So Abram’s father initially set out with Abram and Sarai and
Lot, his grandson, to go to Canaan but only got as far as a place called Haran
which also happens to be Lot’s father, Terah’s son, Abram’s brother’s name and
they settled there. Why did they not
continue to Canaan and why were they going there in the first place? The Lord called Abram to leave his family and
his country, everything familiar, everything that had caused them to settle
there, and go to a land He would show him and Abram left, albeit with Lot in
tow and, well, “and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the
people that they had acquired in Haran.”
He didn’t actually travel lightly did he? As he passed through Canaan he continued on
until the Lord made a promise to him to give the land to his descendants. He continued on a bit from that place and built
an altar and worshipped or proclaimed concerning the Lord there in that pagan
land.
Jesus speaks into the woman’s life, naming her sin. He has already offered this sinful woman a
precious gift and now she knows that He made this offer even though He knew
these things about her, He led with grace.
Her response is to change the subject, you say to worship there, we
worship here where our fathers worshiped.
Not exactly a smooth conversational transition. Jesus says where isn’t as important as
motivation but He also affirms that salvation comes from the Jews, the truth
matters, you people have it wrong, but He has been so gracious she can’t be
offended. Amazingly, shockingly, just
after we were told that Jesus knew what was in the hearts of men in Jerusalem
so He didn’t entrust Himself to them, He reveals Himself in no uncertain terms
to this woman. He knew what was in her
heart too, He knew her life, He had just told her these things and to her He
first reveals Himself! Her heart wasn’t
revealed by her life, there was something there that Jesus saw and chose her as
the one person to whom He says, “I AM he.”
The writer further compares Jesus to Melchizedek. Little or nothing is known of this man other
than what we are told here. His name
means righteousness and he is king of Salem which means peace (Shalom) so he is
the righteous king of peace. Sounds like
a title that could be used by Jesus. The
writer says that since Abraham paid tribute to this man in the form of a tithe
and the priests of Israel collect tithes and they are children of Abraham’s
brother Aaron, it could be imputed then that these men owe a tithe to
Melchizedek to whom their ancestor paid tribute. In essence, this proves there is a greater
priesthood than the Aaronic line and it is from this line Jesus is drawn, so He
is superior to them. The conclusion is
then that they should utterly reject the priestly sacrifices since they have a
greater priest in Jesus. He isn’t just
superior to Abraham, He is superior to the one to whom Abraham bowed in
tribute. Abraham bowed before only the
Lord all the days of his life, so this Melchizedek must have been the Lord’s
representative and how Abraham knew that is a curiosity. We know, however, that Jesus alone is to be
worshipped and adored. No other Name is
given under heaven by which we might be saved.
Worship is always the right response to God’s gracious promise.
If our love were but
more simple,
We should take Him at His word;
And our lives would be all sunshine
In the sweetness of our Lord.
We should take Him at His word;
And our lives would be all sunshine
In the sweetness of our Lord.
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