Genesis 14:17-24. 17After 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). 18And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) 19And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. 21And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” 22But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, 23that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ 24I 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.”
Abraham has just won a tremendous victory in a battle against some pretty powerful kings. He rescued his nephew, Lot, got all his stuff back and drove off the bad guys. This was all an act of God’s grace, and now it will lead to another test of Abraham’s faith. This time the test comes to Abraham as two kings who approach him after the battle. The wicked King of Sodom and the righteous King of Salem, Melchizedek.
We will learn in upcoming chapters that Sodom is a very wicked city. We also know that Sodom is where Lot now lives. The King of Sodom will come to Abraham looking to make a deal – And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” The King of Sodom is offering Abraham all the riches that were captured as long as he gets to keep the people (including Lot) as slaves. Abraham makes the right choice and refuses to have anything to do with this king – 22But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “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’.”
The King of Sodom is sort of like Satan himself, willing to trade stuff for souls. Satan will offer us all kinds of things in this life, knowing that it will lead to us loving and trusting those things more than we love and trust God. It’s like Jesus said years later, “What good is it if a person gains everything in the world, but loses their soul?”
Abraham also met, Melchizedek, the King of Salem after the battle. Melchizedek is a very mysterious figure. Where did he come from? He hasn’t been in the story at all until right now. Melchizedek is both a priest and a king. He is the king of the city of Salem, which means peace. His name literally means “king of righteousness.” So Melchizedek is the priest-king of peace and righteousness. Does that sound like anyone else you know? (Hint: Jesus)
If the King of Sodom is like Satan, then the King of Salem is like Jesus. Abraham rejects the king of Sodom’s offer, but he accepts the blessing of the King of Salem. Abraham takes nothing from the King of Sodom, but he gives one tenth of all he has to the King of Salem. The King of Sodom offers Abraham riches, but the King of Salem offers Abraham simple bread and wine.
Abraham has made the right choice! He has rejected Sodom and he has chosen Salem instead. We might say that he has rejected Satan and has chosen Jesus instead. Jesus, who offers us the bread and wine of his life given for us on the cross.
Luke 22:19-20. 19And [Jesus] took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”
Every day of our lives we are offered a choice. Sodom or Salem. The devil or our Savior, Jesus. The things of this world (popularity, money, power), or the love of Jesus given to us through the cross. Which will you choose today?
You: Is there a choice that you will need to make today? Is there a choice that requires you to choose Jesus over your selfishness?
You with Jesus: How does Jesus’ love for you, help you to want to make the right choices?
Prayer: Father, help me to be like Abraham and receive the blessing of Jesus while rejecting the temptations of this world. Amen.
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