Mere Missions

42 • M ere M issions : M oving F orward to M ultiply

Following this beautiful picture of the Christ of Redemption, we have the king of Sodom stepping up and entering the conversation. No name is given to him. All we know is he is the king of that city whose sin was so grave that it rose to the very heights of God. What a fitting representation of Satan and his Kingdom of Darkness. As a king, he has a right to receive all that is rightfully his. In gratitude, the king of Sodom, offers a “gift” of thanks to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” The Hebrews translation for persons are souls. This interaction between Melchizedek and the king of Sodom with Abram is a shadow of what takes place in the supernatural world. Satan wants to keep souls. I believe he would gladly give up all the “goods”, i.e., the treasures of this world, to keep souls under his “lock and key.” In his craftiness he plays his trump card, the goods of this world, in order to gain an advantage to retaining souls in his clutches. But it’s a trump card – “a valuable resource that may be used, especially as a surprise, in order to gain an advantage” (Oxford Languages). Abram refused to take the bait. We too, who follow in the footsteps of the faith of Abraham, and as ambassadors of the Kingdom of God, must see the trump card for what it is and keep our eyes on souls. We now come to the plan of each kingdom. How do these two kingdoms intend to battle for the souls of people in this spiritual cosmic conflict? Is the strategic plan of action of each kingdom the same? No. God’s plan for the expansion of His Kingdom, His rule and reign, for the liberation and rescue of souls, has been initiated in His Son (John 3.16). Jesus was (Gen. 3.15), is (Acts 4.11-12), and always will be (Rev. 21.6-7) the Plan of God. Jesus is Plan A and there is no Plan B. Jesus, in whom God is well pleased (Matt. 3.7), is the plan that, “can open the eyes of the spiritually blind; can turn those in darkness towards the light; can liberate from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus” (Acts 26.18). Jesus is the one-and-