FOR THE LOVE OF GOD

Scripture Reference: Genesis 14

3. Abraham the Worshiper

Please read Genesis 14:17-24 for the background to this section.

A new battle.

Sometimes you face your greatest dangers after you have won a battle. It was after the capture of Jericho that Israel’s self-confidence led it into defeat at Ai (Joshua 7); and after his success on Mount Carmel, Elijah panicked and ran away in fear (1 Kings 19). No wonder the saintly Scottish pastor Andrew Bonar (1810–1892) said, “Let us be as watchful after the victory as before the battle.”

When Abraham returned from battle, he was met by two kings: Bera, King of Sodom (which means “burning”), and Melchizedek, King of Salem (meaning “peace”). Bera offered Abraham all the spoils in return for the people, while Melchizedek gave Abraham bread and wine. Abraham rejected Bera’s offer but accepted the bread and wine from Melchizedek and then gave him tithes of the spoils. All of this is symbolic and presents some very important spiritual truths that we should all understand and apply today.

Abraham had to choose between two kings who represented two opposite ways of life. Sodom, as we know, was a wicked city (Genesis 13:13; Ezekiel 16:49-50), and Bera represented the dominion of this world system with its appeal to the flesh (Ephesians 2:1-3). Bera means “gift,” suggesting that the world bargains for your allegiance. But Sodom means “burning,” so be careful how you choose! If you bow down to Bera, everything you live for will burn up one day. That’s what happened to Lot!

Melchizedek means “king of righteousness,” and Salem means “peace.” Hebrews 7 and Psalm 110 both connect Melchizedek with Jesus Christ, the “King of peace” and the “King of righteousness” (Psalm 85:10). Like Melchizedek in Abraham’s day, Jesus Christ is our King-Priest in heaven, enabling us to enjoy righteousness and peace as we serve Him (Isaiah 32:17; Hebrews 12:11). Certainly we can see in the bread and wine the remembrance of our Lord’s death for us on the cross.

So, when Abraham rejected Bera and accepted Melchizedek, he was making a statement of faith, saying in essence, “Take the world, but give me Jesus.” Lot should have made the same decision, but he chose to return to his life of compromise.

Why would it have been wrong for Abraham to take the spoils? After all, didn’t he risk his life and the lives of his retainers to defeat the invading kings and rescue the prisoners? Legally, Abraham had every right to claim the spoils; but morally, from his perspective, they were out of bounds. Believers, remember this, many things in this world are legal as far as courts are concerned but morally wrong as far as God’s people are concerned.

Furthermore, before Abraham could take the spoils, he had to agree to restore the people of Sodom to their king who said, “Give me the persons.” Just as God wants to use us as believers for His glory (Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20), so the enemy wants to use people for evil purposes (Romans 6:12-13). The enemy said, in effect, “Give me your body,” to Joseph (Genesis 39) and Daniel (Daniel 1); but they said, “No!” But when the enemy said the same to Samson (Judges 16), David (2 Samuel 11), and Judas (John 13:27), they said, “Yes!” Remember the heavy price they all paid!

Abraham didn’t accept King Bera’s offer. Instead, it is likely that Abraham gave everyone he had rescued opportunity to come with him and trust the true and living God. Abraham was a powerful sheik, and his neighbors knew about his tent and his altar. But there is no indication that any of them (including Lot’s family) accepted his invitation. Except for Lot and two of his daughters, they all perished in the destruction of Sodom.

To Be Continued

Adapted and modified excerpts from Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Obedient, “Be” Commentary Series.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, ESV © 2016 by Crossway Bibles.
Used by permission. All rights reserved

Scripture Reference: Genesis 14

2. Abraham the Warrior – Continued

Please read Genesis 14:13-16 for the background to this section.

His army – continued.

(3) They were trained (verse 14). No matter how good their equipment is, if the soldiers are not trained, they will be easily defeated. One of the purposes of the local church is to train God’s people how to use the Bible effectively, how to pray, how to recognize the enemy, and how to follow orders as soldiers in the army of Christ. The better you know your Bible, the better you are equipped to fight the battle (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Let me also say right here that as important as memorization is concerning the Word of God, it is more important that it becomes an active, living part of you. The Captain of your salvation wants to train you and “make you complete” (Hebrews 13:20-21 NKJV), and the Greek word means “to equip an army,” and an army is most equipped when it lives what it has been trained to do. If we fail in the battle, it is not the fault of the equipment or the strategy of our Captain. Something is wrong with the soldiers in not taking their training seriously.

(4) They believed in their leader. Abraham and his allies rode 120 miles to make a surprise attack on the four kings, and they won a complete victory. Apparently Abraham got his directions from the Lord, so the whole enterprise was a victory of faith. The spiritual application is clear: If God’s people expect to defeat their enemies, they must trust the Lord and obey His orders. This is how Joshua conquered the Promised Land and David defeated the enemies of Israel, and this is the way the church must fight today.

(5) They were united. There were not three armies with three leaders; there was one army, and Abraham was in charge. If God’s people today were united in love, what victories we would win! However, the church today is very unlike an army, especially when it comes to the discipline of marching together. “The trouble with the church,” said a pastor friend, “is that there are too many generals and not enough privates, and it’s the only army that seems to abandon their wounded!”

(6) They were single-minded. Their goal was not personal revenge or private gain (see Genesis 14:22-23), but rather, victory over the enemy so that the captives might be freed. A double-minded soldier is destined for defeat. “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him” (2 Timothy 2:4). When you remember Achan (Joshua 7), Samson (Judges 13-16), and Saul (1 Samuel 15), you see how true that statement is and the outcome when your eyes are elsewhere than the battle.

His achievement.

Abraham and his allies were so strong that they chased the enemy for 100 miles, freed all the captives, and recovered all the spoils. Did Abraham and his worldly nephew have a long talk as they rode back? Did Lot keep the promises he made while he was in danger? Did he make any promises to Abraham?

We just can’t answer those questions, but we do know this: It seems apparent that neither the Lord’s chastening nor the Lord’s goodness in rescuing Lot did him any good. The goodness of God should have led him to repentance (Luke 15:14-19; Romans 2:4); but instead of repenting, Lot returned to Sodom. He could have been reunited with Abraham, but he chose to go back an area over-rife with sin.

“Abraham was the father of the faithful,” wrote Alexander Whyte in his classic Bible Characters, “And Lot, his nephew, was the father of all such as are scarcely saved.” Some will be saved “but only as through fire” (1 Corinthians 3:15), but it is far better to have “an abundant entrance” into the Lord’s everlasting kingdom (2 Peter 1:11).

To Be Continued

Adapted and modified excerpts from Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Obedient, “Be” Commentary Series.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, ESV © 2016 by Crossway Bibles.
Where noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved

Scripture Reference: Genesis 14

2. Abraham the Warrior

Please read Genesis 14:13-16 for the background to this section.

His attitude.

Abraham didn’t get involved in the war until he heard that Lot had been captured, and it was then he began to act. Abraham was separated, but not isolated; he was independent, but not indifferent. In fact, he and some of the local sheiks had formed an alliance for just such emergencies. He was “Abram the Hebrew,” which means “the outsider, the person with no secure place in society.” He was not “Abraham the hardhearted.” He was a “pilgrim and stranger” in the land, but for him that was no excuse for inaction.

While believers must not compromise with the unsaved in matters of spiritual walk and ministry (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1), they may cooperate when it comes to caring for humanity and “promoting the general welfare.” When you see that people are in trouble, you don’t ask them for a testimony before helping them (Luke 10:25-37; Galatians 6:10). Sacrificial service, expecting no praise or reward, is one way of showing the love of Christ to others (Matthew 5:16). If Christians don’t carry their share of the common burdens of life, how can they be the salt of the earth and the light of the world?

For example, Joseph served in Egypt, and God used him to preserve his family and the Jewish nation. Nehemiah served a heathen king, yet God used the authority and resources of that king to enable Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem. Esther was a Jewess married to a Gentile ruler, and God used her to protect the Jewish people from almost certain annihilation. Daniel in Babylon never compromised his convictions, but he did assist several rulers and was greatly used by God. We may cooperate with different people at different times to achieve different purposes, but we should always be conscious of our obligation to glorify God in the actions we do take.

Abraham treated his nephew with love, both when he gave Lot first choice of the land (Genesis 13:9) and when he risked his own life to rescue him. Lot hadn’t truly been that kind to Abraham, and Abraham had every excuse to let his nephew suffer the painful consequences of his own stupid decisions. But Lot was his “brother,” so Abraham practiced brotherly love and overcame evil with good (Romans 12:17-21; Galatians 6:1-2).

His army.

Though a man of peace, Abraham was prepared for war. He didn’t fight from selfish motives to get personal gain; he fought because he loved Lot and wanted to help him. When you consider the characteristics of Abraham’s army, you see what it takes in the spiritual realm to have victory over the world.

(1) They were born in his house (verse 14). Spiritually speaking, this reminds us that “everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world” (1 John 5:4). Our first birth made us children of Adam, and he was a loser; but our second birth makes us children of God, and Jesus Christ is the Victor. He has overcome every enemy (Ephesians 1:19-23), and He shares His victory with all who will trust Him. “And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith” (1 John 5:4).

(2) They were armed (verse 14). It takes more than zeal and courage to win a war; you must also have effective equipment. The Christian soldier must wear the whole armor of God and use the spiritual weapons God has provided (Ephesians 6:10-18). Our weapons are spiritual, and not based on the flesh (2 Corinthians 10:3-5); and we use them in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Word of God and prayer are our two of the believer’s most effective weapons (Acts 6:4), and we must use them by faith.

To Be Continued

Adapted and modified excerpts from Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Obedient, “Be” Commentary Series.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, ESV © 2016 by Crossway Bibles.
Used by permission. All rights reserved

Scripture Reference: Genesis 14

When you enroll in the “school of faith,” you never know what may happen next. Visit Abraham one day and you’ll find him settling a boundary dispute. Visit him another day and you’ll see him gearing up for a battle. Why is this so?

For one thing, God wants us to mature in every area of life, but maturity doesn’t come easily. There can be no growth without challenge, and there can be no challenge without change. If circumstances never changed, everything would be predictable; and the more predictable life becomes, the less challenge it presents. William Cullen Bryant wrote:

Weep not that the world changes;
did it keep a stable changeless state,
’twere cause indeed to weep.

When you walk in the light (1 John 1:5-10), you can see what is going on, and you experience variety in your life. But in the darkness, everything looks alike. No wonder unsaved people (and backslidden believers) are so bored and are constantly seeking escape! The life of faith presents challenges that keep you going, and keep you growing!

In this chapter of Genesis, Abraham, latter known as the “father of faith,” fulfills three special roles we want to discuss: the watcher, the warrior, and the worshiper. In all three roles, Abraham exercised faith in God and made the right decisions.

1. Abraham the Watcher

Please read Genesis 14:1-12 for the background to this section.

This section records the first war ever mentioned in the Bible, and it would not be included here if it hadn’t involved Abraham. The Bible records a great deal of history; but, as the late great Pastor, A.T. Pierson said, “History is His story.” What is written helps us better understand how God worked out His great plan of salvation in this world. In the Bible, historical facts are often windows for spiritual truth.

The five city-states in the plain of Jordan (see Genesis 13:10) had been subject for twelve years to the kings of four eastern city-states and finally revolted against them. This, of course, was a declaration of war; so the four kings invaded the plain of Jordan to bring the five kings into subjection. From our modern viewpoint, the invasion was a minor skirmish; but in that day, it was considered a major international conflict.

Certainly five kings should be able to defeat four kings, especially when they are fighting “on their own turf.” But the army of the cities of the plain was soundly defeated by the invading kings! Apparently the five kings didn’t even know their own land because they were trapped in the slime pits. All their army could do was flee for the hills.

It is said that while reviewing his troops, the Duke of Wellington is supposed to have stated, “I don’t know what effect these men will have on the enemy, but they frighten me!” Ezekiel in his writings suggests that the lifestyle of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah did not prepare them for conflict. (Compare Ezekiel 16:49-50 with 1 John 2:15-17).

Whatever purposes the kings may have had in this war, God had something special in mind for Lot: he became a prisoner of war. Lot had looked at Sodom and moved toward Sodom (Genesis 13:10-13), and now he was living in Sodom (see Psalm 1:1). You might not guess it from his conduct, but Lot was a righteous man (2 Peter 2:6-8). Where did he fail?

While in Egypt with Abraham, Lot had gotten a taste of the world and enjoyed it. Scripture doesn’t record that Lot ever built an altar nor ever sought the Lord, as did his uncle Abraham. Abraham was called “a friend of God” (James 2:23), but Lot was the friend of the world (James 4:4). In time, Lot conformed to the world (Romans 12:2); and when Sodom lost the war, Lot was condemned with the world (1 Corinthians 11:32). If you identify with the world, then expect to suffer what the world suffers.

Lot’s capture was God’s way of disciplining him and reminding him that he had no business living in Sodom. No doubt Abraham was praying faithfully for his nephew that he might separate himself from the world and start living like a true “stranger and pilgrim.” God disciplines His children because He loves them and wants the best for them (Proverbs 3:11-12; Hebrews 12:1-11). If we don’t listen to His rebukes, then He has to get our attention some other way; and that way is usually very painful.

To Be Continued

Adapted and modified excerpts from Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Obedient, “Be” Commentary Series.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, ESV © 2016 by Crossway Bibles.
Used by permission. All rights reserved