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Choosing Alliances

Words of Faith Final

Choosing Alliances
Words of Faith 3-15-2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2022
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL    
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Genesis 14
    [17] After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).
    [18] Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, [19] and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. [20] And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand."
     Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. [21] The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself." [22] But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath [23] that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.' [24] I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me--to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share."

          As Abram returned, victorious from the battle that liberated Lot, he met two kings. The two could not have been more different! Bera was the King of Sodom. Melchizedek was the king of Salem (peace) or Jerusalem. Bera was ruler over one of the most wicked places on earth. Melchizedek was a priest of God Most High! Wow, what a difference!
          Bera wanted to create an alliance with Abram. Naturally! Abram and his commandos whipped the enemy's armies and liberated the people of Sodom along with his nephew Lot. Bera would be a fool not to try and connect with that kind of power. So Bera offered Abram a great deal of wealth in return for a future alliance. Of course, Bera did not know that it was the Lord who had won this battle.
         Melchizedek was just the opposite of Bera. He is a mysterious sort of person in the Bible. He also came to Abram offering an alliance, but one of a different sort. He brought out bread and wine. This was a symbol of peace and was used to celebrate a victory. Melchizedek blessed Abram and confirmed that the victory had come from the power of the Lord. What Melchizedek offered was not just an alliance for the future; it was the celebration of a triumph accomplished!
          Some Bible students believe Melchizedek was actually a "theophany," an appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ. We do not know for sure, but he had no history or ever appeared again in Scripture. That is a clue. In the book of Hebrews, Melchizedek is seen as the perfect "type" or foreshadowing of Christ. Christ is the Prince of Peace. Christ has won the battle and offers us bread and wine to celebrate that victorious peace.
          Whoever Melchizedek was, Abram faced a decision. He could make an alliance with the world-- the mighty kings of the various wicked cities-- or he could make an alliance with God. He could receive great wealth in return for a coalition to a wicked king, or he could receive the peace blessing offered free of charge by the Lord Most High. Of course, Abram chose God. Abram received the offer of bread and wine. He spontaneously expressed His gratitude by giving Melchizedek a tithe-- ten percent of everything he owned.
          The choices we face today are no different. The world very much desires to make alliances with us. The world offers to give us "things" in return for future loyalty. The Lord comes to us with bread and wine! He comes offering something that is already accomplished! He comes inviting us to celebrate what He has already accomplished fully. He offers us support in the future and a victory completed. Our response is to worship Him and offer Him our very lives.

          Lord God, I choose You! Yet in Your divine providence, I recognize that You first chose me. I make my alliance with You, based not on the battles I might win, but on the battle You have already won! I receive Your peace. In Jesus' name.  

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)        
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2022 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.