God's Perfect Plan | Genesis 14:17-24
In God’s first book of His holy word, we will see a continuing pattern throughout the entire book of Genesis. We will see how the world tumbles down into the depths of its depravity. The beginning of that is found in Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve disobeyed God. From Genesis 3 through Genesis 20 we see this continuing pattern of degeneracy in this world. Through that we see pockets of hope, a plan that God is beginning to unfold to His people, of how He will save His people from that degeneracy, from that sin. This is a story about a loving God in a depraved world. We can see how God’s perfect plan of salvation is beginning to unfold. Even the midst of the chaos of war, of the sin of Sodom, of the fear of man and cowardice found in Abram, God is still working to unfold His perfect plan to save humanity and bring us to Him.
“It is in those times of hopeless chaos—when the sovereign hand of God is most likely to be seen.”
--Thomas Chalmers
“If God says it shall be done, His purpose will not be thwarted or He is not sovereign.”
--Chuck Swindoll
“God’s sovereignty is not limited by human freedom.”
--R.C. Sproul
On their way back to have a mysterious and even seemingly, random experience with a figure named Melchizedek.
“Then 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; now he was a priest of God most High. He blessed him and said, ‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.’ He gave a tenth of all.”
--Genesis 14:17-20
Some serious questions must come out of this interaction between Abram and Melchizedek.
Who is Melchizedek?:
-Melchizedek is only mentioned in Scripture in three places, Genesis 14:17-20, Psalm 110:4 and in Hebrews 7.
-The Bible cloaks who Melchizedek is, he has no history, no lineage, we don’t even know what happened with Melchizedek after this interaction with Abram. He just shows up, outside of the Levitical priesthood which would come only through Abraham and his grandson Levi. Melchizedek isn’t just random though because Abram gives a tithe of 10 percent to him—this shows us that Melchizedek is so important for Abram to give his worship of tithe to God through him.
-Melchizedek’s name (Hebrew) means “King of Righteousness.” The city of Salem (Hebrew) means “Peace, completeness, wholeness.”
-He was a priest and king—this is very rare. Under the Levitical priesthood there were kings and priests—the only priest/king that would come up in the OT would be King David.
-Theophany? (a visible manifestation of God), Christophany? (Christ revealing Himself in the OT), or Shem himself? In Genesis 18, Jesus, appears to Abraham with two angels (the angels are on their way to destroy/ judge Sodom).
The answer to this question about Melchizedek is found in and Hebrews 5-7
“For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.”
--Hebrews 7:1-3.
Melchizedek wasn’t Jesus Himself BUT He was a foreshadowing of the priesthood of Christ. The Levitical, Old Testament Priesthood, would come out of Abraham. This is the Old Testament laws, rituals, temple system, clean/ unclean system, the Jewish law established through the Levitical priesthood that would come out of Abraham—remember, Abraham gives tithe to Melchizedek meaning the Rabbinical / Levitical priesthood is UNDER the eternal priesthood established by Melchizedek.
- Melchizedek is a priest of an eternal order that will be fulfilled and completed by Jesus Christ.
Genesis 14:17-24 shows us that God’s plan is unfolding right before Abram’s eyes—not only that by Abram recognizes it, Abram has faith in it, he has great faith in his great God. This is the first time we have a priestly tithe found in scripture.
“He blessed him and said, ‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.’ He gave a tenth of all.”
--Genesis 14:20
Why is this significant? Melchizedek is in God’s word in this very specific manner to set up this king/priest lineage that will exist ABOVE the Aaronic/Levitical priestly order. In the Old Testament there were the twelve tribes which came from: Abraham—Isaac—then Jacob (who’s name changes to Israel) and through Jacob comes the twelve tribes through his twelve sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin.
When the Israelites were saved through the Exodus from Egypt, Moses, went up the mountain to receive the ten commandments from God but the people built and worshipped a golden calf idol—they rebelled against God.
“The Levitical priests, the whole tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the Lord’s offerings by fire and His portion. They shall have no inheritance among their countrymen; the Lord is their inheritance, as He promised them…You shall give him the first fruits of your grain, your new wine, and your oil, and the first shearing of your sheep. For the Lord your God has chosen him and his sons from all your tribes, to stand and serve in the name of the Lord forever.”
--Deuteronomy 18:1-2,4-5
The Levites were a special tribe. They were to minister to the Lord. At the Golden Calf incident, Moses asked the tribes of Israel which tribe would stand with him for the Lord. The Levites alone responded to the call (Exodus 32). From that time forward, the Levites had a unique role in Israel. Their member served at the Tabernacle and later the temple. Some of them were priests. Others assisted the priests by taking care of the facilities and grounds. Only they were allowed to set up, take down, and transport the tabernacle. Simply put, they served as the spiritual leaders and servants of Israel at large. Not all of them would have lived at the Tabernacle. Cities were apportioned to them to live in throughout the twelve tribes.
This priesthood would live under kings and exist in this form of worship until the destruction of the temple in 70AD (after Jesus’ death and resurrection).
King David was both Priest / King and in many of the prophecies of Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection we learn that Jesus is a righteous branch that will come through King David’s line (which goes all the way back through Abraham to Adam). Melchizedek was Priest/King, King David is Priest/King all preparing the way for the final/eternal priest King which the Levite Priesthood would submit to and fall under.
“The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’ The Lord will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying, ‘Rule in the midst of Your enemies… The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind, ‘You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.’”
--Psalm 110:1-2,4
“’What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?’ They *said to Him, ‘The son of David.’ He *said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, Until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet’? If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?’ No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.’”
--Matthew 22:42-46
Jesus makes certain claims and markers in His ministry to point to Him being the fulfillment of the Melchizedek priesthood. He didn’t exist or come from the Levitical priesthood as He is a descendant through the king’s of Judah, He is both Priest and King (like David and Melchizedek) and fulfills a more authoritative priesthood above the Levites (just as Abraham worshiped God through Melchizedek). Jesus is the ultimate priest, the ultimate King, and He has established a new priesthood, a new temple, a new church under His rule—not the Old Covenant rule.
This is why Jesus establishes communion / eucharist as a form of remembrance and worship for His death and resurrection. 12 tribes = 12 disciples. The 12 disciples were there for the last supper where Jesus bring the wine and bread (just like Melchizedek did to Abram) and blesses these 12 disciples as priests of His New Covenant Church. Melchizedek brought bread and wine and the showbread would be a central part to Jews in the tabernacle and temple.
Showbread:
The showbread was placed on the table in two stacks, each stack containing six loaves. Frankincense (resin extracted from the Boswellia sacra tree) was placed on the table with the showbread. Fresh loaves of bread replaced the old loaves on the table every Shabbat
11 lbs, two stacks at the front of the tabernacle or temple, every Sabbath the Priests (Kohanim) would eat the old loaves and replace it with new ones
Different explanations have been given over the years, and there is a central message that is similar in all the explanations: the showbread symbolizes the material abundance that God gives to the Jews. It’s a continuous reminder that our livelihoods and food come only from God.
This is why Abram tithes to Melchizedek. Abram submits to Melchizedek and tithing because a command for the people of Israel and continues through God’s whole family (both Jews and Gentiles).
“But the one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater. In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on. And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.”
--Hebrews 7:6-10
- Abram’s faith in God is strong. Abram believes in God’s plan; he leaves it all up to God instead of taking things into his own hands.
In the covenant God later made with Israel, a tithe was commanded (Leviticus 27:30-33, Numbers 18:21-24, Deuteronomy 26:12-15). Abram’s giving to Melchizedek a tithe of all shows that the principle of the tithe predates the old covenant and is not restricted to the law of Moses. Under the new covenant, the tithe is not emphasized yet the idea of proportional giving is clearly stated (1 Corinthians 16:2), and one-tenth may be regarded as a goal or measure of that proportion.
“Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver… Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God.”
--2 Corinthians 9:6-7, 10-12
“’Give the people to me and take the goods for yourself.’ Abram said to the king of Sodom, ‘I have sworn to the Lord God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take a thread or a sandal thong or anything that is yours, for fear you would say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ I will take nothing except what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their share.’”
--Genesis 14:21-24
Abram obeyed God, Abram understood where his immense blessing came from (his gold, silver and servants). Abram responded by not taking anymore spoils because he left the rest up to God after saving Lot, after meeting Melchizedek, he also understood the blessing from God through Melchizedek was greater than anything the world can give him.
“The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”
--Hebrews 7:23-25
Jesus is our Melchizedek. Jesus has brought not just bread and wine but He brought His sacrificed body as our daily bread and His perfect blood as our wine so that our sins can be forgiven, so that our crimson can be made white as wool, we find joy in knowing that God’s plan us unfolded out of the pages of God’s word, history and it continues to unfold right before our eyes as we anticipate seeing our Ultimate High Priest once again. He has saved us. He has brought us into His presence.
Knowing that God has a perfect plan gives us hope, peace and most importantly, gives us complete joy and satisfaction in this life as we anticipate our perfect life with Him in the New Heaven and New Earth one day.
“While other worldviews lead us to sit in the midst of life’s joys, foreseeing the coming sorrows, Christianity empowers its people to sit in the midst of this world’s sorrows, tasting the coming joy.”
--Tim Keller