ADONIZEDEK
Joshua 10:1 Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them; 2 That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty. 3 Wherefore Adonizedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4 Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel. 5 Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it.
His Character
Some would wonder just why a character such as this should even be allowed in the spiritual scheme of things, and then why we should spend any time studying him. But everything is both of, and for, the glory of God! Therefore we should consider such a character in order to learn more of the vastness of the Infinite Being! For even though God will overthrow the wicked, it is in the interest of the true believer to wisely consider him! Proverbs 21:12 The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.
Again, everything, and everybody is made for the glory of God – even the wicked! Proverbs 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. For in his sovereignty, he has the ability to do what he wills with his own. And in his pure, holy, infinite wisdom, he has the discernment to determine how to do so! Romans 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: It is far more important to understand that the value of the revelation of the character of God far supersedes the creation of such an individual required for that character to be displayed! Even the display of his eternal mercy necessitates the bringing forth of a guilty object! For mercy is without usefulness except for the guilty!
For is it not by this type of comparison that our Lord enhances the awareness of the value of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within the believer in order for him to be a confident overcomer of those who are of the world? He heightens their confidence in succeeding in their struggle against the unregenerate by using the devil’s powers to show the greater power of God! 1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
His Contrast
If we carefully look at the contrast between Adonizedek and one of a similar name, we will be able to see just what a counterfeit he is. The first part of his name is a word with which many bible students would be familiar. For Adoni is the exact same Hebrew word translated into English as, my lord, in Judges 4:18. And then, the Hebrew term, zedek is the same word translated as, my righteousness in Job 6:29, and as, justice in Job 8:3. So he is the king of Jerusalem, and his name means, lord of righteousness!
But now let us see the true king of peace and righteousness. His name is Melchizedek! The last part of his name is the same as our subject. Both end with zedek. And the first part of this name means king.
Hebrews 7:1 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; 2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; 3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
This Melchisedek (the Hebrew spelling is Melchizedek.), is made like unto the Son of God! He is the priest of the most high God, which is Christ. See Hebrews 8:1! And just as Satan said, I will be like the most High (Isa. 14:14), determining in himself to be the Mediator, in order to represent God to man, so this Adonizedek, is Satan’s agent in his continued attempt to do so. But that is the place for the true King of Jerusalem! That is, the Lord Jesus Christ, the one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. (1 Tim. 2:5).
Therefore, contrasted with the true King of peace, King of Salem, (that is, Jeru-Salem), we see this Adonizedek as a counterfeit of Satan, raised up to usurp the authority belonging only to Christ!
His Confederation
In verses three through five of our Joshua ten passage, listed above, we see one of the patterns revealing Satan’s mind in destroying masses of souls through the religious practice of confederation. Religion is ever seeking to band together for their emotional, inordinate comfort, rather than simply walking with God by faith! This is exactly how the spiritual church of Pentecost become the Great Whore! John was utterly amazed, as he stood in the simplicity of the newly revealed faith, when seeing the future results of her confederation with the kings of the earth, and her association in religion! Rev. 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. The Amplified reads, I was utterly amazed and wondered greatly!
Confederation is a breeding ground for much religious evil, which shall not go unpunished by the Lord! Proverbs 16:5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
Each individual has the responsibility of exercising their faith before God, without religion’s ministers practicing priestcraft upon their consciences! Romans 14:22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. Ministers are not to be lords over God’s heritage! They are to be examples to the flock, and helpers of their joy! (1 Pet. 5:3, 2 Cor. 1:24). The only authorized “rule” to be had over the Lord’s people is to be had through the preaching of the gospel, by the Spirit. For to “rule” is to “feed!”
The word of God states very clearly that to “associate” yourself is to risk bringing down God’s affliction upon one’s self! Isaiah 8:9 Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.
And in that same passage we find that the spiritual “prescription” to cure the malady of the inordinate desire to be esteemed by the brethren is the reverential fear of God! Isaiah 8:12 Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. 13 Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. 14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.
We strongly disdain physical homosexuality, but have no issue at all with those of the Bride seeking to others of the Bride for that which they should only be seeking in the Head, the Male, Christ Jesus! Even after his recovery from his denial, Peter was chastised by the Lord for even his well intended care of John! John 21:20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; … 21 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? 22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. The Apostle Paul had the spiritually correct attitude concerning his relation to the churches as revealed in 2 Corin. 1:24, which states: Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand. Remember Christ’s words as recorded in Matthew 10:25, It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord.
His Capture
In verses fifteen through nineteen of Joshua ten we are instructed that these five kings were sealed up by Joshua in a cave in which they sought safety. They were held there, with guards posted until the battle was over, and then they were brought out for Joshua to slay them. (The Devil counterfeited this same procedure on the Lord Jesus, sealing him up in a cave, or tomb, and setting guards over him, but even death could not hold it’s prey, much less the grave!)
And our Heavenly Joshua, not having come to provide salvation to angels (see Heb. 2), sealed up any that fell in chains of darkness, and shall come back to deal with them later. Jude 6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Even Satan himself is presently sealed up. Christ having destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil (Heb 2:14), at the cross. He will come back, after loosing the devil for the little season, when the church age is finished (Rev. 20:3), And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: (2 Thess. 2:8).
Therefore the Lord ordained that Satan raise up his counterfeit “lord of righteousness” to sit as king of Jerusalem, but has Joshua to seal him up until the time of warfare is completed, only then to come back and destroy him. Even so is the true King of Salem, King of peace, presently reigning at the right hand of the Majesty on high, over the heavenly Jerusalem, the church, who has his enemy sealed until the time of his return.
1 Corinthians 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Pastor Gene Breed, January 27, 2012