LastCall: Abram is a genuine example -Bob Caldwell

The Victory of Faith  14:19-23 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. 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.” Abram takes another step forward in becoming the “father of all who believe” (Rom. 4:11). His rescue of his brother’s son, Lot, was a courageous step of faith. He placed himself and all that he had on the line. If this confederacy of kings had defeated Abram, he would have lost everything. Abram was learning what Paul would later write, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31). God was with Abram, giving him an amazing victory in spite of the much larger army these five kings had put together. But Abram’s faith didn’t stop with this military victory. It continues in his encounter with Melchizedeck and the king of Sodom. Abram is met by Melchizedeck, a man with the same heart as his own, a heart after the “Most High God.” Together they honor God for this victory of faith in rescuing Lot. In faith and gratitude Abram gives a tithe, 10% of all that had been taken from this military victory. This is followed immediately by Abram turning down the wealth of the wicked city of Sodom offered by its king. Abram will not want to take anything from the ungodly who would seek to rob God of His glory in being the One who alone prospered Abram. Abram is a genuine example of how a life of faith can mature, resulting in ever-increasing blessings from God. This process of faith will give us victories far beyond what we could obtain without God. This type of faith that produces what man could never accomplish points others to see the potential glory God could bring to their own lives.
Genesis 14:1-24  Lot's Captivity and Rescue 1 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, 2 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). 3 All these joined together in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). 4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 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, 6 and the Horites in their mountain of Seir, as far as El Paran, which is by the wilderness. 7 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. 8 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 9 against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 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. 11 Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12 They also took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
Abram’s Defeat of the Four Invading Kings (Verses 1-16) v. 1 Amraphel – He was the King of Shinar which was the land of Babylon and Elam (Gen. 10:10). Arioch – He was the King of Ellasar, which has been identified with a region in Babylon or Assyria. Chedorlaomer – The king of Elam, which later would be called Persia. He was the most powerful of the rulers as evidenced by verse 4. Tidal – He is said to have ruled “nations.” This likely referred to several city states that represented different people groups that he ruled. v. 2 They made war – Listed in this verse are the five city-state kings who developed a confederacy and sought to overthrow the foreign rule and taxation of Chedorlaomer. v. 3 Valley of Siddim – This would have been in the area of the Dead Sea. v. 4 They rebelled – The effort of these five kings to overthrow the rule of Chedorlaomer is what caused this ruler, with his three allies, to attack these cities. v. 5 Rephaim – This and several other areas are defeated by the invaders as they take a wide sweep to the east, south, over to the southwest, then back to the northeast, gradually encircling and closing in upon Sodom and Gomorrah. Their final attack was coming down from Hazezon Tamar. v. 10 asphalt pits – The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah must have hid there, as the king of Sodom was still alive and free in v. 17. v. 12 dwelt in Sodom – Lot had by this time gone from having his tent pitched near Sodom to actually living there.
13 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. 14 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. 15 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. 16 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. 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. Abram and Melchizedek 18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all.
v. 13 Abram the Hebrew – He is called a Hebrew which was a term derived from Eber, one of Abram’s ancestors (Gen. 10:25). This term was most commonly used of God’s people when dealing with other nations. Mamre – This Amorite and his two brothers were allies of Abram already, and had no doubt made an agreement to defend each other. v. 14 his brother – Although it was through bad choices that Lot ended up living among these ungodly people, it did not stop Abram from seeking the well-being of his nephew that was a “brother’ in the sense that Lot was his brother’s son. trained servant – A trained servant is one who is trained for combat. In these days there was no police, no civil protection, and therefore a great need for being well prepared for self-defense. Dan – This was not the Dan associated with the tribe of Dan which was located at the northern source of the Jordan. It was the city of the same name that belonged to Gilead, which was in northern Persia, south west of Damascus. v. 15 Hobah – was a quarter of a mile north of Damascus Abram Honors God for Victory (Verses 17-24) v. 18 Melchizedek – The name means righteousness. He prefigured Jesus Christ. King David in Psalm 110:4 told of one coming who would forever establish a priesthood after the order of Melchizedek. In Hebrews 5:5-10, 6:20 it is made clear that Jesus was the fulfillment of this eternal, unending priesthood. Salem – means peace. This was in the area that would one day be Jerusalem and this man was a king of the area. Thus, he pointed to Jesus who would be a King of Righteousness, Prince of Peace as well as a Priest of the Most High God. bread and wine – This priest of God brought that which would be central to the worship instituted by Jesus Christ, the bread and wine that represented His body and blood given once and for all in His eternal priestly service. God Most High – is “EL ELYON.” El is God, Elyon is highest or most high. This speaks of God as supreme, the creator and ultimate ruler over all things. This account reveals that even in these ancient times, with no written Bible, God made Himself known to any who sought to know the true God. v. 19 blessed be Abram – Abram is said to be “of God” meaning that Abram’s blessings were a direct result of his relationship to God. Furthermore it reveals the kindred understanding Abram and this Priest experienced. They both knew the same true and living God. v. 20 tithe – Abram gives ten percent of all that had been taken from Chedorlaomer as an act of worship and recognition that God had given the victory. This act of worship reveals that the concept of tithing predated the Mosaic Law and is therefore to be considered as an ongoing act of worship even though the Mosaic Law has been fulfilled by the New Covenant in Jesus Christ.
21 Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.” 22 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, 23 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’— 24 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.”
v. 21 give me the persons – It would be customary for Abram to have the right to keep both the spoils and the people. This King is trying to create a way to get the people back so he can rebuild his city-state of Sodom. v. 23 not take anything – Abram left a strong witness to these ungodly people of Sodom. He made it clear that they should look only to God as the one who delivered them, not Abram. Abram’s life of prosperity had been and would continue to be the direct result of God’s blessings—not man. v. 24 their portion – Abram reveals his just attitude in not taking what did not belong to him. Those who were unbelievers that had helped him were free to take the spoils normally due them.

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