ABRAHAM – WORSHIPING WARRIOR

In our last lesson, Abram had given Lot the choice concerning where he would live, and we saw that Lot chose for himself what appeared to be the best of the land—the well-watered Jordan plain. We also saw that there was a problem with his choice—the inhabitants of this area were very wicked. How does a person who walks with God respond when someone suffers from a poor choice? Does he say, “I told you so,” or is there a better alternative?

A WAR FOR POWER

Genesis 14:1-4 says,

“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, that they 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). All these joined together in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.”

In these four verses we are confronted with a lot of generally unfamiliar ancient names. Out of the first group of four kings, there are two names that can be traced back—Shinar is ancient Babylon (present day Iraq) and Elam is Persia (present day Iran). It would seem reasonable that the other two kings associated in this group would also be from the Mesopotamian area. The second group is comprised of city kings, and these cities were all located in the Jordan River valley/Dead Sea area. Recall that Lot had decided to settle near Sodom when he and Abram separated. Apparently Chedarlaomer is the leader of the first group and this group wages war and defeats the city kings and forces them to pay tribute to Chedarlaomer for twelve years.

Persia and Babylon are not located particularly close to the Jordan River. It has been estimated that to travel on foot or by camel or horse would take about four months from one place to another. Why would anyone living so far away want to conquer and rule over these cities? I think the answer is that they had a lust for power. History seems filled with men who wanted to dominate and control others—Nebuchadnezzar, Alexander the Great, Caesar, Napoleon, Hitler, etc. There seems to be a great fleshly satisfaction, rooted in pride, that comes from dominating others, but it is the exact opposite of the nature of God. Although He created man, He gave him the power to choose his own path. Jesus described Himself in Matthew 11:29 as “meek and lowly” and we find in I Corinthians 13 that “love does not seek its own way.” There is no place in the life of a believer for trying to dominate and control others for whom he has no responsibility from God. Naturally, a parent is required to exercise control over children and rulers, judges, and law enforcers must exercise control for the good of all, but this is not the same as a person who seeks to take control not rightfully his.

When the Scripture says that they served Chedarlaomer for twelve years, this means that they were forced to pay tribute, money and goods, to him. Tribute paid willingly, such as an offering to God, is a sign of true love and devotion. Tribute paid unwillingly is a humiliation. Not only does it place a burden on the resources of the payer, it is an admission of weakness.

OBSERVATION: I don’t think that one can truly humiliate a humble person. Only pride can suffer humiliation.

It says that the city kings served Chedarloamer for twelve years, and there is an interesting little idea with this. I had a chance to read a relatively new book on biblical numerology (Biblical Numerology, by John J. Davis) and apparently it is thought that in the Bible the number twelve symbolizes governmental perfection or rule. Perhaps after twelve years, it seemed time for the rule of Chedarlaomer to end. At any rate, the Scripture says that in the thirteenth year, the city kings rebelled, meaning that they would send no more tribute.

CHEDARLAOMER PICKS UP THE GAUNTLET

Verses 5-7 of Genesis 14 say,

“In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him came and attacked the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim, and the Horites in the mountain of Seir, as far as El Paran, which is by the wilderness. Then they turned back and came to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and attacked all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who dwelt in Hazezon Tamar.”

Here we have a lot more ancient names, but after checking them out, it looks like the Mesopotamian kings attacked the people living on the east side of the Jordan River and then came south of the Dead Sea and around up into the area of Canaan, west of the Jordan River, attacking all the people groups who lived in these areas. They apparently saved the city kings for last.

I hope, at this point, that you will indulge me in a little allegorization. We have Abram and Lot, two believers, living in the Promised Land, surrounded by Canaanites. Abram is growing strong in his faith, but Lot is compromised and living too close to wickedness. As believers, we are also living in the Promised Land. The Lord has promised to return and rule over this earth absolutely, and it is our job to occupy the land until He comes. Some believers, like Abram, avoid wickedness and worldliness, but others, like Lot, are living carnal lives. The Canaanites represent unbelievers and they are forced to pay tribute to their enemies—the world, the flesh, and the devil. Abram, though he lived in their land, paid them no tribute. In our world, unbelievers pay tribute to the world, the flesh, and ultimately the devil by following the world’s system of competition, fleshly gratification, and generally organizing their lives without genuine respect for God. But as believers in Christ, we are set free (John 8:36) and no longer pay tribute to our enemies. We are to live in the world, without becoming worldly (I John 2:15-17).

Returning to verses 5-7, we see that it was not until the fourteenth year that this attack force came into Canaan. Apparently, it took time to gather these forces and the necessary supplies, and we have already observed that it took a long time to travel the required distance. On the face of it, this must have been a formidable fighting force, because none of the people groups could repel them, not even the Horites who lived in the mountains. This group coming from the Mesopotamian area represents, I believe, the pride of man. The Tower of Babel, a monument to human pride, was built there and later the city of Babylon, also a monument to pride and worldliness, was founded in Mesopotamia.

OBSERVATION: It is absolutely impossible to defeat pride apart from the grace of God, and it is also impossible for the proud in heart to truly worship God.

IN THE PITS

Verses 8-10 say,

“And the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and joined together in battle in the Valley of Siddim against Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. Now the Valley of Siddim was full of asphalt pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled; some fell there, and the remainder fled to the mountains.”

As mentioned before, we cannot defeat pride in our own strength, nor can we free ourselves from lust and the world’s ways. When the Scripture says “full of asphalt pits”, the Hebrew says, “pits, pits”. Repeating the word signifies that there were asphalt (bitumen) pits everywhere. The city kings’ forces fell into these pits as they tried to escape the stronger forces of the Mesopotamian kings, and those who escaped the pits and the enemy kings ran to the mountains to hide.

Returning to our allegory, we see that the asphalt was a useful thing. It could be used for waterproofing and building. I think these pits correspond to money and possessions. They can be very useful in life, but we have to remember that they come in a pit. If we fall into that pit, then our possessions will possess us. The mountains symbolize hiding in solitude from the world. So often when people get hurt, they seek refuge in solitude and withdrawal from the world. But it is the purpose of God that we trust in Him during each trial and thereby gain spiritual strength. Every “battle” in life is meant to be an opportunity for us to “score” from a spiritual standpoint.

CHOICES BRING CONSEQUENCES

Verses 11-12 say,

“Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. They also took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.”

Notice in this verse that in the time between this event and the separation of Lot and Abram, Lot has made an even worse choice. When he first left Abram, he pitched his tent near Sodom. Now, he is actually living within the city. Initially, he made a poor choice, and it has led him to embrace wickedness.

QUESTION: How easy would it be to go from living with Abram to living in Sodom?

Now, Lot is caught. He chose to live in the carnality of the world, and he has lost everything except his life and even that is subject to the whims of an oppressor. Pride will leave you with nothing. It will drive away those who could have been friends and allies and leave you burdened with stuff that brings at most a temporary satisfaction.

A WARRIOR ARISES

Continuing in the Scriptures, we read,

“Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; and they were allies with Abram. Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. So he brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people.”

First we see that Abram is a well-known figure in the land. Somebody who escaped this battle and who knew Lot and his relationship to Abram, ran to tell Abram all about it. A little side note: this is the first use of the word “Hebrew” in the Scriptures and it literally means, “cross over.” I think that, not only had Abram crossed over from Ur to Canaan, but he had crossed over from pagan to faithful follower of God. We also see that Abram has made some allies in the land among the Canaanites. I think the implication here is that even though Abram is worshiping a God that the Canaanites know nothing about, his worship sets his life apart as righteous. These three brothers, Mamre, Eshcol, and Aner, are not ashamed of Abram because he worships a different God. They have chosen to ally themselves with a person whose worship is not self-centered or hypocritical. Thirdly, we see that Abram has 318 trained servants who have been born in his house. Because they were “born in his house”, they are absolutely loyal to Abram. Because they are “trained”, they are intelligent and equipped to fight. I think also they have been spiritually “trained” to follow the God of Abram.

How easy would it have been for Abram to reason, “Well, Lot asked for it!” Notice that these verses do not refer to Lot as Abram’s nephew, but as his brother. There is no attitude of “I told you so”, but a real willingness to rescue a beloved brother. As far as Abram was concerned, Lot belonged in the Promised Land, and he wasn’t about to sit by and let him be dragged back to Ur.

QUESTION: How far will we go to bring back a fellow believer who has wandered too near the wickedness of the world? Jesus said that when we see sin in a believer’s life, we are to confront him in love. (Matthew 18:15-17)

QUESTION: Do we have any allies? Are any “Canaanites” in our circles of influence being drawn to worship our God?

We see from these verses that this was quite a long pursuit. Abram’s forces chased the kings north of Damascus. They kept pursuing until they caught up with the kings. During that time, it would have been easy to grow discouraged with the chase or frightened at the prospect of engaging four armies in battle after they had defeated every other people group in the area, as well as the five kings of the Jordan cities. But we see that their pursuit paid off, because victory was theirs. Not only did they defeat their enemies, but they returned with all that had been lost.

Returning to our allegory, we see that believers must have a genuine care for others and a willingness to pursue those caught by the world. There is no place for just “letting them go.” Also, the one who walks in faith and worships God will find success against the world, the flesh and the devil.

LIGHT AND DARK

This story ends in verse 17—

“And the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley), after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him.”

I have a feeling this must have been an interesting meeting. Abram, who is not a king, but a foreigner, has been able to do what the king of Sodom and all his allies could not do. While the king was hiding in the mountains and bemoaning his losses and salving his wounded pride, Abram has been fighting his enemies. Abram returns a victorious warrior with all the people and the loot.

OBSERVATION: God wants His people to be the faithful, worshiping people who are ready when the time comes to get up off the sidelines and engage the enemy. We can’t use knives, clubs, and swords, but we can use prayer and loving confrontation to bring back those who err and we can resist the encroachment of the world, the flesh, and the devil in our own lives. But we can only do these things as we remember each day to lay ourselves on an altar to God, giving our entire lives to Him in genuine worship. An altar is a place where we die that He may live in us, not a place where we manipulate Him in order to get what we want.

I realize that this isn’t really the end of the story regarding Abram and the king of Sodom, but the person of Melchizedek is so interesting that I want to save it for the next lesson. I hope you will join us to learn about this mysterious figure.