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 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. All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea. Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 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 Emins in Shaveh Kiriathaim, And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which is by the wilderness. And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezontamar. 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; 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. And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain. And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
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. 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. 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. And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
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. And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: 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.
Genesis 14
In Gen. 12, we traced the blessedness of the path of faith in answering the call of God, and how our steps can slip unless held by the power of the Lord. In chapter 13, we saw the renunciation of the world by the believer who reads the path of faith; and, in contrast, the sorrowful choice of the world by the believer who allows himself to be governed by sight.
Now chapter 14 presents the conflicts of the world—nations warring against nations—during which the believer, who has refused the world, obtains the victory; while the believer, who walks by sight, falls under its power. Further we learn that the world’s conflicts will finally issue through the judgments of God in the deliverance of God’s people and the establishment of the reign of Christ as Priest and King. This is typically set forth in Melchizedek, king of Salem.
Conflict (vv. 1-11)
The chapter opens with a solemn picture of this present evil world. It is a scene in which the nations form themselves into groups, and enter into alliances to carry out their schemes of aggrandizement, and to defend themselves from attacks. Moreover, it was a lawless world where men were forced to serve governments against their will, or rebel against governments to obtain their liberty (v. 4).
Thus the whole world, whether in high places or in lower spheres—the mount or the wilderness (v. 6)—became a scene of warring interests, and selfish conflicts.
Capture (v. 12)
The account of these world conflicts leads to what is so deeply instructive—the contrast between the believer who is governed by sight, and the one who walks by faith. In the course of these conflicts, Lot, the man of sight, fell a captive to the world; Abraham, the man of faith, was victorious over the world.
Thus we read that the victorious kings “took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.” It is significant to notice that Lot, of whom we read in a former chapter, chose all the plain of Jordan, and “pitched his tent toward Sodom” (13:12), has taken a further step on his downward course. Here we read he “dwells in Sodom.” We may be sure that it was never Lot’s intention to dwell in Sodom, when he pitched his tent toward Sodom, but one false step leads to another. Drawing near to the world, he was soon in the world; and dwelling in the world he became involved in its conflicts, and fell a captive to its power.
It is still true that the believer who settles down in the world has no power against the world. Where there is not the faith that keeps the coming of glory in view, there is not the faith to overcome the present evil world. This was the case of Lot. He never overcame, but was constantly overcome by one evil influence after another. He accepted the outside path under the leading of Abraham rather than of faith in God. When the test came, he fell under the influence of fair prospects that appealed to the sight of the eyes. Having drawn near to the world, he fell still further under its influence, and settled down in Sodom. Finally, dwelling in Sodom, he found in the day of conflict he was a lonely man, without strength, without friends to help, and unable to count on the support of God. Powerless in the day of battle, he fell captive to his enemies.
Contrast (vv. 13-16)
In contrast to Lot, who chose the world and became its captive, there is presented before us the man who renounced the world and was victorious over it. Lot, as we have seen, was unprepared in the day of battle; Abraham, dwelling as one apart, was ready for conflict. He had in his household those who had already been trained for conflict, and he was ready to fight the good fight—not, like the world for personal aggrandizement, or to obtain the riches of this world, but to rescue a brother who had fallen under its power.
The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, and we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. Nonetheless, the Christian conflict is very real. We contend for the truth, and seek to deliver those who are in danger of falling into the world, or have already been taken captive in its toils.
Paul, living in the light of another world and glorying in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world was crucified to Paul and he to it, fought the good fight and escaped the snare of those who would be rich whereby they pierced themselves through with many sorrows. He had great conflict for those who were in danger of falling under the power of the religious world (Col. 2:11For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; (Colossians 2:1)).
Likewise Jude, in the spirit of Abraham, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh, was ready earnestly to contend for the faith. Such can have compassion on those believers who have been taken captive by the world, and seek to pull them out of the fire (Jude 1:3, 22-233Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (Jude 3)
22And of some have compassion, making a difference: 23And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. (Jude 22‑23)).
Compensation (vv. 17-24)
Abraham was not only victorious over the hostility of the world, he is proof against its horrors and its gifts. We may rise above the world’s enmity, and yet fall beneath its kindness. And we are never more in danger of a fall than in the moment of victory. This the enemy knows full well and so comes with his temptations at a moment when we may be off guard. Thus with Abraham, “the king of Sodom went out to meet Abram after his return” from his triumph over the opposing kings. But if the king of Sodom came to tempt Abraham, the king of Salem was there to support him.
In the Epistle to the Hebrews, the Holy Spirit has given us the spiritual significance of this fine scene. There Melchizedek is introduced as a type to set forth the glories of Christ. His name, and that of his country, signify that he was King of Righteousness and King of Peace. Moreover, he was “the priest of the Most High God” (see Heb. 7:1-31For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; 2To 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; 3Without 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. (Hebrews 7:1‑3)). As a king, he brought righteousness and peace to his subjects; as a priest, he led the praises of his people to God. As the representative of God before man, Melchizedek blessed Abraham on behalf of God; as the representative of man before God, he blessed the Most High God on behalf of Abraham.
Thus, in the coming Millennial days, God will be known as the Most High, who will deliver His earthly people from their enemies and deal in judgment with every hostile power. Then Christ will indeed shine forth as King and Priest. So we are told by direct prophecy, “He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon His throne; and He shall be a priest upon His throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both” (Zech. 6:1313Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. (Zechariah 6:13)). He will be the true King of Righteousness, the King of Peace, and the Priest of the Most High God.
Melchizedek having brought forth bread and wine, the needs of Abraham were met and his joy secured, and thus he was strengthened to dispense with the gifts of this world. Abraham had lifted up his hand unto the Lord, the Most High God, the one who possesses all the fullness of heaven and earth. Blessed by God, he would take nothing from the world lest it should say, “I have made Abram rich.”
Blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places, and enriched with the unsearchable riches of Christ, the believer can rise above the seductions of this world, refuse its gifts and honors, and pursue in peace the life of faith in the path of separation. And faith treads this path in the light of the world to come. Faith knows that all the conflicts of this world will come to their end in the glorious reign of Christ, when His poor, failing people will be delivered from all their enemies, and righteousness and peace will be established, as we read, “He shall judge Thy people with righteousness, and Thy poor with judgment. The mountains shall bring peace to the people” (Psa. 72:2-32He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. 3The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. (Psalm 72:2‑3)).
Father, Thy sovereign love has sought
Captives to sin, gone far from Thee:
The work that Thine own Son has wrought
Has brought us back in peace and free;
And now as sons before Thy face,
With joyful steps the path we tread,
Which leads us on to that bright place
Prepared for us by Christ our Head.
Thou gav’st us in eternal love
To Him to bring us home to Thee,
Suited to Thine own thought above,
As sons like Him, with Him, to be
In Thine own house. There love divine
Fills the bright courts with cloudless joy;
But ‘tis the love that made us Thine,
Fills all that house without alloy.
O boundless grace! what fills with joy
Unmingled all who enter there,
God’s nature, love without alloy,
Our hearts are given e’en now to share.
God’s righteousness with glory bright,
Which with its radiance fills that sphere,
E’en Christ, of God the power and light,
Our title is that light to share.
O mind divine, so must it be
That glory all belongs to God:
O Love divine, that did decree
We should be part, thro’ Jesus’ blood.
O keep us, Love divine, near Thee,
That we our nothingness may know,
And ever to Thy glory be
Walking in faith while here below.