Deliverance at Holy Communion
Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine… and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High… And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. (Gen 14:18-20)
Why deliverance? Wars are so serious and common in human history that the study of them can tantamount to significantly great learning; the volume Wars of the Jews is one of the two that qualify Flavius Josephus as a great historian. The battle of Siddim Valley recorded in Genesis 14 offers us many lessons, but also awakens and alerts to many ongoing battles. Someone is fighting occasional nightmares at night; someone is fighting a host of enemies who are using witchcraft to block his progress; someone else is fighting a bad spirit that seems to be following her – the spirit of promiscuity or broken marriages: from grandma, to aunties, to sisters, it has been broken marriages or giving birth without getting married, and she doesn’t want to follow suit.
Some battles are physical, but most are actually spiritual; actually, all physical battles are spiritually motivated, and what we see is only the manifestation or spikes. Some of you are active participants, while others are victims of circumstances – as Lot was in the battle of Siddim Valley. It is common to have big sponsors of wars, like America and Russia; and even in the spiritual realm, there are such big sponsors! The importance of the subject of deliverance persists as long as wars remain part of human life. We find an encouraging deliverance account after the Siddim Valley battle, and this involves Abram, Melchizedek and the semblance of Holy Communion (Gen 14:18-20).
In his commentary, Matthew Henry focuses on Melchizedek and explores who he was, what he did, what he said, and what was done to him. He was an appearance of the Son of God himself, our Lord Jesus, known to Abram, at this time, by this name. He appeared to him as a righteous king, owning a righteous cause, and giving peace. He brought forth bread and wine, for the refreshment of Abram and his soldiers, and in congratulation of their victory. This he did as a king, teaching us to do good and to communicate, and to be given to hospitality, according to our ability; and representing the spiritual provisions of strength and comfort which Christ has laid up for us in the covenant of grace for our refreshment, when we are wearied with our spiritual conflicts and battles.
As priest of the Most High God, he blessed Abram, which we may suppose a greater refreshment to Abram than his bread and wine were. The bread and wine at Holy Communion should speak loudly of our assured deliverance when we trust in God, and of the Saviour’s refreshing ministry and blessings. In response, we must praise and give thanks to God – even with material giving – and “join hallelujahs with all our hosannahs”.
God bless you all.