Melchizedek’s blessing of Abram shows how Heaven is always ‘open’ for believers’ business (Genesis 14; Isaiah 41; Hebrews 7)

Hallel Fellowship

Desecrating God’s name isn’t about how we pronounce or mispronounce His name. It’s not about whether we put His name on a T-shirt. We desecrate God’s name when our actions in His name don’t align with what we say about Him.

The world doesn’t care how we treat God; they care about how we treat them and their neighbors. Trusting God and learning to represent Him is a lifetime task.

What army ignores the orders of its generals? What actor refuses to follow the script and instructions given by their director? Ad-libbing on the battlefield or a movie set usually ends poorly.

As ambassadors of God Most High, if we disregard His instructions and neglect the development of our character, what message are we sending to the world?

In Genesis 14, we read how Abram, through his family—who would become a great nation and a blessing to all nations of the earth—was known as someone who loved the Lord and was a friend of God. Abram rescued Lot, along with Sodom, Gomorrah, and other cities of the plain, from conquest-induced slavery.

God told Abram that his descendants would not fully dwell in the Promised Land, which the Canaanites inhabited, until the rebellion of the Amorites was complete—nearly 500 years later.

What should Lot and the cities have learned from Abram’s intervention? Archaeologists suggest these cities housed only a few thousand people each, yet their kings had more able-bodied men under their command than Abram. In ancient times, invading kings often plundered, killed, and enslaved. The kings from Mesopotamia invaded the Jordan Valley to punish the rebelling city-states.

The king of Sodom and the surrounding cities should have recognized God’s hand in their rescue. Using an elderly nomad and 300 shepherds, God demonstrated His sovereignty over kings and armies. Despite this miraculous intervention, Lot returned to Sodom. Later, the people of Sodom criticized him, saying, “Who are you to judge us?”

Abram’s battles foreshadow Israel’s role in the world. Abram did not plunder Sodom, Gomorrah, or the other cities, nor did he take the invaders’ goods. This pattern appears later in Jericho, where Joshua didn’t rely on battering rams or chariots to breach the city walls. Instead, God brought down the walls, demonstrating His power rather than Israel’s might.

When King Saul went to war against Amalek, God commanded him to destroy everything. Yet Saul spared King Agag, the livestock, and the spoils. Saul rationalized his disobedience by claiming it was for God’s benefit, but God desires obedience, not offerings born of disobedience. He wants our hearts, not our spoils.

There’s an irony in Melchizedek, the “king of righteousness” and priest of the Most High God, interceding for God just west of cities so wicked that God would later destroy them.

Hebrews 6:19–7:6 highlights that true servants of God can come from a lineage outside of Abram’s. Melchizedek, described as an eternal priest, foreshadows the Messiah. His priesthood wasn’t dependent on the Mishkan or genealogical lineage. Similarly, Job, a contemporary of Abraham, served as a priest for his household, presenting sacrifices on behalf of his family.

Melchizedek’s priesthood is timeless: “A priest forever.” Unlike the priests from Aaron’s line, who served for a limited time, Melchizedek’s commission wasn’t tied to earthly structures. The earthly temple was a replica of the heavenly one, as revealed to Moses. When earthly temples were desecrated or destroyed, the eternal priesthood of Melchizedek remained active.

The tabernacle and later the temple were designed as anchors for God’s presence, emphasizing His holiness. Only by invitation could one enter, separated from sin and uncleanliness.

When the Lord spoke of raising “one from the East,” many believe He referred to Cyrus, the Persian emperor who returned Israel to their land. However, it is ultimately God who establishes and removes kingdoms. The prophecies in Daniel remind us that every kingdom succumbs to arrogance and self-aggrandizement, taking credit for its success. When this happens, God humbles them and raises up others.

Hebrews 1–2 reveals Yeshua as Heaven’s ultimate prophet and deliverer, offering salvation and rest:

“… so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.” (Hebrews 2:9 NASB)
“… that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” (Hebrews 2:14–15 NASB)

Yeshua provides ultimate peace and rest, fulfilling the promise foreshadowed in the Sabbath. The Sabbath is not replaced by Yeshua but is a memorial acknowledging Him as Creator.

The lesson of Melchizedek’s priesthood is clear: God rejects empty sacrifices. Worship offered with impure motives will be rejected, for God cannot be bribed. Our worship must be sincere, reflecting hearts committed to Him.

David understood that no earthly building could contain God. Melchizedek and Yeshua both lived in the world but were not of it. Similarly, we are called to trust God in all circumstances, preparing daily to stand for Him. When life goes well, we must be especially vigilant, resisting the temptation to take credit for blessings that come from Him.

Summary: Tammy