Genesis 13-14

This year, we decided to go deeper into God’s Word. We appreciate you joining us in this journey to engage with God. Also, I want you to know that there are several series of shorter devos on our website. Go to ronmoore.org to check out a list of devotions that may speak to your life circumstance.

Today we are going to consider Genesis 13-14, where Moses provides an account of Abram rescuing his nephew Lot. I will summarize that story and focus on a very interesting encounter that Abram had with a priest and king named Melchizedek.

Abram and his household were in the Negev (southern Israel) when a famine forced them to go to Egypt. It was there that Abram, the man of great faith, gave into great fear and told the Egyptians that Sarai was his sister. We considered that narrative last time. Beginning in Genesis 13, Abram went back to the Negev. At this point, Abram and Lot were traveling together. Both were wealthy men with large herds of livestock, but the land could not support two large herds in the same area, so they decided to split up.

Abram allowed Lot to select the land in which he wanted to settle.

Genesis 13:10
And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)

Lot took a good look at the land before him. Moses focuses on how Lot’s desire was aroused for the best land. Notice that he alludes to the Garden of Eden and Egypt. Just as Eve desired the tree in the garden and just like Israel, after they were freed from Egypt, desired to turn back and abandon the journey to the promised land, Lot saw the “well watered” land and “settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom” (Genesis 13:12). Moses explains that the men of Sodom were not run-of-the-mill sinners. They were “wicked, great sinners against the Lord” (Genesis 13:13). We will learn much more about the sins of Sodom later.

In Abram’s time (around 2000 BC), kings would make alliances with other kings for economic and military reasons. Many times, the kings demanded payment from other countries, and in turn, they promised not to attack.  For twelve years, a five-country alliance that included Sodom and Gomorrah (the western powers) had paid tribute to a four-country alliance in the Babylonian area (the eastern powers). But in “the thirteenth year [the western powers] rebelled” and a war between these alliances ensued (Genesis 14:1-4). The military force from the Babylonian area defeated the military force with Sodom and Gomorrah, capturing Lot and his family.

When Abram heard the news, he gathered his allies and defeated the alliance from the Babylonian area. Abram brought back all the captives (Genesis 14:13-16). Be sure to note that in Genesis 14:13, Abram is called “Abram the Hebrew.” We are not sure what the name Hebrew means. It is related to a word that means “to cross over” or “from the other side.” This may refer to being an immigrant since Abram is in the Canaanite territory. Some think that the name came from Abram’s ancestor Eber (Genesis 11:14-16).^[1] Today Hebrews are those who can trace their lineage through Abraham. Hebrews are also called Israelites and Jews.

After Abram defeated the eastern powers, “Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High)” (Genesis 14:18). Melchizedek blesses Abram, and Abram gave him a tenth of all the possessions he had retrieved. The king of Sodom was present and told Abram to take all the goods.

Genesis 14:22-23
But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’”

Abram was totally dependent on the Lord, and to demonstrate that dependence, he refused to take the possessions. He would not take a “thread or a sandal strap.”

Okay—let’s spend some time thinking about Melchizedek, who said to Abram,

Genesis 14:19-20
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”

So, who is Melchizedek? That is a much-discussed question, and after hundreds of years of debate, we won’t be able to definitively answer the question here. Some believe Melchizedek was a theophany, an appearance as the pre-incarnate Christ. I believe it is best to see Melchizedek as a type of Christ (or “typical” of Christ). That is, he behaves in a way that relates to Jesus’ character and actions in the New Testament.[2]

We know that Melchizedek was the king of Salem (Jerusalem) and a priest of God Most High (El Elyon). We do not know his genealogy, but we know that Melchizedek’s name means “king of righteousness.” Bible scholar Allen Ross writes that his name “suggests a righteous ruler who was God’s representative” and that Abram recognized Melchizedek “as his spiritual superior.”^[3] Abram humbly honored Melchizedek by giving him a tithe.

Melchizedek is mentioned in three passages: Genesis 14, Psalm 110:4, and Hebrews 7. Since Scripture is the best commentary on Scripture, let’s take a quick look at Hebrews 7. The writer of Hebrews describes the supremacy of Jesus over the Old Testament law and priestly order. I will make a few observations from this passage.

• Jesus is our high priest forever, “after the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 6:20).
• There is no genealogy of Melchizedek “resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever” (Hebrews 7:3).
• The writer argues that Melchizedek’s priesthood was superior to the Levitical priests (Hebrews 7:4-10). He existed long before Levi was born. So, as a type of Christ, his priesthood is likened to Jesus’ priesthood, which is superior to the Levitical priests.
• In Hebrews 7:11-28, the writer compared Jesus with Melchizedek. He wrote that Jesus came in the “likeness of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 7:15) and will be a priest forever “after the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 7:17). That makes Jesus the “guarantor of a better covenant” (Hebrews 7:22).
• The writer concludes the Jesus-Melchizedek comparison by saying,

Hebrews 7:26-28
For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Read Genesis 13-14. As you read this section, don’t miss Abram’s trust in God. He refuses to take any of the spoils of war so that God, not man, could be honored in his life. Also, take your time reading through the section about Melchizedek, a type of Christ, found in the first book of the Bible. God, from the beginning, prepares us for Jesus.

Prayer and Application
Read again the Hebrews passage above and thank God for Jesus’s work in your life. Jesus, the priest and king, the perfect, sinless sacrifice, has paid the penalty for our sins once for all.

Have Questions?
In today’s devo, I touched on the account of Melchizedek briefly. You may have questions about him or other questions in this passage. Our team is here to assist you as you explore God’s Word. Simply submit your question below, and we’ll get back to you soon.

^[1] Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition Notes (Biblical Studies Press, 2006), Gen. 14:13.
[2] For a good discussion on typology in Scripture, check out https://www.gotquestions.org/typology-Biblical.html
^[3] Allen P. Ross, “Genesis,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 54.