Abram’s Tithe (Sunday, August 17th, 2025)

Genesis 14:17-24

Abram Blessed by Melchizedek

17 After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley). 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) 19 And he blessed him and said,

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,

Possessor of heaven and earth;

20 and blessed be God Most High,

who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”

And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. 21 And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ 24 I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.”

Sermon Genesis 14 Abraham's Tithe

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Introduction

As we celebrate our youth on their mission to Altoona, PA, I am reminded of someone in the Bible who also came home after a successful mission. It’s Abraham. He had just returned from rescuing his nephew Lot and defeating powerful kings. And on his way back, two figures meet him: Melchizedek, king of Salem, and the king of Sodom.

What Melchizedek says to Abraham, and how Abraham responds to both men, teaches us an unforgettable truth--the victory belongs to God. What can we take away from Abraham's return from his mission?

His mission tells us:

1. Abraham's success was a blessing from God (vv. 18–20a)

Melchizedek greets Abraham with bread and wine and blesses him:

“18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) 19 And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”

What is he saying? “Abram, you didn’t win this battle. God did.”

“Now, who is Melchizedek? His name means ‘king of righteousness.’ He rules over Salem, which means peace, and later becomes Jerusalem. He is both a king and a priest. This is an unusual combination in the Old Testament. You are either a king or a priest, but not both. Yet here stands Melchizedek as both.

What’s even more fascinating is how the Bible picks him up later. Psalm 110, written centuries after Abraham, says:

‘The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind,“You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek”’ (Psalm 110:4).

This psalm looks ahead to a future king who will also be a priest forever, not from Levi but from Melchizedek’s order. This clearly points to Jesus Christ.

And then the book of Hebrews explains it in the New Testament. Jesus Christ, is that fulfillment.

7:1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 3 He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.

Hebrews 7 tells us Jesus is like Melchizedek. He is without beginning or end, without genealogy in the priestly line, but appointed by God as our eternal Priest-King. Unlike the priests who came and went, Jesus lives forever to intercede for us.

And notice what Melchizedek brings to Abraham. He brings bread and wine. It’s a shadow of what Jesus would one day bring His disciples on the night before the cross. Melchizedek is a mysterious figure, as he points straight to Christ.

So when Melchizedek blesses Abraham and declares that God won the victory, it is as if Christ Himself is reminding us. "The victory belongs to God.”

His mission tells us:

2. How we respond to our mission shows our allegiance (v. 20b)

How did Abraham respond? Abraham's response is worship.

“And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.” (v. 20b)

Here we see Abraham offering a tithe, which is literally “a tenth.” What is going on? Why is Abraham offering this tithe? Is it like a tax? Is it a membership fee to stay in good standing with God?

Giving a tenth was a form of worship. Worship or worthship is a declaration of allegiance. Abraham was saying, “Everything belongs to God, not to me.” "My victory is from God. My ability, my situation, my men, my strategy, my victory... all came from God."

In other words, his giving of the tithe was his way of acknowledging that all 10/10ths were God’s blessings. It’s a declaration of allegiance. That's what worship (worth-ship) is.

How about us today? How do we view the "successes" of our lives? Do we think, “This is my money, my time, my talents. I’ll give God a slice”? If we were to think that way, one of two things will happen. Either it will feel difficult to tithe because we believe we are giving up something that belongs to us, or it makes us boastful because we think we are doing something generous for God.

But the tithe is never ours to begin with. Abraham's tithe is accepting Melchizedek's declaration--God did it! Accepting that declaration is receiving the blessings of God. You see, Tithe Offering can only be given by those who understand this truth. Abraham didn’t hand over 10% of his victory in life because he had to. Abraham gave a tenth because he wanted to. Abraham sensed that God was with Him. Abraham responded with worship and gratitude.

Even if we tithe, if we treat our giving as if we are transferring something that belongs to us into God’s account, in many ways, we are no different than the king of Sodom. Let me explain.

His mission tells us:

3. Abraham was longing for the Heavenly Kingdom (vv. 21–24)

The story doesn’t stop with Melchizedek. Right after God’s priest-king blesses Abraham, the king of Sodom appears. Then, the king of Sodom offers Abraham a deal:

21 And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.”

On the surface, this looks generous. Abraham could have become rich and established as a political power. But Abraham refuses. He says:

22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ 24 I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.”

Do you see the contrast?

Melchizedek comes with bread and wine, symbols of heavenly fellowship--to enjoy the presence of God, here and now. The king of Sodom comes with principles of an earthly kingdom--visible accumulation of wealth and a promise to make a name for himself.

Melchizedek points Abraham upward to God. The king of Sodom tempts him to look downward to earthly power.

Abraham makes his choice clear. He will not depend on Sodom for his future. He will trust in God alone for his life. His tithe to Melchizedek and his refusal of Sodom are two sides of the same declaration: the victory belongs to God!

And this contrast is just as relevant today. The “kings of this world” still come to us with their offers of health and wealth in this world. But King Jesus offers us something entirely different. He gives us Himself. He gives us bread and wine (His body and blood). He gives us eternal blessings, not temporary spoils. The irony is that many in the world prefer the king of Sodom, rather than the king of kings, Lord Jesus Christ!

Which king are we trusting today? Are you giving your Tithe or are you dividing up the spoils of war with the king of Sodom?

Conclusion

Abraham’s encounter with Melchizedek and the king of Sodom teaches us that everything we have is from God, and everything we have is for God.

Melchizedek’s bread and wine point us forward to Christ, the true Priest-King, who gave His body and blood for us. At the cross, Jesus won the ultimate victory, not by taking, but by giving Himself. And now He calls us to live as His people, declaring with our whole lives. “The victory belongs to God.”

How different would our lives be if we lived every day with this truth? How different would our church be if all of us gave and went with this truth on our lips--the victory belongs to God? Our mission begins when our worship service ends, and when our mission ends, we come home to worship our God who alone deserves all of the glory, honor, and praise! Hallelujah!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we confess that we often want to take credit and cling to what we mistakenly think is ours. But today, You remind us that the victory belongs to You. Our money, our time, our talents, our very selves, all belong to You. Make us a church that joyfully gives, boldly goes, and faithfully declares that Jesus is Lord. In the name of Jesus, our King, we pray. Amen.