SCRIPTURE: Genesis 14
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
(Read my reflection from 2008)
Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. [Genesis 14:18-20]
Abram stands up to the marauding kings and their armies, to rescue his nephew and to end their oppressive subjection of the land.
Out of nowhere this “priest of God Most High” shows up, whose name means “king of righteousness”, and who is actually the king of a place called “Salem” (peace).
The king of righteousness, the king of peace, blesses Abram for his service on behalf of the poor and oppressed.
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ [Matthew 25:34-36]
The bible makes a connection between Jesus and Melchizedek [Psalm 110:4, Hebrews 5-7], both king and priest, appearing out of nowhere to bless the servants of peace and righteousness.
Here in this parable Jesus describes Himself as the King that will one day pronounce His blessing on all those who lived as servants of mercy and peace.
Are you expecting this?
Think of the life that you are living, is it the kind of the life that will lead the King of righteousness, the King of peace, to say “well done”!
God’s desire from the beginning was to create a world for His much-loved children who would live and serve like Him.
Through Melchizedek, and through Jesus, He reminds us that one that you and I will stand up before Him and He will look at how we lived, who we served.
Is my life the kind of life that He will want to bless?
How might I change the way I live today if I realize that this will happen?
PRAYER:
Lord, You want this world to be filled with people who acts justly, who love mercy and who walk humbly with You. May my life, like Abram’s, be the kind of the life that You will one day want to bless!
Abram rescues Lot with a small trained army. Upon return the high proest comes out of nowhere and blesses Abram. Once again we are reminded that it was God almighty who gave the victory. Bread and wine were brought out and that reminds me of Jesus Christ. I am His champion because of what He did for me. He too was victorious, defeating the enemy. And He too will come out of nowhere and say well done to those who lived His way.
In whose power do I go forward this day? What is my power source? Whom do I serve. The king of Sodom or the the King or Salem. As the parables in the NT show – the Master will return – unexpectantly – and He will say what? Blessed or cursed?
Lord, make me GodStrong in all I do and say this day as I live for Jesus. May I too see that it is You Who strengthens me so I can do what you want me to do.
Strengthen for service, Lord, the hands
That holy things have taken;
Let ears that now have heard thy songs
To clamor never waken.
Lord, may the tongues which ‘Holy’ sang
Keep free from all deceiving;
The eyes which saw Thy love be bright
Thy blessèd hope perceiving.
The feet that tread Thy holy courts
From light do Thou not banish;
The bodies by Thy body fed
With Thy new life replenish.