Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

Summary of Context by Phillips-

There are ten kings in chapter 14, and only one of them is a king of righteousness.

He does not appear until the very end.

The chapter is a cameo of all of history with its kings and its conflicts and at last, at the end of it all, the coming of God’s true and righteous King.

It records the first battle in the Bible, indeed in all of recorded history.

It is an important chapter because it mentions for the first time the priest, the king, war, the bread and wine, and tithes.

The first mention of the priest, for instance, brings into sharp focus God’s thinking about priesthood.

God’s ideal priest is not a ritual priest after the order of Aaron, but a royal priest after the order of Melchizedek.

Similarly the first mention of a king shows that God’s ideal king is not a warrior king like Chedorlaomar, nor a wicked king like Bera, king of Sodom, nor yet a wise king like Amraphel of Shinar.

God’s ideal king is a worshiping king like Melchizedek.

[John Phillips, Exploring Genesis: An Expository Commentary, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), .]

I.

The Kings’ Confederation ().

Note - This is a group of kings from the east controlling Sodom with high taxes; rebellion occurs, and then war breaks out (Compare the modern revolt of Iran, Pakistan, etc.; point out the part that the city of Peace (Jerusalem) has played in both).

Note - Dr. Gill has an interesting thought connecting Elam:

King of Elam, who was of the race of Shem, and so the prophecy of Noah began to be fulfilled, that Canaan should be servant to Shem, ch.

9:26 for the kings of Sodom, &c. and their subjects, were of the race of Ham in the line of Canaan, who had by violence seized on that part of the earth which was allotted to the sons of Shem, and therefore Chedorlaomer being a descendant of his claimed his right, and made them tributary to him, which they were for the space of twelve years

[John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament, vol. 1, The Baptist Commentary Series (London: Mathews and Leigh, 1810), 103.]

Note - Five kings - The Dead Sea Conflict (including Sodom & Gomorrah) - battle with four kings

A. Confederate Defeat

Note - The Dead Sea Confederation is defeated, Sodom & Gomorrah are plundered

B. Captives Abducted

Note - The reason the details are included - “and they took Lot...”

a

In the Bible, historical facts are often windows for spiritual truth.

[Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Obedient, “Be” Commentary Series (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1991), 32.]

II.

Lot’s Confiscation ().

Gen. 14:

A. Providential Informant

Note - An Escapee from the defeat informs Abram concerning Lot’s capture

Note - Consider these timely applications to believer’s today:

a

[F.

B. Meyer, Through the Bible Day by Day: A Devotional Commentary, vol. 1 (Philadelphia: American Sunday-School Union, 1914–1918), 23.]

Abram could easily have shrugged his shoulders and said, “Well, it serves Lot right!

He should have kept clear of Sodom.

He should never have moved out of the fellowship of the Lord’s people.

Besides, what is all this to do with me?

There’s nothing I can do about it.

I am a Hebrew; I’m not supposed to become entangled in the affairs of this world.

I am to be separated from the world.

Even with the best of intentions, what can I do for Lot now?

If the five kings of the plain with all their armaments and troop concentrations could not conquer the kings of the east, it’s for sure I can’t.

Besides, I’m a farmer, not a fighter.

God has not called me to be a soldier but a saint.

I don’t know anything about war.”

The weakness of the flesh could have suggested a thousand reasons why Abram should not become involved....

The reasons Abram might have invented we can concoct as well.

Faced with a dying world, with teeming millions who have never so much as heard , what are we willing to do?

Faced with the need of weaker brothers and sisters in Christ being carried away by many hurtful and hateful lusts, what should we do?

We have our own families and our business to attend to.

We have responsibilities at home.

The reasons Abram might have invented we can concoct as well.

Faced with a dying world, with teeming millions who have never so much as heard , what are we willing to do?

Faced with the need of weaker brothers and sisters in Christ being carried away by many hurtful and hateful lusts, what should we do?

We have our own families and our business to attend to.

We have responsibilities at home.

[Phillips, .]

Abram might fairly have left Lot to reap as he had sown, but his soul yearned over his weak and entrapped relative, and he set himself to deliver him.

Men of faith and prayer are still able to rescue those who are taken captive by the devil at his will.

Faith subdues kingdoms.

[F.

B. Meyer, Through the Bible Day by Day: A Devotional Commentary, vol. 1 (Philadelphia: American Sunday-School Union, 1914–1918), 23.]

B. Preparation & Pursuit

Note - Abram, demonstrating his graciousness, gathers a private militia of 318 men and takes a long journey to Dan (along with his allies)

Note - Here, defer to Wiersbe’s expositional insight:

a

When you consider the characteristics of Abraham’s army, you see what it takes in the spiritual realm to have victory over the world.

(1) They were born in his house (v.

14).

Spiritually speaking, this reminds us that “whatever is born of God [overcometh the world” (, KJV).]

Our first birth made us children of Adam, and he was a loser; but our second birth makes us children of God, and Jesus Christ is the Victor.

He has overcome every enemy (), and He shares His victory with all who will trust Him.

“And this is the victory that [overcometh the world, even our faith” (, KJV).]

(2) They were armed (v.

14).

It takes more than zeal and courage to win a war: You must also have effective equipment.

The Christian soldier must wear the whole armor of God and use the spiritual weapons God has provided ().

Our weapons are spiritual, not fleshly (); and we use them in the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Word of God and prayer are our two most effective weapons (), and we must use them by faith.

As the well-known song expresses it: “Put on the Gospel armor/Each piece put on with prayer.”

(3) They were trained (v.

14).

No matter how good their equipment is, if the soldiers are not trained, they will be easily defeated.

One of the purposes of the local church is to train God’s people how to use the Bible effectively, how to pray, how to recognize the enemy, and how to follow orders as soldiers in the army of Christ.

The better you know your Bible, the better you are equipped to fight the battle ().

The Captain of your salvation wants to train you and “make you perfect [complete]” (), and the Greek word means “to equip an army.”

If we fail in the battle, it is not the fault of the equipment or the strategy of our Captain.

Something is wrong with the soldiers.

(4) They believed in their leader.

Abraham and his allies rode 120 miles to make a surprise attack on the four kings, and they won a complete victory.

Apparently Abraham got his directions from the Lord, so the whole enterprise was a victory of faith.

The spiritual application is clear: If God’s people expect to defeat their enemies, they must trust the Lord and obey His orders.

This is how Joshua conquered the Promised Land and David defeated the enemies of Israel, and this is the way the church must fight today.

(5) They were united.

There were not three armies with three leaders; there was one army, and Abraham was in charge.

If God’s people today were united in love, what victories we would win!

We sing, “Like a mighty army/Moves the church of God”; but the church is very unlike an army, especially when it comes to the discipline of marching together.

“The trouble with the church,” said a pastor friend, “is that there are too many generals and not enough privates!”

(6) They were single-minded.

Their goal was not personal revenge or private gain (), but victory over the enemy so that the captives might be freed.