Genesis 14 Amazing Grace

Genesis 14

What is a Christian? Is it someone who goes to church on Sunday, pays their tithe, and is generally a nice person? Or is it someone who causes riots wherever they go, gets thrown into jail. I mean, the apostles fall into the second description! And perhaps we need a few more of those types of Christians, riot-causing-for-the-sake-of-the-gospel-Christians in this country.

But neither of those descriptions are correct. Because what makes a Christian is not what we do, or even what we are – what makes a Christian is God. If his favour rests upon you, you are a Christian, you belong to him, you are His. No matter what.

This was Abram’s experience. He was called by God. His favour rested upon Abram. His promise was given him. Nothing could shake that promise – not even Abram’s own sin! And you too, if you are called by the Lord Jesus – you belong to Him, His favour rests upon you, and nothing can shake His promise “you will always be with me where I am”.

So let’s dive in to this chapter where we see that Abram is undefeatable, those with him are blessed, Abram is Lot’s saviour – and Abram is a mere shadow of the great high priestly King of Jerusalem who is still to come.
1. God keeps his promises
2. A mysterious blessing
3. The Priest-King of God Most High

1. God keeps his promises

8 Then the rebel kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (also called Zoar) prepared for battle in the valley of the Dead Sea. 9 They fought against King Kedorlaomer of Elam, King Tidal of Goiim, King Amraphel of Babylonia, and King Arioch of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 As it happened, the valley of the Dead Sea was filled with tar pits. And as the army of the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into the tar pits, while the rest escaped into the mountains. 11 The victorious invaders then plundered Sodom and Gomorrah and headed for home, taking with them all the spoils of war and the food supplies. 12 They also captured Lot—Abram’s nephew who lived in Sodom—and carried off everything he owned.

Oh Lot. You threw your lot in with the wrong crowd! He cut himself off from Abram, who has now become the centre of God’s blessing on earth – and he faces the consequences. His eye for the “easy life”, seeing the well-watered land, and ignoring the fact that 13:13 the people of this area were extremely wicked and constantly sinned against the LORD. – well, Lot pays the penalty for his decision. War ravages the land, and he is carried off as prisoner.

Now I’ve been conditioned to thinking of Lot as righteous. You know, from the Sodom story a bit later “Oh Lord, if you find 50, 20, 10 righteous men”… But in reading carefully through this story - Lot is never presented as righteous. In fact, his story is the opposite –an unrighteous man, who keeps being rescued by God’s man on the ground: Abram. When I first read this story when I was planning the preaching program, I thought this story was about the fact that bad things happen even to good people – you know, the good man Lot was just living there, minding his own business, when war came and swept up everyone – the good and the bad – kind of like what has happened to some of you in your countries. Or just the general sufferings of life that sweep over us. As Christians we are not immune – after all, we will all one day die! But God has promised that he will be with us through the ups and downs, and Christ will meet us on the other side of death, clothe us in his robes of righteousness, and say “it’s alright, he’s with me”.
If I’d been reading my thoughts into the passage, that’s what I would have preached on – that’s what I’d planned to preach. But this passage is not about that. And my job is to lay GOD’S thoughts before you, not my own (or what I think God ought to be thinking at this point). So, after working on last week’s text I realised my initial ideas in reading this week’s passage was wrong.

The theme here continues from chapter 13 of the promise of God to Abram of land, people, blessing. He is the bearer of God’s promise. God’s promise is centred on him. So when Lot separates from Abram, he separates from the land, he separates from the blessing – and ultimately separates from the people, as he gives rise to the Amonnites and Moabites, a thorn in Israel’s side in the future, and enemies of God.

So the author carefully places this story here, directly after chapter 13, to highlight what happens when you separate from the blessing of God: destruction, slavery, destitution.

Now, by rights, that should have been the end of Lot. But because Lot is Abram’s nephew, he is not forgotten: immediately Abram rises up and gathering 318 men sets off after the enemy army.

Now we need to set the scene a little bit here. This army is an alliance of four kingdoms. It is huge. It has just swept through the whole area, from the east, down the whole side of the Jordan valley, down south near to Egypt, then up to Sodom and Gomorrah – absolutely destroying anything and anyone standing their way. An army of FIVE kings – that of Sodom etc, was soundly beaten– as v10 As it happened, the valley of the Dead Sea was filled with tar pits. And as the army of the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into the tar pits, while the rest escaped into the mountains. Fleeing for their lives, falling into the tar pits. Getting stuck, getting shot by arrows – absolute mayhem and destruction. Kedorlaomer’s army was a victorious war machine.

And here comes Abram with around 300 guys. Not professional soldiers, although they’d had a bit of training. This was no standing army – these were farmers, hunters, tanners, ordinary guys. And off they go in pursuit of this mighty army. Like boys with sticks against tanks.

But there is one more thing they have. They have verse 3 of chapter 12. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt.
Abram carries with him the blessing of God. And my word what a turnaround from the failures of the previous chapter! In bold faith Abram rushes out, secure in the Promise of God to bless him and keep him safe.

Think what this would have meant for the people of Israel at the time this was written. As they stood on the outskirts of the Promised Land, looking at the mighty city of Jericho, worried about all the powerful tribes and people-groups living there – mighty armies. Don’t lose heart – you may be small, but God is strong. You are one nation vs many – but Abram was one man vs four kingdoms.
You might be like boys with sticks against tanks - but God keeps his promises. Your God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He keeps his promises.

14 [Abram] pursued Kedorlaomer’s army until he caught up with them at Dan. 15 There he divided his men and attacked during the night. Kedorlaomer’s army fled, but Abram chased them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 Abram recovered all the goods that had been taken, and he brought back his nephew Lot with his possessions and all the women and other captives.

A great victory. God keeps his promises.

What promises does he keep for us? Should we pick up the sword and rush out and attack… Sweden? Well our Man of Promise is Jesus. Our land is Heaven. Our people is the church (not the buildings, not denominations, but the body of Christ, true Christians all over the world, throughout time and history – our brothers and sisters, saved by grace). And the blessing of the Holy Spirit, and the gospel of grace.

When we speak the gospel, people get saved, people grow. Trust his word. We don’t need anything else. The gospel may seem like a stick against the tanks of people’s beliefs – but it is the power of GOD for salvation for all who believe.
Keep telling people about the gospel of grace: our Lord Jesus, who gave up his divine majesty in order to take our place, and deal with our sin once for all, so that we can be free, and know him forever. We can know almighty God, and live as his beloved children.

It is a message that has changed the world, is changing the world, will change the world. It is the most powerful message in the history of mankind. Because it is God’s message, a message of miraculous rescue. Trust his promises. Because God keeps his promises.

2. A mysterious blessing

So, Abram comes back victorious, meets the king of Sodom, and the strange figure of Melchizedek (who we’ll talk about in a moment). Sodom tries to give Abram his riches – like Satan, offering Abram what he already has been given by God – Abram refuses, and instead gives a tithe to Melchizedek symbolising “all I have comes from God. My riches are provided by him. All I have belongs to Him.” But he does, in verse 24, ask that his allies be blessed 24 I will accept only what my young warriors have already eaten, and I request that you give a fair share of the goods to my allies—Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre.

This picks up the theme that those who are connected to Abram are blessed. Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre receive the spoils of war (and a great victory). Lot is rescued from slavery.
And those who are against Abram, are cursed. Kedorlaomer faces Abram in war and suffers a huge defeat. Last week we saw Pharaoh suffer God’s anger because of the way he treated Sarai, Abram’s wife. It is the fulfilment of what God promised Abram in 12:3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt.

In one sense, how they treat Abram is how they treat God. I (God) will bless those who bless you (Abram) and curse those who treat you (Abram) with contempt. Not I (God) will bless those who bless me (God). Or I will bless you (Abram) when you do the right thing. No. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. It seems to me that the way that people treat Abram, God sees that as the way they treat Him. Weird, isn’t it?

Or is it?

Israel – those who fought against Israel were destroyed or punished. Those who sought shelter in Israel, like Rahab, like Ruth, were blessed.

Abram is God’s representative on earth. How people treat him is how they treat God. Israel was God’s people: how people treated them was how they treated God.

Why? Because it foreshadows Jesus. Jesus is God’s perfect representative on earth. As he says to Philip “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father” (John 14:9). Or in Col 1:15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.

Abram and Israel were playing the role of Jesus in this great act of God to reveal to us his glory, reveal to us who He is and how great He is. Their role was to tell us about Jesus. “All of scripture is about me” Jesus said. If we are with Jesus, we are blessed - against Jesus and we are cursed; just like Abram.

The way we treat Jesus, is the way we treat God. They are the same. There is no way to know God outside of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, the Son of God. Because to try to do that – to ignore Jesus – is to treat him with contempt. And those who treat him with contempt will be, as 12:3 says “cursed”.

There’s another little indication of this in verse 3 of chapter 12: when God says All the families on earth will be blessed through you – the wording is actually “in you” all families will be blessed. Through Abram the blessing flows. In him the blessing is found. Because his descendant is Jesus. And to be in Christ, in Jesus, is to be blessed.

And that brings it to us. Because we are in Christ. We are all the families of the earth (many nations) blessed. And his favour rests upon us, like it rested upon Abram.

Now I had a problem when preparing this: how far do I apply this point? It’s risky, you see, because of the danger of triumphalism – God on our side, etc. Can lead to arrogance (like in Israel where they thought that they could do whatever they wanted because God was on their side. Like a pet dog).
But, there is also great comfort in this. We don’t have to fight our battles – the battle is the Lord’s. We don’t have to take revenge – God will deal with that. He takes it personally. Attacks on his children – he takes personally. Those who bless us will be blessed. Those who treat us with contempt will be cursed. This isn’t “ha-haaa. You will be judged by God you HEATHEN!!” But the conflicted and vengeful heart being quieted knowing that God, in his perfection, will deal with people rightly. Some will be completely turned – like Saul who became Paul, the great apostle.
Isn’t it comforting? We are under his protection. We belong to him. Those who bless us will be blessed; those who oppose us are not opposing us but ultimately God himself! And we can leave it in God’s hands.

It is a mysterious blessing. Which finds its fulfilment in Christ. And we too are blessed, knowing that his favour rests upon us – and that is, by his mercy, unshakeable.

So don’t be afraid for he is with you. He is with us.

You know, when my son Kaleb and I are together he is totally unafraid. “I’m with Dad. I’m safe. His favour rests upon me.” Kaleb knows I will protect him. If people treat him badly, I will stick up for him. He knows that if things get out of his control, he can simply hand over to me, and I will sort it out. Kaleb is happy with his Dad.

Our Heavenly Father is with us. What a mysterious, glorious blessing!

Let’s end by fixing our eyes on Jesus.

3. The Priest-King of God Most High

18 And Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, brought Abram some bread and wine. 19 Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And blessed be God Most High, who has defeated your enemies for you.” Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had recovered.

This fellow Melchizedek is a weird one isn’t he? Totally unannounced, he arrives on the scene, blesses Abram, receives a tithe from him, is described as a king and a priest of God Most High...and is never seen again. He simply appears, does his thing, and vanishes, almost like an angel, some eternal creature. In Hebrews chapter 7 the writer there picks up on this: in v 2-4 he says The name Melchizedek means “king of justice,” and king of Salem means “king of peace.” 3 There is no record of his father or mother or any of his ancestors—no beginning or end to his life. He remains a priest forever, resembling the Son of God. 4 Consider then how great this Melchizedek was. Even Abraham, the great patriarch of Israel, recognized this by giving him a tenth of what he had taken in battle.

See, this book (Genesis) was written during the time of the priests. Only those from the tribe of Levi could be priests or even serve in the Temple (Jesus was of the tribe of Judah). But here we see that there is another type of priest. A priest who is also a king. A priest without beginning or end. A priest who is greater than Abraham.

In Psalm 110 Melchizedek is referred to again – only the second time in the Old Testament. Psalm 110 begins A psalm of David. 1 The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit in the place of honour at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet. And in verse 4 The LORD has taken an oath and will not break his vow: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”

The Lord (Yahweh) says to King David’s Lord – but that’s God. So God says to God You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. Jesus is that type of priest. Not a Levitical priest (from the tribe of Levi) serving in the Temple – but greater than the priest of Israel, greater than the Temple.

And more than that: this Psalm was sung to the king sitting on the throne of Jerusalem. Melchizedek was the King of Salem, later called Jerusalem. David’s throne, in Jerusalem, is the throne of Melchizedek, the great priest-king. And David’s great-great-great-etc grandson is: Jesus. Jesus, the King of Jerusalem, the priest of the Most High God, the king of justice and the king of peace, displaying his justice and peace as he hangs on the cross to satisfy the demands of justice in order to offer peace to all who come to him.

Melchizedek points directly to the Lord Jesus: the King who is our great high priest, greater than Abram, the one who can bring us before God.

In Christ, God keeps his promises.

In Christ, we have this mysterious blessing: God’s favour rests upon us.

In Christ, we have this great High Priest, this Everlasting King, greater than Abraham: the king of justice and peace. Like Abram, let us come to our King, and acknowledge that we belong to him.