MORE ABOUT ABRAHAM

4/21/2008

As we continue to journey with Abram in his walk of faith we will look at the events in Genesis 14.

Just to make it short there were what seemed to be five city-states that were in the area of Sodom and Gomorrah. These city-states were each ruled by a king. 

It seems that there were four other kings who banded together to attack the first five kings.

There was a battle in the Valley of Siddim and the four kings defeated the armies of the five kings and then they sacked the cities of the five kings. See Genesis 14:8-12

The four kings also carried off captive the inhabitants of the five cities.

This is where Abram comes in because his nephew Lot and family were among those carried off captive.

We are told in verses 13-14 that Abram was informed of the fate of his nephew. He immediately armed his 318 “trained servants” who were “born in his own house” and pursued them as far as Dan.

We see in verse 15 that Abram did not make a single thrust against the armies of these four kings but he divided his men and attacked at night. It would seem that he attacked them from at least two and maybe three different points at night.

The armies of the four kings were probably having a drunken party and were distracted enough that Abram, with his 318 servants and seemingly some men that he was friendly with, accompanied him in the effort. (See vs. 24)

Genesis 14:16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

We might at this point question how it was that this man who was not known as a warrior or a general could accomplish this feat of overcoming the armies of four kings with such a small group of soldiers.

Let’s look back a little and we can, I think, find an answer.

Genesis 13:14 ¶ And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: ¹⁵ For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. ¹⁶ And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.

I believe Abram was able to accomplish this feat because he fully took to heart what the LORD had said to him. Where Lot lived was part of the land that Abram could see. He believed it belonged to him and to his seed because of what the LORD had said to him.

So he went out to drive out the attackers and in the process rescued Lot and family.

What the LORD said to Abram was no different than what HE said to Adam, that he (Adam) had dominion.

Adam did not use his authority or dominion in the garden. If he had he would have said to the serpent, “Be quiet and leave this garden, it is ours, you have no place or voice here.”

 I believe that Abram heard and believed what Father said and so acted in faith, defeated and drove out the invading kings. I don’t see these kings mentioned as a force again in all of the Old Testament.

 Abram used the authority that the LORD had given him and was in this able to gain a great victory.

 We see in verse 17 that even the king of Sodom took note of the victory that Abram gained by believing the LORD.

Genesis 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. ¹⁹ And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: ²⁰ And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

This verse is one of the most interesting verses in this chapter. Melchizedek, who is king of Salem (peace), and his name means king of righteousness, came out to eat a covenant meal with Abram. The scripture tells us that Melchizedek was the priest of “God most High. “

It says “the priest of God Most High” there were not any others.

This is interesting to me because in chapter 15 we see the LORD HIMSELF making covenant with Abram.

Melchizedek blessed Abram and called him “possesser of heaven and earth” (See Genesis 14:19)

Now some will say that this is talking about God and I understand why you might think this but let me speak on a little. Look at the following verse and see if you can understand why I think Melchizedek is speaking about Abram.

Romans 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

I know that the scripture says that “the earth is the LORDS and the fullness thereof.” However the LORD, by HIS right of ownership and by the fact that HE created the heavens and the earth, also said the following;

Psalm 8:4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? ⁵ For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. ⁶ Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

Melchizedek was speaking the mind of the LORD over Abram and reiterating what HE had said to Adam.

Let’s stop here and we will meditate on these things and move on later.