Read, pray and discover what God communicated to the people then.
LOT: Some people simply drift through life. Their choices, when they can muster the will to choose, tend to follow the course of least resistance. Lot, Abram's nephew, was such a person. While still young, Lot lost his father. Although this must have been hard on him, he was not left without strong role models in his grandfather Terah and his uncle Abram, who raised him. Still, Lot did not develop their sense of purpose. Throughout his life he was so caught up in the present moment that he seemed incapable of seeing the consequences of his actions. It is hard to imagine what his life would have been like without Abram's careful attention and God's intervention.
What is the direction of your life? Are you headed toward God or away from him? If you're a drifter, the choice for God may seem difficult, but it is the one choice that puts all other choices in a different light.
Background:
Setting: Place – Between Bethel and Ai Time – CreationAuthor: Moses (Numbers 11:33 God spoke to Moses face to face)
Audience: Israel
Narrative Reading Rules:
Characters: God, Satan, God’s friend: Abram, Satan’s friend: LotDrama: The Plot – Lot was greedy for land and wealth. The land could not support Lot and Abram. Lot chose the better land when Abram asked him which part of the land he wanted.
Dialogue: Conversations between Lot and Abram
Discovery: What is the message intended by the author to the original audience?
Answer: When we stop making choices in God's direction, our only problem is to make choices in the wrong direction.
Answer: When we stop making choices in God's direction, our only problem is to make choices in the wrong direction.
Reflect, pray and determine what is God communicating to us now.
GENESIS 13: 5 - 18 "Letting God Choose"
Someone has pointed out that life seems to be arranged backwards. We are called upon to make our most important choices at a time when we have the least amount of experience to guide us. Because of this, we so frequently hear expressions of regret like, "If only I had known," "If I had it to do over again," etc. But it is this very quality of life which reveals the inability of man to handle life by himself. It is a wise person, indeed, who learns this lesson early and gives heed to the Biblical admonition,
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6 RSV)
After the temporary failure of faith which took Abram from Canaan into Egypt, we find him once again in the land, with his tent and his altar, enjoying the fullness of divine supply. As we saw earlier, however, life in the land is a life of continual conflict; we must go from victory to victory. Furthermore, it is a life of unending choice. We are now given a very illuminating account of what happens when strife and trouble break out in the Christian life. Who has not stood at this place?
And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's cattle and the herdsmen of Lot's cattle. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites dwelt in the land. Then Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen; for we are kinsmen. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left." (Genesis 13:5-9 RSV)
We have been reading of this man, Lot, all through the story of Abram. He was Abram's nephew, and he came with him out of the land of Ur. The whole story of this man is told in one brief phrase in Verse 5, "Lot, who went with Abram." That sums up Lot's whole life. He went with Abram! Wherever Abram was, Lot was. When Abram stopped, Lot stopped. "With Abram" -- that is all that can be said of him.
Many of the commentators seem to feel it was wrong for Abram to take Lot with him out of the land of Ur. There is no doubt he was a continual weight around his neck. But Scripture never implies that it was wrong to bring Lot along. Lot evidently responded when God spoke to Abram and called him to go out into a land which would be shown him. Lot wanted to go along, and Abram, wishing to help him, agreed. The trouble is not with Abram, but with Lot.
Lot seems to be a picture of those Christians who depend upon others for faith and inspiration to act. There are many Lots around. They never seem to learn to walk alone with God, but lean on another's faith for strength. As long as they have a strong church to lean on, or a close friend who is a faithful Christian, or they can listen to a gospel radio station all day long, or they have a Christian magazine coming regularly, then all goes well. But where the prop is weak, they are weak also. When Abram's faith failed, Lot's faith failed. Lot just leans on Abram all the way. He is clearly a second-hand Christian. Although his own faith is genuine (and the New Testament makes it clear that Lot was indeed a righteous man), nevertheless, he depends wholly upon Abram for the effectiveness of his service.
This works well as long as the pressure is on. As long as things are a bit tough, Lot will stay with Abram for he senses his need for the strength of the man of faith. Lot feels his weakness to act upon his own faith. There are so many like this. As long as things are a bit difficult, they lean hard upon their Abram, whoever or whatever it may be. But there is one kind of test that this type of Christian cannot stand -- the test of prosperity, when all goes well. Material prosperity, especially, will always show up the Lots in our midst.
So we read here that when their possessions were so great they could no longer dwell together, strife came between them. Today, we would call this a conflict of interests. There are many parallels to this in modern life. Here are two men, for instance, who are partners in business, both of them Christians.
For the stronger of the two, the man of faith, this business exists for only one purpose: to benefit the work of God. He knows that God expects him to take his normal living from it, but that is not why he is working. His real reason for working is that he may use the strength and wisdom God gives him to invest and make money to advance the work of God.
At first, the other partner goes along with him and agrees that this is a worthy basis for the business. But prosperity comes! They make a little money, and the second man raises his standard of living and gets his eyes on the material things of life. He becomes more concerned about building up the business and making a big thing of it than about anything else. When that happens, there is only one thing to do. As with Lot and Abram, there comes a time for a dividing of the ways, and it is the man of faith who takes the initiative. Lot would have let this thing fester until it broke out into some serious conflict, but Abram says, "There is only one thing to do. We must separate now before there is any further difficulty."
Then Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen; for we are kinsmen. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left." (Genesis 13:8-9 RSV)
Note the reasons Abram gives for suggesting this separation. Every word here is instructive. In the last part of Verse 7 we are told, "At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites dwelt in the land." Why are these mentioned here? Is it not a warning to us that whenever strife looms between Christians, the enemies of the Lord are ready to take full advantage of it? These Canaanites and Perizzites, dwelling in the land, are clearly representative of the evils of the flesh that lurk in every Christian heart -- jealousy, envy, resentment, bitterness, malice, etc. They are always ready to spring into action if there is any dissension or grievance between Christians. Abram acted before these could be awakened, for he knew they were in the land. There is that in each of our hearts which, if allowed to fester, will come to the fore, and we will be possessed by the spirit of jealousy, resentment, or bitterness. Abram acted before this could happen.
The second reason is found in his words, "Let there be no strife, for we are kinsmen," that is, "brethren." We are brethren! That means we are tied together in the same bundle of life, and if I hurt you I am hurting myself. If you hurt me, you are hurting yourself. Brethren cannot have strife without injuring one another. Whenever strife develops between members of the Body of Christ, it always has this result. It is a case of cutting off your nose to spite your face. If you hurt your brother, you are surely hurting yourself.
Abram, in his God-given wisdom said, "Let us not have any of this. We are brethren, so do not let this become an issue between us. Let us calmly settle the matter now before it breaks out in open conflict." Then Abram did a magnificent, God-honoring thing; he gave up his own rights without a murmur. He was the older man of the two and the acknowledged leader, Lot's superior in every way. Yet he said to him. "Lot, you take the first choice, I will give up my right to first choice. If you want to go this way, I'll go that way." How evident it is that the tent and the altar have already done a work of grace in this man's heart!
I once heard Dr. H. A. Ironside tell of an experience in his early life when his mother took him to a meeting where two Christian men almost came to blows over a disagreement. One man finally stood and pounded the desk and shouted, "I don't care what you do, but I will have my rights!" At that, an old, partially deaf brother, who had been sitting near, leaned forward and cupped his ear in his hand and said, "Eh? What's that? What did you say, brother? Your rights, is it? Is that what you want? Ah, brother, if you had your rights you'd be in hell! The Lord Jesus didn't come to get his rights -- he came to get his wrongs, and he got them." And with that the belligerent fellow flushed and sat down, saying, "You're right, you're right, settle it any way you like." Soon there was perfect agreement. It was this same spirit that moved Abram to give Lot the first choice.
Now we learn what happens when Lot chooses:
And Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw that the Jordan valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar; this was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan valley, and Lot journeyed east; thus they separated from each other. Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, while Lot dwelt among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord. (Genesis 13:10-13 RSV).
Evidently Lot and Abram went out on a promontory overlooking the valley and Lot lifted up his eyes. What did he see? It is quite obvious he only looked in one direction. He had been out looking around before! Without hesitation now, he looked to the east and saw the well-watered plain below like the garden of the Lord in the midst of the desert. He saw the Jordan River cutting through its great gorge, the deepest point on the face of the earth. On either side of the Jordan, the lush green grass was growing, and the variety of palm trees made the whole place a veritable garden, and he was greatly attracted to it; it was a modern real estate developer's dream!
Then he saw the cities of the plain. They were like Egypt! Lot remembered Egypt well as a place where one could get rich quick, with its vast commercial enterprises and its blind materialism. This is what Lot saw as he looked across the valley.
But the passage suggests there were some things that Lot did not see. Although the Jordan valley was there before his eyes, he did not see the significance of its name. The word Jordan means "death." The river descended out of the living waters of Galilee, dropping far below sea level into the Dead Sea, from which there is no outlet. Outwardly it was fair to look upon, spiritually it meant the place of death, and this Lot failed to see.
Then it is specially pointed out here that the men of Sodom were wicked -- great sinners before the Lord. Lot saw the profitableness of these cities, but he did not see their moral corruption. The name of Sodom today is linked to a most disgusting and revolting form of sin. Though the life of the city was morally rotten, it was hidden beneath an attractive prosperity.
We have our Sodoms today. Moral corruptness has permeated our social life and is one of the consequences we must take into consideration as we face the choices of life. This Lot failed to do.
We are told yet another thing that Lot missed: "This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah." Here is a mention of the judgment that was to come. Again, Lot saw the prosperity and the beauty, but he did not see that this was a place marked out for judgment; it was all to be swept away forever. You may say there was no way for Lot to know these things. This is true. Neither Lot nor Abram could foresee the death, the rottenness, the judgment that life in Sodom would bring. But the whole point of the story lies right here. Lot, presuming to run his own life, "chose for himself," and, deceived by what he saw, stumbled blindly into heartache and judgment. Abram, on the other hand, was content to let God choose for him, though it meant apparent second-best. And long before the true nature of Sodom became apparent to Lot, Abram saw it in its true light.
When will we learn that the inner nature of things as they really are is only revealed to the man with the tent and the altar? It is only as we take the pilgrim character and remember we are not to have our final dwelling place here on this earth, and we hold lightly the things of earth, that the Word of God begins to unfold to us and we see something of the judgment, the moral corruptness, the deadly character of what otherwise looks so attractive and is highly regarded on every side.
So we read, "Lot chose for himself." What a descriptive term that is! As he looked out, Self said, "Ah, this will advance you, this will make you prosperous, this will give you status and position." So he chose for himself, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. That is, every time he moved his tent, he moved it constantly nearer Sodom. We shall see more of what this meant to him in a later chapter.
But now, what happened to old Abram? How did it go with the man who was willing to let God make the choices for him?
The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, "Lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see I will give to you and to your descendants for ever. I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your descendants also can be counted. Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you." So Abram moved his tent, and came and dwell by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron; and there he built an altar to the Lord. (Genesis 13:14-18 RSV)
Lot had lifted up his eyes and chosen for himself; now God says to the man of faith, living in his tent on the hillside, "Abram, lift up your eyes." Where? Everywhere -- to the north, the south, the east (the portion Lot chose), and the west. All the land is his!
This land is consistently the symbol for us of the fullness of life in the Spirit of God; the life of joy, power, love, and glory; the life of refreshing ministry to others. Surely this is what Paul longs for us when he prays, "That you may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fulness of God," (Ephesians 3:18-19 RSV). This is all yours, if you are willing to let God make the choices of life for you.
Lot will never know this! Nor will we, if we make our choices on the basis of what we see, relating to the materialistic, commercial standards of those about us. But if, like Abram, we are content to have what God gives us in life, all the fullness of Christ will be ours. Paul says in First Corinthians 3:21b-23 (RSV): "For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future, all are yours; and you are Christ's and Christ is God's."
Then God said to Abram, "Not only do I give this land to you, but I will fill the land with your descendants." That is, "I will make you fruitful beyond belief. I will make your life one of such blessing that after you are gone there will be those who will stand up and say, 'I received my spiritual life through that man; there came to me strength for my journey through him; he has been a great blessing to my heart and life.'"
Then he said to Abram, "Arise, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I will give it to you." The land is all that Christ will be to us through the eternal ages to come. But God is saying to us, "Don't wait for it. You don't have to wait until you die to enjoy this. You can have it now, if you will possess it in Christ. Walk through the land. Set your feet upon it. Possess it -- now!"
If we, seeing Abram walking up and down the land, had said to the Canaanites and Perizzites, "Do you know who this man is? This is the owner of all this land!" They would have looked at us with pity, laughed, and continued on their way. But it was true! Wherever Abram wanted to move in that land, God opened the door for him. The whole land was his. He could go where he wanted. He could live where he chose. The Canaanites and the Perizzites had to move out when Abram came in. Thus the Spirit of God declares to us in Romans 6:14 (RSV): "For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace." Whenever you want to be free from the weakness, and ruin, and power of sin, you can! The land lies open before you. Possess it!
So we read, "Abram moved his tent and came down to the oaks of Mamre."Mamre means "fatness," the place where the soul is made fat with the fullness of supply. And there at Hebron, which means "fellowship," he built an altar to the Lord. In the place of fatness and fellowship, Abram confessed again by the building of an altar that he was nothing but a fallible human being, without strength in himself, needing that constant supply of the cleansing of God. It is a wonderful picture, isn't it?
Everyone dwells in a world exactly like that of Abram and Lot. A world in which material values constantly clamor for us to make a choice. We have only so much time to invest, so much life to spend, and we are pressured to try to grab the best for ourselves while we can. We can say with Lot, "I want what the world can offer me now, I want the cities of the plain." Or we may wait with Abram, content with our tent and altar, enjoying the blessings of the land by faith now, and waiting for God's fulfillment of all his promises in that wonderful age yet to come. The Christian who is content to let God make his choices finds it easy to fulfill the New Testament word: "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you," (1 Thessalonians 5:18 RSV).
Prayer
Our Father, we understand now something of the shortsightedness of human choices. How many heartaches we have chosen by insisting that we choose for ourselves! Give us grace to let you make these choices for us. Create in us a hunger for the fullness of the land. Make us discontented with our present possession of it but lead us into the full knowledge of the love of Jesus Christ our Lord, in whose name we pray. Amen.
GENESIS 14:1 - 16 "When you need a friend"
To many, the Christian life appears prosaic, dull, uneventful. It is anything but that! If it appears to be so, it is almost certainly a life out of focus with true spirituality; in other words, a carnal Christian life. We have seen already that whenever Abram is found with a tent and an altar in the land of Canaan, he is a wonderful picture of a Christian living in the power and enjoyment of his pilgrim life, in this world but not of it, daily judging self by the cleansing of the cross. Lot, on the other hand, is a picture for us of the carnal Christian, flesh-governed, living for self. He has forsaken the place of fellowship with Christ. Lot left Abram up on the hillside and moved down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, the cities of the plain. He was drawn by the allurements of the world and began to live for himself and for the pleasures of life. He pictures a Christian who is born again, but enmeshed in the enticements of the materialistic, commercialized world around.
Now, suddenly, a shattering experience breaks into Abram's quiet, pleasant existence. Life in the Spirit is like that. We are never permitted to rest beside the still waters very long, nor would we want to, for life there soon grows dull and uninteresting. In Genesis 14, we are introduced to the first war ever recorded in Scripture. It is a stirring account, vividly contrasting the blustering armies of earth with the quiet, overcoming power of faith. We get our first glimpse of these earthly armies in the first three verses.
In the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal the king of Goiim, these kings made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). And all these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). (Genesis 14:1-3 RSV)
The spade of the archaeologist has amply verified the historic existence of the kings named here. Long before the rise of the Babylonian Empire, these kings made a military foray into the land of Canaan, perhaps to defend their trade routes with Egypt, or to subdue the warlike tribes of the area. The account here could have been taken from the daily newspaper of Sodom; the city was aware of the threat to its welfare and liberties, and was much alarmed.
As the account progresses, we learn that Chedorlaomer is the chief of the invading kings. Historically, he is identified as the Elamite dictator, from the land east of Persia, which is now known as West Pakistan. He came with his satellite kings against the confederacy of five kings from the cities of the plain.
His coming in this manner is representative of the world's power to harass and enslave Christians. But more than one type is required to portray the whole aspect of the enmity of the world. Sodom, for instance, is a picture of the world in its lust for sensual pleasures. In contrast to this, this invasion from the east is a portrayal of the world in its naked power to enslave and tyrannize and take away the physical liberties of man.
These forces are often found opposed in history. Our own beloved nation of America is already enslaved to the forces of materialism, greed, and sex. These forces are dominant throughout our national life. But it is also threatened by an outside force, Communism, which ruthlessly seeks to destroy our physical liberties and reduce the nation to literal slavery. Here are two differing forces, yet both arise out of the fallen nature of man. One is a desire for material gain, economic advancement, luxury, ease, and sensual pleasure. The other is sheer naked tyranny, threatening our very physical existence.
This is exactly what confronted the cities of the plain, and Lot especially, as he now dwelt in Sodom. Lot is already enmeshed in the blind commercialism of Sodom, but has kept himself free from the sexual degradation of the place. Now he is threatened by a circumstance that would deprive him of his basic liberties.
In terms of our experience today, this might be some form of legalism, or perhaps some vicious habit such as alcoholism or self-abuse. It might even be a sickness that renders one a bedridden invalid -- although, all such sickness is certainly not of this nature. Whatever may be the difficulty, it is some outward circumstance that threatens physical or spiritual liberty. Here is Lot, a carnal Christian, caught between the jaws of vice -- the materialism of Sodom and the tyranny of Chedorlaomer.
Verses 5-7 reveal the apparent invincibility of this enemy:
In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and subdued the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, and the Horites in their Mount Seir as far as El-paran on the border of the wilderness; then they turned back and came to Enmishpat (that is, Kadesh), and subdued all the country of the Amelikites, and also the Amorites who dwelt in Hazazon-tamar. (Genesis 14:5-7 RSV)
Rephaim and Zuzim were families of giants. It is from this group, later in Israel's history, that Goliath came, whom David decapitated with his own sword. These were men eight to ten feet tall, a mighty race who were greatly feared by the people around them. Yet the invading kings swept even these giants before them.
The territory mentioned here is quite extensive, covering from the north and west of the Sea of Galilee, down the Jordan Valley, all the way south to the Red Sea. Here, then, was an enemy, seemingly invincible, relentless, unstoppable, striking fear into every heart as they carried all before them.
At this point we have the first mention of Lot in the story. If it were not for him, we would know nothing at all of these events, because the Bible never takes any cognizance of human history except as it relates to the peoples of God.
Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out, and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim with Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five. Now the valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits; and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the mountain. So the enemy took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way; they also took Lot, the son of Abram's brother, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed. (Genesis 14:8-12 RSV)
It is specifically called to our attention that in the valley of the Dead Sea there were many tar or bitumen pits, filled with natural asphalt. If you have visited the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles you will know just what is described here. These open pits of asphalt would be covered over by the desert sand as the wind blew across them and they would appear like the surrounding ground. But anyone venturing into such a pit would be held by the tar and his body would be imprisoned for centuries. The bones of dinosaurs and other beasts have been found in the La Brea Tar Pits, having been encased in tar for many centuries. Evidently the five kings of the confederacy felt that this area would be the best place for battle, as the pits would be a natural defense. But instead, they turned out to be a trap. As the tide of battle turned against them, they fled to the mountains in head-long haste, and many of them, falling into the pits of tar, were destroyed. In the ensuing capture of Sodom, Lot and his family and all his goods were carried away by the invading army.
Perhaps you have had an experience of falling into just such a circumstance as this. You have tried to fight back but nothing seems to avail. The very defenses upon which you rely become threats against you. You have the choice of capture or falling into the slime pits, one or the other. And perhaps, as Lot, you have found yourself captured against your will by some evil habit or power that enslaves you.
Then notice what happens! The Holy Spirit shifts the scene to Abram up on the mountainside, so that we might see the overcoming power of faith. All hope for Lot now lies in Abram's hand:
Then one who had escaped came, and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner; these were allies of Abram. (Genesis 14:13 RSV)
A messenger comes to Abram, doubtless sent by Lot. At the last moment before his capture, he must have hurriedly sent this man out to slip through the lines and find his way to Abram. It is likely that he barely escaped from the clutches of the enemy with his life. He finds Abram in Hebron, the place of fellowship. With him are three men who are his allies.
Mamre, as we have noted before, means "fatness or richness." Eshcol means "a group or bunch," andAner means "an exile, one who withdraws himself." Taking these three names together, I see a prayer meeting here! Here, symbolically, is a group of people, living in the richness of fellowship with Christ, who have withdrawn themselves from the ordinary demands of life for a specific purpose. This is exactly what our Lord bids us do, in Matthew 6:6a: "But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father ..."
Abram, the Hebrew, is leading the meeting. Since this is the only place in Scripture where Abram is called a Hebrew, it must have some special significance. The wordHebrew means "passenger," or "pilgrim." The Spirit of God would highlight for us the character of the ones to whom Lot looks for rescue. They are led by the man who holds lightly the things of earth, the man of the pilgrim life.
To this band on the hillside comes the message that Lot is in trouble. When Peter, in the New Testament account, was put in prison, we are told that the church prayed for him without ceasing. As a result, the doors of that prison were flung back, the iron gates were opened, the shackles fell off and Peter was led out by an angel. When a child of God through ignorance or selfish folly has fallen into something that enslaves and grips and holds him, the only answer is the believing prayer of the people of God. That is what we have here.
Now let's see how victory is achieved:
When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. And he divided his forces around them by night, he and his servants, and routed them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. (Genesis 14:14-15 RSV)
Here is the key to victory -- three hundred and eighteen men, trained for warfare! This was not his entire battle force. There were other men belonging to Abram's allies, but this is the hard core of trained, disciplined men he relied upon to lead his little army into battle. He had only three hundred and eighteen, but that was all he needed! It might have seemed a pitiful handful beside the vast armies of those four kings who had come out of the ancient east, sweeping everything before them as they came. But if we will learn the lesson taught us here, and all through Scripture, we need never be discouraged by overwhelming numbers again. The lesson is simply this: God's victories are never won by force of numbers! Never! "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord of hosts," (Zechariah 4:6b RSV).
I tell you, if three hundred and eighteen people were to gather to pray, that would be a red letter day indeed. And if those three hundred and eighteen people knew how to pray, were trained in the warfare of prayer, they would shake the powers of evil around the world! Three hundred and eighteen would put to rout all the vast armies of the enemy.
Our world is threatened by the tremendous power of Communism, and many of our brothers around the world are grievously threatened by fear if they stand firm in their faith. I fully believe God is showing us that the whole secret of the defeat of this terrible enemy will lie in a relative handful of people, who here and there will faithfully get together and recognize that victory does not lie in the might of weapons, of nuclear missiles, or diplomacy, but in men and women of faith who are pilgrims and strangers here in this world, and who will regularly separate themselves from the demands of life and seek the mind and face of God concerning this evil. Then the forces of tyranny will be lifted in many places, and men and women who are now enslaved by the pitiless, ruthless chains of Communism will be set free.
Note the careful strategy Abram employed. We are told he divided his forces by night. The march of Abram and his tiny band is one of the most remarkable forced marches in history. They traveled the whole length of the Jordan River, coming upon the enemy considerably north of the Sea of Galilee. As was the custom with armies of that day, when the pagan invaders had withdrawn to a place they considered safe, they made camp for several days and indulged in a time of carousing and reveling in celebration of their victory. It was at such a time and place that Abram and his allies found them, and during the night, they divided their forces and surrounded the drunken camp. Abram sent one part of his army one way and one the other, one group perhaps with spears and the other with swords for close combat. At a signal, they sprang upon the surprised host and there was a general rout and a great victory.
This division of Abram's forces into a two pronged attack is suggestive of the Christian's weapons in spiritual warfare. In Ephesians 6, we are reminded that we possess two effective weapons -- the Word and prayer.
And take...the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication...for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:17-18 RSV)
Many a Lot has been delivered from the slavery which bound him by the helpful counsel of the Word of God given through some fellow-believer, and the prayers of the men and women of God who have prayed for him. Thus Abram divided his forces, and using a twofold approach, he set the enemy to flight.
Notice yet a third incident. Abram pursued them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.Hobah means "hidden," and therefore signifies a complete victory, even to the point of the enemy hiding himself to escape. Abram never let up. He kept on till the forces against him were demoralized. He pressed his advantage to the utmost. He did not quit fighting, he did not stop praying, at the first little break, but pressed on through until he won a great and tremendous victory. In Verse 16, we see the extent of the victory Abram won:
Then he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his goods, and the women and the people. (Genesis 14:16 RSV)
Now, in all this, the Holy Spirit would drive one thing home to our hearts. We do not lead our Christian lives in isolated seclusion -- we are members one of another, and in circumstances of this nature, one Christian can often be the means of deliverance to a weaker brother. There was nothing Abram could do to deliver Lot from Sodom. Sodom represented an inward choice in the heart of this man. Lot chose to live in the materialistic, sensualized atmosphere of Sodom. If a child of God chooses to be materialistic, sensual, commercial, greedy for things of the world, not much can be done for him. Only Lot could take himself out of Sodom. But from this circumstance that threatened Lot's very life and liberty, Abram's resources were amply sufficient.
James 5:16b (RSV) tells us, "The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects." There is a Chinese translation of that verse which is excellent: "The earnest, hot-hearted prayer of a righteous man releases great power." That is certainly the case in this incident.
"The prayer of faith," we are told in the same chapter of James, Verse 15, "will save the sick man and the Lord will raise him up;" (James 5:15a RSV). Many have been puzzled by this verse, but if we read the context, we see clearly that the affliction here is one that has come because a child of God has permitted himself to be involved in deliberate sin. Such a one is to call the elders of the church together and confess his faults, and then the prayer of faith will save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up again, and he will be delivered from the thing that has held him captive. It is a wonderful experience, this power of prayer for someone else.
The history of the church is replete with instances of such deliverance's through faithful prayer. Recently, a wise and experienced missionary leader, speaking to a group of us on the subject of prayer, took up this matter of some overwhelming sin that so grips the heart as to enslave the life and frustrate all activity for God. He gave some very wise words of advice. "Perhaps some younger Christian," he said, "may find himself in such a circumstance, and the thing he is doing is so shameful that he cannot bring himself to confess it publicly; then let him seek out some older man of God, someone he can trust, and lay the whole matter before him and ask him to pray concerning this." It is wise counsel, indeed. When Lot could not possibly help himself, Abram, separated in heart from the Sodom-like attitudes that rendered Lot so powerless, was able to lay hold of God and effect a great and mighty deliverance.
GENESIS 14:17 - 24 "The Peril of Victory"
Following Abram's great victory over the invading kings from the east, the 14th chapter of Genesis relates a curious incident with a strange and mysterious king named Melchizedek. The book of Hebrews makes so much of Abram's encounter with Melchizedek that our curiosity is awakened and we are stimulated to find out more about this man of mystery. We may be sure that the deliberate interjection of this account at this point in Abram's life is designed by the Spirit of God to unfold to us blessed and needful truths.
Abram is now on his way back to Sodom with all the goods of the city and much of the population, including Lot and his family. It is a time of victory for Abram, and therefore a time of peculiar peril. In our spiritual life, the enemy loves best to strike when we are relaxed and off guard after some spiritual victory or period of great usefulness. His approach then is never open or frontal, but subtle and insidious, taking full advantage of our relaxed defenses. We shall see, then, how Abram is suddenly confronted with a subtle temptation on his way back to Sodom, how, by a strange interlude, deliverance comes to him, and, finally, we shall observe the sensible attitude he displays concerning others who are involved in this incident.
After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley). (Genesis 14:17 RSV)
Our special attention is directed to the place where the king of Sodom met Abram on his way back from the battlefield. It was a valley right outside the little village of Salem. In later Israelite history, Salem became transformed into Jerusalem, the capital of all Israel. The valley outside the city, even then known as the "King's Valley," was none other than the Valley of the Kidron, the little brook that ran down along the eastern side of Jerusalem, separating the mount of Olives from the city. It was into this valley that our Lord went with his disciples on the night he was betrayed, crossing over to go up the slopes of the Mount of Olives to Gethsemane's Garden. In this strategic and historic spot, the king of Sodom met Abram.
Skipping down to Verses 21-23, we read:
And the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself." But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have sworn to the Lord God Most High, maker of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal-thong or anything that is yours, lest you should say, 'I have made Abram rich.'" (Genesis 14:21-23 RSV)
Here is the subtle temptation which suddenly came upon Abram. He was met by the king of Sodom, who had somehow escaped capture and was in the city when news came of the triumphant return of Abram with the spoils of war.
On the surface, the king of Sodom's offer seems a perfectly justifiable reward. Abram had fought his great battle not, of course, on behalf of the King of Sodom, but for the sake of Lot and his family. Nevertheless, the effect of his victory was of great benefit to the whole of that wicked city. For this reason. the king was there to meet him. A special welcoming committee had been appointed, headed by the king himself, to confer upon Abram the usual reward for a conquering hero. The king simply asked for the return of the residents of the city; the goods and riches he gratefully offered to Abram. The wealth of Sodom was all to be Abram's!
Now notice the subtlety of this temptation. It appeared to be so right and proper! Abram could well have said. "This is certainly only what I deserve, and after all, it is the custom to do this. Everyone does it! There are no strings attached. I can take the wealth and go my way back to my tent and altar and never go near Sodom again." Who of us, standing in Abram's shoes, would not have thought like this?
But it was exactly in the apparent freedom of the gift that the peril lay. To a man of Abram's character, it is impossible to accept this kind of a gift without feeling an obligation to the giver. If he had been required to sign some kind of contract, he would have found it easy to say, "No," but to accept this gift without strings would be to make it exceedingly difficult to say, "No," to anything later on. From that day on the king of Sodom could say, "Abram is indebted to me. If I ever need any military help, I know where I can get it. My man is up there on the hillside." The gift was an insidious threat to the independence of the man who took orders from no one but God. If Abram yielded, he would never be wholly God's man again.
Note the timing of the temptation; it came when he might well be off guard, enjoying the popularity of the hour. He had earned a few moments of relaxation after the strain of battle, and at this quiet moment in his life the subtle offer came. Have you experienced something like this? I have seen young Christian college students who are surrounded throughout the school year by subtle and perilous dangers to their faith and fellowship with Jesus Christ, and who maintain proper safeguards, keeping alert, aware of the peril that confronts them. But when they come home on vacation, they let down their guard and there comes some sudden and appalling failure. Satan has chosen that moment to attack.
There is no doubt that the pressure on Abram to accept this gift is very great. It was an expression of gratitude on the part of the king and I am sure that Abram felt the king would have been hurt if he rejected this sincere offer. I have found that many Christians, myself included, have been trapped by the fear of offending someone if we say, "No!" We are troubled about what they will think, and so often very little troubled about what God will think. We fail to realize if we cannot say "No" now, how can we ever say "No" after the offer has been accepted and we are indebted to some degree. The easiest time to say "No" is now!
This is what the Apostle Paul means when he says, "All things are lawful for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything," (1 Corinthians 6:12b RSV). That is, the only one I wish to serve is Christ. The only power to which I will yield my life is his. Anything else that threatens to control me or limit me I reject! It may be lawful, it may even be in good standing all around, but if it makes any demand upon me that is not his demand, I do not want it! This is what Abram is so beautifully demonstrating here.
He replies to the king of Sodom, "I have sworn to the Lord God Most High, maker of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal-thong or anything that is yours, lest you should say, 'I have made Abram rich.'" Note the positiveness of that decision. He says, "I will take nothing; not a thread, not even a shoestring! I do not care that you offer me. I want nothing. No thing. Period. That settles it!" More positive language is simply not possible.
And note the solemnity of what he says. This is tremendously important to Abram. It is not some mere passing whim. He says, "I have sworn to the Lord my God." This touches the deepest thing in his life. He takes a solemn vow that he will not touch anything of Sodom's. And how perfectly frank he is: "lest you should say, 'I have made Abram rich.'" In other words, he is saying, "I want you to know why I have done this. I can serve only one king at a time, and I want you to understand that I am not concerned for my own enrichment, least of all through you. If God doesn't give me something, then I don't want it. If it doesn't come to me through my God, to whom I have committed my life and from whom I have determined to accept whatever he offers, then I don't want it."
It is a bold and positive declaration, is it not? What a clear-cut victory! The subtle trap of the enemy has been uncovered and the danger is safely past. The Lone Ranger escapes unscathed again! Ah, but why? This is what we are interested in. How is it Abram saw through this subtle thing so clearly, and so stoutly resisted the almost overpowering pressures to which he was exposed? Now let me put it to you bluntly: If you were in Abram's shoes that day, knowing your own heart, would you have offended the king by rejecting his grateful offer? I am sure my own devious heart would have viewed it as an added bonus from God, as a result of my great faithfulness to him in battle, and I would have accepted Sodom's gift. Well, Abram did not! Yet he was a man like me, of like passions and heart. How, then, could he pass this test so easily? The answer lies in this strange interlude with Melchizedek which we have passed over till now, Verses 18-20:
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said,
"Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
maker of heaven and earth;
and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!"
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. (Genesis 14:18-20 RSV)
Before the king of Sodom met Abram with his wily offer, Abram had already met with another king, the mysterious Melchizedek. He steps suddenly out of the shadows, ministers to Abram, and just as suddenly disappears from the pages of Scripture, and we never hear another word about him until we come to the 110th Psalm, where David declares that the Messiah to come is made a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Then another thousand years roll by, and in the book of Hebrews we have another extended reference to this strange individual.
Who was Melchizedek? The guesses range from Shem, the son of Noah, who, according to some chronologists, could have still been alive at this time, to an appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ in human form.
All we are positively told of him is that he is the king of Salem (which afterwards became Jerusalem), and that he is the priest of the Most High God (Hebrew: El Elyon). His own name means "king of righteousness." He appears suddenly in the Scriptural record without any mention of his father or mother, no birth date, and no subsequent account of his death. These omissions from the record are seized upon by the writer of Hebrews to indicate that since we have no record of his genealogy, this man is a type of the eternal priesthood of our Lord Jesus Christ who, in actuality, has no beginning nor ending of days, but who ever lives to make intercession for all those who come unto God by him. Thus, the Melchizedek priesthood is a ministry of help to those who face a time of trouble.
Here, then, is a man who is evidently a Gentile king. The original knowledge of God as the maker and possessor of the heavens and the earth, passed along by Adam to his descendants, has evidently come down to Melchizedek unchanged. He is a worshiper of the true God, and a priest to that true God. In this sublime presentation of Scripture, the record shows him in such a way that he becomes a type of our Lord Jesus who is our heavenly Melchizedek, ready to minister to us in our need. His specific ministry is to revealEl Elyon, the Most High God, the One who owns everything in heaven and on earth. He is the one perfectly adequate to meet any human need. This is what Paul declares to the Philippians 4:19 (RSV): "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus."
Now we can see why God led Abram back to his home by way of the King's Valley. The king of Sodom is coming to meet him, but Abram knows nothing of his approach, nor of the subtle offer with which he plans to put Abram in his debt. Had he known of it, he would have seen nothing wrong with it, for Abram is not different from you and me. The peril is too subtle to detect; it looks too innocent and attractive. So God sent Melchizedek to meet him!
His first ministry to Abram was to remind him of the character of the God he served. Doubtless he warned Abram of the subtle trap awaiting him in the offer of Sodom's wealth, and then perhaps he said, "Abram, your God is the possessor of heaven and earth. He made it all. He owns it. He holds all its wealth in his hands. There is nothing that he cannot give you. This is the God to whom you belong."
And then we are told he served him bread and wine. We need no interpreter for this. These are the symbols of love. They speak eloquently of strength and joy flowing out from the passion of self-giving love. All this is recorded in the Old Testament, yet as we read it, we can see in this historical incident a beautiful picture of the need of our own lives. There is nothing that has such power to motivate the Christian heart as to partake, with the people of God, of these symbols of the suffering of our blessed Lord. He gave himself in the fullness of his life, poured out all that he was, and as we feast by the Spirit upon the symbols of his life, that life strengthens the inner man, lends sinew to the resolve of the soul, and makes us able to meet all that comes our way. This is the only power sufficient to make us reject the world's offer and maintain our independence as servants of Christ. The love of Christ constrains us!
In the intimacy of this fellowship, under the ministry of Melchizedek, Abram worships his God. The record says he gave him a tenth of everything, that is, he gave him tithes of all he had. The tithe is not a debt paid to God -- it is rather a symbolic representation that everything belongs to him. The antitype in the New Testament is not that we continue to give a tenth, as under the Law, nor, as in this case, in patriarchal days, but to recognize that all we are and have is to be given to God in worship. In Second Corinthians 8:5, Paul writes of the Macedonian Christians, "but first, they gave themselves to the Lord and to us," (2 Corinthians 8:5b RSV). The whole of our life is to be focused on the one aim of serving God.
Here in this place, the King's Valley, where centuries later a greater Melchizedek would sweat in bloody agony in a Garden, Abram enjoyed by faith the high priestly ministry of Christ. His heart ravished with the love of Christ, and refreshed and strengthened in spirit, he saw that God alone could satisfy his heart. There was no other place where he could find the deep-seated heart satisfaction that makes the rivers of living water begin to flow. Here he swore to the Lord his God he would not touch a single thing that Sodom could offer him, and in the strength of this encounter, he rose up and went out to meet the fair and innocent-appearing trap. Now he was ready for it!
Have you ever found yourself trapped by some subtle appeal that looked innocent enough on the surface and seemed to be the popular thing to do? Too late, you realized its true nature, when the damage had already been done, and all you could say was, "I didn't realize...", "I never dreamed...", "I meant right..."!
You may remember an account of an unfortunate young man who perjured himself some years ago in connection with a TV quiz program. Everyone wondered at his apparently endless knowledge of difficult subjects. When he was finally exposed as having been given the right answers beforehand, he explained to the court that it had all looked so innocent to him. He justified his deceit to himself on the basis that he was advancing the cause of intellectualism and education. He felt that as people saw him give these almost impossible answers, they themselves would be stimulated to learn more. He knew some would regard it as cheating, but it was justifiable as advancing a good cause. Then, at last, there came a realization in his own heart of what he had done, and he confessed it. He said, I was deceived, deluded. I couldn't see the way it really looked until it was too late."
This happens to many of us, doesn't it? Life is full of subtleties like this -- little decisions, little problems, incidents that seem so innocent on the surface. We find it easy to rationalize and justify our choices. Why is it we fail? It is because we do not go to our Melchizedek! We give him no opportunity to minister to us and open our eyes. We do not come to the throne of grace, as we are bade, to find grace to help in time of need.
We are like poor, troubled Martha, stewing over her pots and pans in the kitchen until, out of patience, she comes storming into the parlor to blame the Lord Jesus for all her problems! Luke gives us the story in his gospel, Chapter 10:38-42: Martha meant to make the Lord welcome in her home, she intended to fix him a delicious meal, yet she ends up so frustrated and bewildered that she insults him and accuses him of causing the whole mess. In contrast, the Lord suggests to Martha that she needs what Mary had found. What was Mary doing? She was sitting at Jesus' feet, letting him open her eyes to truth as it really is. She was letting him possess her heart, and, as she did, she found life falling into place, the right things were being emphasized. She saw things in their proper perspective and focus.
Abram would never have passed by this subtle trap unscathed had Melchizedek not met him, and, in the intimacy of that fellowship, he saw what he would not otherwise have seen -- that the values on which the world sets great store are but baubles compared to the glory of fellowship with a Living God, Maker of heaven and earth. When the king of Sodom came, Abram could say, "Take your little toys and run back to Sodom, I want none of it. I want no man to say that he has made Abram rich. If anyone makes Abram rich, it will be God." What a victory!
One more incident is brought before us in this story. It is the very sensible attitude Abram displayed toward the others who were involved with him in this affair. He says to the king of Sodom,
"I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me; let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share." (Genesis 14:24 RSV)
Abram, do you mean to say that it is right for these young men to have what is wrong for you to take? Is it possible to have a double standard of right -- one for you and one for them? What a lesson there is here for us!
These young men had not yet come to the stage of Christian living and maturity that Abram had achieved. There is no Melchizedek for them, or, if there was, they did not enter into the same depth of comprehension that Abram did. Abram is content to let God deal with them directly in these borderline areas. He is not going to force others to walk in the light of his conscience. Somehow, Abram has learned the truth of Romans 14, that we are not to judge our brother in these matters, Verse 5b (RSV): "Let everyone be fully convinced in his own mind."
I have had Christians tell me that God had spoken to their hearts and told them it was wrong for them to drink coffee, and they have tried to persuade me to stop, too. But I am still waiting for word from the Lord on this! I recall hearing of a dear old Nazarene evangelist called Uncle Bud Robinson. He spoke with a bit of a lisp and was well-known and well-loved by Christians throughout the West. Among certain groups these borderline issues are frequently raised, and whenever anyone would say to Uncle Bud, "How can a man drink coffee and be a Christian?" he would say, "Juth bring me a cup and I'll thow you."
It is a great lesson to learn that there are areas of our Christian life where we must walk alone before our God, and cannot force our views on others. So Abram says, in effect, "Let the young men have their share. It is not right for me to take anything, but they are not standing in my place. Let them have their share."
Now, life lies ahead of us with all its possibilities of peril and danger, both spiritual and physical. How we need to go on in the strength of the Lord our God, Maker of heaven and earth. Nothing that the world offers can fully meet our hearts' need. All that will really satisfy comes from him alone. We are in this world. We are expected to live in it. We are expected to use the world, but not to abuse it. We must not love it, nor demand anything from it.
Like Abram, we must lift up our hand and say, "I have sworn to the Lord my God, I will not touch anything that you have to offer."
Prayer
Our Father, how gracious you are to send us that blessed, heavenly Melchizedek to strengthen us in times of peril, and to enlighten our hearts. How clearly we see now the need for fellowship with Him. How dare we face the perplexities and complexities of this subtle world apart from daily fellowship in the King's Valley with Him. What easy prey we are to the snares of Satan without this. Deliver us daily, in Jesus' name. Amen.
What does this narrative reveal about God's character? God Promises?What are the themes and life lessons that are communicated through the text? Is there a promise God is making evident?
That if you remain true to God's commandments; he will take care of you. God wants us to do more than drift through life; he wants us to be an influence for him. Lord will always be merciful!
Respond and do something. Pray and decide what God wants to do in and through you in the future.
13:5-9 Facing a potential conflict with his nephew Lot, Abram took the initiative in settling the dispute. He gave Lot first choice, even though Abram, being older, had the right to choose first Abram also showed a willingness to risk being cheated. Abram's example shows us how to respond to difficult family situations: 1. Take the initiative in resolving conflicts; 2. let others have first choice, even if that means not getting what we want; 3. put family peace above personal desires.
13:7,8 Surrounded by hostile neighbors, the herdsman of Abram and Lot should have pulled together. Instead, they let petty jealousy tear them apart. Similar situations exist today. Christians often bicker while Satan is at work all around them.
Rivalries, arguments and disagreements among believers can be destructive in three ways: 1. They damage goodwill, trust and peace - the foundations of good human relations; 2. they hamper progress toward important goals, 3. they make us self-centered rather than love-centered. Jesus understood how destructive arguments among brothers could be. In his final prayer before being betrayed and arrested, Jesus asked God that his followers be "one" (John 17:21)
13:10,11 Lot's character is revealed by his choices. He took the best share of the land even though it meant living near Sodom, a city known for its sin. He was greedy, wanting the best for himself, without thinking about his uncle Abram's needs or what was fair.
Life presents a series of choices. We, too, can choose the best while ignoring the needs and feelings of others. But this kind of choice, as Lot's life shows, leads to problems. When we stop making choices in God's direction, our only option is to make choices in the wrong direction.
13:12,13 Good pasture and available water seemed like a wise choice to Lot at first. But he failed to recognize that wicked Sodom could provide temptations strong enough to destroy his family. Have you chosen to live or work in a "Sodom"? Even though you may be strong enough to resist the temptations, other members of your family may not. While God commands us to reach people in the "Sodom" near us, we must be careful not to become like the very people we are trying to reach.
14:12 Lot's greedy desire for the best of everything led him into sinful surroundings. His burning desire for possessions and success cost him his freedom and enjoyment. As a captive to Kedorlaomer, he face torture, slavery, or death. In much the same way, we can be enticed into doing things or going places we shouldn't. The prosperity we long for is captivating; it can both entice us and enslave us if our motives are not in line with God's desires.
14:14-16 These incidents portrays two of Abram's characteristics: 1. He had courage that came from God; facing a powerful foe, he attacked. 2. He was prepared; he had taken time to train his men for a potential conflict. We never know when we will be called upon to complete difficult tasks. Like Abram, we should prepare for those times and take courage from God when they come.
Based on your reflections on what you determine God is communicating in the Bible text, pray and decide what God wants to do in and through you in the future. Identify the steps of faith you need to take to facilitate God's promises. What am I going to do to apply my faith to be more of who God wants me to be? Is there sin to repent of? Is there someone you need to forgive, serve or speak to?
I think its clear that God wants us to be BOLD; always stand up to sin and never set yourself up for failure especially since we are people of sin. Always have courage to be there for the people in your life no matter how difficult the situation might be. Ensure that no worldly treasures have any hold on your heart.
