Jesus in Genesis?

Genesis 13 and 14- Last night, rather than blog, I sat outside my house for an hour waiting to scare my brother's friends with my lightsaber. Worth it. One of them screamed and jumped. My lightsaber is blue and makes lightsaber noises when I push the button. Since I missed last week (vacation), I will do two this week.

Abram and his...entourage (for simplicity's sake)...went back to the place where Abram made that first altar. This is hilarious, because it shows Abram ending up right back where he started before he stopped trusting God and wasted a bunch of time in Egypt. Abram learned something though and he also got some riches from the Pharoah. Abram and Lot then said to each other, “This town ain’t big enough for the both of us.” They had too much stuff and the herdsmen were fighting for grazing land. Abram graciously let his nephew choose the nice half of the area (the Jordan Valley near Sodom) and Abram settled in Canaan. Abram knew now that it didn’t matter where he was or how luscious the land was. God would provide. God reiterated his promise of numerous descendants, even though Abram was about 70-80 years old and hadn’t spawned anything yet.

The kings living in the area were mostly destructive. There was a war in Lot’s area. Lot and his entourage were captured. An escapee went to tell “Abram the Hebrew”. This is the first time the word “Hebrew” is used in the Bible. That word comes from a verb meaning “to pass over” or “to traverse” and has been translated as “the passenger.” You don't mess with an honorable man's family. It was on now. Abram led his army of 318 trained men, born in his house, and got Lot and his stuff back. Abram attacked at night, splitting his army into two groups so that he could come at them from two sides, showing at least the level of cleverness my brother and dad exhibit while playing Call of Duty.

The king of a place called Salem was Melchizedek, a “priest of God Most High”. Salam was where Jerusalem is now, meaning that God had one of his own ruling over that city from the start. Melchizedek is the first priest mentioned in the Bible. Melchizedek was obviously not a member of the Jewish or a Christian religions, but he knew God. It would be great to have more backstory on him, but alas. 

Melchizedek IS mentioned later in the Bible. In Psalms, it says that the Messiah’s priesthood is one “according to the order of Melchizedek,” meaning that it is not one according to the order of Aaron. This is seriously interesting. There are two priesthoods. One religious (Aaron) and one merely spiritual, consisting of people who just know God and have God reveal himself to them in other ways? One Jewish and one Christian? One on this plane and one on a different plane/dimension? That could get nerdy.

Hebrews says that Melchizedek had no parents, genealogy, birth, or death, and that he was made like Christ, remaining a priest continually.  This has prompted many to suggest that Melchizedek was not a person, but a manifestation of someone else. Suggestions include, but are not limited to, Christ, Job, an angel, Seth, and even aliens. 

Melchizedek blessed Abram and then blessed God, showing that priests should have a relationship with both God and man, ministering to both of them. It’s not a one-way street where humans ask God for things and then leave Him alone. We are supposed to be in continual communication and giving between each other and God, even if we will never out-serve God. Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything he owned. Melchizedek also served Abram bread and wine. I think, due to the bread and wine, a Christ manifestation makes the most sense. I don’t know if I think he actually was Christ, but I think he was supposed to represent or foreshadow him. We will never know, because the Bible likes to leave stuff out and drive me crazy.

The king of Sodom offered Abram some of the spoils of war, but Abram didn’t take any, because he wanted the credit for his success to go to God, not the king of Sodom. Abram encouraged the other kings to take whatever they wanted. This is a good example of a believer doing his own thing and not judging others for the way they choose to make their way in the world. These chapters mention that the people of Sodom were wicked. So, naturally, Lot moves right back there. Mmmmmmmhmmm.