Uncle, Conqueror, and God's Servant

Howdy from the Panhandle. If I could ask you, please pray for our volunteer fire departments. They have had their hands full with grass fires this year and they have been out for about a week on the current fire. Drought conditions and high winds have only made matters worse. Thank you.

Now on to Genesis chapter 14. Though some have dismissed this chapter as being an historical impossibility, archaeological discoveries have demonstrated the existence of a flourishing civilization in Palestine between the 21^st and the 19^th centuries B.C. and of the savage destruction of the cities at the end of the period.

And so Abram goes to battle to save his nephew Lot. Poor Lot he thought he was choosing the better plot of land and all it did was get him into trouble. I don't know about you, but there are times when I have felt like my life was going like Lot's. I made a decision and it seemed a good one and then things went downhill from there.

Chapter 14 At A Glance

We have four things in the story of this chapter.

I. A war with the king of Sodom and his allies v. 1-11.

II. The captivity of Lot in that war v. 12.

III. Abram's rescue of Lot from that captivity, with the victory he obtained over the conquerors v. 13-16.

IV. Abram's return from the expedition v. 17, with an account of what passed,

1. Between him and the king of Salem v. 18-20.

2. Between him and the king of Sodom v. 21-24. So that here we have that promise to Abram in part fulfilled, that God would make his name great.

(from Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)

Genesis 14:1-17

14:1 At this time Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goiim 2 went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (the Salt Sea). 4 For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

5 In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim 6 and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran near the desert. 7 Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazazon Tamar.

8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim 9 against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar--four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills. 11 The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. 12 They also carried off Abram's nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom.

13 One who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshcol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.

17 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).

1. War Comes To Lot And Abram (vv. 1-12)

The community of feeling and of faith was not yet wholly broken up between Abram and Lot, or between them and the nations out of whom Abram had been called. Instead of living in peace, prosperity, and happiness, Lot and Abram found themselves in the middle of a war.

Powerful warring armies from the east invaded the land of Palestine, and wrought much havoc. Abram became deeply involved because of his love for Lot, and soon revealed himself as a warrior to be reckoned with when invaders sought plunder. Lot became a prisoner of war when his city, Sodom, and the neighboring kingdoms were defeated by the invaders. He had invited trouble by choosing to enjoy Sodom's ease and privilege, and by becoming one of the people of that wicked city. Now he found that he had to share the city's danger and tragedy.

2. The Invading Army

Amraphel, the king of Shinar. One of the quartet composing the invading army. Shinar, located in northern Mesopotamia, gave its name to the entire area between the Tigris and Euphrates, including Babylonia. Lower Mesopotamia was the center of Sumerian civilization, dating back to about 3500 B.C. Amraphel was the king of that region. Until quite recently scholars identified him with Hammurabi, one of the earlier kings of Babylon. However, recent finds among clay tablets have tended to set Hammurabi's date nearer 1700 B.C. Amraphel was king much earlier. Arioch was king of Ellasar, Babylonian Larsa, and probably controlled a much larger region in the southern part of Babylonia.

Chedorlaomer. King of Elam, a well-known mountain region near the head of the Persian Gulf. He seemed to be the most powerful of the four kings who made up this expedition. He had established control over the other kings of Babylonia and Palestine. His name Kudur-Lagamer means "servant of Lagamer," one of Elam's gods. The capital of Elam was Susa. Tidal, the other confederate king, was called the king of Goiim, i.e., nations, or (peoples.) His title may indicate that he was in control of several individual kingdoms, or that he was at the head of a strong band of roving people who were in the business of making raids for plunder.

The salt sea (Dead Sea) is forty-six miles long and nine and one-half miles wide. Since the surface of the water is 1,292 feet below the level of the Mediterranean, and the water is 1,200 feet deep, this sea is the "lowest sheet of water in the world." Its water is five times stronger in saline content than ordinary sea water. Scholars affirm that the ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah lie beneath the waters of the south end of this sea. Admah and Zeboiim (cf. v. 2) were the other cities destroyed by the destructive blast from God's hand. The kings of the east brought decisive defeat upon the assembled fighters and took prisoners and plunder with them as they returned. Lot was among the captured ones.

(from The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1962 by Moody Press)

3. Abram Prevails (vv. 14-17)

An interesting glimpse is at the same time presented of the daring and doing of fierce ambition in those early times. A confederacy of potentates enter upon an extensive raid or foray, in which Lot is taken captive. This rouses the clannish or family affection of Abram, who quickly responded with his 318 men to effect a rescue, and establish himself as a powerful force for righteousness in the land. He pursues, overtakes, and defeats the retreating enemy, and recovers his friend, as well as all the prisoners, and property that had been taken. On his return he receives refreshment and blessing from a native prince who is priest to the most high God.

Genesis 14:18-24

18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying,

"Blessed be Abram by God Most High,

Creator of heaven and earth.

20 And blessed be God Most High,

who delivered your enemies into your hand."

Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself."

22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath 23 that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, `I made Abram rich.' 24 I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me--to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share."

4. Abram Meets Melchizedek (vv. 18-20)

Melchizedek, king of Salem. The name of this mysterious person means either "king of righteousness," or, "my king is righteousness," or, "my king is Zedek." Zedek is the Hebrew word for "righteousness," and also the name of a Canaanite deity. Melchizedek was the priest-king of Salem, which is a shortened form for Urusalim, "city of peace," identified with Jerusalem. The Tell el Amarna tablets identify Salem with Jerusalem as early as 1400 B.C. Shalom is the Hebrew word for "peace," and Shalem probably was the Canaanite god of peace.

This kindly priest-king, recognizing Abram's nobility and worth, supplied refreshment and sustenance for the weary warrior and his men. These gifts were tokens of friendship and hospitality. Melchizedek praised El Elyon, his God (AV, the most high God) for granting Abram the power to achieve victory. Abram recognized Melchizedek's ('El Elyon) as Jehovah, the God he himself served.

Evidently Melchizedek had a firm grip on the doctrines of his faith, which were as true and basic as those brought from Babylonia by Abram. Each of these stalwarts had something to give and something to learn. (See Ps 110:4; Heb 5:9-10; 7:1-7 for the development of the concept of the ideal priesthood and the application of this in the Messianic doctrine.) The author of Hebrews declares that Christ Jesus was of a priestly order much more ancient than that of Aaron, and therefore his priesthood was superior to the Aaronic priesthood. In further recognition of Melchizedek's priestly standing, Abram brought tithes as a religious offering.

(from The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1962 by Moody Press)

Abram Refuses The King Of Sodom’s Gift (vv. 21-24)

Abram refused to take anything from the king of Sodom. He did not want to become obligated to him. By this Abram demonstrated his total allegiance to the Lord (Yahweh) and reject any attempt by the king of Sodom to assume the role of overlord and make Abram his vassal. Abram took only food for his men and gave his allies liberty to accept spoils due to them.