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[0:00] Genesis chapter 14 and verses 17 to 24 were before us this morning and I was trying to bring from these verses something to do with this strange figure that meets us in this chapter of Melchizedek and we looked at the identity of Melchizedek and I tried to show that he was not a local ruler in the vicinity of Sodom. He was the king of Salem, which is Jerusalem. He was not an angel either because he is a man. This man we are told in Hebrews 7.4. He was not a man from another planet or almost refrained to mention it were it not that there are those that believe it. He was not Shem, the son of Noah, although Shem was still living. And indeed Abram died before Shem. And as I said Noah was still alive in the early part of Abram's life when Abram was 58 years of age. Not till then did Noah die. But this was not Shem because Melchizedek was one of whom we know nothing concerning his pedigree, nothing concerning his family tree. And if it were Shem as some of the Jews say that it was Shem, Melchizedek was Shem, then of course course it could not be said that this man was unknown Shem. We know his pedigree, Melchizedek, we do not. Others have said it was Christ himself in a pre-incantation manifestation. But we reject that because this Melchizedek, we are told in Hebrews 7, is made like unto the Son of God. And we are told that this is another priest like to this Melchizedek and his special priesthood in his day. It cannot be that Melchizedek is Christ. And therefore we come to this which I think is the only way to understand concerning this man that he was a real man, a patriarchal figure. Indeed he was more than a patriarch.

[2:40] He was a king. He was king of Salem. And he was priest of the Most High God. And in that day of ungodliness and in that day of idolatry there were those like Job and Abram and Melchizedek that were men of God. And there will be those in every day, my friends, that are those in every generation and will be until the Lord comes again who are God's people. And they will be marked as different.

[3:13] They will be God's servants wherever he has put them. We saw then something of the typology. We saw that the fact that Melchizedek is without genealogy, that we are not told concerning his father and mother, that it speaks to us of Christ who had no father according to his human nature and who had no mother according to his divine nature. And there is that mystery of godliness in God manifest in the flesh. We saw that he was a priest different from the Levitical priests.

[3:54] He was before them and previous to them. He was not a hereditary priest as the sons of Aaron obtained their priesthood from Aaron. He was one that was greater in this respect, brought out in Hebrews 7, that whereas normally tithes are paid to the Levitical priests by the people. In the case of Abram, he gave tithes to Melchizedek. He recognized the greatness of this man and that he was God's priest, priest of the Most High God. We saw that whereas the earthly priest died, this man, we're told, not concerning his death. It didn't mean that he didn't die, but the thing that is preserved in that little record is that he is without beginning and without end. And therefore he is light to the one who has an everlasting priesthood, whose priesthood will never know a conclusion, who is made a priest after the order of Melchizedek, according to the power of an endless life, and who is at God's right hand even now, a prince and a savior, making intercession for us. You see then that this man, Melchizedek, points us to Christ and to his special priesthood, who is High

[5:15] Priest, our great High Priest, over the household of faith. We saw that he is King of Righteousness. Melchizedek means being interpreted. We're told in Hebrews 7 and in the opening verses, he is King of Righteousness. And he speaks of that one whom God has set upon his holy hill of Zion. I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion. We thought we think of our great Prince of Righteousness, our King of Righteousness, the Lord Jesus Christ, who has obtained righteousness for us, who is our Righteousness.

[5:57] And we saw also that he is King of Salem, which being interpreted is King of Peace. And Christ is the Peacemaker. He's only the Peacemaker by virtue of his righteousness and what he has done for us. You cannot have peace with God any other way than through the blood and the righteousness of Christ. But if we come to God through him, the enmity is put away, the reconciliation is real, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. And we saw how Melchizedek speaks of the prophetic opposite Christ. He is King and he is Priest and he is Prophet. He blesses his people. He spoke the words of the words of life in the days of his flesh. He gives his preacher still. Christ ascended up, gives gifts unto men, gives apostles and prophets and evangelists and pastors and teachers in these days for the perfecting of the saints and for the work of the ministry. Christ is our great prophet,

[7:04] Christ is the one that proclaims the word that God has entrusted to his church concerning the salvation of sinners. And we saw how in the worshipping that Melchizedek renders to the Most High God. But when he blessed Abram, then he blessed the name of the the Most High God. And you see in this the Savior who ever worshipped the Father, who gave reverence to the Father.

[7:44] And you think of him there as we saw in Luke 10 and in that 21st verse when he speaks on the return of the 70 even So, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for so it seemeth good in thy sight. Thou hast hid these things from the wise and poor and thou hast revealed them unto babes. And finally we saw Melchizedek bringing forth the bread and the wine and Christ is he that refreshes his people. Melchizedek refreshed Abram and those that were with him. But Christ brings forth the bread and the royal wine of heaven.

[8:23] And in the Lord's Supper, I believe we had this suggested to us this morning. We were brought into the banqueting house and the banner over us was the banner of his love. Well, something of the identity of Melchizedek, something of the typology of Melchizedek, and I couldn't finish it this morning. Time ran out. I want to say a little on the response to the two kings that Abram makes. You see it in Genesis and in the 14th chapter.

[8:58] The response of Sodom. Verse 17, the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Cherdaleomer and of the kings that were with him at the valley of Shebi, which is in the king's dale. There was the king of Sodom went out to Abram and Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine. The response of Abram to Melchizedek was that he gave tithes. He gave a tenth. A tenth of all, it says, in the 20th verse, he gave him tithes of all. When you turn to Hebrews 7 and the fourth verse, it says, consider how great this man was and to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

[9:49] But strictly speaking, there were no spoils. He did not come back with spoils. What did he come back with? Lot. He came back with Lot and all that was Lot. He came back with the things that had been taken away as spoil by those kings of the east. But he did not come back with a booty for himself. He did not come back enriched by the things that he had taken from the enemy. He simply brought back Lot. That was the principal thing with Abram, to bring back his nephew and all that was his nephew's. And he brought back back the things that belonged to others because of the victory that God had given him. So it wasn't strictly speaking that he gave the tenth of the spoils. And rather the word that is behind that word in Hebrews 7, 4, Akrothilion. It speaks of the heap of a man's possessions. It was of his own possessions that he gave the tenth.

[10:52] He gave the top of the heap. He gave the first fruits. The word Akrothilion is sometimes translated first fruits. He gave the very top of his own substance to the Lord God, to the Most High God.

[11:12] He gave in the tithes to Melchizedek, this to the God of Heaven. And he gave then, and I think that it comes over better really in Genesis 14 and 20. He gave him tithes of all, all that was his. He gave the tenth to the God who is the possessor of heaven and earth, who would deliver his enemies into his hand. Now this is Abram's worship, not worshipping Melchizedek. Melchizedek is the priest of the Most High God. In the giving of the tithes to Melchizedek, he is worshipping God. He is coming with a recognition that God is his God.

[12:01] The place of worship is there in the book of Genesis from the very beginning. Godly men and women worshiped God. They gave thanks for the mercies of God. They gave recognition of the blessings that they had received, that they had received them from the hand of God.

[12:21] And in the giving of tithes to Melchizedek, there is something of the recognition of God's goodness to Abram. And he gives, and there's a place for giving in worship. We don't often speak of it. I very seldom, as you know, ever mention anything on the subject of giving. We have boxes at the back of the chapel. They've been there.

[12:45] There's never been an exhortation, I recall, to put anything in them. And yet we have had all our needs supplied over the past years. And over the twenty years and more now that I've been pastor of this church, we have seen God providing for us.

[13:02] We have received much from the God of heaven. But to give is a blessing. And it is part of our worship. And I believe that in the giving, there is that which is an expression of our thanksgiving unto God, for all that he has given to us. And he is its unspeakable gift.

[13:23] That gift of which there are not words sufficient to describe it. That gift of salvation in the Redeemer, Jesus Christ. And giving. We are not under law. We are under grace.

[13:36] I am not one of those that say that Christians of the time, to give a tenth part of their income. We are not under the law of Moses. We are under law to Christ.

[13:47] But I just point out to you that Abram was not under the law of Moses in this matter of the time. He was under the promise, as Paul makes abundantly plain in Romans and in Galatians.

[14:02] He was not doing what he did according to the law to obtain a righteousness. He was justified through faith. He was the heir of the promise.

[14:13] And yet, according then to the promise, and according to grace, he gives the tithe. And the thing is that we are not required to give the tithe. But will the children of Abram give less than what they can give, and what they are able to give?

[14:31] We are given a guiding principle. We are not given a rule in the matter. And there is a place for giving. And those that have the least in what they give, as they give what they can, like the widow with her two mites that cast them into the treasury.

[14:46] It was her all. She cast them in the worship of her God. And God marked it, and what she did is commemorated. It's not the largeness of the song.

[14:58] It's the heart that gives. It's the generosity of the giver. The Lord loveth a cheerful giver. And there are those that never give much. They are good receivers, but they're poor givers.

[15:09] And whether we give only a very little, that is as an acknowledgement and a token. And God marks the giver, and God blesses the giver.

[15:21] It is more blessed to give than to receive. May we ever remember that God will provide for us. Being under grace, God will see to it that the hearts of his people are touched as to the giver.

[15:35] But it's not for us to say it doesn't matter because we're under grace. Other people say to me that how this place continues and how it's supported is a matter of indifference to them.

[15:46] Well, it's a very poor attitude. It's a very low view of the dignity of the local church and its place and importance in God's purposes if you come to that conclusion.

[15:59] But God has also put it into their hearts. Thank God of many more than these few over the years that they might give and give unto God with generosity.

[16:12] And in the giving that we've given to the Lord, have we ever been the poorer for it? Bunyan said there was a man, men thought him mad. The more he gave, the more he had.

[16:24] And he was speaking of himself, I believe, when he said that. How true it is. The more he gave, the more he had. Well, Abram gave to the Lord.

[16:35] He didn't give what was not his to give. It wasn't the booty that he had taken from the Babylonians and the Persians and the others. Like another after him, he would not give that which cost him nothing to his God.

[16:49] He gave of that which was his. Tens of all that he had. Tens of it all was the Lord's. And God received it at his hand.

[17:00] The response then of Abram to Melchizedek. But what of the response of Abram to the other king, the king of Sodom? All he kept separate from Sodom and from its king.

[17:11] The king of Sodom went out to meet him. And the king of Sodom said to him, Give me the persons, take the goods to thyself. He was so thankful to those restored to him that were his and of his people.

[17:25] He was prepared to give all the goods as the right of Abram, who had had the difficulty, the danger, the struggle, the warfare to wait.

[17:35] Oh, give me the persons. You have all the goods for yourself. And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up mine hand unto the Lord, the Most High God, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take from a thread even to a shoe latching, and that I will not take anything that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich, save only that which the young men have eaten, the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshkel, and Mamre.

[18:08] Let them take their portion. It was perfectly legitimate that they should have what was needed to sustain them, the food that they required. That was their portion. That wasn't to be counted in this.

[18:20] But of all the rest, he would not have any of it. He didn't go to the war for gain. He didn't go in order to be enriched by booty. He went to rescue his nephew-law.

[18:32] And so he says that he wouldn't take as much of a thread or a shoe latching, the most humble, insignificant object. He didn't want them. He hadn't gone for the sake of what he would get out of it.

[18:43] But what he says to the king of Sodom is more than that. He says that he had settled the matter before God. I believe he settled the matter before he went after God.

[18:55] He said it there, I have lifted up mine hand unto the Lord. That's expressive of his prayer. He's gone into the secret place. When his 318 trained servants, catechized servants, whom he had imparted not only instruction as to their duties and in the matters of warfare, but the very word of God as he then possessed it.

[19:19] When he had sent them out and gone forth with them into this work, it was not before he had prayed to the God of heaven. And do we embark on any enterprise without prayer?

[19:32] I fear we do. How often we're prayerless in great issues. Not this man. Here were things that were suddenly confronting in emergency.

[19:45] Here was a situation that required immediate action. But not before this prayer. And in the prayer he had lifted up his hand to God that he wouldn't go back from the veil that he'd taken before his God, that he would not do it for personal advantage.

[20:04] And he didn't want anything that was belonging to the king of Sodom, lest he should say, I have made Abram rich. This man who was the king over a people that were exceeding sinful in the eyes of God.

[20:18] He didn't want anything of Sodom. Do we want anything of this world? In all its enmity against God, do we want a world that will shake its fist in the face of Almighty God?

[20:34] Do we want anything that the world would give us? I think it's time that Christians kept at a distance from many of those things which may, they may be legitimate.

[20:47] They may be lawful, but they're not expedient. We've got to keep a distance between us and the unholy things that are happening around about us.

[20:58] We're not to be caught up in the thinking and the scheming and the doing of ungodly men and women. We don't want to show such interest in what they do that they say, well, so and so, he just couldn't do without me.

[21:13] He just couldn't do without this club or this society or the good time that we have. We don't want these things. We won't take so much of a shoelatchet from this ungodly age in which we found us.

[21:27] Surely that should be the Christian principle. It was of our forefathers. There was a separation. It's largely vanished, it seems to me. And Christians are as worldly as the next person and leaders in worldliness often.

[21:43] But it's not surely to be. It's not for us to take anything from the world in enmity against God that makes us beholden to the world around.

[21:55] We want to take Abram's example. We want to be as Abram to Melchizedek. Worshipping Melchizedek's God, the true God, the God of heaven and earth, possessor of all the nations in whose hands are the destinies of all men.

[22:13] That we are not going to court the world and seek its smiles to be upon us and say that we're desperately desirous of being caught up in its ways.

[22:24] What has the world got to give us? What had Sodom to give to a man like Abram? Sodom that would soon be brought to utter destruction under fire and brimstone from heaven.

[22:39] Oh, that we might trace out that God would enable us to make the application here and to see that there must be this separation. Come out from among them and be ye separate.

[22:53] How much we need it. Are we priests of the Most High God? I believe we are in Christ. The priesthood of all believers. Then we are to be a separated priesthood. We've got to be those that are meet for the Master's use.

[23:08] Not caught up in the things of this world. Are we in the Lord's battle? So he that would be a good soldier of Jesus Christ is not to become entangled with the things of this world.

[23:21] That we might serve him who has called us to be a soul. We need a singleness of purpose. A singleness of eye. God grant it to us indeed.

[23:33] Well, there is something on the Melchizedek that meets us then. The identity of this man. The typology behind Melchizedek pointing us to Christ.

[23:46] And then briefly the response of Abram to these two kings. Now let me come to the first verse of the next chapter. And I want to speak for what remains to us a little from this verse.

[24:00] After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision saying, Fear not, Abram. I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward.

[24:13] And here you see something of a reaction now in Abram's heart. After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision saying, Fear not.

[24:27] And these words are addressed to Abram because there is somewhat of fear now in his heart. the reaction is set in.

[24:37] He's returned to Abram. Returned to memory whence he had set out to rescue Lot. He now is conscious of his physical need.

[24:49] The energy that he's given. The stress of it. Not only weakness of the body by reason of the war that he's he'd been involved in but I'm sure the mental anxiety of it all coming now home to him.

[25:08] While he was fighting while he was returning even he was still elated. The adrenaline still flowed as it were. But now he comes back and it's so often the case that when we come to a change when we come to a respite even from what we've been engaging in that's been strenuous and arduous demanding bodily strength and mental effort we can almost begin to collapse.

[25:39] And there comes not only a physical and mental debility but there can often come a spiritual onslaught. And a man or woman can easily become depressed although I venture to say concerning Abram that there's something now of a depression settling upon this man.

[25:58] The Bible presents the humanity of its characters. They're not just all presented as heroes always successful always up.

[26:11] They're presented so often down to us. That's why this book is so remarkable. That's why we learn so much from the word of God when we read it.

[26:21] For we see men as they truly are and women as they are in all the different experiences that confront them. We see them as Elijah very similar to this Elijah after the stress and strain at Carmel is over.

[26:41] The rains have come even and he now is brought to a place of exhaustion and then he hears that Jezebel has said that he will be as dead as her priests before a day has passed and he flees for his life and he sinks down under the juniper tree in the wilderness and he says that he's ready to die.

[27:06] He's no better than his father and he asks leave as it were of God to die and even Paul that man of God that giant he had his times when he knew something of a despondency and a depression when he was so against the contradiction of men Jews and Gentiles alike especially the Jews blaspheming and contradicting concerning Christ that sometimes he was brought into a very low place and he could say without fighting and within fears God's people are not super human there are mere flesh and blood remember what James says concerning Elijah a man subject to like passions as we are and this is true of Abraham now he is reacting he's come into something of the low place after he's been on the high place and I say to you that it's almost inevitable don't be surprised at it you've been engaged in something you've been giving yourself with all your energies to it and now it's finished it's over you've been successful even as

[28:22] Abraham was successful don't be surprised that the reaction comes we've even known it's in the area of our baptism that was a high spot to us when we came before the church and when we went through the waters of baptism and immediately afterwards perhaps we felt that we were in the high places and then so soon we were down again in the depths and this is reaction often and we will be got that often because of the successes that we've had and if you were a good Lord's day in this house of prayer don't be surprised that you will have a bad Monday the devil will hurl all that he can against you I'm sure that there are many that go to places where the devil would not be concerned to come against them because they've had nothing virtually they've had nothing that would disturb the devil indeed he's put the very man in the pulpit that's given them that which they've had advance in their years not been the word of God at all and he will leave them alone but he'll come against you and those who are the Lord's people will be up against it and the more so as time passes it may not be as a young Christian that we're up against it because

[29:42] God is very gracious he doesn't come to the young Christian as he comes to those who are a little more advanced now in Christian experience he often allows the young Christian a period of time to settle and to learn things and then in the school of Christ there will be a different classroom and there will begin to be the opposition and there will begin to be the trial and the tribulation man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward why do we think otherwise why do we expect it to be different why is it when troubles come so often it takes us a week or a month to come to terms with them in this world Christ said ye shall have tribulation not you might have it ye shall have it but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world take comfort then from Abraham he's an example to us the things written of poor time were written for our admonition that we might learn from these things he is a man that proves that he's but a man a great man of

[30:52] God a man of faith and yet he is his fainting moments we've seen it in past studies in Elijah we see it here in Abraham's case there is no temptation taken you then but such as is common to man reaction then comes Peter James and John they were in the moment of transfiguration Peter says let us stay here let us not go down again we'll make three tabernacles here and we'll abide here but they had to go down and when they went down they're confronted with a demon possessed lad and they could do nothing with it they were brought to realize what a real fallen world they were in we're in a fallen world don't be surprised then when the temptations and the trials come be surprised in a fashion when they don't come be thankful for the good days that you have be thankful that God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you can bear but will with the temptation make the way of his king that you may be able to bear it

[32:16] God is very gracious to us he was gracious to Abraham but here is this man under reaction physical weakness and I believe satanic depression or satanic oppression child of God regenerate man or woman can never be possessed of a demon or by satan that cannot possibly be we are indwelt by the holy spirit of God and he will never he will never share our hearts with a demon there are those that teach differently but surely any reflection and true meditation upon the word of God and the nature of the indwelling of the spirit of God and who he is that indwells us surely that cannot escape our thinking that it is an impossibility for a regenerate man or woman to be demon possessed I'm not saying it's impossible for the unregenerate to be demon possessed but that's another matter but satan comes to oppress us and satan comes to depress us and often times we're in depressions and the real reason we're in depressions is that the devil is seeking to keep us in that low place to make it as dark and black and depressing as he can so that we are not those that are sharp and alive fervent in spirit serving the

[33:48] Lord and the devil is a master master of deceit he knows when to come against us he knows when physical resistance is low and he knows when he can get an advantage over it but there's another cause and that's indwelling sin every one of us quite apart from the devils oppressing us or depressing us we've got sin to contend with and that's depressing in itself and when sin comes against us and we find our proneness to wander from God and the deceitfulness of our heart and how the good thing that we've been wanting to do we find we don't do it and an evil thing that we never wanted to do and we would we would never imagine that we would ever have done it yet we've done that and that's through the remaining sin that's within our hearts that can that can get us down all of these things come and in a period of reaction when we come to an end of a tension when we come to a situation which is somewhat now a different one from what we've known how how the devil will come how our own hearts will play tricks upon us the heart deceitful above all things desperately wicked who can know we've been involved in something and suddenly it's come to an end and it's alright the first few days but the next week after it's suddenly all black dreadful that's what happened I think to this dear man

[35:22] Abraham and he speaks to us may we hear God addressing us through this man he's brought to fear fear not Abraham God knew in his heart for God knows all things the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show him so strong on the behalf of him whose heart is perfect towards him God sees us all together he saw the fearfulness the apprehension in this man's heart what would be the ground of the fear well what if they come back again what if those that he has pursued and won a victory over and there's been a slaughter of them but not all of them what if they come back again what if others from these countries from Elam and from Shinar what if they come and they gather an even greater army will he be able to do it a second time oh haven't you got that sometimes you've come through a trial and you've been brought out and then certainly it comes you what if the same thing happens again

[36:23] I could never go through it again never never go through it again and there is a fear within within where fear as I said that was Paul's experience he had all sorts of situations to confront and people to deal with and the worst of all the situations was the the enmity of some even within these churches towards his person and he knew what it was to be cast down he tells us so there's a place it's in second Corinthians and in that seventh chapter that he speaks about it speaks about his own heart I thank God that he has given us the record I mentioned it of Abraham and others but here it is of Paul their heart laid bare so that we can see how it was with these men when we were come into Macedonia 2 Corinthians 7 verse 5 our flesh had no rest we were troubled in every side without with fighting within with fears nevertheless

[37:29] God that comforteth those that are cast down comforted us by the coming of Titus now if he was comforted by the coming of Titus if he can say that God that comforted those that are cast down comforted us by the coming of Titus you had a downcast apostle here you had a man that was cast down Paul cast down yes Paul cast down and God saw him cast down as he saw Abraham as he saw Elijah under the juniper tree cast down as he sees us cast down and God not only sees but God comes to reassure there was fear in Abraham's heart there was doubt also he had not taken anything for himself how right that was to refuse what the king of Sodom wanted to give him and he hadn't gone into the war for what he would get out of it but the doubt comes now well was he wise doing this might he not have been better to keep something what if what if he loses what he's got what if the situation as he now has it it's comparatively easy comparatively comfortable what have he changed have you not been like that you've managed through a difficult period financially economically you've been brought through it and you thank God that he's brought you through it and then the reaction comes and you suddenly realize but what if something else comes another contingency what if I lose this job that I'm dependent upon what if this supply dries up what then there is that question there is that doubt and then there is doubt in his mind concerning what

[39:17] God had said to him that his seed should possess this land that he should have an heir and that he should possess this land of Canaan but he's childless and he's in advancing years probably 75 years old now and his wife old also and he's got no child and there's every possibility he'll have to make another person his heir that's what he says in the second verse of chapter 15 I go childless and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus will I have to make my steward as my heir because I have no child of my own doubt is settling in why did God bring him into this situation in the first place why did God say what he would do that his seed would have the land there's only been a warfare the end of the warfare he's got nothing to show for it nothing at all and there's fear lest he should again be in another warfare and not so successful and there is this doubt as to what is happening what is God going to do when is he going to have this son that was promised to him and there's misgivings

[40:30] Elijah had it also he had this great confrontation at Carmel he had seen the priests of Baal routed they were discomfited they could not call down fire from heaven upon the sacrifice there was that great proof to the king and to the people that Jehovah he is God alone and what's the end of it well he runs before the chariot of Ahab and he comes to Jezreel the summer capital and the rains are falling and he finds that the first thing that he hears virtually is that Jezebel is determined to kill and he no doubt thought what was the point of it all what was the point of destroying these priests of Baal winning this great victory if now he's got to forfeit his life they want to take my life from me he said and where are all the others that were supposed to be on his side I only I have left he said he's still got to be shown that there were 7,000 even in

[41:34] Israel that had not bowed the knee to Baal but he thinks he's the only one you get that at times in the work of a church you think you're the only one why isn't there more how many pastors are men that are under this great doubt that they've done the right thing in taking the stand they've taken if you take a stand for truth if you separate from others on the ground of the word of God and the doctrines of grace and the worship that God appoints you're swimming against the stream and it's all very well for a time but the reaction is bound to come and you'll have those days and you'll have those moments and perhaps there'll be moments in the middle of the night when you wonder well what's it going to all come to be there'll be nobody left at all and the whole thing will come to mark we have our doubts and we have our misgivings and we doubt God and we become envious at the foolish envious at the wicked when we see the prosperity of the wicked we become those that begin to wonder did we do the right thing have you wondered sometimes was it the right thing that you became a

[42:42] Christian were you not better off when you weren't a Christian and the devil says of course you were better off when you weren't a Christian you didn't have all the struggle you've got now when you weren't a Christian you didn't have all the conflict and you didn't have all the stress and the strain that you now have when you weren't a Christian because our memories are short we quickly forget some of the things that were ours when we weren't a Christian that we're glad that God made us Christians to deliver us from these things but in our moments when everything's against us and everything's black and the devil's at our elbow we see nothing right we wish we'd never started there were better family relations before we became a Christian we wouldn't have had those stirred up a man's foes those of his own house we wouldn't have had it if we hadn't become Christian well I venture to say again that we would have had more besides and the thing is we would have had it and we wouldn't have had Christian aid and Christian help in order to meet it but in our moments of depression we think it would have been better would that we were back in

[43:54] Egypt that's what they said after they got a taste of the wilderness oh it wasn't so bad in Egypt they had groan and they complained and they cried to God in Egypt for deliverance but it wasn't so bad in Egypt once they began to feel the hot burning sand under their feet and they realized it wasn't such a lovely place after all would that we were back with the leeks and the cucumbers and the melons and the fish and all the things we enjoyed we've only got this rotten manna God's provision miraculous provision lasting them through all the years in the wilderness until they sowed the land and the corn was reaped the manna sustained them but they loathed this life food they wanted the delicacies that they had known they forgot how bad it was in Egypt they wished they'd never started with Moses someone said it only took a night for Moses to bring the people out of Egypt but it took 40 years to get Egypt out of the people it does that with some of us doesn't it does that with some of us well there is the reaction of Abram what of the response of God and God's love

[45:04] God knows what he needs and he comes to him the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision now I said on Thursday that I believe the word of the Lord is Christ there Christ the word by whom all things were made the word that was with God the word that was God Christ is the word I know that there are words spoken but who spoke the words in the vision it was the living word of God it was Christ we did not mean when we said that Melchizedek was not Christ that Christ is never manifested in the Old Testament he's in many many Old Testament places and I believe that he's here Christ came the word of the Lord came the living word came and brought the the verbal communication to this man that he needed to hear the words of reassurance the words of life in a vision the word of the Lord came unto Abram saying fear not fear not

[46:11] God saw him God sent the word it's very significant in Elijah's case when he comes eventually to Horeb and at Horeb he is met with we're told it was the word of the Lord came to Elijah at Horeb Christ met with his servant there as he met with his servant here and the dealings with this man Abram and Christ knows our hearts knows our fears and knows our doubts Zion said the Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten me can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of a womb yea they may forget but I will not forget thee the word of Jehovah the word of the Lord came unto Abram Christ ever comes to those who are his people he is not the savior of his people for nothing he is not just the savior of his people to die for them upon the cross he is always the savior the deliverer of his people he comes to us he comes to us in many different sovereign ways sometimes in providence sometimes through scripture sometimes in the very stillness of our hearts he comes to us and he addresses us and he brings his word to bear upon us and he speaks these allaying and securing words fear not fear not

[47:49] Abram fear not for I am thy shield he was afraid you see that the enemy would come back again fear not for I am thy shield what do we what do we have to do with an enemy if God is our shield if God is for us who can be against us who can prevail over us when we're in the downcast state we couldn't fight a fly coming against us a grasshopper would have the advantage over us we've got no strength when the Lord comes and speaks of fear not to us fear not for I am thy shield we are we're emboldened we stand there are times when God has spoken of fear not to me and I've been raised out of the low place that one would have taken one would take on the devil himself face to face in the felt strength and reality of God's presence no question of it we know what it is when he speaks fear not to a believing heart it is it is a laying it is it is that which sustains us it lifts us up and when he says he'll be our shield well then what can man do unto me if God is for me who can be against me

[49:13] I shall not fear what man may do unto me if the Lord is my helper he hath said here is the word of Christ he hath said I will never leave me nor forsake me we're weak physically we're weak mentally we're weak spiritually the enemies are strong against us but if God is our shield we will prevail that's why a handful of men accompanying Abram could win such a great victory because God was their shield God gave them the victory and God is ever able to deliver his people we leave God out of our problems the problem is there and it's enormous and we look at it from every angle and we we try to sleep on it and we come the next day to look at it and it's still there and it may even be bigger than it was the night before but we don't see it as we should see it we should look at the problem first we should look at God first and then the problem we want a vision that has God and then the problem the enemy against the strong but our shield greater than all our enemies and that's what the fear not

[50:31] Abram is conveying to us I am thy shield I am if Jehovah I am is our shield we have nothing to fear in this world nor in worlds to come and God promises to be his exceeding great reward he said what wilt thou give me seeing I go childless the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus behold to me thou hast given no seed one born in my house is mine heir and the Lord has said to him I am thy exceeding great reward we have our doubts and we have our fears is it worth it what have we got in it for being a Christian what has it been of any advantage surely it's an advantage if not only God is our shield but God is our exceeding great reward what more reward can we have than God if we have got God with more than the riches of this world if we have got God for us what more can we have he is our exceeding great reward he took a little while for it to sink in he had to have it confirmed to him he had to be brought to that place where he believed and believing

[52:04] God we're told God accounted it to him for righteousness but God is the reward of the saints we're not in it for anything that this world has to give that's why we don't want the world's esteem and the world's honors those who have set their sights on this and that they want the highest qualifications and the best jobs better to have Christ God may give you the other things but better than all of these other things is to have Jesus Christ he is an exceeding great reward take the world but leave me Jesus and we have everything and how we need to see that God speak that to us may the word of Jehovah come may Christ come through the written word to your heart and to mine and assure you this night that this is our real reward and if we have been seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and at the end of the day and in the moment of reaction we feel that we've made a wrong decision surely or how is this going to ever work to our advantage so let us see that if we have sought to put

[53:22] God first he is no man's debtor then that honor me I will honor seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto he is the reward of his people the exceeding great reward of his people may we see what was the comfort of this man's heart I'd rather have Christ as my reward than to have all that this world affords and to lose my soul at the end of the day straight is the gate narrow is the way that needeth unto life few there be that find it but it's the way this life is profitable the life of God and is profitable for what now is and for that life which is to come I wouldn't want to live differently from the way that Christ has shown me for the Christian to live whatever yet is to be faced whatever yet has to come of tribulation or trial because in it all there will be those fear knots for I am thy shield and I am thine exceeding great reward all to say with

[54:44] David the Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup not in it for anything less than this that we might hold communion with the most high God himself and that's his great mercy and favor to us he condescends to us he communes with us I will come in and sup with him and he with me could anyone have a higher reward than this I've got little interest in the so called rewards of a heavenly state I've only got a great concern the more I think on heaven to be with Christ which is far better to be where he is he is the exceeding great reward of the church and the more we have a view of him though now we see him not but we love him with joy unspeakable and full of glory the more we hold to him by faith the more we shall be able to surmount the difficulties and come through even the times of reaction the more we shall hear the fear not the more we will know the hand of our God upon us lifting us up establishing our goings in his power and let our footsteps slip not there is

[56:11] Abram in a time of reaction reassured by the word of the Lord may you be reassured may the word of Christ come to you fear not I am thy shield you need a shield you feel very vulnerable and you feel very cast away and you look to men and there are none to help you so often I am thy shield I am thine exceeding great reward may it be written as with the point of a diamond upon our hearts and our minds tonight this is the word of God I am thy shield I am thine exceeding great reward and Abram said Lord God Adonai Jehovah we looked at it on Thursday night that title of Christ Lord sustainer Adonai Jehovah may we make that confession likewise of our faith may we say before Christ as he is lifted up before us in the preaching as we have known a drawing to him in past days of his faith may we say my

[57:19] Lord and my God may we know that such a one being with us who can be against us if such a one indwells us who can come and prevent us from holding in the way and coming to our journey's end Abram believed then the promise but over his reaction he believed the promise he believed the promise concerning the seed he believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness and it wasn't just that he would have a son Isaac which he did have he saw in the words that were addressed to him in this chapter more than just that he would have a son Isaac he saw the seed remember in Galatians 3 Paul says he's not speaking of his posterity there he's speaking of his seed and the seed is Christ he saw Christ Jesus said to the

[58:20] Pharisees on that occasion recorded in John 10 before Abram was I am Abram rejoiced to see my day and he saw it and was glad the word of the Lord came to him in a vision Theanor I am thy shield and an exceeding great reward Abram saw my day he saw it and was glad may we be those then that demonstrate that we are children of Abram that we are the faith of Abram faith in the promise faith in the word of God as we hear him say to us fear not for I am with him I will not leave thee nor forsake me I am thy shield and thine exceeding great reward

[59:22]  God bless you all and may the word of Christ dwell in your hearts richly for his name Zach where comes down he worlds almost vine according to him to the event heravel 나는 glory回回 ami 마