Welcome to our new site!

Sermon
Genesis

God Most High, Possessor Of Heaven And Earth

Listen on

January 21, 2024
Genesis 13-14
Sam Crabtree
Pastor for Care

The Sovereignty of God

Faith

Worship

Transcript

0:13Who is God? Who is God? Your answer to that question is the most important thing about you. Your answer determines your future and it colors every aspect of the way you live. Now we're preaching our way through Genesis these days and I've been assigned chapters 13 and 14. Why does Moses end up writing five books of the Bible? Well, one of his aims is to introduce the people that he's leading to God, the God of their ancestors and their God. So he writes out what writes up what turns out to be the first five books of the Bible, including today's text, chapters 13 and 14 of Genesis. You might want to be turning there 'cause we're gonna be there this morning.

1:16Moses will eventually lead the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt and he wants to explain to them, who is this God who delivered you? And he doesn't invent an answer. He explains reality. He records actual history as it is revealed to him by God and confirmed. And along the way he answers the question, who is God? In today's text, Moses will provide more than one answer. But see if you can spot the one answer that he will give four times in this text.

2:00Not all passages in the Bible jump to the foreground as major passages that will be rehearsed over and over as household topics of conversation like maybe the flood or the crossing of the Red Sea, or become one of your favorite life verses I know hardly anybody who has a favorite life verse from these two chapters. For example, raise your hand if at any time in the past several years you recall talking with anyone about er King of Zeum. Well he's in this text along with a bunch of other kings that I challenge you to pronounce today's text, Genesis 13 and 14 is so overshadowed in the Bible by other texts that well, when we prepared as a team of preachers to preach through Genesis, it was suggested that we preachers get a copy of this book preaching Christ from Genesis.

3:01And uh, when I bought a copy with eagerness to see what it might say from chapters 13 and 14, I discovered that the book has very helpful things to say about chapter 12 on chapter 15 and there's a black hole where there's 13 and 14. So I confess to you that I'm humbled by my inability to understand the Bible as well as I would like. Maybe you join me in that, for example, today's text, we'll mention a fellow named Melek and in the middle of a New Testament text about Melek, Hebrews five 11 says About this, we have much to say and it is hard to explain since you have become dull of hearing.

4:00Some parts of the Bible are hard to explain and just maybe I've become dull of hearing in a different place. Jesus said to Peter, what I'm doing you do not understand now. But afterward you will understand. That gives me encouragement. Afterward you will understand that's prophetic understanding will come afterward. It's a promise you will understand and it fuels faith. The one making the promise will deliver the understanding. Now be reminded here at this juncture that the Bible is not only for our instruction, it's for our good. And one of the good things that God gives us is understanding. Let me give you just two texts to support this as we move toward our text for this morning, John 1426.

5:06But the helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I've said to you. And two Timothy three 16, all scripture is breathed out by God and profitable. We're gonna profit here in the next few minutes. All scripture is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. So let's dig in to today's text and find some profit. And there are many ways we could come at it, but we're gonna look for profit by digging with the shovel called who is God. We're gonna look for the answer to that and I wanna thank here Jared Compton, I don't know if he's in this service and our pastoral team for helping me grapple with this text.

5:59What we will find in today's text turns out to be glorious. Chapter 13 verse one. So Abraham went up from Egypt. Now he's been down in Egypt and it was a disastrous trip. He lies about his wife to the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh takes her to be his wife and as a consequence, God sends plagues what a mess Abram has made. And basically then by the end of chapter 12, this liar has been booted out of Egypt. He's ba basically been paid by Pharaoh. Get outta here and the Pharaoh makes him very rich. Continuing in verse one, he and his wife Abraham and his wife and all that he had that's gonna be important here in a minute and lot, which is his nephew with him into the Negev.

6:57Verse two. Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver and in gold. So Abram though he's a migrant tent dweller, he's no country bumpkin, he's a rich dude. Note the inventory, gold, silver, livestock, their possessions are so great that the land can't support them. That's a lot of beef, that's a lot of sheep, that's a lot of camels. Verse three. And he journeyed on from the Negev as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning between Bethel and I to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the Lord. Good move. Abram, back to basics, first things first and what happens next.

7:52Verse five and lot who went with Abram also had flocks and herds and tents so that the land could not support both of them Dwelling together for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. And there was strife between the herdsman of Abraham's livestock and the herdsman of lots livestock. I'm gonna underline that phrase. There was strife. There was strife. Do I need to explain to you what strife is?

8:27I see heads shaking over here. No, you know what strife is At that time the Canaanites and the parasites were dwelling in the land. Verse eight then Abram said to lot, let there be no strife. So verse seven says, there was strife and Abram says, let there be no strife between you and me, between your herdsman and my herdsman, for we are kinsman. So Abram desires to avoid strife. We're with him in that we'd like to avoid it too. Verse nine is not the whole land before you separate yourself from me. And if you take the left hand then I'll go to the right or if you take the right hand then I'll go to the left.

9:06So Abram negotiates and he does so with deferential flexibility as a senior clansman, he could have called divs, but he defers to his nephew, he waives his own rights because he seeks to avoid trouble. One might ask if Abram is conflict avoidant, even cowardly, I mean especially after the way he conspired with Sarah to lie to the Pharaoh about who she was.

9:42Is Abraham a chicken? We'll get an answer to that in chapter 14 in just a moment. Verse 10 and lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt in the direction of Zoar. And this was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and I'm just gonna pause here long enough to say that it is the Lord who destroys Sodom and Gomorrah Moura, But not yet. And there's a noteworthy difference between the lushness and agricultural fertility of lots chosen land prior to God destroying Sodom and gaura and the less fertile and more auste nature of the land.

10:27Thereafter, the reigning down of God's obliterating justice on those twin cities will have a lingering effect. Verse 11, so lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley and lot journeyed east and thus they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan while lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked great sinners against the Lord. Now What I find remarkable about that verse is not only its content but its context. Just prior to this verse 13, Moses Re is recounting how Abraham and lot separated their flocks and and herdsman moving to different regents.

11:19And just after this verse 13, Moses tells us how the Lord instructed Abram to walk the length and the breadth of the land that the Lord was giving him and that Abram will build an altar there. So you've got this, this deciding who's gonna get the land and the decisions made. And in the middle he puts this verse about the wicked men of Sodom. Verse 13 is seemingly stuck in there almost randomly. The comment about the sodomites seems almost outta place there. But in fact shortly they will be put out of place and their place will be destroyed. But that's still coming. Come back for future installments.

12:05In this sermon series, these men in Sodom, not only sin but they sin greatly. Some versions translated that they sin exceedingly constantly, extremely or terribly. The community as a whole was guilty, not only of notoriously open and public impedance, but in defiance of God and their defiance became addicted to an abominable lust for unnatural acts. For now just note that God knows they are wicked and he has not punished them yet. Are we learning anything about God? Who is God? He's patient with sinners. Isn't that true? In our own day, isn't that true In this room, verse 14, and the Lord said to Abram after lot had separated from him, lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are northward and southward and eastward and westward for all the land that you see, I will mark that I will give to you and to your offspring forever.

13:21I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. Arise, walk through the length and breadth of the land. For I will give it to you. I will is a promise God makes promises. I'm answering the question, who is God? He makes promises. He makes general promises to all. And he makes specific promises to some promises that don't apply to everyone else. Here he makes a specific promise to Abram. It is a promise freely made. Abram does not suggest it or barter for it. God simply makes the promise having thought of it on his own without owing any of it to the merit of a Abraham.

14:09Abram is chosen and God is the one doing the choosing which he does freely without regard to anything outside of himself. God chooses Moses is still helping us answer the question, who is God? He's a God who chooses having recognized the unmerited favor coming to him from the Lord. Abram does a fitting thing. He builds an altar of worship. It's not a worship of altars, it's not a worship of worship, it's not a worship of forms or spirituality or religiosity. We all those things are just a matter of worship, worshiping yourself because you make up the rules of how you're gonna do it.

15:01Abram is giving thanks to the one who has acted in real history, has made certain promises for the future. Abram's faith includes belief that more good is yet to come. When he lifts up his eyes, he sees not only the land but the Lord who has given it to him and he sees offspring not yet existing, not yet born, but he can see them by faith, Abram recognizes good as good and does not shrug his shoulders as though it is owed to him. If it were owed to him, he could have said to the Lord, it's about time what kept you.

15:44But he knows it is not deserved. God initiates this blessing. He's the initiator. I'm still answering the question. Who is God? God is the initiator. And Abram the responder, God always acts first And he always has more acting to do. He's never done. Verse 18. So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of mammary, which are at Abra. And there he built an altar to the Lord. Now it would be helpful to just pause long enough to notice now that Abram ends up living in a location that he did not choose. Remember he said to lot, if you go here, I'll go there. If you go there, I'll go here. He didn't choose it.

16:29And yet by taking the leftovers at last, by a process of elimination, Abram settles in the land to which God had sent him in the first place. Isn't that interesting? God is the God of ends and means he will get you to a certain place and he is sovereign over the means by which he will get you there. And Moses is still answering the question, who is God?

17:04Apparently Moses about 700 years later and by the breathing of the Holy Spirit wants the readers to know this particular vignette, this little episode in here. It has something to do with God's big story about redeeming his chosen children. But how? How is lot going one way and Abram settling for another parcel of land so important to the overall story that it's not omitted. Why didn't Moses just skip it? What does this have to do with the big picture? Writing was very costly in those days. It took great pains for Moses to put this down. He didn't just type it out on his laptop in a few minutes.

17:57I infer that this episode is not extraneous, nothing is extraneous in the Bible. Perhaps this vignette is included for reasons like I'll give you a couple of possible reasons. One is to serve as a warning. Lot chooses what appears to be best in the short run. But that shortsighted Beware of making choices based upon what seems best in the short run. Be warned by this story or here's another possibility why Moses includes it to show that Abram though not perfect is growing in faith, doing better than he did in his significant failure in Egypt. A case is being made for faith in what it looks like.

18:51Now, in the interest of time, instead of reading verses one through 10 of chapter 14, let me just summarize it by saying that a bunch of kings formed an alliance to make war against a different alliance of kings. Okay, five kings against four kings. Skip to verse 11 of chapter 14. Sow the enemy. That's the alliance of the four kings who defeated the alliance of the five kings, took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their provisions and went their way and they all sow took lot. The son of Abram's brother who was dwelling in Sodom and his possessions and went their way. Well then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew who was living by the oaks of mam Ray, the Amorite brother, Al and Anner.

19:38And these were allies of Abram. Remember back in chapter 13 verse nine when I ask, is Abram a chicken? Is he afraid of controversy? Here we go. Verse 14, when Abram heard that his kinsmen had been taken active, he led forth his trained men born in his house, 318 of them and went in pursuit as far as Dan strap on your swords, boys and saddle up there. There there've just been nine kings and kingdoms at war. And Abram says, our family's going out there verse 15. And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants and defeated them and pursued them to hoba north of Damascus, which is quite a distance by the way.

20:39And then he brought back all the possessions and also brought back his kinsman lot with his possessions. Remember that's a lot of possessions and the women and the people. Now whereupon we see in the record here that Moses records for us a very significant and yet mysterious event attended by an equally significant and mysterious character. Many things in the Bible are simultaneously significant and mysterious. God himself is significant and mysterious. Verse 17, after his return from the defeat of the alliance of the kings who captured lot 18 Melek, king of Salem brought out bread and wine he was priest of.

21:31Now Moses is answering the question, who is God? There it is God most high. Now, who is this king Melek? In this text he's listed as king of Salem, which could be J Salem Possibly. And later David will refer to this melek in Psalm 110. And I debated when I was preparing this message, working on it in the early, going sometime ago, whether I should start by preaching out of Psalm 110 and then jump over to the book of Hebrews to explain who's this mysterious and significant melek. And I've, I have resigned myself to the fact that I think it's a whole separate sermon at some point, maybe someday when we're preaching through Hebrews.

22:18In fact, one, one person has said that the book of Hebrews, the whole book of Hebrews is an answer to the question, who is melek? That's a possible way to read that book. Um, the name Melek isn't gonna go away after this text in Genesis later in the book of Hebrews, he will be tied explicitly to Jesus Christ verse 19. And he that's melek blessed him. That is Abram.

22:51When, when God issues a blessing, nothing in existence will ever have the power or authority to cancel that blessing. No demon, no politician, no court, no disease, no desert winds, no marauding army or alliance of armies. No interfering parent, no random chance by the way, there's no such thing. No social or cultural revolution can cancel his blessing. No technological discovery. Not even the alleged free will of the one being blessed. No blessing of God will be impeached, derailed, prohibited, canceled on account of a blizzard or a pandemic or any other thing.

23:43And the dera, the delayed arrival of a blessing is a well-timed that is perfectly timed arrival. I will bless you. And then we think, where is it? It hasn't come. It hasn't come. It hasn't come. It's coming at the perfect time. God, most high possessor of heaven and earth is sovereign, absolutely sovereign. When he blesses, it's blessed. And in the end he will be found to have exercised his sovereignty with absolutely no injustice ever. Not even once. God most high possessor of heaven and earth is righteous. And in his righteous sovereignty, he doesn't just issue laws and warnings, he issues blessings.

24:38God most high possessor of heaven and earth is good. There is no higher source of blessing than to be blessed by God. Most high possessor of heaven and earth. It's one thing to be blessed by a king. It's another one to be blessed by the one who owns and governs the king still in verse 19 and said, blessed bee Abram by. And now Moses is answering the question as Melek answers it, God most high possessor of heaven and earth. And he blessed and blessed bee God most high, who has delivered your enemies into your hand. And Abram gave him a 10th of everything. So Melek takes a look at this battlefield and the booty and he directs attention vertically to God.

25:30Most high possessor of heaven and earth and all the booty. The main thing I want us to see here in chapter 14 verses 18 through 22, is that God is two things at once. He's most high. That's mentioned four times in the text. I hope you've been counting. And number two, he's possessor of heaven and earth. And those two things go hand in hand for it would be impossible to be most high while somebody else owns everything or owns anything, whoever holds jurisdiction finally is most high.

26:16God doesn't just possess the earth in spite of the great temporary conquests of one of the kings here, Cato or the other kings that are hard to pronounce in there, or modern day kings, Caesar Attila Hitler, their conquest over vast regions of the world, such conquerors individually or combined, never had one ounce of authority over heaven. God most high is the possessor of heaven and earth.

26:56Abram, it is God most high who delivered these kings to you. Wasn't merely your 318 men. Now observe a contrast in verse 21. While Melek gave bread and wine and blessing, the king of Sodom wants to take to enslave persons. Verse 21, then the king of Sodom said to Abraham, give me the persons But take the goods for yourself. But Abraham said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted my hand to the Lord God most high possessor of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours. Lest you should say I, king of Sodom have made Abram rich. Abram is getting it. He now calls the Lord God most high possessor of heaven and earth, he's getting it.

28:01Are we? God has blessed Abra with victory and Abram wants it known that God is behind all of their blessings, including material blessings. Verse 24, I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten and the share of the men who went with me let these other guys take their share. While Abram's faith in God is growing, I would like us to observe that. So is his character and that's how it works. Character is fueled by faith. Observe several Christ-like character qualities that are growing in Abraham. He's content with what God has provided. Abraham exhibits a sense of justice. What those kings took, they should not have taken.

28:51He deals even handedly in the public square. He's decisive in mobilizing his troops. He takes initiative in righting a wrong. He shows love and kindness for his nephew by seeking and securing his freedom from captivity. He demonstrates humility in his awareness that he's already lifted his hand to the Lord in a promise. And that the all seeing eyes of the auditing Lord will know whether Abram keeps his word or not. And he shows faithfulness and integrity, keeping his word to the Lord, not taking any wealth from this king of Sodom. Now no one is more content or just or decisive or loving or kind or humble or faithful than Jesus.

29:40And when Abraham displays these qualities, he's reflecting Christ's likeness. I'll just put an parenthesis here at this point in the story. Abram is still childless. Stay tuned. Now consider one more thought about Mel Ek. Namely, he passes from the scene. We infer, I would argue he dies. He's no longer king or a priest. If I jump over to Hebrew 7 23, the former priests, which includes Mel Melek, a former priest where many in number because they were prevented by death. That's one reason why I infer Melek has died. He's no longer a priest 'cause he's dead. They were prevented by death from continuing in office.

30:34But Jesus, this is gonna be good news people. But Jesus holds his priesthood permanently because he continues forever. Consequently, verse 25 of Hebrew seven, which means therefore, or get this implication because he lives forever, Jesus is able to save to the uttermost, those who draw near to God through him since he always lives. And that's not the end of the verse. What's he doing while he always lives? What's he doing? January 21st, 2024 for the people in this room? Let me finish the verse. He always lives to make intercession for them. Jesus is praying for you now. He's advocating for you with the Father, father, their sins.

31:36I got 'em. They're covered. I nailed them to that tree paid you. And I need someone who is both a king and a priest. We need a king, someone who has righteous authority, able to make righteous things Stick. And we need a priest to represent us as unrighteous sinners to a righteous authority. And if Jesus is just a king, just a righteous king, then we're left to live in terror. But if he's also a priest without sin, who lives and intercedes, that is good news.

32:27What has Jesus been doing ever since his resurrection and ascension answer interceding for you and me? What's he doing right now? He's appealing to the Father on your behalf. So from this text, we could answer the question, who is God A number of ways. But the fourfold way that Moses answered it is He's God most high possessor of heaven and earth. And if that's who he is, what should we do? We should offer our lives to him in totality, and we should offer our praise. And thanks to him, we're gonna have an opportunity to sing right now as the worship team comes. And I'm asking you because he is God most high and possessor of heaven and earth, that you throw your heart into the substance and meaning of what we're about to sing.

33:26We're gonna sing about before the throne of God above you have a melek like priest who's before the throne advocating for you. And that should just well up in our hearts with overflowing thanksgiving. Let me pray as we prepare to sing. So by your spirit now, God almighty, overcome the impediments and the barriers, the the barriers and the inertia that's in our hearts. Maybe some staleness, maybe some dullness, maybe some distraction. Overcome all of that so that we sing with all of our hearts now in Jesus' name. Amen.

Jump to live

Jump to live

Sermon Text

Genesis 13-14

Previous
NEXT
Phone
(612) 455-0800
Email
info@thenorthchurch.com
Address
5151 Program Ave,
Mounds View, MN 55112
AboutI'm NewBeliefsLeadershipSundaysWednesdays
ConnectMinistriesEventsNorth UpdateGroup Finder
ResourcesBusiness DirectoryLibrarySeminars & ConferencesWeddings & FuneralsJob Opportunities
AccountHouseholdGroupsGivingLog Out
Copyright © 2026 The North Church. All rights reserved.
Staff LoginPrivacy PolicyTerms & ConditionsSite by Volente

Connect

Submit

Thank you!
Your submission has been received.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.