Chapter 14 - 15: Abram tithed
Choice land has its own problem, and sure enough Lot got caught up in a local dispute. He was captured and all his possessions taken. One of his servants managed to escape and came to inform Abram. Of course Abram jumped in to help. Lot was family, even though he might have taken advantage of Abram in the past.
Here we also learned that Abram was a good neighbour. Mamre (an Amorite) and his allies were willing to fight Abram's battle, against a strong opponent. With God on his side Abram and the Amorites defeated the kings and sent them running with tails between their feet, and rescued Lot, his household, and all his goods.
Abram returned to the king of Sodom all the possessions that was robbed from him. Melchizedek, the king of Salem and also the priest of the God Most High, came to welcome him with bread and wine, and blessed him. Abram gave him a tenth of everything he conquered. In Hebrew chapter 7, the Bible revealed that Melchizedek is Christ; the King of righteousness, the King of peace, and the priest of the Most High God. He is the beginning and the end (Alpha and Omega).
Chapter 15 started with the phrase "After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram". After Abram offered to God a tenth of everything he conquered, the Lord came to him in a vision. "Fear not, Abram, I am your shield". Abram queried God about His covenant and God showed him the stars in the heaven and promised him (the 4th time) that his descendents will be just as numerous.
I read Abram's question to be in an inquisitive mode rather than a complaining mode. His question was very searching; not flowery and superficial, afraid to say the wrong thing. He wanted to be assured and asked God for a sign.
So God told him what was to come. How his descendent (Jacob) was to go to Egypt and ended up as slaves for 400 years. God would then deliver them.
God went into the detail about the Promised Land. It would be from the river of the Egypt to the great river Euphrates.
These two chapters revealed to us the character of Abram. A caring uncle and a ethical friend who was not exploitative. He also knew that a tenth of all his gains belonged to God. It also taught us that Abram talked to God as a friend, and God was only too willing to reveal His plan to him.
