Genesis 14:1 In those days Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim 2 waged war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, as well as the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 All of these came as allies to the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea).4 They were subject to Chedorlaomer for 12 years, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.5 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in the mountains of Seir, as far as El-paran by the wilderness. 7 Then they came back to invade En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they defeated all the territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.
8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and lined up for battle in the Valley of Siddim9 against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim contained many asphalt pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, but the rest fled to the mountains. 11 The four kings took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food and went on. 12 They also took Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, for he was living in Sodom, and they went on.
13 One of the survivors came and told Abram the Hebrew, who lived near the oaks belonging to Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and the brother of Aner. They were bound by a treaty with Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken prisoner, he assembled his 318 trained men, born in his household, and they went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 And he and his servants deployed against them by night, attacked them, and pursued them as far as Hobah to the north of Damascus. 16 He brought back all the goods and also his relative Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the other people.
17 After Abram returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went 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 a priest to God Most High. 19 He blessed him and said:
Abram is blessed by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth,
20 and I give praise to God Most High
who has handed over your enemies to you.
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
21 Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, but take the possessions for yourself.”
22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand in an oath to Yahweh, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 23 that I will not take a thread or sandal strap or anything that belongs to you, so you can never say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ 24 I will take nothing except what the servants have eaten. But as for the share of the men who came with me—Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre—they can take their share.”
So I read this and think, now what? Well, first lets see what this passage is saying. There was a war. The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah were defeated and their cities plundered. Lot and all his possessions were taken since he lived near Sodom. Abram was called upon to rescue Lot since they were family. Abram assembled some of his men and defeated the kings who had won and recovered all the possessions. The king of Sodom was prepared to give Abram all the possessions that had been recovered. Abram refused so that he could remain loyal to God. He did not want the king to say that Abram was rich because of him. Abram knew he was rich because of what God had done for him.
Now what does this passage tell us about God? Well, God was with Abram in that he "handed over" the enemy to him. God is creator, as mentioned in verse 19 and 22.
What does this passage tell us about Christ? My husband says that ALL scripture can point us to Christ in some way. Here Abram rescues Lot. Abram is Lot's savior, like Christ is our Savior. Just as Abram brought back all the people of Sodom and Gomorrah to the safety of their towns, away from those who would harm them, so will Christ do for us in the last days when his church is rescued and he brings us into the promised New Jerusalem. Our enemy, the devil, will no longer be able to harm us.
2 Peter 3:13 But based on His promise, we wait for the new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness will dwell.
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