A Tale of Two Kings

Introduction

Imagine walking through an art gallery devoted to a single person. And in that art gallery, there were photographs, sculptures, and and paintings devoted to this person. However, they only explain one aspect of this individual or a few aspects.

One shows a king.

Another shows a shepherd.

Another shows a priest.

Another shows a warrior.

And yet, none of them help you grasp the fullness of who the person is. It is single-dimensional.

But then you walk into another room, and the person whose exhibit you saw is standing there.

At the same time, two things are true: (1) you understand the person in the room more because you saw their exhibit and (2) you know that the exhibit could never compare to the real thing.

This is what happens when we explore a character of the Old Testament that helps us to understand who Jesus is - today, that is Melchizedek, the Priest-King.

Read Genesis 14:8-24.

Explanation

Five kings band together and go to war against the four kings near the land of Sodom and Gomorrah. Land and the kinds of the Shinar Plain go to battle against one another. Chedolamer leads the kings against Sodom and Gomorrah. They defeat Sodom and Gomorrah, and they carry off Lot along with the plunder from the cities. Abram gathers his servants (literally hired warriors), pursues Chedorlaomer, and brought Lot home.

When Abram returned, he is rewarded by the King of Sodom AND blessed by Melchizedek, the king of Salem. Abram tithed to God through Melchizedek, but he would not take payment from Sodom. He gave a share of the earnings to those who went with him, and he kept the food his servants had eaten.

Victor Hamilton (world-renowned theologian at Asbury for many years) states, “There are some only’s in this passage.”

This passages gives us the only military action by Abram.

This passages is the only pericope (or selection of text) without a “divine voice.”

This is the only passage where “the promise” God made to Abram isn’t mentioned.

It may seem as though God’s plan, God’s presence, and God’s purpose are lacking, but God is sovereignty orchestrating everything that is happening to Abram here. In the moment, God may be far, but you cannot read this passage without knowing the nearness of God and his divine plan.

God sends a man to Abram to strengthen him. This man’s name is Melchizedek. Never underestimate the power of your presence in the life of someone else.

This chapter reminds me of a miniature version of the book of Esther. God is not mentioned once in the book of Esther, but his sovereign hand cannot be denied in it. He is working in ways that we cannot always see.

Invitation

The Character of Abram

A man of courage

Abram protected his family.

Abram gathered warriors together and they rode towards the kings united with Chedorlaomer to get them back.

Abram was a warrior. Being a righteous person does not necessarily mean being a timid or feeble person. Rather, I think it means we are meant to be bold. Abram was a warrior. Being a warrior doesn't necessarily mean that we are trained in modern warfare. He was able to defend his family.

Abram was selfless.

Abram could have said, “Lot, you made a poor decision, so tough luck? Instead, he risks personal harm to go after Lot.

What do we do do with people who make poor choices in their lives like Lot? We fight for them. We give to them. We sacrifice for them. We care for them.

Some of you are sitting in this room today, because at your lowest moment and in your poorest decisions, the people around you didn’t give up on you.

We reflect the character of God when we live that way.

A man of integrity

Abram was generous with others.

Abram would not be corrupted by the unseemly gain and wealth.

Transition: Abram accepted the spiritual blessing of Melchizedek offered, but he refused the physical gain that Sodom offered.

The Reward from the King of Sodom

The King of Sodom told Abram to take all of the goods he took in victory over Chedorlaomer, but he to give him back the servants and people.

The King of Sodom was not rewarding Abram. He was simply doing as was custom in the Ancient Near East at this time.

Abram was not rejecting an offering and slighting the King of Sodom. He simply said he didn’t want it.

Abram was a man of integrity. He was both generous with the others around the camp.

The Blessing of the Priest-King Melchizedek

Melchizedek blessed Abram. A blessing is an acknowledgement and sometimes, supernaturally, a bestowing of divine favor. This blessing is both.

Genesis 14:19–20 “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.”

What God has granted Abram is far better than what the King of Sodom could ever give him. Melchizedek simply reminds Abram of this truth!

What does Melchizedek do? He feeds Abram. This may be over-specification, but I wonder if that was intentional. Let’s feed Abram before He gets offered the riches of the world from Sodom.

How many of you have had catastrophic consquences to your bank account because you went to the grocery store to by groceries when you were hungry?

Let us make decisions based the all-satisfying God of the universe.

Jeremiah 2:13 “13 for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.”

When we follow the riches of the world, we create vessels that cannot hold water. They will never provide that which satisfies.

Application: The Priest-King better than Melchizedek

There is one priest-king who was better than Melchizedek. That priest-king is Jesus.

The role of a priest is intercession. The role of a king is to rule. This role in Israel is separated. No king could lawfully act as a priests, and no priest could lawfully act as a king. In fact, King Saul once brought great judgement on himself for offering a Levitical sacrifice before a battle to earn God’s blessing instead of waiting on the priest.

And while Melchizedek is a strange and mysterious figure in Genesis, much time is devoted to Him in Hebrews 5-8 in the New Testament. And the main point is to say, Melchizedek was a greater

How is Jesus like Melchizedek?

Melchizedek’s name means, “King of Righteousness.” Jesus is a King of absolute and forever righteousness. Don’t we long for a leader who doesn’t make mistakes, who doesn’t struggle with the flesh, and who doesn’t make poor decisions.

Melchizedek was the king of Salem (Jerusalem). Salem means, “peace.” Most scholars would say that Melchizedek was the ruler of Jerusalem. Whether Jeru was added later or simply not given to add impact to peace, we don’t know. But Jeru just means

Melchizedek was “without father and mother.” Jesus was “without beginning or end.” There is always lineages of great leaders in the Bible. But we don’t have one with Melchizedek. And you know the Levitical priesthood had to do with lineage. Priests came from the tribe of Levi. So what is this saying? Melchizedek was appointed by God, Himself. Much as the Lord called Abram out of the land of Ur, God has appointed Melchizedek to this place at some point in his life.

For the Hebrew people, this was an invitation to lay down their allegiance to the Levitical sacrificial system. Jesus comes from the preistly order of Melchizedek.

He was righteous without spot or blemish. Levitical priests are not.

He was a king of great peace.

He was appointed by God for this purpose.

Jesus is the Greater Melchizedek.

Melchizedek is not the focus of Hebrews. In fact, we ought treat him much like we do in the Old Testament. Suddenly enters and suddenly leaves but pointing to someone who is greater, forever. Melchizedek is the signpost, but Jesus is the destination.

Jesus intercedes, more perfectly.

Whereas a priests could intercede imperfectly, being made clean by the blood of goats and bulls, Jesus blood is perfect, and he sits at the right hand of the father.

He argues on your behalf BY THE MERIT of his blood.

“What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

When Jesus died upon the cross for our sins, the wrath of God for your sins was poured out on him for you.

Jesus blesses, more richly.

Melchizedek brings to the end of the battle before a war-weary Abram - what? Bread and wine.

Are you tired today? “Take and eat, this is my body broken for you. Take and drink, this is my blood shed for you.”

Jesus blesses us from Himself.

Ephesians 1 gives us the blessings of God - Ephesians 1:7–8 “7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight”

A. W. Tozer, “The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One.”

Jesus sustains, more continuously.

Some of you worried all week if the power would go out at your house. Your life would change instantly if you lost power. Your ability to stay warm, get food, and find shelter would become exponentially harder. In fact, for some of you this happened.

In Jesus, you never have to worry about the spiritual power going out. He will never cease to sustain.

Your spiritual life must be upheld and sustained continually. The Levitical sacrificial system was bloody work.

This was to show the neediness of man.

Christ needs not sleep, atonement, or a sacrificial system on account of the law. His blood sustains us more than any Levitical system ever could.

Jesus reigns, forever.

The great atonement for sin came from the blood of the Lamb of God upon the cross.

The healing blood of Jesus and the redemptive work of that blood shed upon the cross will work its way into the restoration of all of humanity.

It may seem painstakingly slow right now, but one day a new creation will be wrought. And in that new creation, the foundation of our new life will be the blood of Jesus shed for us.

When you dispare over in churches, nations, and governments, you can find rest in the fact that the one who rules also atones. The one who grants judgement also saves. The one who

Invitation

Give your life to Jesus.

Return to the King who loves you.