Melchizedek’s Blessing and Abram’s Moral Choices
Genesis 14:17–24 (NASB95)
17Then 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). 18And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. 19He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” He gave him a tenth of all. 21The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give the people to me and take the goods for yourself.”22Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have sworn to the Lord God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, 23that 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.’ 24“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.”
Abram returned victorious from battle and met two kings. Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High, greeted Abram with bread and wine. Melchizedek’s name means “My King is Righteousness.” He blessed Abram and praised God Most High as Creator and Deliverer. The bread and wine Melchizedek offered were more than simple refreshments. They pointed forward to the bread and wine of the Lord’s Table. In the New Testament, the writer of Hebrews describes Jesus as a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. Jesus used bread and wine to establish the New Covenant, offering His body and blood for the forgiveness of sins. Melchizedek’s act foreshadowed the greater priesthood and sacrifice of Christ. So, once again, we see the Gospel playing out in the book of Genesis.
Abram also encountered the king of Sodom. Sodom’s king had a reputation for evil. He offered Abram the spoils of war but asked for the people in return. Abram refused to profit from Sodom’s wealth. He swore an oath to the Lord, God Most High, that he would not take anything from the king of Sodom. Abram wanted no one to say that Sodom had made him rich. He accepted only what his men had eaten and what was due to his allies. Abram’s alliance with Sodom was not a partnership of values but a temporary strategy to rescue Lot and others from a greater threat. Abram kept his loyalty to God clear and refused to be indebted to evil.
Melchizedek’s blessing and Abram’s response show the difference between God’s way and the world’s way. Melchizedek honored God and blessed Abram. The king of Sodom acted with self-interest and presumption. Abram chose to honor God above all, trusting that every blessing would come from God’s hand, not from compromise with evil.
The church today must remember that God’s blessings come through faithfulness, not through alliances with the world’s values. The bread and wine of communion remind us of Christ’s sacrifice and the New Covenant. Believers must act with integrity, even when working alongside those who do not share our values. We must trust God to provide and refuse to seek gain through questionable means. God calls His people to honor Him first, to receive His blessing, and to point others to the true King of Righteousness.