Genesis 14.21-24-King of Sodom's Demand and Abram's Oath
Wednesday December 7, 2005
Genesis: Genesis 14:21-24-King of Sodom’s Demand and Abram’s Oath
Lesson # 73
Please turn in your Bibles to Genesis 14:21.
This evening we will complete our study of Genesis 14 by studying Genesis 14:21-24, which records Abram’s rejection with an oath, the King of Sodom’s offer to keep the booty from his victory over the Eastern Mesopotamian Coalition.
Genesis 14:21, “The king of Sodom said to Abram, ‘Give the people to me and take the goods for yourself.’”
Genesis 14:22, “Abram said to the king of Sodom, ‘I have sworn to the LORD God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth.’”
Genesis 14:23, “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.’”
Genesis 14:24, “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.”
The fact that the King of Sodom came empty handed and demanding that Abram give the people to him rather honoring and praising him as Melchizedek did reflects the King of Sodom’s wicked and ungrateful heart.
The King of Sodom’s proposal is wrong because of his audacity and ungrateful attitude.
The victor, who was Abram, has the right to stipulate the disposition of the spoils of war and not a defeated king, which is what the King of Sodom was.
Unlike Melchizedek, the King of Sodom is deceitful and begrudging and does not greet Abram with joy and thanksgiving.
If Melchizedek is a type of Christ, then the King of Sodom is a type of Satan since they are a total and complete contrast from each other.
As a result of seeing the King of Sodom’s attitude towards him after Abram bailed him out and the other Dead Sea Kings, Abram discerns that it would be dangerous dealing with the King of Sodom.
Abram would have been tempted to reason that God was seeking to bless him by means of this offer from the King of Sodom but he could not bring himself to equate the blessing of God with the King of Sodom’s offer.
This offer from the King of Sodom was a test of Abram’s faith.
Some of the greatest tests for a believer as in the case of Abram are after experiencing a great victory whether in the spiritual or natural realm.
It is tempting to get arrogant and forget that one’s success as a believer originates from the blessing of God rather than one’s own power and ability.
Undoubtedly, Abram knew about the wickedness of King Bera and the city of Sodom and thus he felt that if he kept the booty from the city of Sodom it would make him subject to Bera but Abram looks beyond the visible and temporal and looks forward to the invisible and real and eternal.
Abram was looking forward in faith to the fulfillment of the Lord’s promises to him as recorded in Genesis 12:1-13 and 13:14-17.
“Faith looks beyond the riches of this world to the grander prospects God has in store” (The Bible Knowledge Commentary-Old Testament, page 54, Victor Books).
Abram was confident that he would become prosperous materially and financially because he trusted in the promises that the Lord had made to him to prosper him materially and financially.
Anything that he possessed, he wanted to come from the Lord rather than from those living in the cosmic system of Satan.
Abram will “not” compromise with the cosmic system of Satan and to accept this offer from the King of Sodom would have been a compromise with the cosmic system of Satan.
Abram did “not” accept this offer from the King of Sodom because he did not love the cosmic system in the sense of honoring this offer from the King.
Believers are prohibited from loving the cosmic system of Satan in the sense of honoring its temptations.
1 John 2:15, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
1 John 2:16, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”
1 John 2:17, “The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”
“World” is the noun kosmos and is used of a vast system and arrangement of human affairs, earthly goods, godless governments, conflicts, riches, pleasures, culture, education, world religions, the cults and the occult dominated and negatively affected by Satan who is god of this satanic cosmos.
This system is promoted by Satan, conformed to his ideals, aims, methods, and character, and stands perpetually in opposition to God the cause of Christ.
This world system is used to seduce men away from God and the person of Christ and is anti-God, anti-Christ, and anti-Bible, and very anti-humanity though it often appears as humanitarian as part of Satan’s masquerade as an angel of light.
James 4:4, “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
Satan has incorporated into his system of world rulership as many material distractions as possible.
Affluence, the increase and spread of wealth, communication and technology are factors, which, from one point of view, are very beneficial to the devil's control of mankind.
In Genesis 14:21-24, we see that Abram is not distracted by the pursuit of materialism and wealth because he does “not” love money and affluence and this is demonstrated in that he rejects the King of Sodom’s offer to take the property of Sodom.
Prosperity can be very dangerous and destructive to a believer’s spiritual growth.
By rejecting the offer from the King of Sodom, Abram is not permitting the pursuit of material and financial prosperity to stop his spiritual growth as a believer.
We are to be living our lives in light of eternity and this is what we see Abram doing in Genesis 14:21-24.
Though in the world, we are to be both unstained by the world and separated from it and its way of life while also penetrating the world as ambassadors of Christ, as those holding forth the Word of life (cf. Jam. 1:27; 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1; with Phil. 2:12-18; Matt. 5:14-16; 2 Cor. 5:20-21).
In Genesis 14:21-24, we see Abram separated from the cosmic system and its way of life while at the same time presenting a powerful witness to the unbeliever by rejecting this offer and resting in the promises that the Lord made to him.
Our trust, therefore, is not to be in the uncertain riches of this age nor in the things in which men glory (1 Tim. 6:17-19; John 5:41; 1 Thess. 2:6) and in Genesis 14:21-24, we see that Abram does not trust in the uncertain riches of the cosmic system of Satan.
We are not be friends with this world which amounts to hostility to God and His aims (Jam. 4:4); nor are we to love the world, for loving the world and its things chokes out our ability to love God (1 John 2:15-17; Matt. 6:19-24; Mark 4:18-19).
In Genesis 14:21-24, we see that Abram is a friend of God rather than a friend of the cosmic system of Satan.
We can enjoy the things God gives us in the world for He has given us all things freely to enjoy, but our security, significance, or basic satisfaction and contentment in life are to come from knowing, loving, trusting, and serving the Lord (1 Tim. 6:17; Phil. 4:11-13; Eccl. 2:24-26).
Abram does not find his security, significance and satisfaction in life and contentment in the cosmic system as witnessed by his rejecting the King of Sodom’s offer but rather he finds these things from knowing, loving, trusting and serving the Lord.
1 Timothy 6:17, “Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.”
So while we can use the things in the world, we must not abuse them as one who belongs to Satan’s cosmic system who seeks from the world what only the Lord can give (1 Cor. 7:29-35).
There are many passages in the New Testament, which address the believer’s attitude and conduct to this present cosmic system of Satan.
Galatians 6:14, “But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”
Romans 12:1, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”
Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
The fact that we are not to love this world does not mean we are to withdraw from society and live in a monastery but rather God has separated us from the world in order that we might manifest His Son to a lost and dying world through our words and actions.
Abram is coming into contact with unbelievers, wicked and evil rulers and yet he does not hide from them but rather is manifesting the Lord to a lost and dying world through his magnanimous and gracious actions.
Bruce K. Waltke, “As conquering hero, Abraham has the right to a share of the property plundered from the king of Sodom, but he wants no share of what the pagan king offers him with a grudge. Abraham wants to be above reproach in the eyes of his pagan neighbors and he will not allow the name of his God to be tarnished by moral ambiguity” (Genesis, A Commentary, page 237).
1 Peter 2:12, “Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
1 Peter 3:8, “To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit.”
1 Peter 3:9, “not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.”
1 Peter 3:10, “For, ‘THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS, MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT.’”
1 Peter 3:11, “HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD; HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT.”
1 Peter 3:12, “FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS, AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER, BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL.”
1 Peter 3:13, “Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?”
1 Peter 3:14, “But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED.”
1 Peter 3:15, “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.”
1 Peter 3:16, “and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.”
As believers, we are not to “sell out” to the world and play by its rules but rather we are to walk in conformity with Christ.
We see that Abram does “not” sell out to the cosmic system, which is manifested in that he rejects the King of Sodom’s offer.
Genesis 14:22, “Abram said to the king of Sodom, ‘I have sworn to the LORD God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth.’”
By calling Yahweh, “the Lord” by the name employed by Melchizedek in Genesis 14:19, “the Lord God Most High (Hebrew: El Elyon), possessor (Hebrew: qanah, “Creator”) of heaven and earth,” Abram bears testimony to the fact that his God and Melchizedek’s are one and the same Person.
Genesis 14:23, “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.’”
Abram refuses to keep a victim’s plunder and by doing so, demonstrates his spiritual character.
Abram refuses the King of Sodom’s offer because he does not want the King to be able to take the credit for his prosperity, rather he wants the Lord to be responsible for his prospering materially and financially and wants to give glory to the Lord.
Genesis 14:24, “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.”
Abram’s own servants had partaken of the food, which the confederate kings had carried away and was unavoidable, and this is all that Abram makes claim to.
On the other hand, as he had no right to prescribe the same liberal conduct to his allies, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, he left them to claim the share that by right of conquest belonged to them of the recaptured booty.
Abram demonstrates his fairness and generosity to those who risked their lives with him (the armies of the three Amorite princes) by letting them take their share of the spoils of this great victory over the Eastern Mesopotamian Coalition.
Abram’s sole objective in pursing the armies of the four Eastern Mesopotamian Kings was to rescue Lot his nephew and bring glory to the Lord and not to achieve personal glory, fame or wealth.
By pursuing these Eastern Mesopotamian Kings in order to rescue his nephew Lot, Abram demonstrated that he was not concerned in the least about his own personal safety but rather was totally occupied with the safety of his nephew Lot.
Now, in Genesis 15, we see that because of Abram operating in faith and being courageous and humble, giving glory to the Lord for his victory that the Lord will bless Abram again, giving him greater revelation and expanding and enlarging upon His covenant with him.