In Hebrews 7, the writer circles back to the mysterious figure of Melchizedek first introduced in Genesis 14 (and briefly mentioned in Hebrews 5 and 6). Melchizedek blesses Abraham, and in response Abraham gives him “a tenth of everything” (Hebrews 7:2). Hebrews 7:4 clarifies that Abraham tithed from the spoils of war—the goods recovered after battle—not from his personal possessions. By ancient custom, the spoils rightly belonged to the victor, and Abraham had every right to lay hold of both the people and the property recovered in the raid. But for him, it was never about accumulating wealth; his mission had been to rescue his nephew Lot.
Abraham’s dealings with Lot consistently reveal his magnanimity and generosity. Earlier, when strife broke out between their growing households, Abraham sought peace rather than conflict. He offered Lot the first choice of the land, saying, “Is not the whole land before you?” (Genesis 13:9). Lot chose the lush Jordan Valley, a “well-watered” region likened to the garden of the Lord and to Egypt. Yet his desire for the valley’s prosperity and the pleasures of urban life near Sodom ultimately led to his downfall and capture. Still, Abraham’s love for Lot remained steadfast, compelling him to risk everything in the rescue. Later in Genesis 18, Abraham would again intervene—pleading with God to spare Lot from the calamity of Sodom’s destruction. Thus, when Abraham returned victorious, he refused to enrich himself with the spoils. Instead, before returning the rest, he deliberately set aside a portion for Melchizedek.
This was not a compulsory tax or a priestly allowance, for as both king and priest Melchizedek had no need of financial support. Nor was it a spiritual or moral requirement, since the Law of Moses—where the Levites were later commanded “to take tithes from the people” (Hebrews 7:6)—had not yet been given. Abraham’s tithe was instead a voluntary act of gratitude and humility before God, a recognition that his victory and prosperity had come from the Lord alone.
Melchizedek’s name means “king of righteousness,” and as king of Salem he also represents peace. In this dual role as both priest and king, Melchizedek foreshadows Christ Himself—the eternal High Priest and reigning King whose authority is grounded not in human lineage but in divine appointment. Hebrews underscores this by noting that “the inferior is blessed by the superior” (7:7). Though Abraham was the chosen patriarch, it was Melchizedek who pronounced the blessing. That blessing flowed from a positional place of divine authority, prefiguring the way Christ, our ultimate High Priest, blesses His people.
Abraham’s gift, then, was not about duty or legal requirement. It was an act of worship, freely given in recognition that he stood in the presence of someone greater. Many commentators note that Melchizedek may have been a human messenger of God—or even a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. Either way, Abraham’s response was the same: he humbled himself and acknowledged God’s superiority.
What follows is remarkable. Immediately after this encounter, in Genesis 15, God speaks to Abraham in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great” (15:1). Abraham, though wealthy and victorious, longed most deeply for a child to be “the heir of [his] house.” God responded to his yearning desire and brought him outside: “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them. So shall your offspring be” (15:5). Scripture records: “And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness” (15:6).
Abraham’s example is noteworthy. He gave to God in faith and gratitude—not to curry favor or purchase blessing, but as an act of worship acknowledging that God was already his source and sustainer. In the same way, our giving should never be about appeasing God or fulfilling a bare obligation, as though striving to earn His acceptance. Rather, like Abraham, we give in recognition that everything we have belongs first to the Lord. We honor Him not because He needs our gifts, but because He is worthy.
Paul echoes this in his letter to the Corinthians: “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). Regular, joyful giving teaches us to hold possessions loosely and reminds us that what God provides is meant to be shared—for the flourishing of the church and the blessing of others.
Giving sometimes requires sacrifice, but when rooted in faith, it continually strengthens our minds and hearts with the truth that God Himself is our shield and our very great reward. We cannot out-give God. What we return to Him in faithful giving will always be far less than His superior provision of salvation and security in Christ.