BiblicalMastery Buddy's bible blog

Lesson 11

Trouble in Greener Pastures

Genesis 14

Me-

Choices made for the wrong reasons do lead to problems.  There was one warning that I always gave my sons once they reached their teenage years.  I said to them over and over, “If you are out all hours of the night you are looking for trouble.”  Time after time I have read of people who have put them themselves in danger because they were out in a place where they should not have been instead of being safely at home.

Just recently I heard of two young men who were involved in a fight outside of a night club. I don’t know if they were actual participants or not, the very fact that they were at the site put them at risk.  Somehow they got pushed out into the street where they were struck by an automobile.  One was killed. The other man was seriously injured.  What happened to them was totally preventable if they had made the decision to remove themselves from a volatile and as it turns out a dangerous situation. 

We-

I have often said that there is no perfect church.  Many seem to think there is such a place only to find that no matter where they go, they find imperfect people. There is also no church that at times does not have volatile situations arise that could possibly destroy it.  Where there are people we are going to find differences of opinion and often open conflict. One of the other things that I have said is “If one keeps leaving a church because of something they do not like they will either run out of churches or stop going altogether.” 

Our desire should be to overcome those issues.  This can be done only if church decides to move in the direction of truly trying to follow God’s word.  It is a difficult thing to fight off the tactics and schemes of the devil and remain true to the teachings of Christ.  More liberal bodies do not seem to have these struggles because they have drifted away from the word into a position of anything goes.  By doing so they cannot face the issues of the world in a Christ like manner.

All of this brings us to the point of what possibly could Lot do next?  Surely, he should be a position where he could be happy and successful.  The question is, can a person like him ever find satisfaction?  How could he stay out of trouble with his unsettled spirit?

Genesis 14:1-6

The narrative begins with the forming of two coalition armies being formed. In one there were four kings.  Two of leaders were Amraphel and Chedorlaomer along with other kings of city states located east of the Jordan River. There were armies from Shinar in present day Iraq and Elam that was in what in Iran today. Their opponents were five kings from the area of the Salt Sea now called the Dead Sea. They were led by the king of Sodom and the king of Gomorrah. This would be same as Richmond, Chesterfield and Henrico having an army that was going to fight against Petersburg, Colonial Heights and Hopewell.

For twelve years the kings of the west had paid tribute to Chedorlaomer but in the thirteenth year stopped.  When the first war mentioned in the Bible ensued the cities attacked did not include either Sodom or Gomorrah.  The territory seem to lie mostly east of the Jordan and into the land of Ham.

1. What is the difference between the armies mentioned and those who go into battle today?
2. What was the reason for the war in the first place?
3. What does this tell us about the way the city states treated each other early in their history?
4. In what ways does it surprise us that Chedorlaomer did not immediately attack Sodom and Gomorrah during the first of the battles?

Genesis 14:7-12

The second wave of attacks included among other cities the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah.  The two armies met in the valley of Siddim. As the battle went on the army of Chedorlaomer and Amraphel defeated the army of Sodom and Gomorrah.  The two kings fled and fell in to one of the many tar pits in the area. This caused disarray among the men and the army was scattered leaving behind a good deal of booty which Amraphel and Chedorlaomer took.  Among the prisoners who were taken was Lot and all of his possessions.

1. Why did it appear that there were two separate battles?
2. What do these events say about Lot’s decision?
3. What might have been Lot’s thoughts at that point?

Genesis 14:13-16

From all indications either Abram did not know about the war or he had settled down and did not intend to get involved with the problems of others that did not concern him. Abram first heard of the news concerning his nephew by one of the people who had fled from of the people who had been dislocated by the war.  It is interesting that this is the first time the term Hebrew is used to describe Abram.  Upon hearing of Lot’s situation he took the men of his household who he had trained, numbering 318, out to rescue his nephew.  His strategy was two-fold.  He would first use the element of surprise by attacking at night.  Secondly his small army was divided. Like Gideon he probably intended to surround the enemy.  His plan worked as he was able to defeat a much larger group of men with the few he had with him.  He also achieved the goal of rescuing Lot and his possessions.

1. What would indicate that Abram had no plan to get involved in the battles taking place to the south of where he was staying?
2. What changed his mind?
3. Why would he have trained his household in the ways of wars?
4. How could he expect to defeat a larger army with so few men?
5. What did he accomplish?
6. What does this incident show about the character of Abram?
7. To what lengths will you go to rescue a family member from a difficult situation?

Genesis 14:17-20

Upon returning from the battle two men who were totally different met him.  The first was the king of Sodom.  The other was Melchizedek, king of Salem and God’s high priest.  Much is said of Melchizedek as a type of Christ both in the Psalms and Hebrews.  Reference to “a type”  by theologians means that the individual described had the characteristics and attributes of the coming Messiah.  David mentioned him in Psalm 110:4.  The writer of Hebrews used that verse to expound on Christ being a priest not according to the Old Testament, but the promised high priest who was like Melchizedek. See Hebrews chapter 7 for the writer’s interpretation of this passage.

When Melchizedek appeared on the scene he brought refreshment for Abram.  More importantly, this man of whom so little is known blessed Abram, who was to be the first patriarch of the Jewish people.  After receiving the blessing Abram gave the priest a tenth of all he had captured from Chedorlaomer.

1. What do we know of Melchizedek?
2. What qualified him to the one to bless the future patriarch of the Jewish people? See Hebrews 7:7
3. What the essence of the blessing?
4. In what ways is Melchizedek a type of Christ?  See Hebrews 7
5. Why did Abram give a tenth of all he had acquired to the priest?

Genesis 14:21-24

Not to be outdone the king of Sodom offered to let Abram keep all of the physical booty in exchange for turning all of the people over to him.  He really did not have any claims to anything since he had lost the battle to king Chedorlaomer.  He needed people to be king.  It was better to have subjects than a bunch of stuff.

Abram responded by refusing to take anything for himself.  The reason was he did not want to be beholden to such an evil man who might claim that he was the one who made Abram rich.  The only part of the booty that would not be given back to the king was what his allies had eaten and captured.  He took nothing for himself.  Notice he did not even attempt to negotiate for Lot’s release.

1. What right did the king of Sodom have to anything that Abram had obtained during the battle?
2. Why would he be willing to give up the stuff in exchange for the people who had been rescued?
3. How different was this man than Melchizedek?
4. How differently did Abram deal with him than with the priest?
5. Why did he refuse to take anything for himself?
6. What does it say about Abram that he did not even negotiate for Lot?
7.  At what point do we have to let people, even family members, fend for themselves?

You-

• Think about a situation in which you got called up in what was going on even though you were an innocent bystander.  Reflecting on what happened, how would you possibly make a different decision?
• Think of a friend who would stand by you no matter what might be occurring in your life. Give thanks for that person and ask God to bless them.
• Thank God for strangers that may have interceded for you in the past.
• Ask God that you might be the person who is willing to come to the aid of someone in trouble.

We-

Each of us has found ourselves in situations over which we have no control.  We may be so overwhelmed that we are unable to even see how the issue can be resolved.  The old saying of not being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel would fit the circumstances.  We are so blessed when someone comes along side us to comfort and give moral support.  We should expect to find this kind of help from the church.  Within the body God has placed those who have the gift of mercy who are willing to step forward when there are times of crisis in a family or an individual’s life.  By doing so that person becomes a “type” of Christ to the recipient of the help.  May our church always be that kind of body of Christ to a hurting world.

(Although this lesson is a little shorter taking a look at the comparison of Melchizedek and Jesus as mentioned in Psalms and Hebrews will provide some insight.)

Additional Notes:

BL- In chapter l4, war broke out among the area kings and Lot and his household were taken prisoner.  Abram responded with 318 trained men and rescued Lot’s entire household.  As Abram returned home, he was met first by the King of Sodom, and then by Melchizadek, king of Salem. Little is known about Melchizadek, but he is identified here as a king and “priest of God Most High,” and Abram accepted the bread, the wine, and the blessing that Melchizadek bestowed on him. Abram, in turn, gaves Melchizadek a tenth of everything he had won in battle in gratitude for the victory God had granted him. (Interestingly, Hebrews 7 speaks of Jesus Christ as a priest “in the order of Melchizadek,” meaning that Christ came from a special line–not through Aaron and his descendants, the Levites, whom God appointed as priests in Exodus 28–but from a superior line in which the roles of king and priest were combined.)  However, when the King of Sodom tried to give Abram some of his war booty, Abram refused to have anything to do with it!  In doing so, Abram indicated that his allegiance was to God alone and he would have nothing to do with the sinful king of Sodom. (How often do we choose to indulge in the pleasures sin offers, rather than choosing the good things of God?) 

GC-Unlike so many today, Abram did not desert his family in times of distress and crisis. (Gen. 14:14-16)

 C-Abram assumed the role of a military leader in order to rescue his nephew Lot who by this time had moved to Sodom and got caught up in a war among several kings. (Gen. 14:14-16)

M-Abram refused to be under obligation to any man and especially the leader of an evil city.  This is a clear case of not to be unequally yoked to the world. (Gen. 14:22-24)

GC-Abram understood that he was to owe no man anything.  By refusing to accept any of the spoils of the battle he would not be under obligation to anyone but God.  Make no alliances with those who are evil or accept anything from them that may affect our witness.  We are to trust God to provide our needs. (Gen. 14:23-24)