The Gospel in Genesis: The Blessing of Peace

Introduction

Read Genesis 14:17

Genesis 14:17–24 (ESV)

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). And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him and said,

“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. And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” But 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.’ 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.”

Melchizedek -

A mysterious character

A priest and a king

He seems to come out of nowhere and disappears just as suddenly

Who is he?

Shem?

An Angel?

A Christophany?

A Canaanite King who worships the True God?

Hebrews 7:1–3 (ESV)

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. He 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.

Moses, writing to the Israelites coming from Egypt has introduced them to the idea of the priesthood.

A Priest -

One who would represent the people to God and God to the people.

He would offer sacrifices on behalf of the people’s sin

He would pronounce God’s blessings upon the people

The priests would all come from the line of Levi. Each priest could only become priest based upon their genealogy.

Melchizedek however was made priest by God, not by genetic inheritance.

Melchizedek also comes before Levi is born, making him a higher priesthood order than Levi.

A King -

But not only is Melchizedek a priest, he is also a king.

The levitcal priests could not be king and the kings could not be levitical priests.

A separation of responsibilities to keep from an abuse of power and to help keep their eyes on God as both the ultimate King and Priest for the people.

Melchizedek is a different sort of priest in that he is both priest and king.

He is a priest that resembles the Son of God and therefore his order continues forever because of the fulfillment of Christ.

King of Salem (Peace)

So Melchizedek is a priest higher than that of Levi.

He is also King of Salem.

Early name for JeruSalem. Literally “peace” or city of peace.

It is no accident that as Abram returns from his battle with Chedorlaomer that the King of Peace comes out to meet him and to bless him.

After this dark encounter and Abram having to rise to the occasion to save his nephew from the dire consequences of sin and slavery, Abram is probably hoping for a time of peace and rest.

First we see that as Abram returns, the King of Sodom comes out to meet him.

Probably based on what we see later, it is not out of gratitude, but simply to confront Abram to make sure he gets what he wants from Abram.

But Melchizedek comes out to meet with Abram, not to get from Abram but rather to bring a blessing from God Most High.

This story of this strange and mysterious priest gives us a glimpse into the peace that God offers His people.

Keep in mind that peace is not necessarily the end of conflict.

We are going to see more times of conflict and hardship for Abram.

However, God is going to bring peace to Abram even in the midst of hardship and conflict.

Peace is Achieved by What God Has Done

Peace is not achieved by our strength or works.

Abram might have falsely believed that he earned and achieved his own peace.

After all, it was he and his army that found success over the enemies of the four Mesopotamian kings who were oppressing the kings of the valley.

In the same way, we might convince ourselves that our success in life is based upon our strength or wisdom.

Maybe we’ve impressed ourselves with great parenting talent and our kids have turned out exactly the way we had hoped.

Or maybe we have achieved the success in our profession and finances that we always dreamed of.

Perhaps its its having that perfect relationship that everyone wishes for.

First, we need to be careful that we have not deceived ourselves through curating the perfect instagram photos and making everyone including ourselves believe that we have achieved the perfect peace of mind in life because of how our lives have turned out. And be careful to understand that no matter how perfect someone else’s life looks online, does not mean there are not some cracks and areas of conflict they are dealing with. We all live in this broken world which means we are all dealing with our own conflict and lack of peace.

Second, maybe we really are experiencing a kind of peace by our situations turning out the way we want. If that’s you, congratulations! But know if that is the case its not because of how awesome you are.

And chances are, the situation will not last indefinitely. This is not to be cynical. It is to understand that our peace should not be rooted in our perfect circumstances, but rather based in something more substantial and everlasting than what you and I could accomplish on our own. And anything good we do experience does not actually come from our own hand.

Peace is Accomplished by What God Has Done

So instead of Abram thinking he accomplished this peace himself, what do we see?

We see this priest of God, who is also King of Peace (Salem) coming out to bless Abram.

We will look at what he brings with him here in a moment, but when he comes out he blesses Abram. He is fulfilling a normal priestly duty by representing God to Abram.

Look at what his promise entails.

Abram is blessed (or made to flourish) by God Most High.

This God Most High is Possessor of Heaven and Earth.

This could also be translated Creator of Heaven and Earth.

This is talking about not just how God is Creator of all there is, but that He alone is the source of all life and joy, whether in good times or in trials.

This blessing shows that God desires to be intimately involved in the life of His creation, not separate or disconnected from it. He is not just letting us live life on our own, but is Himself personally involved in all that happens to us but also in what we personally do.

And then Melchizedek blesses God Most High. This again could be translated “Praise be to God Most High.”

Why does he bless or praise God? Well, first God deserves it simply because of who He is.

But Melchizedek goes on to say that this God Most High has delivered Abram’s enemies into his hand.

This word for deliver is also the same for shield. God provided strength and protection for Abram to allow him to accomplish what he set out to do.

Therefore, the credit for the peace that Abram achieved in this war was not really due to his own strength or cunning, but due to the power and goodness of God.

It is God alone who accomplishes Peace for Abram, not Abram achieving it himself.

In the same way, any good thing that comes our way comes only by the gracious and powerful hand of God towards us.

Peace is Accomplished by What Christ Has Freely Offered to Us

Notice the context in which Melchizedek offers this blessing. As he is declaring the might of God in the life of Abram, he is bringing to Abram a gift of a victory meal.

What is this victory meal? It is bread and wine.

Now, we want to be careful and not to read more into this than we ought.

However, going back to the Hebrews passage, we read specifically that Melchizedek came resembling the Son of God.

Isn’t it interesting that even though Melchizedek comes first in the chronology of Scripture, it’s not that Jesus came resembling Melchizedek, but rather Melchizedek resembles Jesus. Of course, we know that Jesus is before all things and that He was in the beginning because He is God.

While Melchizedek and Abram probably had no clue what the bread and wine would one day represent, we see the hand of God foreshadowing what would one day take place.

Abram’s seed would one day come and fight the ultimate battle against the serpent and while He will be injured, He would strike the crushing blow, crushing the head of the serpent and defeating sin and death once for all. And right before He goes to the cross to do this, He offers His disciples a victory meal even before the battle begins knowing that God has already provided the victory that would take place.

That victory meal is a meal that we continue to observe this day knowing that whatever conflict we experience in this life, we can now have the ultimate peace, peace with God through the person and work of Christ upon the cross and resurrection! It is through the bread and the wine that God has achieved the peace our souls most long for. Not peace from the trials of this world, not peace from the conflict of human relationships or political polarization. The peace we need is the peace with God Himself and only God in Christ could achieve this peace for us.

Peace is Experienced in Submission to God

Peace is Experienced as we Submit to God in Worship

After Melchizedek blesses Abram, look at Abram’s response.

Abram recognizes that Melchizedek is a King/Priest who worships the same God who called Abram out of Ur of the Chaldeans. He recognizes that Melchizedek is speaking God’s Word and God’s blessings over Abram.

So Abram responds by worshiping God. How? Instead of receiving spoils from the other kings, Abram actually gives Melchizedek a 10th of all he owns.

Again, keep in mind that Melchizedek is representing God to Abram as a priest. Abram is not worshiping Melchizedek. He is worshiping the God Melchizedek is serving.

Recognize that All we Own Belongs to God

What Abram is doing is he is acknowledging and recognizing that all he has has come from the hand of God. He realizes and knows that God has not only delivered his enemies into his hand, but has also delivered blessings and provisions to him as well.

And so in giving of this tithe, Abram is worshiping God and giving him thanks for all God has done.

Now, there is a right way and a wrong way to do this.

Sometimes we give thinking that if we give so much then God is indebted to us to bless us.

The fact that we are all here this morning is proof of the fact that God has provided for us long before we gave Him anything.

In fact, if God did not provide for us, we would have nothing to give.

So giving is not a way to earn God’s favor. Giving is an act of worship to recognize and respond in gratitude for the favor and grace God has already shown.

This is why our offering is an act of worship. It is a response to what God has done, not as a way to manipulate God to do what we want.

Experience the Peace that Comes from Trusting the Providing Hand of God

Finally, there is a peace that comes when we submit to God in worship.

When we acknowledge that all we have comes from God and that God is daily and constantly providing for us, then we are free to give knowing that God will continue to provide for us.

There is an experience of peace knowing that we do not have to meet all of our own needs.

But as long as we continue to worry and hold back thinking that we have to take care of ourselves, we will lack the experience of peace God is able to give us.

This does not mean that we lose our salvation if we do not give. Again, we do not earn God’s love and grace through giving. But we miss out on the experience of peace when we choose not to submit to Him. We do not get to see God provide for us in ways when we think we have to provide for ourselves.

So when we truly submit to God in worship, we experience His peace as we learn to trust Him to meet all of our needs.

And if we have a hard time giving because we are worried, what do we do?

Philippians 4:6–7 (ESV)

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

When it is had to give, pray. Seek God’s face. He wants to give us His peace and assurance as we seek to worship Him with all we have.

Peace is Experienced as we Submit to God in Obedience

Peace Cannot be Found Apart From Righteousness

It is no accident that Melchizedek is not only King of Peace, but his own name or title means King of Righteousness.

We receive peace as we grow in righteousness and obedience to God. There can be no peace apart from the righteousness of Christ.

When Christ saves us, when we place our faith in trust in Him and what He has done, He justifies us. He declares us righteous.

But Christ wants to give us more than just a declared state of righteousness. He wants to actually make us righteous as we live and interact with those around us. He wants to make us more like Him.

We Experience the Peace of God as We Continue to Trust God

However, at the end of this account, the King of Sodom wants to make a peace treaty with Abram.

Sodom wants to take all the people and allow Abram to take all the plunder.

Sodom is trying to put Abram under his debt so he can say that Abram is rich because of what Sodom has done for him.

When we are indebted to someone, it makes it harder to go against them when they ask us to compromise what we know to be true.

In order to not lose the possessions, or reputation, or benefits of that relationship, we will begin to do whatever it takes to keep those benefits, even if it means compromising on what is right.

This is why James says,

James 4:4 (ESV)

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

When we make peace with the world, we compromise the righteousness that God is working to develop within us.

This is why Abram responds by saying that he would not take even a thread or a sandal strap. Abram is not going to compromise with wicked Sodom because he knows all he needs will be provided by God.

Abram will not compromise his relationship with God and the righteousness God wants him to have in order to make peace with those who are in outright rebellion against Him.

There are going to be times in which the world is going to ask us to compromise what is right in order to gain their blessing and their peace.

We see this all the time today on both a personal and a corporate level:

You might be asked to compromise gathering with God’s people in order to secure a higher place on your child’s sports team or to gain a promotion within your job.

It’s a small compromise, but it tends to start with the small compromises.

But the compromises tend to get bigger. It might be gaining public acceptance if we will affirm things God’s Word calls sin.

We see pastors and churches making peace with the world by changing what God has called sin and affirming choices and lifestyles that are in direct opposition to God’s design.

The compromise might be you can keep your job if you will affirm a child’s gender choice and keep that information from the parent.

Maybe it is the compromise of taking part in an action that clearly goes against God’s law.

We can try to make peace with the world, but we will lose the ultimate peace Christ has given to us when we deny Him for the sake of following what the world dictates.

But this does not mean that we cannot live “at peace” with those around us. While we cannot “make peace” meaning we cannot go with and place our trust in what the world offers to us, we can live “at peace” seeking to love our neighbor as we uphold the truth of God’s Word.

While we cannot condone the killing of children in the womb, we can seek to serve and minister to those who have had the painful experience of abortion and seek to love them with the love of Christ in spite of their past.

Abram did not make peace with Sodom. But he also chose to live at peace with Sodom and the others by not looking down upon the others who chose to take whatever plunder they chose. And we will see Abram praying and interceding for the lost and wicked of the other cities.