Genesis 14

1 At the time when Amraphel was king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goyim, 2 these kings went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboyim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea Valley). 4 For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim 6 and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran near the desert. 7 Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazezon Tamar.

8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboyim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim 9 against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills.11 The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away.

12 They also carried off Abram's nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom. 13 A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshkol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.

16 He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.  17 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came 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 priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.

20 And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “With raised hand I have sworn an oath to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 23 that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.' 24 I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshkol and Mamre. Let them have their share.”

SS 32 Game of Throne

Genesis 14

I know what you are thinking, why are you slowing down for the boring war stuff?  Two reasons:  One is that I have trouble really reading (not eye surfing) these verses and need to slow down to focus.  The other reason is that something really interesting happens this chapter and I don't want to miss it.  So, keep with me here.  

Ok, so kings are at war.  

On team 1 we have:  

Amraphel king of Shinar

Arioch king of Ellasar

Kedorlaomer king of Elam

Tidal king of Goyim

On team 2 we have:

Bera king of Sodom

Birsha king of Gomorrah

Shinab king of Admah

Shemeber king of Zeboyim

Zoar king of Bela

I wonder if I can find a map to explain this war better.  Yep -I found a good one – will attach below.  But it sounds like  Elam had subjugated other kingdoms for fourteen years.  So he was the bad guy.  Some of the nations rebelled and it was on!  Elam was too strong.  Team Sodom and Gomorrah fled and some fell into tar pits as they bravely ran away (a little Monte Python there).  Elam took the plunder left behind and this included Lot and his group.   Lot's lot was in a lot of trouble (Yes, I will stop saying lot a lot. Starting now.).  

Abram sends men out to save Lot. Ok, so think about that.  Elam had just defeated a group of nations.  He had already defeated Lot's group.  He was a big mean war machine.  Abram has 318 trained men and chases Elam to get Lot back.  Abram may be an iffy husband, but he is a true friend.  I am sure that God saw this in him as well.  Abram wins with a sneaky night attack.  He recovers Lot and all of Lot's belongings.  

Now this impresses the defeated kings and they all want to be friends with Abram.   No shock there.  I am imagining fires and leg o' lamb here.  

HOT TOPIC ALERT!:  In V18 we meet a new guy who is fascinating to Bibleheads.  So, if you are not a war buff, time to tune back in.  Melchizadek is king of Salem.  Pause, I wonder what Salem is because JeruSALEM has some commonalities.  I am going to look this up.

Salem means peace, perfect and made whole.   Bibleheads think it is another name for Jerusalem.  This is an odd thing to me because it means that the city was already in existence at this time and had a king.  

Let's look at that king.  Melchizadek  means my king of  and Salem is peace, so his title is “my king of peace.”  We do not know his family line.  We are told that he is a priest of God the Most High.  This is the first priest we have heard of in the OT.  What does Melchizadek do?  He blesses Abram.  He brings out bread and wine (communion).  Huh.  And what does Abram do?  He tithes to Melchizadek.  That is all we are told about this interaction.  Can you see the elements here are very familiar.  Why would Abram tithe to him?  

Some Bibleheads think Melchizadek is Jesus.  He certainly sets the “type” of priesthood in place.  Why?  Skip forward to Hebrews 7 and we see Melchizadek mentioned again.  I am going to attach it to this study for your reference.  Hebrews retells this story and says Melchizadek is a king forever without a geneology.  He says that Melchizadek was greater than Abraham since he was the one who had the ability to bless.  He says that Jesus came as a priest in the order of Melchizadek (V11).   A priest based upon the power “of an indestructible life.”  Jesus is the priest of the new covenant and will live forever.  Ok, so you get the idea here.  Melchizadek is a priest outside of the Levi line and given authority by God directly.  Interesting guy.  

Back to Abram.  He is victorious, and Sodom wants him to have the spoils of war.  But Abram takes no spoils because God told him not to do so. He is being obedient to God again.  God wants Abram to know that all he has comes from God – not from others.  

TJ:  God sent Abram away from home and told him He wanted to SHOW him a place. Once Abram takes the steps of faith, God says he is going to GIVE him the land. Faith in small things means God will trust you with more. You often do not know what the result will be when you take the first steps of faith.

TJ:  I was thinking about the idea that Abram was told to reject wealth from the raid because all provision must be from God, not others.  What is we rejected questionable things we might legally be entitled to as a way of showing God we trust him with our finances?  Just a thought.  

Hebrews 7

1 This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, 2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.”

3 Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. 4 Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! 5 Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham. 6 This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater.

8 In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. 9 One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham,  10 because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.

11 If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? 12 For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also.13 He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar.

14 For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. 15 And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16 one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life.

17 For it is declared: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” 18 The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless 19 (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

20 And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, 21 but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever.' ” 22 Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.

23 Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.  27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.