Parasha Lech Lecha: Day 3

B'reisheet/Genesis 14:1-20

War waged between men in the days of Abram and Lot. With holdovers from the divided nations who still believed they could dominate their world, there were others, of righteousness, that would not rule anything, rather they would stand up for Elohim and His ways and people. Those that would stand up for Elohim were not designated to be earthly royalty or kings by man's standards. As a matter of fact, one was called a wandering Aramean and had only the call of his Elohim upon his life. Of course, this is Abram. The other, who did not go out to war, but instead purposed Himself as a doer of service of Elohim Most High. 

Abram faced the armies of the four eastern kings with only three hundred and eighteen men. It should stand to reason that the offending armies were easily hosting more soldiers than that. Abram knew that brute strength and numbers would not win the battles and gain his nephew back. It would take the Ruach of Elohim to fight for his army and on his behalf. Only then could he stand against a force that had already dominated the region.

Interestingly enough, King Chedorlaomer and the kings with him had conquered several areas that Israel would overtake plus some. This enemy was a forerunner of what Israel would do and was supposed to but would not. They slew the Amalekites, the Amorites, those of wickedness living in the valley surrounding the Salt Sea, and, they slew a people that Israel had refused to fight at first, the people living in Kadesh in the Negev. It would seem that these conquering kings were assumed to be evil, that in reality they were wiping out all the enemies of Elohim showing a future Israel that it could be done with a less powerful fighting force than three hundred and eighteen men.

Abram may not have been a king, nor a called out priest recognized by men of the earth; but, he was both of these to the Elohim he served. The favor of Elohim was upon him as he would do the work and service of the Master. In likeness of this anointing, Abram met up with the King of Salem, Melchizedek—a priest of Elohim Most High. Much conjecture can be made about this undefined person. His name, though, means King of Righteousness (Melchizedek), the King of Peace (King of Salem). By name in spirit and in the flesh, this person represented both man and Elohim in royalty and in service. His name represented not an earth based blind peacefulness, but the peace that each man is to pursue between himself and the Creator. Not only was Melchizedek the King of this description, but a Priest that would bring others to the One He represented. A later account in Ezekiel 44 gives an account of who Melchizedek's sons will be and by what standard they will abide.

Still, later in the Brit Hadasha/New or Renewed Covenant, Yeshua is singled out as the only One Who could possible be Melchizedek and He anoints His followers, Covenant keepers, us, as His kings and priests in His order, the order of Melchizedek. Like our father Abraham, we look to Messiah's day and rejoice, both back at His passion and forward to His return, rule and reign. The kings of this earth have surrounded the anointed of YHVH, but the kings and priests that Yeshua calls us to be are stronger, mightier and have greater passion and vision than the kings of the earth. It is by the blood and Life of Messiah we have inherited this strength and it only comes through His Ruach haKodesh. We can, in His Name, defeat all foes as He calls us to action and perform His will on earth. Some will bear the sword or muster the elect as Abram did; others will stand in intercession and serve Elohim Most High in the same capacity of Melchizedek. War is being waged no matter the call. It is the same war as in Abram's day being played out in spirit and in flesh. How will we react? In what way will we stand guard over our own lives against the siege set against the elect? What do we do in our call to be kings and priests?

Dwell upon Exodus 19:5-6, "'Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My Covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation."