Nancy Gail

To me,the most amazing thing about this passage from Isaiah is not simply that God is so incredibly majestic, exalted, eternal and truly "Holy"--but that the God who is "all" this, and who exists eternally in this state of exalted, majestic holiness, is also with "him who is contrite and lowly in spirit," and that he revives the "spirit of the lowly" and "the heart of contrite." This God chooses to leave, if you will, His "place" of exalted majesty, loftiness and holiness to "minister" to the lowly and contrite--you and me--out of compassion and love. One cannot truly appreciate the "majesty" of God without understanding His compassion and love! How this God simply "dazzles" me with His Majesty and Glory, and humbles me with His love and compassion; how could we not love such a God?

My meditation took the form of a poem:

This entire passage is so incredible, and says so much, only a part of which I probably understand! First, the "action" revolves around a gathering and battle among "Kings" in the earth--yet both Melchizedek and Abraham acknowledge that there is really only one "Most High King" who is "God Most High." It is also interesting that Melchizedek, "King of Salem," is referred to as "priest of God Most High (NIV), singular. As we all know, as Christians we have only one "High Priest," and that is Christ. Melchizedek also brings with him the "bread" and "wine" which we all understand in "Communion" to be the "body" and "blood" of Christ, and signs of the "New Covenant," of which we are now a part. Earlier, with the call of Abram, the Lord had said, "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and who ever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you (12:2-3). After the battle in Genesis 14, Melchizedek, King of Salem brings the "bread" and "wine" and very significantly, gives Abraham the "Blessing," from the "God Most High," creator of "heaven and earth." It is interesting that this incredible blessing comes through Melchizedek from "God Most High," even before Abraham "tithes" a thing--or even makes his incredible "oath" to "God Most High." After the blessing of God is given through Melchizedek to Abram, Abram then gives "God" a tenth of everything, acknowledging absolute superiority of "God Most High." This event, of course, is before the "Law of Moses," and the "tithe" given by Abram is from, I believe, the "love relationship" that has developed between this "Chaldean" foreigner, and "The Most High God." This relationship with the "Most High God," and the intervention of Melchizedek in Abram's life, foreshadows our own covenant with God--not just any God, but the "Most High God," through Jesus Christ.