MELCHIZEDEK BLESSES ABRAM
Genesis 14:1-24 Lesson 7b
Key verse 14:19,20
"And he blessed Abram, saying, 'Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven
and earth. And blessed be God Most High who delivered your enemies into your hand.'
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything."
*THE BATTLE OF THE KINGS (1-12)
1.Who was Kedorlaomer and what was his position in the political structure of that
region? Where was his kingdom? Who were his allies? Why did he go to war?
2.How extensive was Kedorlaomer's campaign as described in verses 5-7?
(Look at a map if possible.)
3.Who were the kings allied with Bera king of Sodom? Where did the big
battle between the 4 kings and the 5 kings take place? Who won? What was the
result to the defeated cities?
*ABRAM'S WAR (13-16)
4.How did Abram get involved in this war? Why do you think he went to rescue Lot?
What does this teach about him? What can we learn from him?
5.Look at a map and try to find the extent of this war. Who were Abram's allies?
Describe Abram's military campaign. What does this reveal about Abram?
6.What was the outcome of the war? How might Abram's involvement in this conflict
have changed his relationships with the Canaanites? What temptations might
this victory present to him?
*ABRAM MEETS TWO KINGS (17-24)
7.Who were the 2 kings that came to meet Abram after he returned from defeating
Kedorlaomer? How were they different? In what respect do they represent two
alternative life directions before Abraham?
8.How is Melchizedek described? What did he bring? What is the significance of this?
9.How did he bless Abram? What did he teach Abram about God? About his recent great victory?
Why was this important for Abram at this time?
10.How did Abram respond to Melchizedek's blessing? What does this mean?
11.What did the king of Sodom suggest about the disposition of the spoils of war?
What were the only material goods of Sodom which Abram used?
12.What reasons did Abram give for refusing to keep any of the material goods of
Sodom for himself? What does this reveal about his faith?
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MELCHIZEDEK BLESSES ABRAM
Genesis 14:1-24 Lesson 7b
Key Verse: 14:19,20
"And he blessed Abram, saying, 'Blessed be Abram by God Most
High Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most
High who delivered your enemies into your hand.' Then Abram
gave him a tenth of everything."
Sometimes we think of Abram as a weak, vague old man, a man who had
to live by faith because he had few human abilities. But in this
chapter we see another side of Abram. He was an able man and he could
have been a world leader had he chosen that life for himself. He was an
able general who earned the respect of kings. But more importantly, he
was God's man, and he had a great shepherd heart. This chapter is about
a time in his life when he was successful and the temptation to become
a worldly man was very strong.
1. The battle of the kings (1-12)
The times in which Abram lived were unsettled times. There was no
central government in Canaan. The country was controlled by a number of
feudal lords who ruled as kings in city states. The military campaign
described here is a large-scale one. Kedorlaomer was the king of Elam
(modern Iran). The power of his arm was felt throughout the Middle
East. The 3 kings allied with him were actually his subjects. The 5
kings who lived in the vicinity of the Dead Sea (including the kings of
Sodom and Gomorrah) acknowledged Kedorlaomer's suzerainty, and as his
vassals, they had paid him tribute for 12 years. Then, in the 13th
year, they rebelled. Evidently, they did not send tribute. Kedorlaomer
waited one year, then in the 14th year, he led a large military
expedition to Canaan and subdued all the territory from north of
Damascus to the far south, almost to Egypt (the land of the Amalekites
and the Edomites). Then he turned his attention to the 5 kings who had
rebelled against him. They met in the Valley of the Salt Sea, the 4
kings against the 5. Kedorlaomer and his allies quickly subdued the
rebels, many of whom fell in tar pits in their haste to escape. They
plundered the cities and carried away a large amount of booty and many
hostages. Lot was among those who were carried off, because he lived in
Sodom.
2. Abram's war (13-16)
Abram was a peaceful headsman. He owned no land; he stayed out of
politics and out of war. He had no reason to rescue Lot. Lot was not a
"good sheep." He had run away from Abram and from the life of faith.
But Abram had a great shepherd's heart for Lot. His shepherd's heart is
like God's heart of love for rebellious and sinful people. God keeps on
loving; Abram also kept on loving.
The news of Lot's capture galvanized Abram to action. He had trained
enough of his servants to make a strong defensive force, but he had not
engaged in an offensive war before this time. He marshalled his forces,
made an alliance with some of his neighbors and set out in pursuit of
Lot's captors. He caught up with them in Dan, the northern-most city of
Canaan. He attacked at night, using skillful military strategy. The
enemy soldiers were totally surprised, and they were thoroughly
routed. However, a large contingent escaped, and taking Lot with them,
they continued their retreat. Abram pursued them and again caught them
at Hobah, north of Damascus. He recovered everything and brought back
all the people and goods which Kedorlaomer had taken.
Abram came back from the battle of the kings as a conquering
general. He had gone to war simply to rescue Lot, but in the course of
doing this, he had defeated the most powerful king in the whole region.
He could have regarded his victory as God's sign to him to possess the
whole land. He could have said, "Perhaps God is giving me the land he
promised me. Maybe this is the time for me to change my life-style and
live like a king."
3. Abram meets two kings (17-24)
Two kings came to meet him when he returned from this successful
military campaign. One king represented the world; the other
represented the simple tent life God had called him to live. They
symbolized the choice that lay before Abram. Abram had a conference
first with Melchizedek.
Melchizedek was king of Salem. His name means "King of
righteousness." Salem means "peace." He was king of righteousness and
king of peace. (Heb 7:1-10) He was priest of God Most High. His visit
and his blessing taught Abram two things. First, he reminded Abram of
God's friendship. He came with bread and wine to strengthen Abram, who
must have been physically and emotionally exhausted. They ate the meal
together and shared spiritual fellowship. Second, and most important,
he came with God's word and God's blessing. Melchizedek's blessing has
two parts: First, he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God
Most High, Creator (Possessor) of heaven and earth.." This blessing
reminded Abram that God is the Possessor of heaven and earth and
everything else. He is the One who can give us everything. Why become
greedy for a few material baubles when one can have everything. When
God blesses, we are truly blessed. The worldly things for which we
strive cannot make us happy even if we succeed in obtaining them.
Second, Melchizedek said, "Blessed be God Most High, who delivered your
enemies into your hand." This blessing reminded Abram that his victory
over the kings was only won by God's grace. Abram pledged his loyalty
and obedience to God Most High, and sealed that pledge by giving
Melchizedek a tenth of everything. It was like the tribute which the
vassal kings offer to their masters. Abram's tithe represented the
commitment of his heart and life to God Most High, the Creator and
Possessor of all things. Someone once said that a man's heart is where
his pocketbook is. We should learn from Abram to give our tithes and
offerings to God as a symbol of our commitment to him. Our tithing
should be an act of worship.
Then Abram met the king of Sodom. The king of Sodom tempted Abram to
act like the ordinary men of those times. He wanted to make a deal with
Abram. "Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself." Abram
could take for himself all of the spoils of war, for they were his by
right. But Abram had God's word in his heart. He quoted Melchizedek:
"I have sworn to the Lord God Most High, Creator (Possessor) of heaven
and earth,..." He believed God's almighty power. He believed God's
sovereignty over heaven and earth. He believed that God would keep his
promises. He believed that God's blessing was the best. He continued,
"I have taken an oath that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not
even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able
to say, 'I made Abram rich.'" Abram could refuse the wealth of Sodom
and return to his simple shepherd's life. God had sent Abram a
shepherd, Melchizedek, to help him in a time of spiritual crisis, and
Abram had received God's word from him and overcome the temptation to
compromise with the world and acquire the tainted riches of Sodom.