GENESIS

Notes on Genesis 14

• Genesis 14:1 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 these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.
• 3 All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.

I believe sincerely that if Sodom and Gomorrah had lived righteously and feared God no nation would have come against them. God's hand of protection is removed from nations who are sinners before the Lord or in the face of God with no repentance. Although the innocent do suffer in bad times, as a nation, those that do not fear God have less protection.

I believe the hand of protection was not as strong upon our nation on September 11, 2001 like it was previously. We no longer have the fear of God that we once had. When I was a child in the first grade, I remember our classroom teacher opening up the day with the pledge of allegiance and the Lord's prayer. By the time I got to the High School, we only said the pledge. Now we must pray in our homes and churches for our nation to repent.

• Genesis 14:4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

Human nature wants to control. We don't like people disagreeing with us so we want to force everyone into our own mold. There are always those that desire to rule and take control over other kingdoms. They are not content to have domain over their own territory but want to rule the world. This is the spirit of Satan for that is his desire to rule this world. He uses human agents for this control. Hitler, I believe was one of these agents. When a nation knows God and worships God, that nation has God's protection but when that nations starts to return to sin and no longer acknowledges God, God's hand of protection is not there as before and evil nations can then have the power to either destroy or control them.

God allows wicked nations to bring judgment upon those that turn against Him. That is why I fear for the United States since we have turned our back on God in the name of freedom, have allowed abortion in the name of women's rights and we are afraid to warn against sexual immorality that God forbids in His word for our own protection, physical health, mental health and over all well being. God is out for our good. He cares also for our eternal souls. He cares that we find His plan of salvation and inherit eternal life. Departing from God's divine order will destroy whole nations. We are not telling people the truth. The 9/11 attack should have been a wake up call to repent and turn back to God.

I'm not advocating any religious-state religion. That has never worked and it will not work. Repentance must come from the heart and be genuine. We cannot achieve this by having a religious group control the government and force everyone to live right. We have the freedom to choose to do right on our own but if we don't, God may allow judgment to come in the form of a religious-state religion or anti religion like Communism to control us since we did not exercise restraint when we had freedom. Without God's protection any dictator, representative of Satan, or religion can have the power to take control.

Salvation comes by repenting of sin and being born again by the Holy Spirit of God. This comes when someone believes in the one God sent to save us from sin. This one is Jesus Christ who died for our sins so that when we repent of sin and believe in Him, we can have the living water of the Holy Spirit come within us and make us a new person. We are then changed. We are not the same. We still have the power to choose and we can go back into the sin we came from but if we continue in the Lord, we shall inherit eternal life. This is the kingdom of God that is within us. His kingdom is not of this world. The world as we know it, has to be changed and God has to do the changing. It will only be changed when Jesus comes. Until then we must preach the gospel of repentance, obey the Holy Spirit and occupy faithfully until Jesus returns. We must never attempt to set up the kingdom of God on our own by the use of force and taking over governments. All religions whether Christian or non-Christian have already tried that and it does not work.

• Genesis 14:5 And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim,
• 6 And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto El-paran, which is by the wilderness.
• 7 And they returned, and came to En-mishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezon-tamar.
• 8 And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim;
• 9 With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five.
• 10 And the vale of Siddim was full of slime pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.
• 11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.
• 12 And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
• 13 And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.
• 14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.

When the Lord is one our side, who is it that can stand against us? Remember Abraham had only 300 servants against all the nations mentioned above. We see peaceful Abraham who only wanted peace; arm his household when he saw injustice and saw one of his family members in trouble. He was no wimp. He loved enough to take action when action was needed. Abraham was not an aggressor or one who conquered lands just to conquer them. He only fought when he had to.

A nation should never instigate war and desire to occupy other nations but they do have a right to defend their borders and people. God does at times allow one nation to conquer another when the conquered nation gets to the point of evil that they are beyond redemption.

When God is our protector, no matter how weak we are, nothing can stand against us. If God removes His protection, we are history. Usually godly people will cause God to delay bringing judgment against a nation. He desires to protect those that believe upon Him so He will remove His own people first or do something to protect them. He waits until sin gets so bad that He has to act like in the case of the flood of Noah. We see this in the chapters we shall study later. Sometimes though God has to send judgment and it will affect even the godly. We see this in the captivity by Babylon on the nation of Judah even though Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel were godly men.

• Genesis 14:15 And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

Abraham was determined to rescue Lot and his family. Gone was any fear like he had when he took Sarah to Egypt and was afraid his life would be taken from him by someone who desired to take Sarah as a wife. Now though he was diligent, and pursued until he had gotten victory.

• Genesis 14:16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
• 17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale.
• 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

We see another person who was a servant of God. Some say that Melchizedek may have been Christ Himself but we do not know this for sure. We only know that this man represented God and was a high priest having no beginning or ending of his priesthood and was not of the priests from Aaron which came much later during the days of Moses. Christ came as being of the priesthood of Melchizedek instead of Aaron. Now that we have Christ as our high priest, the priesthood or priests after the order of Aaron are no longer necessary.

Christ brought in a new way in which the law is written in our hearts and we are changed. We no longer need daily sacrifices or priests to intercede on our behalf. Christ alone is sufficient for our salvation. Any religion after Christ that offers another way of salvation is a false religion. Even if they teach Christ but add to that rituals, intercessions or other rites necessary for salvation, it is false. Christ alone is sufficient to save us once we repent (turn from) sin and turn to Christ. There is no other way to be saved or Jesus would not have had to die for our sins.

• 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
• 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Actually this is a new and better way and it is given to all who believe, not just Israel.

• Genesis 14:19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
• 20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

Whoever this priest was, Abraham gave him tithes. This seems to be a willing offering and not a requirement of the law because this was before the law given by Moses.

• Genesis 14:21 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.

The king of Sodom offered Abraham the spoils of war and just desired to have the captives returned that Abraham rescued.

• Genesis 14:22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
• 23 That I will not take from a thread even to to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
• 24 Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.

Abraham here shows great wisdom. He did not want to get rich by those men of the world but trusted in God for his provisions. This is the opposite of many of us today. We think that if we obtain riches by hook or crook, it is a gift of God. This is so false. If all prosperity and riches came from God, then God is also blessing wicked men who are rich. The love of money is the root of all evil and so many of us are lacking spiritually because we have money and goods as our goal in life instead of the things eternal.

Here is the Hebrews account of this event which was written years later to show us the change in the priesthood.

• Hebrews 7:1 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
• 2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
• 3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
• 4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
• 5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
• 6 But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
• 7 And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
• 8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
• 9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
• 10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
• 11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
• 12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
• 13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
• 14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
• 15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
• 16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
• 17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
• 18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
• 19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
• 20 And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:
• 21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)
• 22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
• 23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
• 24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
• 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
• 26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
• 27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
• 28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

Seems like Abraham wanted to trust only in God for his living and substance and not in man. Paul the apostle in later years did the same. He refused money for his support but worked as a tent maker. This doesn't mean it's wrong to be supported by those one serves because Paul also covers that in his writings by saying the laborer is worthy of his hire. We are supposed to support our pastors and leaders if they have left all secular positions to serve only the church. Some like Paul and Abraham seem to prefer just to trust the Lord or work to make a living. Both are ok.

Sometimes I wonder why we find fault with people for doing things differently than the established norm. As long as we stand true to God's word, we don't have to be carbon copies of each other in all things. Over the years I've heard criticism of pastors that take outside jobs to supplement their income that comes from tithing because in a small congregation it is usually not enough. Well Paul the apostle did that. It's not wrong. I've also heard criticism against pastors that don't work outside jobs accusing them of fleecing the flock. There is nothing wrong with that method either. Someone who prefers to trust God for their support instead of dividing their time to work outside the ministry is also good. Neither method is wrong. People that love their pastors would want them to have enough to live on just like we want enough to live on.

As long as the word of God is taught and preached, souls are being born again by the Spirit of God and God's will is being done, that is what counts. Let's love and pray for those that lead the way, not criticize their every decision or mistake like Pharisees.  DC

Genesis 15