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Genesis 14a

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Genesis 14:

1 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations; 2 that these [four] made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar. [None of these were the allies of Abram.]

3 All these were joined together [by conquest] in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea [the Dead Sea]. 4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6  and the Horites in their mount Seir, to Elparan, which is by the wilderness.  [What funny names they had!]

7 And they returned [after they had done that], and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezontamar. 8 And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim,

9 with Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five.  

10 And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits [bitumen, a tar-like substance]; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell [died] there; and they that remained fled to the mountain. 11 And they [Chedorlaomer etc.] took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals [food], and went their way.

12 And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.  

13 And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these [three] were confederate [friends] with Abram.  

14 And when Abram heard that his [Christian] brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them to Dan.

15 And he divided himself [separated his troops into bands] against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them to Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. 16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

17 And the [new] king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale [valley].

18 And Melchizedek king of Salem [later it became known as Jerusalem] brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. 19 And he [Melchizedek] blessed him, and said, “Blessed be Abram [follower] of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 20 and blessed be the most high God, which has delivered your enemies into your hand.”

And he [Abram] gave him [Melchisedek] tithes [one tenth] of all.  

21 And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods to yourself.”   

22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted up my hand to the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ 24 Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre - let them take their portion [according to the rules of war].”

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To cut a long story short, Abram showed himself a man amongst men.  It was seen that righteousness is not cowardice, nor the Christian a doormat. Dwelling in peace in the oak groves at Mamre, he harboured no unkind memory of Lot’s ingratitude.  His love for his fellow Christian was awakened and he determined to save him.  True to his trust in God, he asked Him what he should do and was told he could rescue Lot and his companions.  It was because he already had a confederacy with some of the nations, and because he had already trained men among his group to fight in the way of the world, and because he wanted to do it, that he was given the go-ahead to do it by fighting. See John 18:36.

The main thing of note to me in this record (apart from his meeting with Melchisedek which I’ll look at another time) is the fact that he refused to take the normal proceeds from his conquest. Few, if subjected to such a test today, would show themselves as noble as did Abraham.  Few would resist the temptation to secure so rich a booty.  His example is a rebuke to self-seeking, mercenary spirits. 

Abram regarded the claims of justice and humanity as a Christian should.  His conduct illustrates the inspired teaching, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” Leviticus 19:18.

“I have lifted up my hand [in an oath],” he said, “to the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take from a thread even to a shoe latchet, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’.” He would give them no occasion to think that he had engaged in warfare for the sake of gain, or to attribute his prosperity to their gifts or favour.  God had promised to bless Abram, and to Him alone the glory should be ascribed.  

Till next week,

Ron

 See below for a question regarding this reading.

Some of the comments in these readings are adapted from books in my library.  No recognition is given because they are not intended as authorities, but are used because they express my understanding clearly. All the ideas expressed in these readings, right or wrong, are my own.

 ?????

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John 18:

36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world: if My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is My kingdom not from hence.”  Back

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A Question and answer regarding this reading:

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Dear Ron;

Just a question; you made the point that Abram had a pact with 3 of his neighboring nations and that he had trained his servants in combat and that is why God allowed him to rescue Lot by military means, is that what I see you saying?

Doesn't this "allow" me to "allow" God to use whatever conditions I have set up to do His bidding?  In other words, does God resign Himself to using our worldly methods instead of His perfect methods?

I noticed nothing about Abram asking God what to do (in prayer) about Lot's fate, only about an oath not to advantage himself; perhaps he forgot to ask in his determination to save his relative. Anyway, your point was NOT that we can justify ourselves by saying "Well, I've already arrayed myself with fighting men and good relations with those around me, so I must have God's blessing to go and fight!" Are you??

Your buddy,

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My answer

Hi Everybody,

The questioner wrote:

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Doesn’t this “allow” me to “allow” God to use whatever conditions I have set up to do His bidding? In other words, does God resign Himself to using our worldly methods instead of His perfect methods?

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The short answer is “Yes”.  God often has to resign Himself to using our methods.  There are three systems in use in this world. 

God’s perfect way.

Man’s way with God’s power.

Man’s way with man’s power.

You won’t need three guesses to decide which one God uses most!!!! 

He uses the first way when He has a perfectly obedient Christian such as Jesus Christ.

He uses the second whenever He has “normal” Christians.

He NEVER uses the third way.

Most professed Christians seem to think that they should organise their way and then ask God to bless it, or the Spirit should get behind them and supply the power.  This is how the whole nation of Israel worked once they had crossed the Red Sea. They did what Abram had done, took weapons and trained their men to fight in the way the world fights thinking they were doing it God’s way.  That’s why I emphasised what Abram did. Because of this characteristic the whole of the Old Testament is flawed when we look to see how God would have behaved.  He was rarely given the chance.

I am DEFINITELY NOT SAYING that we can justify ourselves because of this, but that we should recognise it in the stories of the Bible and look out for the same failing in ourselves.  Then we can confess, apologise and FOLLOW the Spirit.

Of course, Abram prayed and asked God’s guidance as all good Christians would do, it’s just not mentioned.  But the die was cast already in his mind and nothing God could have said would have changed that.  That’s why God didn’t say anything but used what He was offered.  A “bullock”, or a “ram”, or a “goat”, or even a pigeon, He will take and bless as much as he is able.  See Leviticus chapter 1.

Bye again,

Ron

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Leviticus 1:

1 And the LORD called to Moses, and spoke to him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, If any man of you bring a [burnt] offering [of dedication] to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock.

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This is NOT a sin offering!  That requires a vastly different procedure for ceremonial forgiveness and cleansing.  You’ll find the rituals for the four types of sin offering in chapters 4-7 of Leviticus.  The “burnt” offering we are reading about is called that because every part of it is consumed on the altar.  Contrary to most commentators’ statements, it did not constitute a sin offering, for sins are not forgiven by a group offering.  An individual’s offering of dedication which he made when he felt like it, was joined to the nation’s offering of dedication which was continually burning twenty-four hours a day in another part of the altar fire (it was a big area).

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Leviticus 1: 

3 If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish [a bull]: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.

4 And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering [in dedication]; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. 5 “And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD:

and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

6 And he shall flay the burnt offering [to drain all the blood, the life], and cut it into his pieces. [That’s the Israelite’s job in this offering.]

7 [Now his helper, the priest, would do his part.]  And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire: 8 and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:

9 but his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water [first]:

and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour to the LORD.

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If the offerer’s knowledge is not that great, or if his dedication is not too strong, he might baulk at such a cost and only give a portion to represent his enthusiasm.  In that case he could bring a ram, for it must be a male, and the Son of God would bless him.  The offering is made with the same rituals that a whole-hearted person would do, and is accepted in the same way.

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Leviticus 1:

10 And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish. 

11 And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the LORD [where all the animals were killed, and which represents Calvary]:

and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle his [the ram’s] blood round about upon the altar.

12 And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat:

and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:

13 but he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water [first]:

and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour to the LORD.

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There is provision made for those who know little of the way in which the LORD has dedicated His life to the salvation and redemption of mankind.  In their case, they can offer one pigeon as the symbol of their devotion. In a case such as this, the work is all performed by the priest on his or her behalf.

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14 And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons.

15 And the priest shall bring it to the altar, and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar:

16 and he [the priest] shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes: 17 and he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour to the LORD.

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In this way the keen, the handicapped, the almost ignorant, are all shown by the law that they can be accepted.  Jesus used that thought when He told us that after the first and second calls to the marriage, when the enthusiastic and the lame responded but the majority refused, He would accept those who lived outside the church.

This is what He said.

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Luke 14:

15   And when one of them that sat at meat [lunch] with Him heard these things, he said unto Him, “Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.”

16 Then said He to him, “A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:

17 and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, ‘Come; for all things are now ready [the first call].’ 18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse [although a few accepted]  . . .

21 “So that servant came, and showed his Lord these things.  Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.’ [The second call.]

22 “And the servant said, ‘Lord, it is done as you have commanded, and yet there is room.’ 23 And the Lord said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in [by showing my love for them], that my house may be filled. 24 For I say to you, that none of those men which were bidden [and refused] shall taste of my supper [there will be no second chance for them].”

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As you read on in Leviticus you’ll find that the next chapter deals with your possessions, for you cannot offer your life without also giving all that you possess.  Then the third chapter tells you how to say “thank You” to God.

Happy reading!

Ron   Back