Genesis 14
Abram’s Excellent Adventure
Or
Lot’s Bogus Journey
Lot gets captured in a military conflict and Abram goes to save him. (Genesis 14: 1-16) I thought long and hard about how to best dissect what is happening here into some understandable format, not only for the children, but also for any teacher who would use my commentary in their classroom. What might be the larger principle to learn here? What is the point of including this small story into the larger story of the beginnings of the Hebrew people as a nation, as the children of God? Do we really need to read about the political machinations of the various tribal powers that wandered the deserts of the ancient Middle East? What is the relevance of this episode to Abram and Sarai’s larger story of becoming the parents of a great nation?
And then I realized how Chapter 14 is a thematic continuation to Chapter 13 – Abram continues to take care of and show responsibility for the welfare of those people important to him. Lot, having merely lived close to Sodom at the end of Chapter 13, was now residing in Sodom with all of his possessions. Unfortunately for Lot, he fell prey to the looting of an army who had recently been the victors in a war that settled a rather long-standing political feud of 14 years. Am I letting Lot off the hook here? I don’t think so – he should have known what was going on politically in the region or at least learned about it as he lived there. But you can’t anticipate being carted away across the desert by an invading army.
After being informed of Lot’s abduction by someone who had eluded capture, Abram then gathered up his 318 (isn’t that a rather specific number?) trained men to pursue the army that had captured Lot (maybe to hold him for ransom). Judging by his tactics of dividing his force to surround the enemy at night, Abram also seems to have been a capable military strategist. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament (p46) declared that a force of 318 men was very large for its day and time, more than capable of being able to defeat most any army that stood against them. Thus, with such resources at his disposal, Abram chased the invaders to the north of Damascus (into modern-day Syria), rescuing Lot, his possessions, and his family.
Again, what jumps out of the page at me is Abram’s willingness to take care of those people who mean a great deal to him. We are not privy to Abram and Lot’s personal feelings regarding their seemingly amicable separation in Genesis 13, but it would have been very easy to build up a grudge regarding what happened. However, it seems that no matter what Abram felt, he believed that Lot deserved and was worthy of his help. Thus, it seems that, even without projecting intuitions and presupposing emotions upon Abram, the principle still rings true – we should want to help our friends and love ones when we see them in trouble. Sadly, we don’t live according to that adage as often as we should.
Abram Meets Melchizedek. (Genesis 14:17-24) What we have here is another incident where Abram’s character is wonderfully exemplified. As Abram returns to his tents following his successful journey to reclaim Lot, two men meet him: the King of Sodom and Melchizedek, the King of Salem. The King of Sodom was there because Abram, when reclaiming Lot, also procured the possessions that the other kings captured when they overran Sodom and other towns. Melchizedek was present because he was probably the most important king in the area.
However, Melchizedek was more than just a king; he was a priest of God’s. The author of Hebrews felt that Melchizedek was a typological forerunner and image of Christ to Abram. Why else would have Abram have willingly given him a tenth of all he owned after just meeting the man? Many people teach that Melchizedek was a theophony – an angelic being sent to earth to give forth an image of God to the people of God. As Hebrews 7:3 tells us, “He [being Melchizedek] is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.” (Hebrews 7:3, ESV)
However, Melchizedek’s status as either human or not is a moot point really. Abram’s reaction would most likely have been the same either way – showing reverence and respect to those he felt were worthy, people he felt were of God. Abram tithed a tenth of his money to the King of Salem to show admiration for the King’s position as leader of the peoples of the region and because he recognized God as being present in the life of Melchizedek. Abram’s giving of his tenth occurred after being blessed by Melchizedek in this manner: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” (Genesis 17:19ff-20, ESV) I feel that this wasn’t some support group that these 2 men joined, but a way for them to connect with each other in a rather pagan world.
After this exchange, the King of Sodom decided to win back his people to his side, a crucial point as the King wants to see his people return to their homes. Abram was well within his rights to keep all of the people and resources that he had recovered, but he was honor-bound to God to treat people in a manner that he would want to be. But Abram gave all of the people and belongings back to the King of Sodom with these words, “… I have lifted my head to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything else that is yours, lest you should say, ‘ I have made Abram rich.’ I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.” (Genesis 14: 22ff-24, ESV)
Abram realized that, to keep all of the goods of Sodom that he had retrieved from the fleeing armies, he would be allowing someone to say that they had played a part in blessing Abram. The covenant between Abram and God was designed for only God to have the distinction of directing, guiding, blessing, and providing for Abram’s journeys and fulfilling the promises that had been made to Abram and Sarai. Abram could have taken everything and tithed more, but chose to honor the fact that God had promised to take care of Abram; he wouldn’t need any outside assistance.
Teachers: Two primary things to focus on here. First, talk about how important it is to take care of the important people in our lives. Abram honored his brother and father with the way that he always took care of, protected, and loved Lot. When we help others, it allows for blessing to enter our lives. Second, Abram’s tithe to Melchizedek shows us how crucial it is that we honor the people of God in our lives. Yes, we should love our neighbor as ourselves, but we should also seek to show specific love to the people that God has placed in our lives to help us, assist us, and guide us. Thus, I feel it makes most sense, when teaching through this chapter, to read Genesis 14:17-24.
Or
Lot’s Bogus Journey
Lot gets captured in a military conflict and Abram goes to save him. (Genesis 14: 1-16) I thought long and hard about how to best dissect what is happening here into some understandable format, not only for the children, but also for any teacher who would use my commentary in their classroom. What might be the larger principle to learn here? What is the point of including this small story into the larger story of the beginnings of the Hebrew people as a nation, as the children of God? Do we really need to read about the political machinations of the various tribal powers that wandered the deserts of the ancient Middle East? What is the relevance of this episode to Abram and Sarai’s larger story of becoming the parents of a great nation?
And then I realized how Chapter 14 is a thematic continuation to Chapter 13 – Abram continues to take care of and show responsibility for the welfare of those people important to him. Lot, having merely lived close to Sodom at the end of Chapter 13, was now residing in Sodom with all of his possessions. Unfortunately for Lot, he fell prey to the looting of an army who had recently been the victors in a war that settled a rather long-standing political feud of 14 years. Am I letting Lot off the hook here? I don’t think so – he should have known what was going on politically in the region or at least learned about it as he lived there. But you can’t anticipate being carted away across the desert by an invading army.
After being informed of Lot’s abduction by someone who had eluded capture, Abram then gathered up his 318 (isn’t that a rather specific number?) trained men to pursue the army that had captured Lot (maybe to hold him for ransom). Judging by his tactics of dividing his force to surround the enemy at night, Abram also seems to have been a capable military strategist. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament (p46) declared that a force of 318 men was very large for its day and time, more than capable of being able to defeat most any army that stood against them. Thus, with such resources at his disposal, Abram chased the invaders to the north of Damascus (into modern-day Syria), rescuing Lot, his possessions, and his family.
Again, what jumps out of the page at me is Abram’s willingness to take care of those people who mean a great deal to him. We are not privy to Abram and Lot’s personal feelings regarding their seemingly amicable separation in Genesis 13, but it would have been very easy to build up a grudge regarding what happened. However, it seems that no matter what Abram felt, he believed that Lot deserved and was worthy of his help. Thus, it seems that, even without projecting intuitions and presupposing emotions upon Abram, the principle still rings true – we should want to help our friends and love ones when we see them in trouble. Sadly, we don’t live according to that adage as often as we should.
Abram Meets Melchizedek. (Genesis 14:17-24) What we have here is another incident where Abram’s character is wonderfully exemplified. As Abram returns to his tents following his successful journey to reclaim Lot, two men meet him: the King of Sodom and Melchizedek, the King of Salem. The King of Sodom was there because Abram, when reclaiming Lot, also procured the possessions that the other kings captured when they overran Sodom and other towns. Melchizedek was present because he was probably the most important king in the area.
However, Melchizedek was more than just a king; he was a priest of God’s. The author of Hebrews felt that Melchizedek was a typological forerunner and image of Christ to Abram. Why else would have Abram have willingly given him a tenth of all he owned after just meeting the man? Many people teach that Melchizedek was a theophony – an angelic being sent to earth to give forth an image of God to the people of God. As Hebrews 7:3 tells us, “He [being Melchizedek] is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.” (Hebrews 7:3, ESV)
However, Melchizedek’s status as either human or not is a moot point really. Abram’s reaction would most likely have been the same either way – showing reverence and respect to those he felt were worthy, people he felt were of God. Abram tithed a tenth of his money to the King of Salem to show admiration for the King’s position as leader of the peoples of the region and because he recognized God as being present in the life of Melchizedek. Abram’s giving of his tenth occurred after being blessed by Melchizedek in this manner: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” (Genesis 17:19ff-20, ESV) I feel that this wasn’t some support group that these 2 men joined, but a way for them to connect with each other in a rather pagan world.
After this exchange, the King of Sodom decided to win back his people to his side, a crucial point as the King wants to see his people return to their homes. Abram was well within his rights to keep all of the people and resources that he had recovered, but he was honor-bound to God to treat people in a manner that he would want to be. But Abram gave all of the people and belongings back to the King of Sodom with these words, “… I have lifted my head to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything else that is yours, lest you should say, ‘ I have made Abram rich.’ I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.” (Genesis 14: 22ff-24, ESV)
Abram realized that, to keep all of the goods of Sodom that he had retrieved from the fleeing armies, he would be allowing someone to say that they had played a part in blessing Abram. The covenant between Abram and God was designed for only God to have the distinction of directing, guiding, blessing, and providing for Abram’s journeys and fulfilling the promises that had been made to Abram and Sarai. Abram could have taken everything and tithed more, but chose to honor the fact that God had promised to take care of Abram; he wouldn’t need any outside assistance.
Teachers: Two primary things to focus on here. First, talk about how important it is to take care of the important people in our lives. Abram honored his brother and father with the way that he always took care of, protected, and loved Lot. When we help others, it allows for blessing to enter our lives. Second, Abram’s tithe to Melchizedek shows us how crucial it is that we honor the people of God in our lives. Yes, we should love our neighbor as ourselves, but we should also seek to show specific love to the people that God has placed in our lives to help us, assist us, and guide us. Thus, I feel it makes most sense, when teaching through this chapter, to read Genesis 14:17-24.
posted by APN | 10:13 AM
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