Genesis 14

     This chapter opens with a bit of backstory of some of the political shenanigans of the kings of the various cities in the plains of Jordan and Canaan where Abram and Lot had just resettled after their return from Egypt. The first 11 verses throw a lot of new names of people and places at the reader, so that it might seem, at first, a bit confusing as to why the sudden shift in narrative and backstory. But there is a good reason for this.
       First of all, remember who was writing Genesis and what time it was being written. God was dictating to Moses all of these events and history: from the creation of the world up to the arrival and settlement in Egypt by Jacob and all his family, including Joseph. The names of people and places at this time of Abram and Sarai would have meant something to the Israelites whom God has just delivered from their 430 years of slavery in Egypt, and to whom God had once again promised the same land that He had promised their forefather Abraham. So this bit of history at the beginning of Genesis 14 is relevant not only to the story of Abram and Lot, but also connects to the current mission of the new nation of Israel whom God has commanded to invade and conquer the promised land.
       Secondly, this bit of backstory in the first 11 verses introduces us, the modern reader, to a couple names that have great significance in the next few chapters. Sodom and Gomorrah were very large, very powerful and very wicked, heathen cities at this current time in Biblical history. Verses 8 and 9 give a brief summary of the two sides: Five kings of five cities (including Sodom and Gomorrah) that rebelled against four other kings, led by Chedorlaomer (v.1), and their armies. The forces of Sodom and Gomorrah were overrun and conquered. (v.10) Chedorlaomer and all his armies then proceeded to raid those two cities, taking captive many men, women and children as well as much spoil of goods and wealth.
        Verse 12 finally brings us back to the story of Abram and Lot. Among the prisoners of war taken by Chedorlaomer was Lot and all his family. Note here the fact that the last time Lot was mentioned in chapter 13 he had just pitched his tent toward Sodom, meaning that he hadn’t yet actually taken up residence in the city. Now, only a few verses later, we learn that he had moved into the city and settled his whole family there. Clearly, it hadn’t taken long for Lot to give in completely to the allure of the sinful pleasures of this vile city and its depraved citizens.
        One could also look upon the defeat of Sodom and Gomorrah described here as an early form of judgment by God for the sin of the people of these cities. As I was re-reading this chapter, I was reminded of the numerous times that the Israelites were invaded and taken prisoner by the Philistines or some other enemy as punishment by God for idolatry or other forms of disobedience. In light of what we know is to come later in chapter 19, it seems very likely that God was directing these events here as a possible warning to Lot of what would come later if these wicked men did not repent of their sin and perversions.
         Two other notable names are mentioned here for the first time in verse 7: the Amalekites and the Amorites. These two nations, the former being the future descendants of Esau, would have been very well known to the Israelites by the time Moses was writing the book of Genesis. These two nations, along with the Philistines, were very prominent in the promised land of Canaan and Jordan, and they are very likely mentioned here to show the Israelites just how long these heathens had not only inhabited this land but also languished in their sin and rebellion against God. These two names appear many times throughout the OT and are a persistent thorn in the side of Israel for a very long time due to their disobeying God’s original directive to utterly wipe out all the heathen nations of the promised land after the death of Moses.
          However, it seems a bit odd that, since Esau isn’t yet born at the time that these events of chapter 14 are taking place, Moses would refer to this group of people who were defeated by Chedorlaomer as “Amalekites”. Strong’s dictionary and concordance tells me that this name refers to the people of Canaan who were the descendants of Isaac’s oldest son, Esau, the twin brother of Jacob, and the grandson of Abram. There is perhaps an explanation buried deeper in the annals of Middle Eastern history and Biblical archeology, but I don’t have time to delve into all that here. Suffice it to say, that this chapter is the first mention of these people that will be a constant enemy of Israel throughout the OT.
 
       Verses 13-16: Abram receives news of his nephew’s capture and he forms an army of his own from the servants that were born among his own household. This is an indication of just how greatly God had blessed Abram. The size of this army is three hundred and eighteen, and verse 15 says that Abram and his forces soundly defeated the armies of Chedorlaomer by night, pursuing them as far north as Damascus. He rescued Lot and all his household, as well as all the other citizens of Sodom, and brought them back to the city.
 
       Verses 17-20: The king of Sodom comes out from the city to meet Abram in the valley of Shaveh. Verse 18 contains the first mention in the Bible of a man named Melchizedek, one of the few genuine mysteries of scripture that extra-curricular study of Biblical history and archeology have never been able to fully explain. There are only two other books that reference Melchizedek by name: Psalms and Hebrews. I did some Googling of this name and found very little factual information – but a lot of speculation – on this man that Hebrews 7:1 identifies as the “…king of Salem, priest of the most high God…”. Psalm 110:4 says “…thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” (That chapter of Psalms, incidentally, is the only chapter in that entire book that is a messianic prophecy. It describes the royalty of Jesus Christ, foreshadowing his future return as a conquering Lord that will judge the heathen and avenge the righteous.)
         The writer of Hebrews also states that there is almost nothing known of this high priest. “Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life…” (7:3) Some Biblical scholars have interpreted this to mean that Melchizedek was a theophany, which is a supernatural appearance of Christ to mankind before his actual birth and life in the New Testament. But there is no other evidence in scripture or otherwise to support such a claim. The OT does make it clear where theophanies have indeed taken place (see Genesis 18:1-15 and 32:24-30 for two examples), so that’s how we know that Melchizedek was not one such occurrence. God would have made that clear in this passage where this particular high priest was first mentioned.
      The writer of Hebrews is merely stating that Melchizedek’s lineage was not recorded in scripture, and thus, in that sense, he was a type of the messiah Jesus Christ, who is actually eternal. No, Melchizedek was a real, flesh and blood man, who was the king of Salem, and to whom Abram paid tithes. (v.20) This little information, combined with Job 1:5, tells us that God not only communicated regularly and directly with other men before the time of Abram, but also instituted among mankind an order of ritual that included the sacrifice of burnt offerings by a high priest hundreds of years before He gave Moses and the Israelites the Levitical law and the official instructions for the Aaronic priesthood.
     Put simply, Melchizedek is a man that makes only one appearance in the Bible in this scene in Genesis 14 and then is never heard from again, and is only referenced twice more in the whole of scriptural canon. Just another example of the treasure trove of wonderful and curious mysteries that abound within the pages of God’s word!
 
      Verses 21-24: the king of Sodom offers Abram a reward for returning the captives and spoils that were seized by Chedorlaomer. But Abram refuses, stating he won’t accept so much as a thread or a shoelace, lest the king be able to say later on, “I made Abram wealthy.” Abram wisely abstained from having any connection to Sodom or its people save for that of his nephew Lot and his family. Abram also testified to the king about whom was the true source of his wealth and well-being: “…the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth…”. All that Abram would allow the king to give him was a reimbursement of the food that the king’s people had eaten during their journey back to the city, as well as that which Abram’s men had consumed. But even then, Abram passed it directly on to his men and kept none for himself.
       There is a powerful spiritual lesson here in these last four verses for us today. We should not, where possible, have any real ties or obligations to this world, especially any people or institutions that blatantly serve or promote sin and wickedness. Abram knew full well what kinds of sexual immorality and gross perversions were going on within the walls of Sodom and Gomorrah, and that’s why he wisely abstained from receiving any material gifts from the Sodomite king. It must have vexed his heart and soul to have to go rescue Lot, only to have his nephew eagerly return to that awful place.
         As Christians, we are called to walk separate from the world, to live in it, but no longer be of it. (Romans 12:2) As an example, a Christian should abstain from any employment at a bar, nightclub or a liquor store. Here in Las Vegas, where recreational marijuana use has been legal in the state of Nevada for a few years now, there are numerous dispensaries all over the city, and the whole industry – from cultivation to harvesting to sales at the storefront – is a wealthy one. But a Christian should never work in a dispensary or in a grow warehouse, or have any other material connection to such places. Our testimonies before the unsaved must be flawless and upright at all times, for how else are we to be the light of salvation in this dark and lost world?
        Abram was not afraid to testify about God and His goodness, majesty and power to the king of Sodom and all the others from that city. We, too, should be just as bold in our daily walk among the men and women of this present day Sodom and Gomorrah.