The Battle of the 9 Kings
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
ELO Systems
Setting the Stage
Setting the Stage
1 At the time when Amraphel was king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goyim, 2 these kings went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboyim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).
The Armies of the East
The Armies of the East
4 kings
Kedor-laomer – Elam (Southern Iran)
Amraphel – Shinar (Babylon)
Arioch – Ellasar (Unknown)
Tidal – Goyim (Common name for Hittite kings – Modern turkey)
Emphasis
Large area covered
Rule over vassals
Projected power
Campaign warfare
5 In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim 6 and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran near the desert. 7 Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazezon Tamar.
The Armies of the Plains
The Armies of the Plains
5 kings
Bera – Sodom
Birsha – Gomorrah
Shinab – Admah (City of the Plain destroyed with Sodom and Gomorrah cf. Deut 29:33)
Shemeber – Zeboyim (City of the Plain destroyed with Sodom and Gomorrah cf. Deut 29:33)
Bela – Zoar (Small town Lot fled to when S & G were destroyed only spared because Lot requested it from the angels)
Emphasis
Wicked cities (about to be destroyed by God)
Dominated by Keder-Laomer
The Conflict
The Conflict
The kings of the plain rebel
The kings of the plain rebel
3 All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea Valley). 4 For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
The kings of the East invade
The kings of the East invade
5 In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim 6 and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran near the desert. 7 Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazezon Tamar.
The Armies Fight
The Armies Fight
8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboyim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim 9 against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills. 11 The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. 12 They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom.
The kings of the east win
The kings of the plain flee
Some may have hid or died in the tar pits
Some hid in the hills
The kings of the East plunder and take Lot captive
Up until vs. 12, this is a relatively unimportant recounting of ancient geopolitics with little relevance to us today. The inclusion of Lot brings God’s promises into the mix though.
Implication
Implication
There are things happening in Abraham’s world completely beyond his control
Nonetheless, the promise is still secure.
Application
Application
Anxiety about world events
Abraham’s Intervention
Abraham’s Intervention
13 A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshkol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.
Abraham hears from an escapee that Lot had been captured
Similar to David and the Amalekites
Abraham leads a force of 318 men in a nighttime raid
Similar to Gideon and the Midianites
Abraham successfully recovers the goods and the people
Implication
Implication
God is in the habit of beating overwhelming odds when it suits his purposes
Application
Application
We don’t have the same physical promises that Abraham had. We don’t know what God’s immediate purposes are. We do know his ultimate purpose is our good for his glory so we trust in that ultimate purpose and his character.
Jesus continues an OT pattern of kings rescuing their people. (see also David and the Amalekites) 1 Sam 30
Abraham and the Two Kings
Abraham and the Two Kings
Abraham meets up with two kings in the King’s Valley
Melchizedek
Melchizedek
17 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
Name: King of Righteousness
Title: King of Peace (Salem) | Priest of God Most High
Offers Abraham basically nothing tangible (Bread and wine)
Blesses Abraham and God
This story is referenced in Psalm 110 and Hebrews. We will be covering those texts in a few months
For now
Melchizedek was probably a real human king not a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ
Melchizedek as a priest has similarities with Christ
King of Sodom
King of Sodom
21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “With raised hand I have sworn an oath to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 23 that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ 24 I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshkol and Mamre. Let them have their share.”
Offers Abraham earthly stuff
Abraham’s Response
Abraham’s Response
Tithes to Melchizedek
Takes nothing from Sodom so that God would be exalted
Implications
Implications
Abraham’s loyalty to God motivates him to give to a king aligned with God while rejecting the gifts from a king at enmity with God
The recipient of God’s promise will never be outnumbered. He has no need of worldly allies.
Jesus is the ultimate example of this:
Enduring temptation
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Going to the cross
36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” 40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” 43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. 45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
