Genesis 14 begins with the first recorded war in the Bible.
It happens in that same Middle East, twenty centuries before Christ, and it still
remains a volatile region twenty centuries after Christ.
Since the beginning of
human history it appears that no place on the earth has been subjected to as
many wars as this piece of land upon the face of the earth.
Mankind in general will easily resort to conflict, and war is always the
ultimate conflict.
Human nature simply has
not changed since the fall. Job comments: “For affliction does not come from the dust,
nor does trouble spout from the ground, but man is born to trouble as the
sparks fly upward.” [Job 5:7].
Trouble and conflict in this fallen
world is inevitable.
Last time we noted that there was a conflict between Abram’s
herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen, but they resolved their conflict by
separating from one another. That is one way of doing it, and the history
of the world has many such examples. Europe’s many wars have led to many of its
peoples separating and migrating to other parts of the world. And so Lot and Abram separate over conflict.
Lot, who was given the first choice of the land by Abram, chose the well
-watered Jordan valley [13:10]. Little
did he know that this region would not only soon become a battleground, but also the breeding ground for
widespread sexual immorality of all kinds. This would result in a terrible
judgement of God, particularly upon Sodom and Gomorrah, major cities of that valley.
Abram, by contrast appears to have lived in peace.
We begin with the first recorded war…
Chedarlaomer, the ancient equivalent of Saddam Hussein of Iraq, along with
the help of four neighbouring kings invades the area in which Lot now lives.
The names of the four kings are :
- Amraphel king of Shinar (Babylonia - see 10:10, 11:2 part of modern Iraq)
- Arioch king of Ellasa, (modern Turkey or northern Syria
- Chedarlaomer, king of Elam (part of modern Iran). He leads the alliance.
- Tidal, king of Goiim- the Hittites (modern Turkey )
These four invading
kings fought against the five kings of
the Jordan valley :
- Bera king of Sodom (whose name means in evil or characterised by evil)
- Birsha king of Gomorrah (whose name means in wickedness or characterised by wickedness)
- Shinar king of Admar (whose name means Sin, the moon god is father)
- Shemeber king of Zeboiim (whose name means, “The name is powerful”)
- Bela (that is Zoar).
We are told that these five kings in the Jordan valley had
been subjected to the rule of Chedorlaomer of Elam[1]
for twelve years. In the thirteenth year
they rebelled against his rule and therefore Chedorlaomer came to punish them,
along with his alliance in the 14th
year [14:4].
The mother of all
battles[2]
was eventually fought in the valley of Siddim – the region of the Salt sea or Dead sea [14:8]. The kings of the Jordan valley, where Lot lived, lost the
battle and began to flee and we read that some of them even fell into the tar
or bitumen pits, a reminder of the fact that this is an oil rich area.
Chedorlaomer and his alliance looted the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and in that process they also took Lot and his
possessions. Again, remember
that Lot had chosen this place because it appeared attractive to his eyes, and yet now, in a short space of time, he lost
everything and it now seemed that he would become a slave of these invading nations. This is where
the story becomes interesting!
Abram, living with his allies at the oaks of Mamre the
Amorite, is blissfully unaware of all these happenings in his peaceful
surroundings, when he receives word of
these things. He could have shrugged
his shoulders and said, “Well, that was
Lot’s choice. I could have told him so…”, and he could have left Lot in his
misery. Instead, he mobilised his 318
trained men [14:14] and also some
his Amorite allies [14:24] and he
went to rescue his nephew against heavy odds. Abram sets off with his army and
he defeated them, recovering all the loot and people, and also Lot and his people and possessions [14:16].
We are beginning to get to know the pattern of Abram's thinking and actions. He is a man with clay
feet, subject to error and temptation and failure just like the rest of us, but
there is an observable and an uncommon
display of grace in his life and in this instance he was like the Lord Jesus toward Lot. Jesus had mercy on us while we were yet sinners.[Rom. 5:8] And like the Lord
Jesus he will defeat his enemies, delivering us from their power and freeing us by the power of his grace, restoring all that we had
lost.
ABRAM AND MELCHIZEDEK, KING OF SALEM [14:17-24]
But the story does not end here. In fact it comes to an
unexpected climax. The defeated king of Sodom whose name, Bera means 'characterized
by evil' comes to meet Abram in the valley of Shaveh (the King’s Valley), but before we can
figure out what will happen here, another mysterious king, Melchizedek
(lit. king of righteousness) the king of Salem (i.e. Jerusalem - Shalom – peace; Hebr. 7:2- see also Psalm 76:2) comes
on to the scene.
Canaan, at this time
was a confederation of kings/ rulers
of so called city states. The king of the city state of Sodom and the
king of the city state of Salem come to meet Abram after his victory. Word
certainly gets around concerning Abram’s victory! But there is a profound
contrast between the two kings.
The one is a representative of God and the
other is a self- centered politician.
Melchizedek, king of Salem, gets the first chance to have a word with
Abram. And it is deeply significant. He presents him bread and wine [14:18]. Even more significant are the words with which
he greets Abram: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth. And
blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand” [14:19,20].
Before the evil king of Sodom can have a word with
Abram, there is the Word of God from
the mouth of the king who at this time is
God’s representative, a priest of the Most High. This shows us that God
at this time already had His people everywhere. The significance of this meeting lies in the perspective given to Abram. Who is it that
gave Abram the victory? It was God most High (El Elyon), Possessor (Owner/Creator) of heaven and earth, “who has
delivered your enemies into your hand.” The temptation to have himself applauded by
earthly kings is thereby immediately
taken away. Instead, he hears : “Abram, to God be the glory, great things He
has done!”
But who is this Melchizedek, the king of Salem who is
also priest of God Most High? He is
mentioned in Psalm
110, and then in Hebrews 6:20 where he is connected to the Lord
Jesus… who is “ a priest forever, after the
order of Melchizedek”.
In Hebrews
Chapter 7 follows an exposition of this fact and that is all we find written
of him in the Bible.
Melchizedek is a
total mystery of a man. There is no record of his genealogy.“He
is without father or mother, or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life” [Hebr. 7:3]. We are not told how he became a priest of the one true God. It is simply
stated as a fact, and Abram recognizes him as such.
The Jewish priesthood does not trace their line from him, but
from Aaron and from the Levitical priesthood.
But he is, of course a priest of the Most High God long before the
Jewish nation existed. Please note that the Lord Jesus, our eternal High priest ALSO did not come from the priestly
tribe of Levi. He was from the line of Judah, and God Almighty overruled and appointed Him as our
special high priest.
Furthermore, also
note that Melchizedek had no successors to his priestly office. His priesthood
was unique. In the same way the ministry of Jesus had no, and needed no
successors. His work was unique and perfect. It was done. It was finished.
And then notice also how Abram approached Melchizedek. He
presented him with a tithe of everything he had captured from the enemy. By
this Abram was saying that everything he owed belonged to God Most High, the
Creator of heaven and earth, whom Melchizedek represented. This is all deeply
instructive and significant. Melchizedek is the king of righteousness and
he is the king of Salem (peace). He
foreshadows what will happen
later under king David of Jerusalem, a
thousand years later when the
temple in Jerusalem shall become
the place that God would call His dwelling place on earth.
Approximately another thousand years later it shall be the place where the Lord Jesus in His triumphal entry is
recognized as the Son of David. In Jerusalem He, as our High priest and the offering
lamb at the same time, offers Himself up
on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. He is the true Priest ,Prophet and King
of all true Jews and gentiles.
Melchizedek, long before
all this, was already the indication and promise of the reign and rule of the coming Messiah.
BACK TO THE
KING OF SODOM.
The difference between the king of righteousness and the king
of evil could not be greater.
The King of Salem came with a special fellowship
meal, and he came with a blessing.
The king of Sodom came with nothing. He came,
not to primarily thank Abram but to tell Abram, "Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself” [14:21]. He made his demands as if he was the king in
charge. But in reality he was the defeated king, and Abram had the moral right
to decide what was going to happen to the spoils of war. To the victor belong
the spoils. Abram owes him nothing at all.
Note Abram’s reply, “I have lifted my hand to the LORD, God Most
High, Possessor of heaven and earth,
that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours ,lest you should say ‘I have made Abram rich’. 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 .” [14:22-24].
Abram will not be indebted to an evil king.
His reward is with
God.
REFLECTIONS
The history of our
world is the history of war and grace, of curses and blessings,of naked self - centered materialism, the trust in things and political systems, and of faith
in God, of allegiance to God Most High, Possessor of Heaven and Earth.
Where do you belong?
Where are you rooted?
With whom are you spiritually and actually
associated?
Who is speaking into your life, Bera or Melchizedek?
Who will make
you rich? The world or the Lord Jesus?
The world is divided
into two
kinds of people, and these lines are not drawn along the racial,
ethnic, linguistic divide. Biblically
speaking they are drawn along the lines of those that trust God and love God,
and those that trust in themselves and their political systems and
material goods.
They are either
people of war or of grace. That division has existed since the beginning
of time, since the days of wicked Cain
and righteous Abel.
Today if you hear his voice , says the writer to the Hebrews, in his gospel appeal, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion
[Hebr. 3:7-8,15; 4:7]. Now is
the day of our salvation.
Examine
yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. 2 Corinthians 13:5
Amen
[1] Not far from Ur where Abram had come from
[2] A term used by
the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. On
January 6, 1991, in a speech marking the 70th anniversary of the modern Iraqi
Army, he boasted that Kuwait was eternally part of Iraq and predicted a long
struggle in the Persian Gulf against the “tyranny represented by the United
States.” Saddam told the people of Iraq:
“The battle in which you are locked today is the mother of all battles…Our
rendezvous with victory is very near, God willing.” http://www.thisdayinquotes.com/2010/01/saddam-hussein-and-mother-of-all.html
No comments:
Post a Comment