"Abram honors Melchizedek" (Genesis 14.10-24)

Melchizedek, we read about him here and in Hebrews chapters six and seven. This "gentile" was a mysterious king known to us only through Jewish and Arabic writings, and that only briefly and without explanation. King of Salem, or shalom - peace. This is fascinating stuff for theologians and Biblical scholars.

This chapter is definitely one in which you need to have a score card to tell the players apart. What's the reason for this story even being in here? Is it about the alliances and politics of tribalism four thousand years ago? Is it a mystical allegory about Jesus revealing himself as the eternal high priest? That has been the perspective of some folks ever since the first century. I don't know.

What is most fascinating to me is that this seems to be the point in which Abram affirms, and maybe is his initial recognition, that the "God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth" is the 'Lord' from whom he has been hearing. 

This was Abram's introduction to the Lord Jehovah as - God Most High! God Most High blesses Abram and Abram blesses, and swears to, God Most High. Who blesses you? Who do you bless and to whom are you swearing loyalty?

Jesus talked about blessing and cursing. He questioned whether 'out of the same mouth' can come blessing and cursing? Well, we practice it daily, don't we? We say bad things about people and once in a while we will say something good about someone or even encourage someone.

Will the real 'us' please stand up?! To whom are we giving our loyalty? How did we start this day? Many 'Christians' give the 'Pledge of Allegiance' to the United States of America (at ballgames or civic functions) more often than they pledge their faith and loyalty to God.

I know there is a philosophy that you only have to do it once. That reminds me of the fellow who was purported to have responded to his wife when she asked if he loved her, "I told you when I married you that I loved you, ain't that enough?"

NOPE! The dope needs to tell his wife every day that he loves her. The whole thing of our relationship with the Lord being compared to a marriage involves love - giving, caring, encouraging and blessing.

God blesses us. We are supposed to bless God. The context of Genesis 14 shows quite strongly that Abram understood the act of 'blessing God Most High' to include an oath of loyalty. He said, "I have lifted up mine hand unto the LORD, the most High God, the possessor of heaven and earth..."

If you are married, you swore a vow; if you are a Christian you owe God the same. In both situations we need to daily profess our love, exercise our loyalty - and BLESS!