Abram’s Giving through Melchizedek

Genesis 14:18-24

18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said:

    “Blessed be Abram of God Most High,
    Possessor of heaven and earth;
    20 And blessed be God Most High,
    Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all.

21 Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.”   22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’— 24 except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.”

Though Melchizedek seems to have come out of nowhere, He was the priest of the Sovereign God of Israel.  Abram recognized this and allowed God’s blessing from the priest as God’s grace, just as we receive grace from our eternal High Priest and Lord from this type back then (Hebrews 5:5-6, 7:1-3, 10).  This king of peace (Salem) blessed Abram after glorifying God who owns the universe and everything in it (including Abram) and who saved Abram in the battle to recover Lot and his lot.  Then the other king, of Sodom, offered the spoils to Abram from the successful battle, but he refused before God by an oath to be indebted for any riches at the hand of man.  He asked only for the food already eaten and for a portion to those three who went and fought with him.  Abram realized all he had was God’s, and had given a tenth (tithe) to the High Priest as die to God, keeping no riches for himself and giving to others.  This pattern of giving first to God, then others, and trusting Him for our own provision is one to remember well, not focusing on ten percent, but who we give to and why.