Cathy’s story mirrors Abraham’s moment in Genesis 14. After winning a hard-fought battle to rescue his nephew Lot, Abraham is met by two kings with two very different offers. One offers riches. The other provides a blessing. One represents the world. The other reflects the kingdom of God.
This passage isn’t just about ancient kings. It’s about us. Every believer must decide—will we compromise, or will we choose the Righteous King? Will we live by sight, or by faith? In Genesis 14:17-24, Abraham exemplifies what it means to prioritize honoring God over material gain, reject compromise, depend on God, and live with daily dependence on the One who truly provides.
1. Reject Compromise: Honor the Righteous King (Genesis 14:17-20)
After a significant military victory, Abraham stands in a valley between two kings—one worldly, one righteous. The King of Sodom, arrogant and ungrateful, approaches with demands: “Give me the people; take the goods for yourself.” He offers riches, but without reverence or recognition of God’s power. His focus is purely material, consistent with the sinful legacy of Sodom described in Genesis and later in Ezekiel 16:49-50, prideful, gluttonous, and spiritually blind.
In sharp contrast, Melchizedek, the King of Salem and Priest of God Most High, greets Abraham with bread, wine, and blessing. He acknowledges God as the One who delivered Abraham’s enemies into his hands and blesses both Abraham and the Lord. This moment marks the first time Scripture uses the name “God Most High,” emphasizing divine authority and ownership of heaven and earth.
Abraham responds not with negotiation, but with worship. He gives Melchizedek a tenth of all the plunder, not out of obligation, but from reverence. This act sets Melchizedek apart as a mysterious and significant figure. Psalm 110 and Hebrews 5–7 later connect Melchizedek to Jesus Christ, identifying him as a foreshadowing of the eternal King and High Priest.
Jesus, like Melchizedek, is both Priest and King. But unlike any earthly ruler, Jesus offered Himself as the sacrifice. He gives true peace, not through worldly success, but through eternal salvation.
Abraham’s encounter forces a choice between two kings, and so does ours. Will we honor the godless offers of the world, or submit to the King of Righteousness? Every believer must choose: compromise for gain or faithfulness to the true King. Jesus deserves our complete devotion, our worship, and our daily loyalty.
2. Reject Compromise: Daily Choose to Depend on God (Genesis 14:21-24)
Abraham faced a temptation that appeared to be a reward. The King of Sodom offered him wealth, the spoils of war Abraham had rightly earned. It would’ve been easy to accept and claim God’s favor. But Abraham refused, boldly declaring, “I will not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’”
This wasn’t pride, it was discernment. Abraham recognized that not all gifts are blessings. Some are traps dressed as success. He had already pledged himself to the Lord, and he wasn’t about to divide the credit between God and man. That choice, to walk away from earthly gain, may have been more complicated than rescuing Lot or giving him first choice of land. But faith made it clear.
This discernment didn’t happen overnight. It began in Genesis 13, when Abraham returned to the altar and called on the Lord. His time with God cultivated a heart that knew when to say yes—and when to walk away. He didn’t mix God’s blessing with worldly compromise.
Likewise, believers must learn to depend on God daily, not just for provision, but also for wisdom and the courage to reject wrong things. That discernment grows through prayer, Scripture, and time with the Lord. As RT Kendall once said, the greatest need for every Christian isn’t more knowledge—it’s knowing their Bible and praying a lot.
When you stay close to God, you won’t have to guess which offers to accept and which to reject. And when temptations come, you’ll have the strength to choose faith over comfort.
Melchizedek brought bread and wine. Jesus, our eternal High Priest, offered His body and blood. That act demands a response, not just in a moment, but in a lifetime of surrendered living.
Conclusion
Abraham didn’t just win a battle; he also passed a test. Faced with a tempting offer from the King of Sodom, he chose integrity over increase. He honored the Lord by refusing to take credit or blessing from anyone but God. Why? Because Abraham knew who his source was. He had already surrendered to the King of Righteousness. He wasn’t looking to the world for reward; he trusted the God who had already provided the victory.
This story reminds us that the most significant victories of faith don’t always happen on battlefields—they happen in boardrooms, breakrooms, living rooms, and quiet corners of the heart. It’s in those moments when compromise looks easy and reward looks near that we must remember who we belong to.
Jesus is our King of Peace and our Great High Priest. He is both the Giver and the Gift. Just as Melchizedek offered bread and wine, Jesus offers His body and blood. He gave everything—not just to save us, but to lead us.
Today, reject compromise and depend on God not just with your words, but with your actions. Trust Him for provision. Follow Him in obedience. Worship Him with your life.
Because when you choose the Righteous King, you may walk away from earthly reward, but you step into eternal blessing.
