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Melchizedek’s Blessing and Tithing — Genesis 14 Daily Word
After defeating four kings, Abram encounters Melchizedek, priest of God Most High, who blesses him with bread and wine. Abram responds by giving a tenth of everything, demonstrating devoted consecration to God’s victory.
Genesis 14:17-20 Daily Word — After Abram returned from defeating the alliance of four kings, Melchizedek king of Salem came out with bread and wine and blessed him. Melchizedek, a priest of God Most High, pronounced a blessing over Abram, who then gave him a tenth of everything. This scene carries the profound meaning of God’s victory and devoted consecration.
The Blessing of Melchizedek, King of Salem
1. [Scripture]
[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. (Gen 14:17-20, ESV)
2. [Daily Word]
# God declared that the household of Ham, son of Noah, would become the lowest of servants to Japheth and Shem.
In today’s passage, we see that this was indeed playing out in history: the kings of Canaan, represented by the king of Sodom, had been paying tribute to the kings of the northern Shemite region. This confirms that God’s prophecy was being reflected directly in the course of history. The five kings of Canaan had been paying tribute to the king of Elam for twelve years. In the thirteenth year, however, they rebelled and stopped paying tribute.
The reason for this is that Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, raised a coalition army and came down on a campaign of conquest. As they gathered around the Dead Sea, they subjugated various peoples, and their string of victories ultimately struck fear into the hearts of the Canaanite kings. In the end, the king of Sodom and the king of Gomorrah fled without putting up a proper fight.
# Among the five kings, why does Scripture specifically record the wickedness of these two kings?
It was likely because they had committed sins that displeased God — immoral sins such as homosexuality, which we are well acquainted with, and sins that broke the order God had established. As a result, everything those cities possessed was taken from them by the four kings. And afterward, these two cities would be judged by fire and brimstone.
The sin of Sodom and Gomorrah had a direct impact on the outcome of the battle. This is something that applies to us as well, because every battle we face belongs to God. Therefore, we must remember that our battles are first and foremost spiritual battles, and that those who live within the kingdom of God are the ones who prevail.
# Lot, Abram’s nephew who was living in Sodom, is taken captive.
When Abram heard the news, he took 318 trained men from his household (with a total household of over 1,000) and pursued them, attacking at night and routing them, recovering everything that had been taken. As we know, Abram was not a military commander but a shepherd. Therefore, all the men under him would have been herdsmen as well. Yet we can see that Abram had trained the servants who had grown up in his household from youth, because he was always prepared to be used by the Lord at any moment.
After Abram defeated Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him and was returning, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh, that is, the King’s Valley. However, verse 18, which follows in the text, appears at first glance to be out of place with the surrounding context.
# Melchizedek, king of Salem, comes out with bread and wine.
It is not surprising that the king of Sodom came out to meet Abram, but what is remarkable is that Melchizedek, king of Salem, suddenly appeared with bread and wine — and he was a priest of God Most High. This Melchizedek is introduced in (Heb 7:1-3) as follows.[1] For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, [2] 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. [3] 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. (Heb 7:1-3, ESV)
Salem was part of the land of Canaan — in other words, a foreign land, a nation that did not believe in God. Yet in the midst of that, Melchizedek was a set-apart man who offered sacrifices to God. For this reason, many scholars interpret this passage as a foreshadowing of the coming of Jesus, who would come in just such a manner.
# Melchizedek blesses Abram.
[19] And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; (Gen 14:19, ESV) Melchizedek blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth” — because it was not Abram’s 318 men who won the battle, but rather it was God Most High who had delivered Abram’s enemies into his hands, granting him the victory.
In summary, it was God who planned a winning battle and prepared a defeated army for Abram. This means that God placed Abram in a position of advantage so that he might live a blessed life of gratitude and glory to God, and so that Abram would be used by God in a blessed way.
Thus, in the latter part of verse 20, “Abram gave him a tenth of everything.” Through this passage, we can understand the meaning of the tithe.
First, Abram acknowledged Melchizedek as a priest who serves God. Second, Abram acknowledged that all he possessed belonged to God. Therefore, giving a tithe is an expression of one’s firm belief that every aspect of our lives is governed and guided by God alone. We must remember, then, that offering a tithe is an expression of faith belonging only to a mature believer.
A Psalm of David. [1] The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, (Ps 24:1, ESV)
When we believe that everything we have belongs to God, and when we enter into the kingdom of God and live centered on His Word, just as God handed everything over to Abram so that Abram could not help but win in battle — in the same way, if we desire all our prayer requests to be answered, we must entrust every battle to God. I pray that you would believe this truth and walk in victory by faith today as well.
Melchizedek, blessing, tithe, God’s victory, spiritual dedication
Originally published in Korean at bible2u.com
