Abraham and Victory Through Faith
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Abraham and Victory Through Faith
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...concerning Abraham and his victories in faith.
Perhaps we could begin at the end of chapter 13, Genesis 13, verse 18.
Then Abraham removed his tent and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron,
and bought there an altar unto the Lord.
And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar, Ariok, king of Eleazar,
Chedralonia, king of Elam, and Tidal, king of nations,
that these made war with Bera, king of Sodom, and with Bersha, king of Gomorrah,
Shinab, king of Admar, and Shenemba, king of Zeboim, and the king of Bela, which is Zohar.
All these were joined together in the Vale of Sidon, which is the Salt Sea.
Twelve years they served Chedda-leroma, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
And in the fourteenth year came Chedda-leroma, and the kings were with him,
and smoked the Rephaims in Ashteroth, Carnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham,
and the Emims in Sheva, Curathaim, and the Horites in their mount Seir,
unto Elpharan, which is by the wilderness.
And they returned, and came to Enmishfat, which is Kadesh,
and smoked all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites,
that dwelt in Haziotzon, Tamer.
And they went out, the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah,
and the king of Admar, and the king of Zeboim, and the king of Bela, the same as Zohar,
and they joined battle with them in the Vale of Sidon.
And Chedda-leroma, the king of Elam, and with Tydal, king of nations,
and Amraphel, king of Shina, and Ariok, king of Elasa, four kings with five.
And the Vale of Sidon was full of slime pits,
and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there,
and they that remained fled to the mountains.
And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah,
and all their victuals, and went their way.
And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom,
and his goods, and departed.
And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew,
for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre, the Amorite,
brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner,
and these were confederate with Abram.
And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive,
he armed his trained servants to a room in his own house,
three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.
And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night,
and smote them, and pursued them unto Hoba,
which is on the left hand of Damascus.
And he brought back all the goods,
and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods,
and the women also, and the people.
And the king of Sodom went out to meet him,
after his return from the slaughter of Chedorah Lona,
and of the kings that were with him at the valley of Sheba,
which is the king's dale.
And Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine,
and he was the priest of the Most High God.
And he blessed him, and said,
Blessed be Abram, of the Most High God,
possessor of heaven and earth.
And blessed be the Most High God,
which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hands.
And he gave him tithes of all.
And the king of Sodom said unto Abram,
Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
And Abram said to the king of Sodom,
I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord,
the Most High God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
that I will not take from a thread,
even to a shoelatch it,
and that I will not take anything that is thine,
lest thou should say, I have made Abram rich.
Save only that which the young men have eaten,
and the portion of the men which went with me,
Anah, Eshgal, and Mamre,
let them take their portion.
I'll just read the first verse of chapter 15.
After these things the word of the Lord
came unto Abram in a vision,
saying, Fear not, Abram, I am thy shield,
and thy exceeding great reward.
We see Abram here in this chapter
overcoming, victoriously,
steadfast in faith.
In the first half of the chapter
we see him as a conqueror
because he conquers his enemies
and they are vanquished by him
and they rise up no more.
That is to be a conqueror.
But in the latter part of the chapter
we see him as an overcomer
when the king of Sodom,
that corrupt and evil king
comes to him
and by offering him these goods
which belong to Sodom
would have set him in a wrong course
from that path of faith
that he had been treading
if he had accepted them.
But Abraham, he withstands against that
and he, by faith, stands firm
and he does not fall to that temptation.
And in doing so we see Abraham
as an overcomer by faith.
Now, the day will come
when we will be associated
with the Lord Jesus
when he comes to this earth
as a conqueror.
We find that in Revelation 19.
He comes with the armies of heaven,
the armies in heaven.
And he comes on a great white horse
with that name upon his thigh,
King of Kings, Lord of Lords.
And all the enemies are put down
and he is a conqueror,
his saints with him.
But in this present day
the Lord would have us to be overcomers.
And in a sense,
perhaps this is what Paul meant
when he said in Romans 8
regarding all the things
that were against the people of God
at the end of that chapter.
Yet he could say
in all these things
we are more than conquerors
through him that loved us.
And perhaps to be an overcomer,
to stand fast,
the enemies don't go away
but we in faith do not fall to them.
We stand fast in the strength
that the Lord gives
and through faith in him.
And to do so
would make us more than a conqueror.
But I'd like to look at those enemies
that are against us
and we find perhaps a figure of them
in the latter part of the chapter
with the King of Sodom
coming to Abraham.
Abraham, his inheritance
was an earthly inheritance
that had been promised.
Everything that Abraham was given
or promised by God
was bound up with a Christ on earth.
That's what Abraham was looking for.
Our inheritance, our blessing, our hope
is all bound up with a Christ in heaven.
So Abraham's enemies were flesh and blood.
But we read in Ephesians chapter 6
that the enemies that assail us
they are not flesh and blood.
I'll just read it.
Ephesians 6, verse 12
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood
but against principalities, against powers
against the rules of the darkness of this world
against spiritual wickedness
in high places or in the heavenlies.
And so our enemies
or we read of three of them in the scriptures
the world
Satan
and also the flesh is another enemy.
And we get in verse
we get in verse 21
of our chapter 14
it says
The King of Sodom said unto Abraham
Give me the persons and take the goods to thyself.
Now in that verse there is an allusion to all three enemies.
Sodom which was speaker of the world
a corrupt city
which had its corrupt king
a city which had overturned God's order
both moral and creatorial
and was pursuing its own course away from God
according to its own light
in rebellion against God
and Sodom would speak to our hearts of this world
the world which Satan rules over
and the world in which the flesh
governed by sin
that principle of lawlessness which governs the flesh
is seen where man is put at the center of things
and Christ is given either a secondary
or no place at all
but God
he would have the Lord Jesus his son
have the permanence in all things
this is the place that God would give his son
but man says no we want that place
and as a result we get this administration
this order which is really a disorder
of lawlessness against God
and this is what marks Sodom
and then we get the king of Sodom
Satan
and Satan is another enemy
we read in the first epistle of Peter
that he warns us against Satan your adversary
goeth about as a roaring and a raging lion
seeking whom he may devour
Satan who himself wants the place
that Christ alone can have
he wants to be worshipped
he has set his throne
or he sought to set his throne above the heavens
that place that only Christ can occupy
that's the place that Satan wanted
therefore he is the enemy of God
and therefore the enemy of the people of God
and he too is set against us
in our desire to be faithful
and then we get implied
in what the king of Sodom says to Abraham
we get the flesh
because the king of Sodom says
give me the persons
and take the goods to thyself
Satan would maintain his power
over the souls of men
the king of Sodom says
give me the persons or the souls
I want those
but you, I'd like you to have the goods of Sodom
because Satan would seek
through appealing to the flesh
that nature within us
which we've inherited from Adam
which is corrupt
which Paul could say
in me, that is in my flesh
good doth not dwell
and we read in Romans 8
concerning the carnal mind
that enmity against God
that's the fleshly mind
verse 7
because the carnal or fleshly mind
is enmity against God
for it is not subject to the law of God
neither indeed can be
so then, they that are in the flesh
cannot please God
but ye are not in the flesh
but in the spirit
if so be that the spirit of God dwell in you
now if any man have not the spirit of Christ
he is none of his
and so Satan would say to us
think about yourself
have yourself as the object
and look at all the lovely things
there are in this world
that you can be occupied with
and in doing so
he would try to turn us aside
from faithfulness
and then he would be able to quench
the testimony of the gospel
in our lives
and he will hold on as it were
to the souls that he wants so much
in this world
his prisoners
we read in Isaiah 14
concerning Lucifer
that he is not willing to open the door of his prison
to let his prisoners out
but thanks to God
that he is the one
through the Lord Jesus Christ
who has defeated Satan
and we read of in Hebrews 2
that Satan is in fact a conquered foe
Hebrews 2 verse 14
for as much then as the children
are partakers of flesh and blood
he also himself likewise
took part of the same
that through death he might destroy him
that have the power of death
that is the devil
and deliver them who through fear of death
all their lifetime subject to bondage
so we were once captives to Satan
but the Lord Jesus has delivered us
through the truth concerning himself
as our saviour
and indeed every captive that he takes from Satan
he does so through
revealing this truth to their hearts
and faith in him
and that deliverance
repentance towards God
and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ
so we have the enemies
arranged against us
and in Christ there is the answer
to overcome those enemies
whether it is Satan
whether it is the world
whether it is the flesh
we get the man don't we
in Romans 7
and he is a wretched man
he wants to please God
he is I believe a child of God
he is truly born of God
but he finds within himself
he has not got the power
to do the things which he wants to do
and at the end of that chapter he cries
out in his wretchedness
a wretched man that I am
who shall deliver me from this body of death
and then the answer comes in verse 25
he looks away from himself
he looks up to heaven
where Christ sits in glory
and he says I thank God
through Jesus Christ our Lord
there is the answer
and he receives it in faith
so now his strength
he no longer seeks strength
to resist the flesh in himself
in his own strength
but he receives it from the one who has overcome
and sat down upon his father's throne
who has put away sin
by the sacrifice of himself
and he through the power of the Holy Spirit
now walks not according to the flesh
but he walks in a way which is pleasing to God
well I would like to look at
Abraham's faithfulness to God
and also later on with Melchizedek
God's faithfulness to Abraham
which underpins everything
Abraham's faithfulness to God
can be seen in the tent
in the previous chapter
and in the altar
now the tent
spoke of Abraham's separation
from the land in which he was in
he wanted no part of it
he walked separate from it
he would be given it
in God's time
when God gave it to him
and until that time
he didn't want any of it
he wanted no part of it
and so he did not live in a city
he did not settle down
his separation was shown
because he lived in a tent
and in Hebrews chapter 11
we read of him in verse 8
by faith Abraham
when he was called to go out
into a place which he should after receive
from inheritance obeyed
and he went out not knowing
whether he went
by faith he sojourned
in the land of promise
as in a strange country
dwelling in tents
with Isaac and Jacob
the heirs with him of the same promise
for he looked for a city
which hath foundations
whose builder and maker is God
and in verse 13
the Israel died in faith
not having received the promises
but having seen them afar off
and were persuaded of them
and embraced them
and confessed that they were strangers
and pilgrims on the earth
the tent was the outward evidence
of Abraham's position
his confession that he was a pilgrim
in the earth
because he had something so much better
it was not that he
sacrificed these things
he wanted them really
but he wouldn't have them
he would abstain from them
no he had something so much better
that he no longer wanted these things
because Stephen tells us
in his address to
just before he was martyred
that the God of glory
appeared unto our father Abraham
Abraham had seen the God of glory
and so the glory of the cities around him
they were dim in comparison with that
and he didn't want them
and he pursued that course
because his heart
had been as it were
captivated by God
and a moral transformation
had taken place in his heart
God had transformed him morally
and now he would tread that path of faith
separate from the world around him
pursuing a course which
and he would never have those things
in his lifetime
he died in faith
but that made no difference to him
because God had promised them
and so he knew that
that promise would be fulfilled
whether in his lifetime
or later on
that was irrelevant
but it was God himself
whom he pursued
that was his object
and it was the things that God had promised him
that he wanted
because God had promised them
and he loved God
and the altar would speak of that
if the tent would speak of
Abraham's separation from the world
the altar would speak of
Abraham drawing near to God
because the altar
it speaks of
approach to
and acceptance by God
it is the ground as it were
of that approach and acceptance
and I think last month
we had that thought
brought before us in the altar
in that scripture in Matthew
where it says that the
the gift is sanctified by the altar
because the altar speaks of Christ himself
and the life and death of Christ
Christ offered up to God
in life or in death
had all his value in the sight of God
because of who he was
and so the gift, the sacrifice
is sanctified by the altar
this is the basis as it were
from which
the work of Christ was so pleasing
in the sight of God
because of the one
who offered himself to God
the greatness of his person
in Exodus 20 there are instructions
by God as to these altars
and if we could just turn to Exodus 20
we read there of an altar made of earth
verse 24 of chapter 20
an altar of earth shalt thou make unto me
and shalt sacrifice thereon
thy burnt offerings, thy peace offerings
thy sheep and thine oxen
in all places where I record my name
and I will come unto thee
and I will bless thee
and if thou make me an altar of stone
thou shalt not build it of humestone
for if thou lift up thy tool upon it
thou hast polluted it
neither shalt thou go up thy steps
unto my altar
that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon
so we get an altar of earth
and that would speak to us
again of the person of Christ
but as to his humanity
earth
the name Adam means earth
and the Lord Jesus is the last Adam
he became a man
he took a place
he took a place in a foreign order
of things
although he himself
was not part of that order
but he took a place in it
because he is the man out of heaven
he could say to those who opposed him
when he was upon earth
ye are from beneath
I am from above
ye are of this world
I am not of this world
but he was a true man
he was a true man
but all that we see in him
as he walked through this earth
that lovely moral character of holiness
that we see in him
he took all his character
from who he was
he was God
and so the altar of earth
would speak of his humanity
and we read again in Hebrews
chapter 10
verse 4
it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats
should take away sins
wherefore when he cometh into the world
he says sacrifice and offering
thou wouldst not
but a body hast thou prepared me
in burnt offerings
and sacrifices for sin
thou hast had no pleasure
then said I
lo I come
in the volume of the book
it is written of me
to do thy will O God
above when he said sacrifice and offering
and burnt offering
offering for sin
thou wouldst not
neither hadst pleasure therein
which are offered by the law
then said he
lo I come
to do thy will O God
he taketh away the first
that he may establish the second
by the which will
we are sanctified
through the offering
of the body of Jesus Christ
once for all
so these sacrifices
that were to be offered up
on this altar of earth
spoke of the Lord Jesus
and his holy humanity
coming into this world as a man
in order that he might die
in order that he might taste the death for everything
that he might offer up himself to God
as that mighty sacrifice
and all these sacrifices speak of him
in one way or another
as he offers himself up to God
now the altar of stone
if earth
if the earth
altar of earth speaks of his humanity
then surely the altar of stone
would speak of his deity
because stone is something permanent
in becoming a man
he became that which he was not before
but the altar of stone
would speak of something fixed
which does not move
and this is the name of the Lord Jesus
the same
we find that name in Psalm 102
thou art the same
that is a name of God
it's the name of Christ
he is called the same
because he is the unchanging one
he is God
and regarding this altar
no tool must come upon it
man mustn't lift up a tool on it
mustn't shape those stones
because if we are to know God
if we are to know Christ
if we are to know the Father
it can only be
in the revelation that he gives of himself
it cannot be
after the devisings of our own mind
or imagination
it is only in the word
that we find the truth
of the revelation of God
in Christ
he himself is that revelation
no man has seen God
at any time
the only begotten
who is in the bosom of the Father
he hath declared him
and so in Christ
we get the full revelation of God
and we must not interfere
or intrude in any way
our own thoughts
upon that
we must receive it
as the Holy Spirit
would give it to us in his word
because he would have us to be
in the full knowledge of these things
and in the full enjoyment of them
even though we cannot
we cannot
as it were
work out that mystery
but we can receive it by faith
and not seek in any way
to intrude upon it
and then no steps
were to go up to the altar
because
there must be no
self-exaltation by men
in the presence of God
even if it is on that first step
that little first step
there must be no degree
of exaltation before God
because Christ alone
must have that place
none other can share it
and so there must be no steps
God says
up to my altar
Peter
he suggested in a way
that there should be steps
when he said
let us make three tabernacles
one for thee
one for Moses
one for Elias
and then God spoke from heaven
this is my beloved son
hear him
God would not have any
as it were
to be brought alongside his son
he must have the chief place
and the only place
he must have the
place of preeminence
now
you can't have
a tent without an altar
the two must go together
otherwise the tent would just be
an outward
formality, conformity
Sodom
he had a tent
but he didn't have an altar
and very quickly he lost his tent
or he gave up his tent
and he lost his pilgrim character altogether
and settled down in Sodom
there must be
the tent must be the result
of the altar as it were
our separation from this world
must be a result
of our joy near to God
and our desire to be in communion with him
and then
we have in the latter part of the chapter
God's faithfulness to Abraham
before the king of Sodom
comes to Abraham
God has caused him
to be met by another king
who strengthens his hand
and by whom
he can stand firm
through his ministry
this Melchizedek
who we read in Hebrews
is interpreted
king of righteousness
king of peace
now I'd like to look at Melchizedek
just briefly
because he speaks so wonderful
of the Lord Jesus
first of all
the person of Melchizedek
and if we turn to Hebrews
chapter
7
and verse 3
we read of Melchizedek
he was without father
without mother
without descent
having neither beginning
of days nor end of life
but made like unto the Son of God
he abideth a priest continually
now consider how great this man was
unto whom even the patriarch Abraham
gave the tenth of the spoils
and so Melchizedek
we don't read of his genealogy
we don't read of his death
why?
because he is taken up
to be a type of the Lord Jesus
who had no beginning
and has no end
he is God
and he is the great I Am
the one whose existence is in himself
equal with the Father
how great this man was
and he combined
two offices
he was both a king and a priest
we don't read of any man
in the whole scriptures
who is both a king and a priest
we get sometimes
a king and a priest put together
in a certain context
for instance with Ezra
Joshua the high priest
the rabble
who was of the royal line
but never is the office
combined in one man
but in Melchizedek it was
because he speaks of Christ
both king and priest
and
with a king
or anyone who has office
the office is that which gives him
his glory
with a mere man
that's true isn't it
if a king was stripped of his kingship
he would be just like you and I
he would have no more glory anymore
but with the Lord Jesus
when he is given an office
he gives glory to the office
because of the greatness of his person
and we read that
in regard to him being a king
in Psalm chapter 2
God says concerning his king
yet have I set my king
upon my holy hill of Zion
I will declare the decree
the Lord has said unto me
thou art my son
this day have I begotten thee
and again in Hebrews
Hebrews 5 and verse 5
we read of his office
as a priest
that he has been given
by God
chapter 5 and verse 5
it says
so also
verse 4
no man taketh his arm unto himself
but he that is called of God
as was Aaron
so also Christ glorified not himself
to have made him high priest
but he that said unto him
thou art my son
this day have I begotten thee
so both as king and as priest
he has those offices
because of the greatness of his person
he is God's son
and the glory of his priesthood
and his kingship
if there is such a word
is because of who he is
he gives glory to that office
and then we read of the order
of the Melchizedek priesthood
in Hebrews 7
it's not after the order of Aaron
it's a new order of priesthood
we might say that the Lord's priesthood
is after the pattern
of the Aaronic priesthood
because Aaron
is taken as a pattern
and his ministry
and the garments he wears
they all set forth
a picture of the glory of Christ
and the ministry that he undertakes
in the holy place
on our behalf
for us
it's all after that pattern
but the Aaronic order
could not speak of the Lord's order
of priesthood
and so this Melchizedek priesthood
had to be introduced to us
so that we might know
what that order was
and the order of the Aaronic priesthood
we read in chapter 7
was one that was constituted
under law
so it could never
bring perfection
in other words
it could never bring completion
it could never complete the purpose
and the counsel of God
under that order of things
under that order of law
there had to be another order brought in
and that order
comes under a new covenant
we read in this chapter
that the Lord is surety
of a better covenant
a new testament
and that is the covenant of grace
and the Lord's priesthood
comes under that covenant
he is the guarantee
of all the promises
that God has given us in grace
that new covenant
not made with us
no, made with Israel
but we come under the blessing of it
and all the promises we have
are on as it were the basis
of that covenant
that covenant of grace
and the Lord Jesus
his order of priesthood
is according to that order
that covenant of grace
and of course
the Aaronic priesthood
as we read in this chapter
they could not continue
because of reason of death
and that's all that can be brought
under the law
it ends in death
but the Lord Jesus
he was made a priest
we read according to the power
of an endless life
and so he is a priest forever
his priesthood
will not be given to another
he is a priest forever
that's the order of his priesthood
it is an eternal priesthood
and then finally
the ministry of Melchizedek
he came forth
and gave Abram
bread and wine
now
the ministry of Aaron
is taken up in Hebrews
as a picture of the Lord's
present ministry for us
if I can just read that
in Hebrews 9
Hebrews 9
verse 11
but Christ being come
and high priest of good things to come
by a greater and more
perfect tabernacle
not made with hands
that is to say
not of this building
neither by the blood of goats
and calves
but by his own blood
he entered in once
into the holy place
having obtained
eternal redemption for us
and then again
down the chapter
verse 25
for Christ has not entered
into the holy places
made with hands
which are the figures of the true
but entered heaven itself
now to appear
in the presence of God
for us
so
God's present ministry
towards his people
his priestly ministry
is after the pattern
of the Aaronic ministry
he has gone in
to the holy place
to intercede
but the Melchizedek ministry
is that he goes out
he comes out
in blessing
and that ministry will be seen
primarily
in the millennial reign
of Christ
when all things
are brought into accord
with the mind of God
and we get that thought
when Melchizedek is spoken of
as the priest
of the most high God
possessor of heaven
and earth
God
is the possessor
of heaven and earth
but he will not actually
as it were
take up that possession
until the millennial
reign of Christ
and then he will be seen
to be the possessor
of heaven and earth
at the moment
the earth has got corruption in it
and defilement
and that which is opposed to God
and also the heavenly places too
we read of that in Ephesians 6
spiritual wickedness
in the heavenlies
although Christ is supreme
in the heavenly place
there is still that
spiritual activity
which Satan
and under Satan
and it's in opposition to God
but under the millennial rule
we read
in Isaiah chapter 24
and verse 21
it shall come to pass in that day
that the Lord shall punish
the host of the high ones
that are on high
that's Satan
and the kings of the earth
upon the earth
that's the earth
and they shall be gathered together
as prisoners are gathered in the pit
and shall be shut up in the prison
and after many days
shall they be visited
then the moon shall be confounded
and the sun ashamed
when the Lord of hosts
shall reign in Mount Zion
and in Jerusalem
and before his ancients gloriously
and so
the heavens and the earth
will be brought into conformity
to God
and he will set his king
and priest there
and in Zechariah
chapter 6
we read
of that king and priest
it says
even he shall build
the temple of the Lord
and he shall bear the glory
and shall sit and rule
upon his throne
and he shall be a priest
upon his throne
and the council of peace
shall be between them both
Jacob had a vision
a ladder
stretching up to heaven
in Genesis 28
and the angels of God
ascending and descending upon it
it was a ladder
which had its base upon earth
and which top
the top of which was in heaven
and the angels of God
ascended and descended upon it
and above it
was the Lord himself
was Jehovah himself
and that speaks of the time
when
there is as it were
a call between heaven and earth
and communion between heaven and earth
and God is above all things
and he
sets his king upon the earth
the Lord Jesus
and in
John chapter 1
the Lord makes reference
to this vision
and he says
to Nathaniel
he says
thou art the son of God
thou art the king of Israel
he says
you'll see greater things than these
he said you will see the heavens opened
and the angels of God
ascending and descending
upon the son of man
and so all as it were
is on that basis
God has
God in his council
and purpose
has fulfilled
all his desire
in Christ
all on that basis
Christ
all is brought to fruition in him
and so the angels
descend and ascend on him
it's all on account of him
and so the council of peace
is between them both
between Jehovah
in heaven
and his king
and priest
upon earth
the council of peace
in Luke's gospel
the gospel which is so much
the priestly gospel
it stresses the priestly
ministry of the Lord Jesus
although he was not yet a priest
you read that in Hebrews
that while he was on earth
he could not be a priest
but he acted in a priestly way
and Luke brings that out
and at the beginning of Luke
when he is born
the angels declare
glory to God
in the highest
upon earth
peace
good pleasure
delight
found in man
it is a millennial prophecy
heaven and earth
on accord
under God
in Christ
his king
and his priest
well finally
we see how Abraham
was so strengthened
by this ministry
of Melchizedek
he gave him bread
and wine
and bread will speak of
of that which sustains
wine speaks of joy
the Lord said didn't he
to his disciples
when he drank of the
the cup
before he suffered
well he didn't drink of the cup
but when he gave him the cup
before he suffered
he said
I will no more drink
of the fruit of the vine
until I drink it
anew
with you
in the kingdom of my father
he looked on
to that time
when he would
as Melchizedek
bring forth the wine
bring forth the joy
which he would have
in his people upon earth
Israel
up to then he had no joy in them
but in the millennial reign
he will find that joy
and he will share it
with his people
and Abraham
he has a foretaste
of what he's been promised
in that ministry
and his heart is strengthened
and in all the
his desire for those things
the things that the king of Sodom
presents to him
are of no value at all
he does not want them
and he says
I don't want them
he says I haven't got myself
at the centre of my thoughts
I have
I want God to have the glory
I want him to have the glory
for giving me that thing
he has promised
and I will not receive
these things at your hand
I will not be made rich by you
I will wait to be made rich
and blessed by God
and the Lord himself
when Satan came to him
and he promised him
all the kingdoms of the world
if you'll worship me
the Lord Jesus would not receive
the kingdoms at Satan's hand
he would receive them only
at the hand of his God
and his father
and he said to Satan
he said
thou shalt worship God
and him only
wilt thou serve
well
although
we've said that primarily
the ministry of Melchizedek
is a future one
yet I think that we can enjoy
that ministry now
we can have
we know the Lord
sustaining us
and giving us the joy
which was his joy
when he was in this earth
in communion with his God and father
my joy
he says I leave with you
that's the joy that was his
in his own heart
and we can be
we can have that joy
by being in communion with him
and walking with him
this is the joy that he gives us
and
in Hebrews 10 at the end we speak
it speaks of the
assurance of hope
Abraham
he was given the assurance of that hope
through the ministry of Melchizedek
faith we read
is the
substantiating
of things not seen
and the conviction
of
sorry I can't remember the
faith is the substantiating of things hoped for
the conviction of things not seen
and although Abraham hadn't seen
with his eyes
that which God had promised
the ministry of Melchizedek
made it real to his heart
by faith
and as we draw near
to our great high priest
we read in Hebrews 10 19
having therefore brethren boldness
to enter into the holiest
by the blood of Jesus
by a new and living way
which he has concentrated for us
through the veil
that is to say his flesh
and having a high priest
over the house of God
let us draw near
with a true heart
in full assurance of faith
having our hearts sprinkled
from an evil conscience
and our bodies washed with pure water
let us hold fast
the profession of our faith
without wavering
our hope is not the same as Abraham's
as we have said
his was with Christ on earth
but ours is with Christ in heaven
that's our hope
Abraham waited for Christ
to put his feet upon Mount Olivet
and to take up his kingdom
and the Lord said
Abraham rejoiced to see my day
and he saw it and was glad
Abraham, we don't know how much
he entered into that truth
but the fact is
the day that he longed for
and rejoiced in
was the day of Christ
and Abraham saw it by faith
and the joy of that
made him glad then
before he'd even received it
and we're encouraged now
to enter into the holy place
where Christ sits
and as a result
of that ministry
that priestly ministry
to hold fast
the profession of our faith
without wavering
for he is faithful
but promised
as we said
this underpins everything
the faithfulness of God
the one who promised these things
he will faithfully bring them about
and he will be faithful
in his dealings with us
and through his love
we will be strengthened
that we can continue
on a pathway
which is a difficult one
and often a lonely one
but which we can continue in
through his faithfulness
and the ministry
of our great high priest
I wonder if we could sing 160
O bright and blessed hope
when shall it be
that we his faithful love
revealed shall see
perhaps we could sing the first
four verses of this hymn
O bright and blessed hope …