Abraham defeated five kings after Lot decided to go to Sodom to live and was taken captive. Abraham with an army of only 318 trained servants defeated these kings and rescued Lot. Just mouthing the statement “I believe to be healed” means nothing when it isn’t backed up by listening to and obeying God
And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations; That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar. All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea. Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year, they rebelled. And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim, And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which is by the wilderness. And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezontamar. And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim; With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five. And the vale of Siddim was full of slime pits, and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there, and they that remained fled to the mountain. And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed – Genesis 14:1-12
- If Lot didn’t go to Sodom to live, Abraham wouldn’t have had to deal with the situation, wrong decisions cause wrong actions
Did God Go to Abraham or did Abraham go to God to take the action he took?
And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram. And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people – Genesis 14:13-16
- God didn’t tell him to take this action
- Was Abraham’s decision to rescue Lot God’s will?
- Lot wasn’t in the Christ line of people that brought about his birth, then why was Lot a focal point of Abraham’s life at this time?
- Was this action part of God’s promise to bring to pass the birth of His son?
- A lot of questions, but the answers are below
After Abraham slaughtered the 5 kings he was met by Melchizedek, the king of Salem, who was the priest of the most high God
And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale. And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which had delivered thy enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
That I will not take from a thread even to a shoe latchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion – Genesis 14:17-24
- Don’t confuse the king of Sodom (the wicked city – Gen 13:13), Bera with the king of Salem(the Jerusalem area, he was probably Shem, Noah’s son), Melchizedek
- Melchizedek was the king of Salem who brought bread and wine to Abraham
- He was the priest of the most high God, Bera the king of Sodom didn’t do this when he communicated with Abraham
- Melchizedek spilled the beans. God was the one who delivered the enemies(5 kings) into Abraham’s hand
- What is not known at this point, did God tell him beforehand or did Abraham make the decision and take action then God just backed him up and destroyed the enemy?
- Abraham did take King of Salem’s offering but declined to take anything from the king of Sodom
- God further explains who Melchizedek was and how he would be connected to Jesus in the future. Doesn’t have anything to do with Abraham’s believing God, but keep in mind what God did in bringing about what Abraham believed about his seed and the future Christ (Hebrews 5:6,10, 6:20, 7:1-28)
This discussion between God and Abraham is really hard to believe it really happened, but God said it did. I consider this may be one conversation that affected the future of the seeds (believers) today and will go a long way in showing us what it is to believe God in just one verse!
After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward – Genesis 15:1
God came to Abraham in a vision and opened up their conversation by telling him 3 things that Abraham had to accept as truth in believing him about his future and how he would affect mankind
1 – Fear not, what if Abraham would have become fearful? Fear stops believing, so God told him this first (Luke 1:13, 1:30, 2:10, 5:10, 8:10-fear not, only believe, 12:32, John 12:15, Romans 8:15, 2 Timothy 1:7, Hebrews 2:15-fear of death puts you in bondage, 1 John 4:18-perfect love destroys fear). These are just a few examples of how fear has affected what you believe. Go to https://www.blueletterbible.org/ and search on the word fear and read the rest of what fear does!
2 – I am your shield (Ephesians 6:16-above all, taking the shield of believing, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked), your protector. God gives us the ability to defeat our enemies and keeps us safe from our enemies. Why wouldn’t ill-health be considered as one of our enemies?
3 – I am you’re exceeding great reward. God is the one that pays us in full for our believing in him and doing what he tells us to do
Just think of this in light of being physically healed, what effect it would have on our health just by doing these 3 things!
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