Genesis 14:14-24 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. 15 And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. 16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people. 17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale. 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. 19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. 21 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. 22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, 23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: 24 Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.
In the above passage we are introduced to two individuals that are typical of the two greatest characters in the drama of life. The King of Salem or peace we know from the book of Hebrews is typical of the Lord Jesus Christ. The King of Sodom pictures for us the other king that every person must deal with. He is the tyrant King Self.
In these few verses we see the difference in the type of lives they offer their subjects. King of Salem comes to His subjects offering to bless them. He comes to Abram with bread and wine to refresh him after the day's battle (14:18). King of Salem comes with a blessing upon His lips for His willing subjects (14:19). This is how the Lord Jesus comes to us. He comes to bless us with salvation and refresh us with His abiding presence. Abram is so moved by gratitude for all that he has received that he gives ten percent of all that he has to the King of Salem. There was no demand made for this offering because it was not needed. Does love and gratitude move you to give your life in rescuing others who have been taken captive by sin like Abram? Are you moved to give your every resource in service to the King that has blessed and refreshed you with salvation?
King of Sodom, the old tyrant King Self, comes with a different goal in mind. He does not come to rescue those who have been taken captive, but when the captive has been set free he makes his presence known. King Self offers to those who will be his subjects the goods of this world (14:21b). Unlike King Jesus, King self demands the persons in exchange for the goods (14:21a). King Self simply wants to put the one who has been set free from the chains of sin into the chains of service to Self. He does not tell his unfortunate subjects that as it did the men in Sodom, Self will so chain them with the chains of self-indulgence that when struck blind they care nothing for their sight as long as they may have opportunity to gratify their selfish desires. Abram refused the goods (14:22-25) knowing he would rather serve King Jesus willingly than King Self by compulsion.
Today we may need to take the opportunity to ask the Lord to break the chains of King Self that bind us by showing us what areas of our lives have not been yielded totally to God. It may be an attitude or some unscriptural views that have not been changed. It may be a lack of yielding for service or lack of concern for the lost. It may be a selfish desire that is fostering strife. King Self offers a freedom that leads to bondage, but those who are set free by King Jesus are free indeed.
Daily Devotional: Genesis 28:10-15; 32:22-28
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