|
|
|
|
Studies in Genesis, Lot’s Troubles, Lesson XXXIII, Genesis 14:1-16
Chapter 14 begins with the five word phrase, And it came to pass.
Abram had settled down in the plain of Mamre where his herdmen now operated without strife with Lot’s herdmen for a God imposed separation had taken place.
Lot had pitched his tent in the well-watered plains of the Jordan but we soon learn in this chapter that his tent had become cumbersome, perhaps not up to date with the latest fashion, and Sodom beckoned him and his wife to enjoy the pleasures of the city where we find him living in a house when all these events occur that we will shortly read.
And it came to pass that wars and rumors of wars were about and God gives us the players in detail, so we will understand that Lot’s choice of the well-watered plains and city living did not produce glowing results.
Lot’s choice, based solely on financial gain, brings him and his family to be victims in dire straits but Abram’s left overs from Lot’s choice brings him to the stature of hero, of rescuer of the one who made a bad choice.
We’ll not read the whole of chapter 14 but let us begin by reading verses 1-12.
I will struggle through these names and places the best that phonics brings to me. Genesis 14:1-12, 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; 2 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. 3 All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea. 4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 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 Emins in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6 And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which is by the wilderness. 7 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. 8 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; 9 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. 10 And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain. 11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. 12 And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
So we are given in this complicated passage (trying to keep clear whose on first) a list of credits of those who participated in a great power struggle between two opposing coalitions of kingdoms.
Moses, who wrote this account, firstly tells us of a block of nations composed of four Mesopotamian kings of the east, with the dominant king being Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, which is modern Iran.
He mentions that this war took place in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar with Shinar being the region of ancient Babylon.
The opposing coalition is composed of five kings which include the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah.
So what is this war about?
It is about four eastern kings ruling over the five southern kings for 12 years resulting in enough is enough and this rebellion took place by the four kings to throw off the shackles of these unjust rulers from the east.
This particular place wherein Lot and his family resided was a place wherein many factions also desired its value.
The five southern kings controlled the territory through which the way of the kings passed.
This was the land bridge through which commerce between Egypt and the four eastern kingdoms must travel.
Whoever controlled this land bridge maintained a monopoly on international trade.
Ignoring the insurrection by the five ruling kings would be too devastating to consider for it would be a great power loss.
Lot had chosen the well-watered plains for financial gain but when choices are made in this way what comes with that choice must also be borne.
The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing of it is of the Lord for the whole story is written by God.
Now this passage also describes this war in much broader terms than that part of the war which concerned Lot and his family.
By knowing the participants listed in verses 5-7 we know that Chedorlaomer and his forces conducted a wide sweep to the east and south and then around to the southwest.
Then northeast to the western side of the Dead Sea, and lastly his forces move in great numbers down upon their final conquest, the cities in the Vale of Siddim.
This war then was to insure the security of the way of the kings, the trade route which the Mesopotamian kings fought to protect.
The rebellion of the five southern kings, which included Sodom and Gomorrah seems to have prompted other subjected kings along the trade route to join in the rebellion which caused Chedorlaomer’s war strategy.
Therefore the four Mesopotamian kings went to war to restore their sovereignty over the entire length of the trade route.
Picture this war all along the trade route with Chedorlaomer dealing one by one with a rebel kingdom, going to the next rebel kingdom and then on to the five kings listed, thus insuring no attack from the rear.
Also in this kind of warfare news of victories of the enemy usually would prompt surrender by those forces not yet engaged.
But this thinking was not in the minds of the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, and their allies perhaps instead thinking it was more noble to fight and be defeated than to simply surrender.
But they were no match for the seasoned war taught troops of the four opposing kings and even in retreat it is told some even were consumed in the tar pits of the valley.
Sodom and Gomorrah were sacked and everything and everyone that was worth anything was carried off to the enemy’s counties and cities.
God has given much notice of this war, certainly not unique to these times, but there is purpose in providing us this account for there is a spiritual dimension to all of this for kindred of Abram, namely Lot and his family were part of that which was carried off.
For it says in verse 12:
And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
There is also a lesson here for within every occurrence on the earth there are two dimensions of news, that which is reported by man, and that which is known of God.
Read the two dimensions of news in:
II Kings 6:17, And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
Only Elisha and the young man saw the full story for God opened his eyes to see all the forces assembled.
So this international event reported in chapter 14 brings to our minds a power struggle and economic considerations between people but the greater story is that it was part of the program of a sovereign God concerning the lives of two of His people, Abram and Lot.
We who are people of faith are to always remember that the story is never complete if we only see and hear what man reports for God’s part is always the most important and significant part.
We may see Hurricane Irma with its great power to destroy but what is God’s part in this event for that part is what is important.
So in this event of Chapter 14we are confronted with the consequences to this man Lot who had chosen to live in this war ravaged well-watered plain on the basis of economic self-interest.
He now was caught up in the rest of the story, a chapter he had not read for it was a chapter known only to God.
This is the God who Abram had placed his trust in by taking what land was left.
There is a saying, He who lives by the sword dies by the sword and this saying is also true, He who lives by the economy dies by the economy.
The kings of both sides lived by economic self-interest and all citizens who lived likewise suffered the same consequences. Think Lot’s way and picture his joy in the beginning in taking advantage of Abram by accepting first choice and choosing the land with potentially the greatest profit.
And it came to pass!
What a conclusion that always abounds in human affairs.
What came to pass?
Well Lot never considered his choice would place him in the center of an international incident.
His financial considerations never had a chapter entitled “Look out for war!”
I can hear Lot and his wife and daughters along the road to slavery after capture as they all and their goods were carried away from those plains which enamored him so.
Oh, the moaning and groaning!
Once so free with so many goods, now a slave, because he trusted in riches.
And that trust led him from pitching his tent toward Sodom to edging closer and closer to Sodom close enough to see that well-built house directly in town, with all the modern appliances, and among such nice neighbors, mind you!
But this is not the end of the story for God loves Lot and he loves his uncle and therefore intervenes and allows a report of what has happened to get back to one who could help.
Genesis 14:13-16, 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. 14 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. 15 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. 16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
God made sure that Abram heard of Lot’s plight and insured that one escaped to tell the tale. For the tale was told to not only Abram but to Abram the Hebrew.
This is the first mention of this designation - Hebrew.
And most think this is a derivation from Abram’s great-great-great-great-grandfather Eber whose own great grandfather was Shem, son of Noah.
So added to Abram’s name was a connection to the Shemites, and could also indicate him becoming a well-known figure by those who lived in the land, not Shemites, for Abram did indeed have large flocks and a large number of attendants to those flocks and was obviously an alien.
And here we also learn the Mamre of the plain of Mamre is a man, an Amorite who has two brothers Eshcol and Aner, three men who seemed to be in business with Abram, a business arrangement called confederate in our passage.
(Be sure to keep this use of the word confederate to yourself for the confederate statue destroyers will probably want this taken out of the Bible)
So Abram takes no time to decide on action after hearing the report of the captivity of his nephew and his family.
It appears to me that the escapee was able to tell Abram where they were taken, by what route, the size of the force, etc.
Most likely Lot was considered spoils of war and with all the spoils given to an army group responsible for carrying the spoils to the home country.
Perhaps a contingent apart from the main army and therefore less defensible.
14 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.
Three hundred and eighteen trained men was a large force but seeing the many kings listed and their forces could indicate that Abram was out numbered however as I said the intelligence learned from the escapee may have convinced Abram that his forces were sufficient.
There is nothing said about Abram’s motive in mounting this quest. Certainly Abram had the heart of a father toward Lot even if Lot did not honor Abram in his choice of the privileged land.
Abram certainly saw a justice in what took place with Lot and could have said Whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap.
Lot got exactly what he had asked for choosing to live in Sodom, the center of sin and depravity.
What should he have expected with such a choice?
But Abram displays the grace of a maturing man of faith, remembering God’s promise of prosperity and protection and of great future things to his descendants.
And therefore: 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. 16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
Abram was indeed prepared for conflict for we are told his men, all born to his household, were trained and for this pursuit he armed them.
In those days each family group, or each city group was responsible for self-defense so forces like this were normal.
Leaders had to have military minds for many marauders were present.
Abram’s military mind was revealed here for he employed a forced march of over 150 miles and a surprise attack from various tactical positions.
There was no stopping Abram until victory was assured and Lot, the prodigal, and his family and his goods were secured.
God’s promises were at work but will Lot learn anything from this? |