Abraham: The Battles We Face

God’s Word… the Scriptures are absolutely amazing! We find ourselves in a book that answers the questions of the origins of life, introducing us to this Creator God who loves us yet hates sin. We are engaged in the life of a man known for his faith, we see his struggles and growth. Now we come to chapter 14 and we are going to see battles, warfare, and sneak attacks!

In life I feel we face two types of battles…

Physical:

Tangible issues very visible to us

Difficult people or situations

Arguments and sometimes physical violence

We tend to be more aware of these battles

Spiritual:

Emotional level or spiritual

Battles in the heart and mind

Harder to see and relate to

Sometimes these battles come at us and wee are not aware

As chapter 14 begins we see a string of physical battles going on… And we look at Two powerful men.

Chedorlaomer

“Kederlaomer” He was a King and ruler dominating the land that God had promised to Abram.

Power= from conquering clans, cities, villages, groups

The beginning verses demonstrate his power, taking over and ruling from conquest

This is a king who is feared and powerful… Verses 8-9 show that (5 Kings) including Sodom and Gomorrah join forces to fight Chedorlaomer (4 Kings) on their turf! Genesis 14:8-12

Genesis 14:8–12 NASB95

And the king of Sodom and the king of Gomorrah and the king of Admah and the king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) came out; and they arrayed for battle against them in the valley of Siddim, against Chedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goiim and Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell into them. But those who survived fled to the hill country. Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food supply, and departed. They also took Lot, Abram’s nephew, and his possessions and departed, for he was living in Sodom.

He wins with less

On their own turf, home advantage (Tar pits)

He enslaves the people and plunders all they have!

Remember all the wealth and plenty of the Sodom Valley

Abram

He may not have been a king, yet Abram is powerful and known and well respected already. He leads by example not from fear…

Power= from God and being influential, he was wealthy and supplied provision

The community Abram built up was provided for and well protected

Rather than fear, men came to him out of desire, and enjoyed the freedom and would fight for it

We even see that others around him desired to link up with him and be allies … Genesis 14:13-16

Genesis 14:13–16 NASB95

Then a fugitive came and told Abram the Hebrew. Now he was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner, and these were allies with Abram. When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he led out his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. He divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative Lot with his possessions, and also the women, and the people.

Abram’s response is to fight for family! What a humble attitude… could have said “well, Lot is getting his just come up its”!!!

“ABRAM… The Hebrew”= he is a man who is distinguished, set apart in man’s eyes as he follows his God

“He led out his trained men” in the Hebrew this the picture of unsheathing a sharpened weapon! PREPARATION!!!

Where the kings of Sodom displayed NO tactical thought or strategy

Abram is very thoughtful in his approach and strategy! He is prepared!

A man in his eighties takes on this skilled warrior king and God delivers a victory!

GOD clearly demonstrates the power of His promise to Abram Genesis 12:2-3

AND… Abram not only defeats them in a powerful way, he pursues them, chases them across the land God has promised Him!!!

Victories

When we experience a victory in our lives… BEWARE!

We often let our guard down

AFTER… the victory lies a much more subtle battle AND can present greater danger!

Faith is often hardest when we see ourselves victorious

(people are seeking us, cheering for us, we stand a little taller)

How does your faith hold up to victories???

We often face the physical battles with strategy, planning, being prepared VS the spiritual ones we often are the ones receiving the sneak attack and often fall prey…

Abram is about to engage in a spiritual battle that is well disguised. It plays out as two distinct and very different kings approach Abram after he returns from this defeating a powerful enemy… Genesis 14:17-24

Genesis 14:17–24 NASB95

Then after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” He gave him a tenth of all. The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give the people to me and take the goods for yourself.” Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have sworn to the Lord God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take a thread or a sandal thong or anything that is yours, for fear you would say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ “I will take nothing except what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their share.”

Melchizedek approaches FIRST

King of Sodom approaches SECOND

Before we look at the contrast of these two King’s approaches, let’s first look a little closer at this Mysterious King Melchizedek...

Melchizedek

He comes on the scene here and is not spoken of again until David writes of him in Psalm 110:4 and in a beautiful argument in Hebrews 5-8 on Christ superiority as our High Priest and King! Consider with me what the writer of Hebrews 7:1-7 states about this individual…

Hebrews 7:1–7 NASB95

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually. Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils. And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended from Abraham. But the one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater.

As much as I would love to do a four part series on Melchizedek alone we should notice several things:

He is shown to be both King and Priest

King of Salem… Jerusalem is the city of Peace

He is superior to Abraham and even the Levitical Priest

He is a type and shadow of Christ as we see in the scriptures

Several views are held: (I will discuss these with any who would like to go further)

He was an actual King Priest who scripture does not five his ancestry and depicts him as a type of Christ

He is an Old Testament pre-incarnate Christophany

He was an Angel sent as God’s representative

Regardless… we do see this shadowing of Christ and scripture is clear that he is greater than Abram.

Contrast of Kings

There is a spiritual battle going on… I think of Ephesians 6 … “our battle is not against flesh and blood”

BOTH… come to meet Abram after the battle, after Abram’s victory

King of Salem = Blessed Abram

King of Sodom = Offers a deal

King of Salem = GIVES daily

King of Sodom = Says GIVE ME the people

King of Salem = REMINDS… God possess all, God gives victory, God keeps His Word

King of Sodom = RESEMBLES… blessing, promise, and possession

A.P. Ross had this great statement about this encounter… He (Abram) wanted something far more enduring than possessions and wealth; he wanted the fulfillment of God’s miraculous and enduring promise. Faith looks beyond the riches of this world to the grander prospects God has in store.

Ross, A. P. (1985). Genesis. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 54). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

How easy it would have been for Abram to justify… “this must be how God is going to bless me!”

There is a Battle!

Abram stood ready for this Battle… he went in prepared eyes wide open

Strategy… Keep God first (we need reminded)

Know your enemy and their tactics

He unsheathes God’s Word… His promise

There is a preparedness here

Remember who God is

1 Corinthians 16:13 in the words that Paul closed his letter to the Corinthian church is how I want to leave you today…

1 Corinthians 16:13 NASB95

Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.