20250511 Gen 13:12-Gen 14:24 Abram, the mediator of God's Blessing

In life, there are situations in which a person acts on behalf of another. Accountants file taxes. Lawyers, ambassadors, and politicians act on behalf of those they represent. Parents make decisions for their children.

This concept of one acting on behalf of another appears in the Bible. Sometimes the effect is positive. Sometimes it is negative. Adam and Eve were mediators between God and Creation. Their actions impacted the whole world. When they sin, the creation is cursed. We still suffer from their actions. Noah also mediated between God and the Creation. He offered a sacrifice that was pleasing to God. Then, God promised stability in creation until the final judgment. All of humanity today benefit from Noah’s action.

Abraham also serves as a mediator. According to Gen 12:1-3, he mediates God’s blessing to the whole world! In the storyline of the Bible Abram is the solution to the curses of Genesis 3. God promised Abram, offspring, land, and blessing. In Genesis 12-13 he puts each of those promises at risk. Genesis 14 gives us a better glimpse of Abram’s role as the mediator of God’s blessings. For Christians, as a people who is blessed to be a blessing, we will learn from Gen 13-14 what it looks like to be sinners who are part of God’s plan to bless the whole world.

In Genesis 13:12-14:24, we look at Abram as a mediator of God's blessing. SIOS: Abram mediates God's blessing, in his New-Edenic-Sanctuary (Gen 13:12-18; 14:13), in a violent world (Gen 14:1-16), to point us to a greater mediator (Gen 14:17-24).

First, we see that Abram mediates God's blessing in his New Edenic Sanctuary in Gen 13:12-18; 14:13.

In this point, I want to show that Abram enjoys God’s blessings and those who associate with Abram enjoy God’s blessing. This is a fulfillment of Gen 12:2-3, “you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you.”

The way the text presents Abram’s blessing is with allusions to previous Bible stories of Creation and then Noah and the ark.

Gen 13:12-18; 14:13.

The narrative of Abram's life revisits Gen 1-11. Genesis 11:27-Gen 13:11 revisited Creation, Fall, and Cain and Abel. In Gen 13:12, we have arrived at the story of Noah. Abram is a new Noah figure and so in some sense a new Adam.

These are 5 parallels between Abram, and Noah and Adam.

First, Abram means exalted father. So he takes the role of the New Father of humanity like Adam and Noah.

Second, after sin entered the world, Gen 5:29, introduced Noah as the answer to the curse of Genesis 3. Gen 5:29 reads about Noah: “Out of the ground that the LORD has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands.” Noah was part of the solution to Genesis 3. Now, God’s promises to Abram reveal that Abram is the solution to Genesis 3. In our text, Gen 13:15-16, the Lord reminds his promise to Abram to give the land to his offspring. The land anticipates the New Eden. Abram’s offspring anticipates the promised offspring who will destroy the devil.

A third parallel between Noah and Abram comes from Gen 13:17. God commands Abram, “Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.” In this phrase, the verbal form of the verb walk only appears three times so far in Genesis. First for God walking in the cool of the day in the garden of Eden (Gen 3:8). Then, it occurs for Enoch walking with God (Gen 5:22). The third occurrence is for Noah walking with God (Gen 6:9). In Gen 13:17, the verb “to walk” could just refer to journeying back and forth through the land. But, given how it occurs until now, it also connotes a walking with God that preserved Enoch and Noah from judgment.

A fourth parallel between Abram and Noah in Gen 13:17 are the words “length” and “breadth.” In Gen 13:17 they describe the promised land, but their only other occurrence so far described Noah’s ark. The ark was a sacred protected space during the flood. Abram will be kept safe in the violence to come.

One more Biblical parallel occurs in Gen 13:18. Abram moved his tent by the oaks of Mamre, in Hebron and built an altar to the LORD. The same elements appear in Gen 12:4-9. There is a hilltop, an altar, sacred trees, and a tent. These elements harken back to the presence of God in Eden. They also look forward to the tabernacle and the temple.

Why does this matter?

Genesis 14 is about violence and war. In Gen 13, the parallels to Eden and the ark, contrast God’s blessings with human wickedness. The contrast invites us to see God’s protection and blessing of Abram.

Now, this is where it gets interesting. Abram is enjoying God’s blessing on his Edenic hill top. Gen 14:13 teaches that Abram lived near Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshol and of Aner. The ESV says about these Canaanites, “These were allies of Abram.” The Hebrew says, they were in a covenant with Abram. Already, in his New Eden sanctuary, war is coming but Abram is a mediator of God’s blessing. Those who are associated with Abram also enjoy Eden delight with Abram.

Those with Noah in the ark were safe. In Gen 14, those with Abram are safe.

Application

For us, this first point foreshadows the gospel, the salvation of all humanity through Abram and his offspring, Jesus. The Canaanites in Gen 14:13 who entered into the covenant with Abram were blessed. Abram was blessed to be a blessing. The first way this text is about us a primarily non-Jewish audience, is that we are the Canaanites of Gen 14:13.

This text teaches us that we have access to Abram’s blessing. This is what becoming is Christian is. By faith we associate ourselves with Christ, Abram’s offspring to benefit from the New Covenant blessings: a relationship with God, the Holy Spirit, and the forgiveness of sins.

The same way Abram and those with him are protected from the war to come, so are we. Paul writes in 1 Thess 1:10, “Jesus … delivers us from the wrath to come.” This is the first point, Noah and those with him are kept from judgment, then Abram and those with him, now those who are with Abram’s offspring, Jesus.

Second, we see Abram’s intercession in a violent world in Gen 14:1-16.

We saw that Abram is living on his Edenic mountain and Canaanite had entered into a Covenant with him. The Christian life is not about going into hiding to enjoy Christ’s blessings, we are active in the world. We see Abram acting in the flood-like war.

Gen 14:1-10

In Gen 14:1-10, the parallels between Abram and Noah continue. These are 3 parallels between the war of Gen 14 and the flood.[i]

First, violence was part of the buildup to the flood in Gen 6:11. Now violence is part of the Genesis 14 war.

Second, Giants link the flood to the war of Gen 14. There were giants in Gen 6:4. The nations mentioned in Gen 14:5-6 Zuzum, Emin, Horites, Rephaim are all lands associated with giants in Deut 2:19-20, 10-11, 3:10-11. (The Old Greek translation of Gen 14:5 mentions Giants.)

Third, Isa 8:6-8 compares nations at war to a flood.

The parallels between the battle of Gen 14 and the flood also presents Abram as the new Noah. Abram is the new mediator of mankind amid the violence. He is God's agent of salvation.

Gen 14:11-16

While Gen 13:12-18; 14:13 portrays Abram enjoying Eden with Canaanites, in Gen 14:11-16, he gets off his ark.

He goes to help with 318 trained men. Like in Judges 7:2,6 Gideon fought with a small army of 300 men to make it clear that God wins the battle. Abram is not the savior but God’s agent to reveal God’s blessing of all people.

Abram's participation is connected with Lot, his nephew. Because his relative is taken captive, Abram fights. God rescues Lot, because of his association with Abram.

Application

I want to offer two applications – first we are receivers of a blessing, and second we have a responsibility to bless others.

The first application is that we are recipients of God’s blessing by our association with Abram’s descendant, Christ. Those associated with Noah were saved from the flood. Now, those associated with Abram are protected in the battle. The picture of Abram leaving his Eden to rescue Lot is a picture of Christ who comes down to the violence. Christ became a man to rescue his people in a sinful world marked by violence. Abram prefigures his descendant Christ as the agent of blessing for the world. What matters for us is our association by faith to Christ. Christ is the mediator between God and Man we need to associate with him. We will still face hardship, persecution, tribulations and yet, in Christ our eternal destiny is secure.

The second application is that those who benefit from God’s blessing have a responsibility to be agents of blessing. Now that we are in Christ, we receive and channel Abram’s blessing. According to Gen 14:24, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre fought with Abram. These were the Canaanites who in a covenant with Abram. They enjoyed Abram's Edenic delight but also fight alongside him. In this text, Gentile Christians are most closely identify with the Canaanites associated with Abram. They benefitted from and became agents of blessing. Now, so are we. We become agents through whom the world is blessed in some way. A story that I love hearing over and over is how Dan Allender became a Christian. He was an angry child who met the young Tremper Longman. Allender shares of wanting to get into a fight with Longman in high school. Later in the same day, Longman invited Allender to his house. They developed a friendship of 60 years. A crucial element was Longman’s family were Christians. Longman’s sisters became Allender’s sisters. Longman’s parents became Allender’s parent figures. They were blessed blessers, God used to change a very troubled boy who now has a ministry of counseling victims of sexual abuse. It is a story of blessed blessers, who blessed to transform others into blessed blessers! This is God’s calling on our lives. We can start small. All Longman did was invite his enemy to his house. Pay attention to others. Ask questions. Listen to what they say and respond appropriately.

Third, we see that Abram’s intercession points to one who is greater than he, Christ is our king-priest according to the order of Melchizedek in Gen 14:17-24.

Gen 14:17-24

The theme of the sermon is Abraham mediates God’s blessing. But, Genesis 14:17-24 are about an intercessor who is greater than Abram.

Gen 14:1-10 highlights nine kings. The Bible tends to like particular numbers. Nine is not one of them. We want to see who the tenth king will be. Gen 14:17-24 introduces Melchizedek, the tenth king. Gen 14:17-24 is about two kings. The king of Sodom who takes and the Melchizedek, the king of righteousness, who gives.

The way Abram interacts with both these kings shows development in his character. In Gen 12, Abram sinned in Egypt and got wealthy. This time, Abram acted righteously and turns money down from the king of Sodom. Not only does Abram not take money but he offers a tenth to Melchizedek (Gen 14:19).

Melchizedek is a priest of God most high. He comes with bread and wine. This reminds us of the Lord’s Supper but at this point in the Biblical story good food and good drink remind us of God’s provision in Eden. Melchizedek blesses Abram: “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!” That is it. We have nothing more on Melchizedek in Genesis.

Melchizedek is an intriguing figure. He comes up two more times in the Bible. First in Ps 110 which is the most quoted Psalm in the NT. It refers to the Messiah as a Priest after the order of Melchizedek. Then, the author of Hebrews refers to Melchizedek. The author of Hebrew argues that because Abram offered a tithe to Melchizedek, it can be said that his descendants, the Levitical Priests offered a tithe to Melchizedek (Heb 7:9). The logic that follows is that the priesthood of the order of Melchizedek is superior to the Levitical Priesthood of Israel.  To stress the superiority of Jesus' priesthood, it is compared to the order of Melchizedek.

Abram may be a mediator of God’s blessings. But already, in Gen 14, there is a greater mediator between him and God. Abram's mediation points to a greater mediator. Abram’s failure in Genesis 12 already taught us he himself needed a mediator, but this text makes this very explicit.

Application

We need a mediator. The NT is clear that Jesus is the mediator. 1 Tim 2:5 reads, "… there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." The following verse, 1 Tim 2:6 says he “gave himself as a ransom for all.” We need the mediator who has acted definitively to solve our sin problem. Melchizedek shows us one who was greater than Abram. The only way that we can serve as mediators in any meaningful ways is to point people to Christ the Mediator. Christ is the agent of God's blessing, he is the one people need. The proper way we can now live for others in light of Christ the mediator, is by intercessory prayer, evangelism, and godly living.

These are three basic ways Christian love the world by pointing them to Christ.

On prayer, Paul writes in 1 Tim 2:1, “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.” Prayer acknowledges our dependence on God. We may wonder how prayer works if God is sovereign. “God has decreed that much of what will take place will take place through the secondary causation of the intercession of the saints.”[ii] So we pray.

On witnessing, 1 Pet 2:9 says, “You are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who call you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” We proclaim the excellencies of Christ! The way we bless the world is by telling them about the true blesser of humanity, Jesus Christ.

We want people to know that sin is a problem. In Christ, God makes peace with those who repent and believe in him.

Third, we can mediate or do good on behalf of others. Matt 5:13-16 calls Christians salt of the earth and light of the world. Salt preserves and protects while light reveals truth. The goal is that we live in such a way that more would give glory to our father in heaven because of our good works.

I read the story of James Harrison. I don’t know anything about this man’s faith but what an agent of blessing he was! He was one of the world’s most prolific blood donors. His blood contained a rare antibody, Anti-D. It is used to make medication given to pregnant mothers whose blood is at risk of attacking their unborn babies. He died in March 2025, and the headline was, “Australian whose blood saved 2.4 million babies.” I love that picture! He gave what he had to give to those who had no way of protecting themselves.

To be a blessing, we must delight in Jesus. We must, be aware of the place God has placed us in. Pray for those around us, and find ways to be those who are blessed to be a blessing. We are blessed to love, show compassion and mercy.

Conclusion

The theme was God’s human mediators of his blessing. God blesses Abram and now Abram will bless those around him. God’s blessing of Abram reflects God’s initial blessing of humanity in Gen 1-2. God is unwavering in his intention to bless mankind. It continues to be our role to mediate God's blessing to the whole world.

It is so crucial for us to remember that before being agents of blessing we are receivers of blessing.

The size of Abram’s army reminds us that he was a mediator, not the savior.

Gen 13-14 present beautifully the Christian message.

(1) God blesses those who are connected to Abram’s descendant, Jesus, through faith. (2) God wins the battle—though we reflect Christ our mediator, we cannot replace him. So we must point to him. (3) Jesus is our Melchizedek. He is the righteous King and the King of Peace. When he offers us bread and wine we feed on our King-Priest, the one mediator between God and Man who gave himself for us.

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[i] The connection is even stronger with the parallels to Babel, the second worldwide judgment. The way the nations come together in Gen 14:3 can remind us of Babel. The mention of pits of Bitumen also reminds us of the construction of material of Babel (Gen 11:3).

[ii] https://learn.ligonier.org/qas/since-god-is-sovereign-the-purpose-of-intercessory-prayer