GENESIS 14
TONIGHT’S BIBLE STUDY CONTINUES WITH ABRAM, MOST POPULARLY KNOWN TO US TODAY AS ABRAHAM. WE SEE ABRAM IS STILL LEARNING, STILL GROWING, AND STILL SEEKING TO DO WHAT ALMIGHTY GOD COMMANDS.
AGAIN…WHILE STUDYING GENESIS 14 WE ALSO SEE JUST ANOTHER REASON WHY ALMIGHTY GOD TOLD ABRAM TO LEAVE HIS FAMILY BEHIND…
ABRAM OBEYED IN THAT HE WENT…BUT HE TOOK FAMILY WITH HIM. AND EACH OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS ABRAM BROUGHT WITH HIM BROUGHT HIM NOTHING BUT TROUBLE.
IF WE ARE HONEST, WE CAN ALL RELATE TO ABRAM. WE HAVE PARTIALLY AND BELATEDLY OBEYED JESUS AND OUR CHOICES, THOUGH THEY MAY HAVE BEEN GOOD INTENTIONED, BUT NEVERTHELESS WERE AGAINST JESUS’ COMMANDS AND TEACHING TO US….BRING US TRIALS, AGGREVATIONS, HURTS, SORROWS, AND SADNESS.
HERE AGAIN….ABRAM’S GOOD INTENTIONS OF “SAVING LOT” FROM THE IDOL WORSHIPPERS IN HIS FAMILY, BY BRINGING THEM WITH HIM TO GOD’S PROMISED LAND…INSTEAD OF LEAVING HIM BEHIND…BRING HIM ANOTHER DANGER, ANOTHER TEST, ANOTHER TRIAL, AND ANOTHER HEARTACHE.
EVER HAD DAYS, SEASONS, & PROBLEMS LIKE THIS?
YOUR GOOD INTENTIONS TO “SAVE, HELP, LIFT UP SOMEONE”, KEEPS COMING BACK TO BITE YOU IN THE REAR END. THOSE YOU HAVE RESCUED, DO NOT LEARN, THEY DO NOT CHANGE, THEY DO NOT DO WHAT THEY KNOW THEY SHOULD DO…AND ULTIMATELY YOU END UP BEING PULLED BACK INTO A BAD SITUATION…TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
LOT HAS DONE IT AGAIN…SO ABRAM IS PULLED BACK IN…AND SEEKS TO ONCE AGAIN RESCUE LOT.
Genesis 14 - Abram Rescues Lot and Meets Melchizedek
FIRST Abram rescues Lot from the confederacy of kings.
Verses 1-10 tells us The FOUR kings of the cities in the region of Sodom and Gomorrah rebel against the confederation of FIVE kings of nations ruling over them.
“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 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 their 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. 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.”
Interestingly enough an archaeologist, named Nelson Glueck, documents the destruction left by these kings: “I found that every village in their path had been plundered and left in ruins, and the countryside was laid waste. The population had been wiped out or led away into captivity. For hundreds of years thereafter, the entire area was like an abandoned cemetery, hideously unkempt, with all its monuments shattered and strewn in pieces on the ground.”
Verses 11-12 tells us in the course of their attack, the FIVE kings TAKE Lot and ALL his possessions.
“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.”
When they TOOK Lot…the confederacy of five kings has NOW INVOLVED AND PULLED IN Abram. Because Abram is a man of honor, he will fight for his nephew.
Since Lot was living among the wicked people of Sodom, we are not surprised he is taken captive also. As Charles Spurgeon so aptly states…“Those believers who conform to the world must expect to suffer for it.”
Verses 13-14 tells us Abram hears of Lot’s captivity and marshals an army.
“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.”
Abram the Hebrew…this is the FIRST TIME USE OF THE WORD Hebrew in the Bible.
We see the GREAT wealth of Abram; any man who can assemble 318 servants capable of fighting must be very rich.
Abram was a man who walked in faith, yet he was also a prudent man. Abram kept his own personal army, and he apparently kept them trained and ready to defend his interests.
Went in pursuit as far as Dan: Abram’s army pursues the confederacy of five kings for a long distance to the north. The city of Dan is all the way up at the northern border of Israel.
Verses 15-17 tells us Abram leads his army to victory over the five kings.
“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 all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people. 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.”
He divided his forces against them by night: Abram had military wisdom. Using the clever tactic of a night attack with his army split into two groups, he succeeds in rescuing Lot and recovering all the booty seized by the confederacy of the five kings.
HERE WE GO AGAIN….Unfortunately, grateful as he must have been, Lot did NOT LEARN A THING. Lot will move right back to where he was in Sodom. He refuses this warning from God, and he will eventually lose everything when Sodom and Gomorrah are judged.
Verses 18-20 tells us Abram meets Melchizedek.
“Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all.”
INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH….THE BIBLE DOES NOT TELL US where Melchizedek came from, NOR HOW how he came to be in Canaan, NOR HOW he came to be a worshipper and priest of the true God, and how Abram came to know about him. We only know he was there.
ADDITIONALLY The name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness.” He is the king of Salem, and Salem is the original Jerusalem, and Melchizedek is the priest of God Most High. He is a worshipper and priest of the true God, ruling over Jerusalem even in those ancient times.
ANOTHER AMAZING THING IS Melchizedek is BOTH a king and a priest. History shows how dangerous it is to combine religious and civic authority. God forbade the kings of Israel to be priests and the priests to be kings (In 2 Chronicles 26:16-26, King Uzziah tried to do the work of priest, and God struck him with leprosy), but here is an exception.
AND DID YOU CATCH THIS….Melchizedek is THE PRIEST OF THE GOD MOST HIGH. El Elyon means “Highest God,” like saying “Supreme Being.” We should never settle for a “higher power”; we should serve the Highest Power.
THAT IS THE FIRST CLUE…THE PRIEST OF THE GOD MOST HIGH can ONLY BE JESUS CHRIST.
Brought out bread and wine: Melchizedek served Abram bread and wine. DO YOU NOTICE HOW HE SERVED THEM? HERE IS A PRE-PASSOVER, PRE-JESUS SNEAK PEEK into what OUR redeeming sacrifice, as the bread and wine of Passover and the Lord’s table look at our redeeming sacrifice, Jesus Christ.
HERE IS THE THIRD CLUE….Melchizedek, as priest, did two things. He blessed Abram and he blessed God. Melchizedek shows a priest must connect with both God and man and has a ministry to both God and man.
DO YOU SENSE LIKE I DID…THE WINK FROM HEAVEN…THE ALMIGHTY GOD SAYING SEEK AND YOU SHALL FIND…THE GRIN OVER INTRODUCING A MYSTERY HIGH PRIEST AND KING OF THE MOST HIGH GOD….OUT OF NOWHEREEEEEEEEE.
Though Melchizedek MAY seem like an obscure figure, he figures to be a very important Old Testament person. Psalm 110:4 says the priesthood of the Messiah is a priesthood according to the order of Melchizedek, as opposed to being of the order of Aaron. Hebrews chapters 5 through 7 makes a great deal of this idea.
AND BETTER YET…HERE IS ANOTHER CLUE…Hebrews 7:3 describes Melchizedek as without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually. THIS PASSAGE ADDED TO GENESIS 14 TELLS US THAT Melchizedek is MOST PROBABLY ANOTHER pre-Bethlehem CAMEO appearance of Jesus Christ in The Old Testament.
HOW COOL IS THAT?
And here IS THE FIRST MENTION OF TITHE in The Bible. Abram gave unto the Lord, through Melchizedek, a tithe of all. This refers to one tenth of his assets, not his income.
It is almost as if Abram and Melchizedek worked to see who could bless the other more. Melchizedek blessed Abram out of his resources, and Abram blessed Melchizedek out of his resources. This is a great attitude for us to have in the body of Christ too.
Verses 21-24 tells us Abram refuses the booty from the battle.
“Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.” But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’; except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.”
As seemed proper, the king of Sodom wanted to reward Abram for all he did in recovering what was taken by the confederation of five kings, and he offered Abram a tremendous amount of booty.
Yet, Abram will not take it - because of a vow he has made to God Most High - a phrase he uses after hearing Melchizedek use this particular title for God (Genesis 14:19).
WHY DID ABRAM REFUSE THE WEALTH?
WHY DID ABRAM SAY THIS TO THE KING OF SODOM?
Abram refused the spoil because he would let NO MAN say a man had made Abram rich. Abram DEMANDED all the credit go to God and God alone.
ABRAM KNEW WHAT WE SHOULD ALL KNOW…we CAN pursue human measures of success in the flesh through worldly, fleshly methods, but when we DO SO, WE TEND TO FORGET THAT JESUS CHRIST GIVES ALL…AND IT IS BECAUSE OF HIM THAT WE GAIN WHAT WE SEEK IN THIS LIFE AND IN THIS WORLD.
ABRAM WAS LEARNING…WHAT WE KNOW…YOU CAN NOT OUTGIVE JESUS CHRIST. SO IT IS FAR BETTER FOR US to allow JESUS TO RAISE US UP, BLESS US, AND PROVIDE HIS BEST FOR US.
Why?
BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST’S BEST IS BLEMISH FREE, DARKNESS FREE, AND IT LASTS…IT IS NOT TEMPORARY. AND WHEN WE DO SO, AND WHEN WE RIGHTLY GIVE JESUS CHRIST ALL THE GLORY AND THE HONOR FOR ALL NEEDS MET, ALL PRAYERS ANSWERED, AND ALL GLORY GIVEN TO US….WE REMIND OURSELVES AND THE LOST WORLD THAT WE KNOW WHO IT IS THAT IS REALLY BLESSING US….IT IS NOT US…IT IS ALL JESUS.
AND THE LOST WORLD…WHO DESPERATELY IS ALWAYS SEEKING PEACE, PROVISION, DIRECTION, PROTECTION, AND HONOR WILL BE TOLD AND COME TO HEAR AND YES, AT TIMES KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THAT ALL WE HAVE….COMES STRAIGHT FROM OUR MIGHTY JESUS CHRIST LOVE, GRACE, AND MERCY, Amen?
But one last thing ABRAM SHOWS US HERE…IN VERSE 13.
ABRAM SAYS, “Let them take their portion.”
EVEN THOUGH ABRAM IS THE HEAD, THE LEADER OF THE VICTORIOUS ARMY, AND OVER HIS ALLIES who fought with him, Abram does NOT impose his scruples, his beliefs, on his Amorite allies.
Why?
ABRAM KNOWS THAT THEY MUST CHOOSE JESUS CHRIST AND HIS TEACHING AND HIS COMMANDS OF THEIR OWN FREEWILL. SO THEY EACH MUST CHOOSE WHETHER THEY WILL ACCEPT THEIR entitled PORTION OF THE SPOILS AND RICHES.
RIGHT HERE IN GENESIS 14, ALMIGHTY GOD THROUGH ABRAM IS LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR JESUS CHRIST TEACHINGS.
CHOICE…THEN AND NOW….JESUS CHRIST AND ALMIGHTY GOD ARE ALL ABOUT CHOICE. THEY DO NOT WANT TO ACT AS PUPPETMASTERS WHO CONTROL MANKIND, WITHOUT MANKIND HAVING A CHOICE. IF THEY HAD DONE SO, WE, MANKIND WOULD BE NOTHING MORE THAN FLESH AND BLOOD COMPUTER PROGRAMMED ROBOTS…ALL THINGS IN US WOULD HAVE HAD TO BE PRE-PROGRAMMED IN US. THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO CHOICE.
BUT ALMIGHTY GOD WANTED ABRAM TO CHOOSE HIM.
CHOOSE TO LOVE HIM.
CHOOSE TO OBEY AND FOLLOW HIM.
ABRAM IS BEGINNING TO DO SO.
ABRAM IS LEARNING THE HARD WAY, ALMIGHTY GOD DOES NOT SAY NO, OR ASK US TO DO ANYTHING PAINFUL OR NOT, UNDERSTOOD OR NOT, WITHOUT OUR BEST INTERESTS, OUR PROTECTIONS, OUR FAVORS, AND WITH THE INTENT OF SPARING US UNNECESSARY HURT AND PAIN AND SORROW IN THE FUTURE BEHIND IT.
ABRAM OBEYED PARTIALLY…AND WAS BLESSED FOR HIS PARTIAL OBEDIENCE, BUT WAS HURT BECAUSE HE ALLOWED HIS FATHER AND LOT TO LEAVE THE CHALDEANS WITH HIM.
TIME AND TIME AGAIN….ALMIGHTY GOD HAS PATIENTLY SHOWN ABRAM WHAT PARTIAL OBEDIENCE COSTS HIM.
ABRAM IS LEARNING…
ABRAM IS CHANGING…
ABRAM IS BECOMING THE MAN ALMIGHTY GOD KNOWS HE CAN AND WILL BE.
BUT…LOT HAS LEARNED NOTHING.
LOT IS SO FOCUSED ON WHAT HE WANTS, AND BELIEVING THAT HIS BLOOD RELATION WITH ABRAM AND ABRAM’S WALK WITH ALMIGHTY GOD, AND FAVOR WITH ALMIGHTY GOD WILL TRANSFER TO HIM TOO.
IN OTHER WORDS, HE CAN LOVE THE WORLD, LIVE IN THE WORLD, ENJOY ALL THE WORLD’S INTERESTS, PLEASURES, POSSESSIONS, AND DRINK DEEPLY OF THE LIFESTYLE WITH IMPUGNITY….BECAUSE ABRAM IS RIGHT WITH ALMIGHTY GOD.
LOT WRONGLY BELIEVES HE HAS BLANKET PROTECTION BECAUSE OF ABRAM. LOT BELIEVES HE CAN SAY ONCE IN A WHILE, I SERVE THE GOD OF ABRAM, I BELIEVE IN ABRAM’S GOD, I CAN TELL PEOPLE ONCE IN A WHILE, WHEN I FEEL RELIGIOUS OR HOLY OR WHATEVER…AND BE RENEWED….FOREVER PROTECTED…AND CAN DO AS I WISH. ABRAM’S GOD IS MY GOD.
YET, LOT GETS TAKEN CAPTIVE, ALL HIS WORLDLY POSSESSIONS, AND THEY ARE HUGE AND GREAT ARE STOLEN FROM HIM…YET WHEN HE IS RESCUED BY ABRAM, FREED, AND HIS POSSESSIONS RESTORED TO HIM, HE SEES IT AS ANOTHER PROOF…THAT HE IS PROTECTED, REGARDLESS, WHERE AND HOW HE LIVES.
LOT LEARNS NOTHING…..
LOT IS INTENTIONALLY AND WILLFULLY BLIND.
AND WE KNOW SATAN AND HIS DEMONS WERE RIGHT THERE TO TELL LOT HE WAS SAFE TO RETURN TO THE FILTH, AND DEPRAVITY OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH. THAT BECAUSE OF ABRAM’S GOD….HE WAS IN FACT UNTOUCHABLE.
WHEN WHAT LOT TRULY HAD, WAS THE AMAZING PATIENCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD ON HIS SIDE. ALMIGHTY GOD KEPT SHOWING LOT HE NEEDED TO MAKE A HEART AND LIFE CHANGE….HE NEEDED TO DEPEND ON ALMIGHTY GOD AND GIVE ALMIGHTY GOD THE CREDIT FOR SAVING AND SPARING HIS LIFE…
BUT ONCE AGAIN….LOT CHOOSES TO SEE HIMSELF AS INVULERNABLE…UNTOUCHABLE…AND HE CAN LIVE AS HE CHOOSES…AND ABRAM AND HIS GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF HIM.
WE SHOULD STRIVE TO BE LIKE ABRAM…SEEKING, TEACHABLE, CHANGEABLE, AND HUMBLE AND AVOID THE LOT LIVING WITHIN EACH OF US. THE LOT OF ME ME ME, I WANT I WANT I WANT….AND THE FLESHLY PART OF OUR NATURES THAT SAYS…WE ARE INVULNERABLE.
STRIVE TO BE AN ABRAM…
BE BLESSED BY READING HIS WORD...
STAY BLESSED IN OUR JESUS CHRIST.
GENESIS 14TONIGHT’S BIBLE STUDY CONTINUES WITH ABRAM, MOST POPULARLY KNOWN TO US TODAY AS ABRAHAM. WE SEE ABRAM IS STILL LEARNING, STILL GROWING, AND STILL SEEKING TO DO WHAT ALMIGHTY GOD COMMANDS.AGAIN…WHILE STUDYING GENESIS 14 WE ALSO SEE JUST ANOTHER REASON WHY ALMIGHTY GOD TOLD ABRAM TO LEAVE HIS FAMILY BEHIND…ABRAM OBEYED IN THAT HE WENT…BUT HE TOOK FAMILY WITH HIM. AND EACH OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS ABRAM BROUGHT WITH HIM BROUGHT HIM NOTHING BUT TROUBLE.IF WE ARE HONEST, WE CAN ALL RELATE TO ABRAM. WE HAVE PARTIALLY AND BELATEDLY OBEYED JESUS AND OUR CHOICES, THOUGH THEY MAY HAVE BEEN GOOD INTENTIONED, BUT NEVERTHELESS WERE AGAINST JESUS’ COMMANDS AND TEACHING TO US….BRING US TRIALS, AGGREVATIONS, HURTS, SORROWS, AND SADNESS.HERE AGAIN….ABRAM’S GOOD INTENTIONS OF “SAVING LOT” FROM THE IDOL WORSHIPPERS IN HIS FAMILY, BY BRINGING THEM WITH HIM TO GOD’S PROMISED LAND…INSTEAD OF LEAVING HIM BEHIND…BRING HIM ANOTHER DANGER, ANOTHER TEST, ANOTHER TRIAL, AND ANOTHER HEARTACHE.EVER HAD DAYS, SEASONS, & PROBLEMS LIKE THIS?YOUR GOOD INTENTIONS TO “SAVE, HELP, LIFT UP SOMEONE”, KEEPS COMING BACK TO BITE YOU IN THE REAR END. THOSE YOU HAVE RESCUED, DO NOT LEARN, THEY DO NOT CHANGE, THEY DO NOT DO WHAT THEY KNOW THEY SHOULD DO…AND ULTIMATELY YOU END UP BEING PULLED BACK INTO A BAD SITUATION…TIME AND TIME AGAIN.LOT HAS DONE IT AGAIN…SO ABRAM IS PULLED BACK IN…AND SEEKS TO ONCE AGAIN RESCUE LOT.Genesis 14 - Abram Rescues Lot and Meets MelchizedekFIRST Abram rescues Lot from the confederacy of kings.Verses 1-10 tells us The FOUR kings of the cities in the region of Sodom and Gomorrah rebel against the confederation of FIVE kings of nations ruling over them.“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 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 their 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. 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.”Interestingly enough an archaeologist, named Nelson Glueck, documents the destruction left by these kings: “I found that every village in their path had been plundered and left in ruins, and the countryside was laid waste. The population had been wiped out or led away into captivity. For hundreds of years thereafter, the entire area was like an abandoned cemetery, hideously unkempt, with all its monuments shattered and strewn in pieces on the ground.”Verses 11-12 tells us in the course of their attack, the FIVE kings TAKE Lot and ALL his possessions.“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.”When they TOOK Lot…the confederacy of five kings has NOW INVOLVED AND PULLED IN Abram. Because Abram is a man of honor, he will fight for his nephew.Since Lot was living among the wicked people of Sodom, we are not surprised he is taken captive also. As Charles Spurgeon so aptly states…“Those believers who conform to the world must expect to suffer for it.”Verses 13-14 tells us Abram hears of Lot’s captivity and marshals an army.“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.”Abram the Hebrew…this is the FIRST TIME USE OF THE WORD Hebrew in the Bible.We see the GREAT wealth of Abram; any man who can assemble 318 servants capable of fighting must be very rich.Abram was a man who walked in faith, yet he was also a prudent man. Abram kept his own personal army, and he apparently kept them trained and ready to defend his interests.Went in pursuit as far as Dan: Abram’s army pursues the confederacy of five kings for a long distance to the north. The city of Dan is all the way up at the northern border of Israel.Verses 15-17 tells us Abram leads his army to victory over the five kings.“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 all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people. 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.”He divided his forces against them by night: Abram had military wisdom. Using the clever tactic of a night attack with his army split into two groups, he succeeds in rescuing Lot and recovering all the booty seized by the confederacy of the five kings.HERE WE GO AGAIN….Unfortunately, grateful as he must have been, Lot did NOT LEARN A THING. Lot will move right back to where he was in Sodom. He refuses this warning from God, and he will eventually lose everything when Sodom and Gomorrah are judged.Verses 18-20 tells us Abram meets Melchizedek.“Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all.”INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH….THE BIBLE DOES NOT TELL US where Melchizedek came from, NOR HOW how he came to be in Canaan, NOR HOW he came to be a worshipper and priest of the true God, and how Abram came to know about him. We only know he was there.ADDITIONALLY The name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness.” He is the king of Salem, and Salem is the original Jerusalem, and Melchizedek is the priest of God Most High. He is a worshipper and priest of the true God, ruling over Jerusalem even in those ancient times.ANOTHER AMAZING THING IS Melchizedek is BOTH a king and a priest. History shows how dangerous it is to combine religious and civic authority. God forbade the kings of Israel to be priests and the priests to be kings (In 2 Chronicles 26:16-26, King Uzziah tried to do the work of priest, and God struck him with leprosy), but here is an exception.AND DID YOU CATCH THIS….Melchizedek is THE PRIEST OF THE GOD MOST HIGH. El Elyon means “Highest God,” like saying “Supreme Being.” We should never settle for a “higher power”; we should serve the Highest Power.THAT IS THE FIRST CLUE…THE PRIEST OF THE GOD MOST HIGH can ONLY BE JESUS CHRIST.Brought out bread and wine: Melchizedek served Abram bread and wine. DO YOU NOTICE HOW HE SERVED THEM? HERE IS A PRE-PASSOVER, PRE-JESUS SNEAK PEEK into what OUR redeeming sacrifice, as the bread and wine of Passover and the Lord’s table look at our redeeming sacrifice, Jesus Christ.HERE IS THE THIRD CLUE….Melchizedek, as priest, did two things. He blessed Abram and he blessed God. Melchizedek shows a priest must connect with both God and man and has a ministry to both God and man.DO YOU SENSE LIKE I DID…THE WINK FROM HEAVEN…THE ALMIGHTY GOD SAYING SEEK AND YOU SHALL FIND…THE GRIN OVER INTRODUCING A MYSTERY HIGH PRIEST AND KING OF THE MOST HIGH GOD….OUT OF NOWHEREEEEEEEEE.Though Melchizedek MAY seem like an obscure figure, he figures to be a very important Old Testament person. Psalm 110:4 says the priesthood of the Messiah is a priesthood according to the order of Melchizedek, as opposed to being of the order of Aaron. Hebrews chapters 5 through 7 makes a great deal of this idea.AND BETTER YET…HERE IS ANOTHER CLUE…Hebrews 7:3 describes Melchizedek as without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually. THIS PASSAGE ADDED TO GENESIS 14 TELLS US THAT Melchizedek is MOST PROBABLY ANOTHER pre-Bethlehem CAMEO appearance of Jesus Christ in The Old Testament.HOW COOL IS THAT?And here IS THE FIRST MENTION OF TITHE in The Bible. Abram gave unto the Lord, through Melchizedek, a tithe of all. This refers to one tenth of his assets, not his income.It is almost as if Abram and Melchizedek worked to see who could bless the other more. Melchizedek blessed Abram out of his resources, and Abram blessed Melchizedek out of his resources. This is a great attitude for us to have in the body of Christ too.Verses 21-24 tells us Abram refuses the booty from the battle.“Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.” But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’; except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.”As seemed proper, the king of Sodom wanted to reward Abram for all he did in recovering what was taken by the confederation of five kings, and he offered Abram a tremendous amount of booty.Yet, Abram will not take it - because of a vow he has made to God Most High - a phrase he uses after hearing Melchizedek use this particular title for God (Genesis 14:19).WHY DID ABRAM REFUSE THE WEALTH?WHY DID ABRAM SAY THIS TO THE KING OF SODOM?Abram refused the spoil because he would let NO MAN say a man had made Abram rich. Abram DEMANDED all the credit go to God and God alone.ABRAM KNEW WHAT WE SHOULD ALL KNOW…we CAN pursue human measures of success in the flesh through worldly, fleshly methods, but when we DO SO, WE TEND TO FORGET THAT JESUS CHRIST GIVES ALL…AND IT IS BECAUSE OF HIM THAT WE GAIN WHAT WE SEEK IN THIS LIFE AND IN THIS WORLD.ABRAM WAS LEARNING…WHAT WE KNOW…YOU CAN NOT OUTGIVE JESUS CHRIST. SO IT IS FAR BETTER FOR US to allow JESUS TO RAISE US UP, BLESS US, AND PROVIDE HIS BEST FOR US.Why?BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST’S BEST IS BLEMISH FREE, DARKNESS FREE, AND IT LASTS…IT IS NOT TEMPORARY. AND WHEN WE DO SO, AND WHEN WE RIGHTLY GIVE JESUS CHRIST ALL THE GLORY AND THE HONOR FOR ALL NEEDS MET, ALL PRAYERS ANSWERED, AND ALL GLORY GIVEN TO US….WE REMIND OURSELVES AND THE LOST WORLD THAT WE KNOW WHO IT IS THAT IS REALLY BLESSING US….IT IS NOT US…IT IS ALL JESUS.AND THE LOST WORLD…WHO DESPERATELY IS ALWAYS SEEKING PEACE, PROVISION, DIRECTION, PROTECTION, AND HONOR WILL BE TOLD AND COME TO HEAR AND YES, AT TIMES KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THAT ALL WE HAVE….COMES STRAIGHT FROM OUR MIGHTY JESUS CHRIST LOVE, GRACE, AND MERCY, Amen?But one last thing ABRAM SHOWS US HERE…IN VERSE 13.ABRAM SAYS, “Let them take their portion.”EVEN THOUGH ABRAM IS THE HEAD, THE LEADER OF THE VICTORIOUS ARMY, AND OVER HIS ALLIES who fought with him, Abram does NOT impose his scruples, his beliefs, on his Amorite allies.Why?ABRAM KNOWS THAT THEY MUST CHOOSE JESUS CHRIST AND HIS TEACHING AND HIS COMMANDS OF THEIR OWN FREEWILL. SO THEY EACH MUST CHOOSE WHETHER THEY WILL ACCEPT THEIR entitled PORTION OF THE SPOILS AND RICHES.RIGHT HERE IN GENESIS 14, ALMIGHTY GOD THROUGH ABRAM IS LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR JESUS CHRIST TEACHINGS.CHOICE…THEN AND NOW….JESUS CHRIST AND ALMIGHTY GOD ARE ALL ABOUT CHOICE. THEY DO NOT WANT TO ACT AS PUPPETMASTERS WHO CONTROL MANKIND, WITHOUT MANKIND HAVING A CHOICE. IF THEY HAD DONE SO, WE, MANKIND WOULD BE NOTHING MORE THAN FLESH AND BLOOD COMPUTER PROGRAMMED ROBOTS…ALL THINGS IN US WOULD HAVE HAD TO BE PRE-PROGRAMMED IN US. THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO CHOICE.BUT ALMIGHTY GOD WANTED ABRAM TO CHOOSE HIM.CHOOSE TO LOVE HIM.CHOOSE TO OBEY AND FOLLOW HIM.ABRAM IS BEGINNING TO DO SO.ABRAM IS LEARNING THE HARD WAY, ALMIGHTY GOD DOES NOT SAY NO, OR ASK US TO DO ANYTHING PAINFUL OR NOT, UNDERSTOOD OR NOT, WITHOUT OUR BEST INTERESTS, OUR PROTECTIONS, OUR FAVORS, AND WITH THE INTENT OF SPARING US UNNECESSARY HURT AND PAIN AND SORROW IN THE FUTURE BEHIND IT.ABRAM OBEYED PARTIALLY…AND WAS BLESSED FOR HIS PARTIAL OBEDIENCE, BUT WAS HURT BECAUSE HE ALLOWED HIS FATHER AND LOT TO LEAVE THE CHALDEANS WITH HIM.TIME AND TIME AGAIN….ALMIGHTY GOD HAS PATIENTLY SHOWN ABRAM WHAT PARTIAL OBEDIENCE COSTS HIM.ABRAM IS LEARNING…ABRAM IS CHANGING…ABRAM IS BECOMING THE MAN ALMIGHTY GOD KNOWS HE CAN AND WILL BE.BUT…LOT HAS LEARNED NOTHING.LOT IS SO FOCUSED ON WHAT HE WANTS, AND BELIEVING THAT HIS BLOOD RELATION WITH ABRAM AND ABRAM’S WALK WITH ALMIGHTY GOD, AND FAVOR WITH ALMIGHTY GOD WILL TRANSFER TO HIM TOO.IN OTHER WORDS, HE CAN LOVE THE WORLD, LIVE IN THE WORLD, ENJOY ALL THE WORLD’S INTERESTS, PLEASURES, POSSESSIONS, AND DRINK DEEPLY OF THE LIFESTYLE WITH IMPUGNITY….BECAUSE ABRAM IS RIGHT WITH ALMIGHTY GOD.LOT WRONGLY BELIEVES HE HAS BLANKET PROTECTION BECAUSE OF ABRAM. LOT BELIEVES HE CAN SAY ONCE IN A WHILE, I SERVE THE GOD OF ABRAM, I BELIEVE IN ABRAM’S GOD, I CAN TELL PEOPLE ONCE IN A WHILE, WHEN I FEEL RELIGIOUS OR HOLY OR WHATEVER…AND BE RENEWED….FOREVER PROTECTED…AND CAN DO AS I WISH. ABRAM’S GOD IS MY GOD.YET, LOT GETS TAKEN CAPTIVE, ALL HIS WORLDLY POSSESSIONS, AND THEY ARE HUGE AND GREAT ARE STOLEN FROM HIM…YET WHEN HE IS RESCUED BY ABRAM, FREED, AND HIS POSSESSIONS RESTORED TO HIM, HE SEES IT AS ANOTHER PROOF…THAT HE IS PROTECTED, REGARDLESS, WHERE AND HOW HE LIVES.LOT LEARNS NOTHING…..LOT IS INTENTIONALLY AND WILLFULLY BLIND.AND WE KNOW SATAN AND HIS DEMONS WERE RIGHT THERE TO TELL LOT HE WAS SAFE TO RETURN TO THE FILTH, AND DEPRAVITY OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH. THAT BECAUSE OF ABRAM’S GOD….HE WAS IN FACT UNTOUCHABLE.WHEN WHAT LOT TRULY HAD, WAS THE AMAZING PATIENCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD ON HIS SIDE. ALMIGHTY GOD KEPT SHOWING LOT HE NEEDED TO MAKE A HEART AND LIFE CHANGE….HE NEEDED TO DEPEND ON ALMIGHTY GOD AND GIVE ALMIGHTY GOD THE CREDIT FOR SAVING AND SPARING HIS LIFE…BUT ONCE AGAIN….LOT CHOOSES TO SEE HIMSELF AS INVULERNABLE…UNTOUCHABLE…AND HE CAN LIVE AS HE CHOOSES…AND ABRAM AND HIS GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF HIM.WE SHOULD STRIVE TO BE LIKE ABRAM…SEEKING, TEACHABLE, CHANGEABLE, AND HUMBLE AND AVOID THE LOT LIVING WITHIN EACH OF US. THE LOT OF ME ME ME, I WANT I WANT I WANT….AND THE FLESHLY PART OF OUR NATURES THAT SAYS…WE ARE INVULNERABLE.STRIVE TO BE AN ABRAM…BE BLESSED BY READING HIS WORD...STAY BLESSED IN OUR JESUS CHRIST.