ABRAHAM SERIES: ABRAM FIGHTING FOR HIS FAMILY

According to Genesis 14, there were five kings of Canaan who, for twelve years, paid tribute to Chedorlaomer, king of Elam. However, in the thirteenth year, they decided to stop doing so. In turn, King Chedorlaomer, with the assistance of three Eastern kings, waged a victorious war against the Rephaims, the Zuzims, the Emins, the Horites, the Amorites, and all the country of the Amalekites. Also, during the battle, some of the defeated soldiers, while attempting to flee, fell into the slime pits in the Valley of Siddim, while others were able to escape to the mountains. Consequently, the victorious King Chedorlaomer and his men conquered Sodom and Gomorrah, taking all of its possessions and food along with Lot and his household.

 An escapee of the battle came to Abram and delivered the bad news concerning Lot and his household. Being the concerned uncle that he was, Abram gathered his three hundred eighteen trained servants together with his allies and pursued after the enemy. When he arrived at their encampment, Abram divided his group and successfully attacked and killed some of them, then pursued the others.

With his successful military venture, Abram brought back Lot, Lot’s household, the other captives, and all their belongings. The king of Sodom, along with other kings, and Melchizedek, king of Salem, went out to meet Abram. King Melchizedek, the priest of the Most High God, brought bread and wine to Abram and blessed him and God for delivering Abram in battle, and Abram gave him tithes from the spoils he obtained from the battle.

When the king of Sodom told Abam to give him the citizens of Sodom but to keep the spoils, Abram refused to do so. Abram said, “I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich. 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.”

Historically, this is the first war recorded in the scriptures. It was a common international occurrence in the old world where coalitions of nations sought to plunder and subjugate land from those around them.

It is believed that Abram had an agreement with the Amorites, Mamre, Eschol, and Aner, which is why they joined him to fight against the Eastern kings. Upon returning from the battle with the recovered spoils, he did not impose his convictions on them but allowed them to decide if they wanted to receive the reward offered by the king of Sodom.

In Abram’s act of rescuing his nephew, he fulfilled the promise of Genesis 12:3 to be a blessing.

Melchizedek’s name means “king of righteousness,” and the blessing in the name of the Lord given to Abram by him is indicative of his priestly position. This is the first time a priest is mentioned in Scripture, and many believe he foreshadowed Jesus Christ in his dual role as King and High Priest. Additionally, Salem, the place of Melchizedek’s kingship, was the original Jerusalem, and Abram’s tithing to Melchizedek is the first time tithes are mentioned in Scripture.

Finally, here are the nuggets from this chapter:

Being in the wrong place can result in your captivity.

Some individuals will go to war when their family members are taken into captivity.

Training is necessary to support the success of a war effort.

Cognition of the giver of things offered to you is essential.

Attacking the enemy at night from various directions can lead to victory.

With the favor of God, you can win major battles.

When you have faith in God to bless and provide for you, your acceptance of goods from another source becomes unthinkable.