’s first high priest. Jesus was not appointed a priest according to the order of Aaron. Instead, Jesus was appointed a priest according to the order of Melchizedek, an independent and majestic and special and divinely established priestly order that is characterized “by the power of an indestructible life” (Hebrews 7:16).

The Most High God appointed the man Melchizedek to a priestly role in order to establish a precedent and offer a preview of the high priesthood of the Son of God. We must see Melchizedek as a window into the glory of God’s Son.

Jesus Fulfills the Melchizedekian Ideal of a Priest-King

Like Melchizedek, Jesus is set apart from other kings. Other kings are jockeying for position and duking it out on the battlefield, and they are eager to be served. By contrast, Jesus stood among us as One who serves, as One who didn’t crave earthly glory, as One who is totally devoted to the Father’s will.

Like Melchizedek, Jesus is the king of righteousness. The problem with one king after another and one president after another is the absence of righteousness. Unlike these other kings, the Scripture says concerning God’s Son, “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” (Hebrews 1:9)

Like Melchizedek, Jesus is the king of peace. The multitude declared at His birth: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:14) Before His death He declared: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) He “[made] peace by the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:20) and by His death He destroyed our adversary the devil (Hebrews 2:14).

Like Melchizedek, Jesus serves a celebratory meal of bread and wine:

“Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:26-28)  

Blessed is everyone who, by faith, partakes of this holy meal. Blessed is the Most High God who has delivered us from our greatest enemies, sin and death.

Like Melchizedek, Jesus mediates blessing to those who, like Abram, are chosen of God:

“Blesssed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.” (Ephesians 1:3-4)

Like Melchizedek, Jesus’ priesthood is not tied to physical lineage.

Like Melchizedek, Jesus is worthy of tribute. But unlike Melchizedek, a tenth of everything is too small an offering to give to our great high priest who is also the ruler over all the kings of earth. Jesus is worthy of everything:

“For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith – that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:8-11)

SING THE EXCELLENCE OF JESUS

One of the best ways to apply the truth of Genesis 14:18-20 is by lifting up your voice and singing with all your heart about the excellence of Jesus the priest-king who alone mediates salvation to a conflicted and sin-sick world. The final hymn, “Join All the Glorious Names” – which we’ll sing in just a moment – has been chosen to give us the opportunity to sing together about the excellence of Jesus.

Let’s pray.

Father, we thank you for how Scripture reveals the glory of Christ to us. And Father, I pray that we would not chase after salvation, deliverance, healing, comfort, joy in all the wrong places. I pray that we would receive the fruit of the earth, the fruit of the vine, the love of God, the blood of the cross, through our Lord Jesus Christ. In His name we pray, amen.

ENDNOTES

[1] See the entry for “4442. Malki-tsedeq” on Bible Hub. Available online: https://biblehub.com/hebrew/4442.htm.

[2] See the entry for “8004. Shalem” on Bible Hub. Available online: https://biblehub.com/hebrew/8004.htm.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Assohoto, Barnabe and Samuel Ngewa, “Genesis.” In Africa Bible Commentary: A One-Volume Commentary Written by 70 African Scholars. Tokunboh Adeyemo, General Editor. Zondervan Edition (first edition published in 2006).

Currid, John D. and David P. Barrett. ESV Bible Atlas. Wheaton: Crossway, 2010.

Steinmann, Andrew E. Genesis (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries). Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2019.