Honey From The Rock

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Honey From The Rock
Psalm 81:16

"Sweet Stuff From God's Word"

A daily Bible study with Victor Knowles
Copyright 2007

HE BROUGHT BREAD AND WINE

This entry was posted on 02-08-2010 and is filed under STUDIES IN GENESIS.

Yesterday we looked at Abram's exciting rescue of Lot and made a comparison to Christ's own rescue of us at Calvary. But we have more good things in store today, starting with this intriguing text. "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). Then Melchizedek king of Salam brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram..." (Gen. 14:17-19a NKJV).

The Valley of Shaveh is one of the valleys surrounding Jerusalem, possibly the Kidron Valley (see 2 Sam. 18:18). It was in this valley that Melchizedek, the king of Salem (later, Jerusalem) came out to meet Abram bringing bread and wine. These may have been rations for the hungry troops of Abram, but perhaps they symbolize something more spiritual. To learn more about Melchizedek read Psalm 110:4 and Hebrews 7:1-18. He appears to be a precursor of Christ in the Bible. Our text calls him "king of Salem" and "priest of God Most High." Jesus, of course, was both a priest (our High Priest) and a king (not just "king of the Jews" but "King of kings"). And what does he bring Abram and his weary, hungry men? Bread and wine. And what does our Lord bring us ~ we who are "weary and heavy laden"? The very same. When does this happen? You know better than I. When He meets us at His table (the Bible calls it the Lord's Table) with the Lord's Supper every first day of the week ~ the Lord's Day. It is not intended to satisfy our physical hunger but rather our spiritual hunger. Melchizedek, a type of Christ, met Abram with bread and wine and satisfied his physical needs. Christ meets us with bread and wine to satisfy our spiritual hunger. After all, is he not the Bread of Life? Is He not the True Vine? Just as Melchizedek blessed Abram so Christ bless us ~ the spiritual seed of Abraham! Think about that this Sunday, will you?

Prayer: Living, loving Father, we bless Your name today for sending Jesus with bread and wine to satisfy our spiritual hunger. It is in His blessed name we pray, Amen.