Genesis 14

Alliance of kings against king Chedorlaomerverses 1-10

And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar

Arioch king of Ellasar – Chedorlaomer king of Elam

Tidal king of nations

That these made war with

Bera king of Sodom – Birsha king of Gomorrah

Shinab king of Admah – 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 Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim

and the Zuzum in Ham

and the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim

and the Horites in their Mount Seir

to Elparan which is by the wilderness

And they returned – and came to Emmishpat – which is Kadesh

and smote all the country of the Amalekites

and also the Amorites – that dwell in Hazazon-tamar

And there went out of the king of Sodom – king of Gomorrah

king of Admah – king of Zeboiim – 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

Lot was taken out of Sodomverses 11-12

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

Abram raises an army to save Lotverses 13-16

And there came one that had escaped

and told Abram – the Hebrew

FOR he dwelt by the oaks 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 his men 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

King of Sodom meets Abramverse 17

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

King of Salem- Melchizedek meets Abramverses 18-20

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

WHO has delivered you enemies

into your hand

And he gave him TITHES of all

King of Sodom offers Abram the spoilsverse 21

And the king of Sodom said to Abram

Give me the persons and TAKE the goods to yourself

Abram vows to only receive wealth from the LORDverses 22-24

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 shoelatchet

and that I will NOT TAKE any thing that is thine

LEST you should 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 Mamre

let them take their portion

COMMENTARY:

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

: 13 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 Ner: and these were confederate with Abram. (1285 “confederate” [bariyth] means league, alliance, pledge, an agreement or arrangement between people or groups of people, contract, marriage or to eat together)

DEVOTION: Providence of God allowed one of the servants of Lot to come to Abram for help. God works out the details of this world. HE never leaves anything to chance or luck or human ability. HE knows every detail of what is going on in this world at any given time. HE provided for the rescue of Lot.

Now Abram had been in the territory for a while. He had gained friends in the region. He had over three hundred servants who could form an army at any time to defend his property.

So he went with his servants and his friends to rescue Lot. They gained a victory over the army that had just defeated five kings. Do you think he did it in his own power or do you think the LORD helped him?

The answer is that the LORD helped him. One with the LORD can defeat ten thousand. This army defeated a larger army and took all the spoils that were taken from the five kings.

We need to realize when we go into battle against those who would defeat us we need to go to the LORD first and ask for HIS help. With HIS help we can defeat any enemy.

We are not going against kings or rulers today but we are fighting with the one who was behind the battles against the LORD’S people. He still wants us to fail. He still wants to defeat us. He is bringing accusations against us daily before the LORD. His name is Satan.

When we are fighting a battle we can ask other believers to pray with us for victory. The LORD wants Christians to depend on one another for prayer. That is one way we show our love toward one another.

CHALLENGE: Are you encouraging those who are around you with your prayers each day? Their battles are genuine just like yours!!!

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers

: 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the MOST HIGH GOD. (3548 “priest” [Kohen] means chief ruler, priest-king, the anointed priest, royal advisor, or a person who performs religious duties and ceremonies to a deity)

DEVOTION: We are introduced to a priest who we will meet in the New Testament in the book of Hebrews again. There are not a lot of details given concerning this priest but that he was a priest to the God Most High.

He represented the God who created the heavens and the earth. He represented the only true God. He was open to the instructions of God. He was an obedient servant.

He brought provisions for Abram and his army. He gave them bread and wine. They needed these items for strength to continue their journey home. They had been in a battle against the enemies of Abram.

Jesus Christ was called to be a priest after the order of Melchizedek according to Hebrews 5: 10. Notice that Melchizedek is describes as someone who didn’t have a beginning of days or end of life according to Hebrews 7:3. He is also described as someone like the Song of God.

This is a man who Abram gave a tenth of his booty from the war. He was honored just like we are to honor the LORD with a tenth of our income. So the idea of a tenth being given to the LORD didn’t start with the Law of Moses. Jesus stated while HE was on this earth that there should still be given a tithe to the LORD.

Jesus is our High Priest right now as HE sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us regarding our sins. Satan is the accuser of the brethren. We need to understand that we are not alone in our battles. We have the strength of the LORD available to us each day.

CHALLENGE: HE expects us to ask HIM for help. HE doesn’t want us doing it on our own.

: 19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth. (7069 “possessor” [qanah] means create, give birth, erect, owner, redeem or originator)

DEVOTION: Lot had moved into Sodom. It was a wicked city. The kings of the five cities rebelled against the king of Elam. The king came back and conquered the five cities. He took the spoils which included Lot and his family. One of Lot’s servants told Abram about what had happened and Abram got his men together with the help of the Amorites. They defeated the king of Elam’s army. They took the spoils back, as well as, Lot.

On his way back from battle, both the king of Sodom and the king of Salem met Abram.

The king of Salem was Melchizedek. This is the first time we meet him in Scripture. Salem means peace. He was a representative of the MOST HIGH God. Abram gave him a TITHE of all that was recovered. God created the world and everything in it. HE was the owner of all things. HE still is the owner of all things. HE is the one who blesses those who follow HIM. Everything we think we own comes from HIM alone. Abram realized this fact and gave ten percent to this servant of the LORD. Here is an example of how the LORD can win battles when HIS followers depend on HIM.

The king of Sodom told Abram he could take all the possessions he had recovered for himself but Abram refused. Abram didn’t want a king from a wicked and evil city to claim that he had made Abram rich. Abram knew that his blessing needed to come only from the LORD.

We need to remember that all our blessings come from the LORD. We need to remember to thank HIM for all that we have. Abram thanked God by giving HIS servant, Melchizedek, a tenth of all the spoils. That was the first thing that he did.

We are truly blessed. Are we giving back a portion as a thank offering to HIM? Are we giving HIM the right portion? In this country they say the average giving of a Christian is only two (2) percent of their income. Do we wonder why our country has received so many warning from the LORD? Are we listening? Are we honoring the LORD with our blessings?

CHALLENGE: Right thinking leads to right actions. Abram thought right about the spoils. He was offered more but didn’t take it. When we are offered more do we ask the LORD if we should take it?

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is yours, lest you should say, I have made Abram rich (6238 “rich” [ashar] means enrich, wealthy, to gain riches, make someone rich, or get abundance)

DEVOTION: It is not easy to take a stand when money is involved. Abram was offered great wealth from the king of Sodom. He knew that there were strings attached to accepting this “gift” from the king. He would be making an alliance with this king and he wanted no part of it.

Abram made a choice at this point in his life that he would depend on the LORD alone to provide his wealth. God had made a covenant with him and with his descendents to bless them. He was counting on the LORD. He wanted to only be subject to the LORD and no one else.

We need to make sure that we are not making a deal with those who are not faithful to the LORD. Sometimes we find that there are bosses that want us to cheat the government or their clients to get more money. Those who are followers of the LORD have to say NO even if it means losing a job or extra money.

Once someone has a hold over your life it is hard to break that hold. It can be done but it is better to never had allowed it to happen in the first place. God wants us to depend on HIM alone for our wealth.

CHALLENGE: The principle here is to make sure you know where the money is coming from with any individual you do business with in this life. Watch if there are strings attached that won’t please the LORD.

:24 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. (2406 “portion” [cheleq] means 1 portion, share, part, territory. 1a portion, share. 1b portion, tract, parcel (of land). 1c one’s portion, one’s possession. 1d (chosen) portion. 1e portion, award (from God). 2 smoothness, seductiveness, flattery. [Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship])

DEVOTION: Abram joins in the battle against the kings which have overran Sodom and Gomorrah in order to rescue Lot. God blesses him and allows him to recapture those whom these kings had captured and bring them and their possessions back home. What would have been normal at this point would be for Abram to take a portion of the bounty from this expedition which he had taken at his own risk.

What is surprising is that Abram does not opt to do this. He chooses to only to let Lot recover what is rightfully his, and otherwise allows three men who had fought alongside him to take their portion. In other words, Abram is the model for being neither greedy nor covetous. It is the opposite of what our natural inclination would be in a similar circumstance. However, he did not deny a rightful portion to those who had shared in the battle.

As we walk with God, we begin to see that God is the one who wants to be our portion in our lives (Psalm 73:25-26). In other words, God desires that we do not want anything in life more than Him and His presence. That is especially true as we engage in spiritual battle for the souls of men. We return from the battle with only the desire to see God be glorified and His kingdom come (Psalm 115:1).

CHALLENGE: Are you fully satisfied with God? Or is there something else that you think would make you happier if only you had it? Ask Him to make your desire for Him number one in your life this year. (MW)

DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Tithes of allverse 20

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

Lift up hand unto the LORDverse 22

DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

Most High Godverses 18–20, 22

Possessor of heaven and earthverses 19, 22

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)

Amraphel – king of Shinarverses 1, 9

Arioch – king of Ellasarverses 1, 9

Chedorlaomer – king of Elamverses 1, 4-7, 9

Fourteenth year: rebelled

Smote Rephaims

Smote Zuzims

Smote Emims

With Tidal – king of nations

Took goods of Sodom and Gomorrah

Took Lot – Abram’s brother’s son

Tidal – king of nationsverse 1

Bera – king of Sodomverses 2, 8, 10

Birsha – king of Gomorrahverses 2, 8, 10

Shinab – king of Admahverses 2, 8

Shemeber – king of Zeboiim

& king of Bela (Zoar)verses 2, 8

Salt seaverse 3

Abram the Hebrewverses 12-24

Dwelt in plain of Mamre the Amorite

Brother of Eshcol

Brother of Aner

Confederate of Abram

Armed 218 servants

Smote Chedorlaomer

Brought back the goods

Brought back Lot and his goods

Gave tithes of all to Melchizedek

Testimony of Abram

Lift up hand to the LORD

Didn’t take anything lest someone

Say “I have made Abramrich King of Sodom met Abramverses 17, 21

Melchizedek – king of Salemverses 18-20

Brought bread and wine

Priest of the most high God

Blessed them

Tithes given to him of all

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

Rebelledverse 4

Enemiesverse 20

Take from the heathenverse 23

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)

Blessedverses 19, 20

Deliveranceverse 20

Titheverse 20

Lift up mine hand unto the LORDverse 22

Israel (Old Testament people of God)

Church (New Testament people of God)

Last Things (Future Events)

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QUOTES regarding passage

Lying behind Abraham’s response to both kings is the contrast between the offer of the king of Salem and that of the king of Sodom. The king of Salem brings “bread and wine” as a priestly act (v.18) and acknowledges that it was the “God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,” who delivered the adversaries into Abraham’s hand (v.19). In other words, the perspective of the king of Salem is precisely that of the author of the Pentateuch himself who has also acknowledged at the start of his work that the God who delivered Israel from the hand of the Egyptians (Exod 20:2) is the Creator of heaven and earth (Gen 1:1). Abraham’s response to the king of Salem, then, is an appropriate recognition of the validity of Melchizedek’s offer as well as his priesthood: Abraham paid a tithe (v.20; see Num 18:21). (Sailhamer, J. H. (1990). Genesis. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers (Vol. 2, p. 123). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)

Melchizedek is the only person whom Abram recognized as his spiritual superior. Abram accepted blessing from him (v. 19), and Abram paid him a 10th (a tithe) of all he had (v. 20). Abram did this deliberately, in full awareness of what he was doing. It shows how unthreatened and humble Abram was, even after a victory. He recognized that God’s revelation was not limited to him. While the reader’s attention is focused on Abram carrying the whole spiritual hope of the world, there emerged out of an obscure Canaanite valley a man nearer to God than Abram was, who blessed Abram. That valley was the Valley of Shaveh (v. 17), possibly the Kidron Valley near Jerusalem (cf. 2 Sam 18:18).

The arrangement of Abram’s confrontation is chiastic: (a) the king of Sodom met Abram (Gen. 14:17), (b) the king of Salem met Abram (v. 18), (b) the king of Salem blessed Abram (vv. 19–20), (a) the king of Sodom offered Abram a deal (v. 21). The fact that the offer from the king of Sodom came after Melchizedek’s blessing helped Abram keep things in perspective.

14:22–24. Abram swore before the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth (cf. v. 19), that he would take nothing that belonged to Sodom, lest the king of Sodom take credit for making Abram rich.

This incident was a test of Abram’s faith after a great victory. Bera, Sodom’s king, offered a most appealing deal. But Abram, knowing what he did about the king of Sodom, felt that keeping Sodom’s loot which he captured would make him subject to Bera. He wanted something far more enduring than possessions and wealth; he wanted the fulfillment of God’s miraculous and enduring promise. Faith looks beyond the riches of this world to the grander prospects God has in store.

Abram knew that he would become more prosperous, and he knew who was blessing him. He intended to receive everything from God and not even a thread from Sodom. Obedient believers frame their lives so that for all success, joy, comfort, and prosperity they depend on God—but their faith is like Abram’s, deeply rooted and growing stronger rather than brief and weak. The king of Sodom was obviously a wicked man over a wicked empire; Abram discerned that dealing with him might be dangerous. Abram could have reasoned that God was seeking to bless him by means of this offer. But he could not bring himself to equate the blessing of God with the best that Sodom had to offer.

Melchizedek is an important figure in the Bible. Preceding Abram, he was not a Levitical priest. When David, the first Israelite king to sit on Melchizedek’s throne, prophesied that his great Descendant, the Messiah, would be a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek (Ps. 110:4), David looked beyond the Levitical priesthood which would be done away with. The Book of Hebrews demonstrates how Jesus Christ in His death fulfilled the Levitical order and began a better high priesthood. In referring to Melchizedek as the perfect type of Christ, the writer of Hebrews capitalized on Melchizedek’s anonymity: in a book (Gen.) filled with genealogies and ancestral notations, this man appeared without family records (Heb. 7:3). Melchizedek is remembered as a high priest. Because Abram paid tithes to Melchizedek, the order of Melchizedek is superior to Levi, who descended from Abram (Heb. 7:4–10). (Ross, A. P. (1985). Genesis. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 54). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

Genesis 14:20 is the first mention of tithing in the Bible. To tithe is to give God 10 percent, whether of money, farm produce, or animals. (The Heb. word means “ten.”) When we tithe, we acknowledge that God owns everything and that we are grateful stewards of His wealth. The Jews paid an annual tithe to the Lord (Lev. 27:30–33) as well as a tithe every third year especially for the poor (Deut. 26:12–15). They could also tithe the remaining 90 percent for a special “festive offering” to be enjoyed in Jerusalem (Deut. 12:5–19).

The practice of tithing antedated the Law of Moses; for not only did Abraham tithe, but so did Jacob (Gen. 28:22). For this reason, many Christians believe that God’s people today should begin their giving with the tithe. A godly deacon said to me once, “If the Old Testament Jew under Law could tithe, how much more ought New Testament Christians under grace!” The New Testament plan for giving is outlined in 2 Corinthians 8–9, but tithing is a good place to start.

We must be careful to give out of the devotion of our hearts, and not as a “bribe” for God’s blessings. The late R. G. LeTourneau, well-known Christian manufacturer and philanthropist, used to say, “If you tithe because it pays—it won’t pay!”

But Abraham provides us with a good example of giving. He brought his gifts to Jesus Christ in the person of Melchizedek. (See Heb. 7:1–10.) We do not give our tithes and offerings to the church, the pastor, or the members of the finance committee. If our giving is a true act of worship, we will give to the Lord; and, for that reason, we want to give our very best (Mal. 1:6–8).

In one of the churches I pastored, we did not take up offerings on Sundays but provided special boxes at the exits before or after the services. A lad visiting church one day asked his friend what the boxes were for, and he told him, “That’s where we put our offerings.”

The visitor asked, “What happens to the money?”

“I think they give it to Brother Eastep,” the boy replied. (Dr. D.B. Eastep was the pastor at that time.)

Even more perplexed, the lad asked, “Well, what does Brother Eastep do with it?”

This time the boy was ready: “I don’t know how he does it, but he gives it to God!”

When my godly predecessor heard that story, he laughed heartily. He knew (as we all know) that each worshiper must bring his or her gifts to the Lord and give from a grateful heart. All God’s people are priests and can bring their sacrifices to Him (1 Peter 2:5, 9).

Abraham was prompt in his giving. His stewardship principles were firmly fixed in his heart so there was no reason to delay.

He was also proportionate in his giving, a policy encouraged by the Apostle Paul (1 Cor. 16:1–2). Tithing is a good place to begin; but as the Lord blesses, we must increase that percentage if we are to practice the kind of “grace giving” that is described in 2 Corinthians 8–9.

Abraham gave because he loved God and wanted to acknowledge His greatness and His goodness. What a contrast between “the Most High God” and the heathen idols! Abraham’s God is possessor (Creator) of heaven and earth (Gen. 14:19; see Isa. 40). He deserves all the worship and praise of all of His people!

Before the battle, Abraham lifted his hand by faith in a solemn vow to God that he would take nothing from the spoils. He had a single heart and mind as he led the army (Matt. 6:24).

During the battle, Abraham wielded his sword by faith and trusted God for victory.

After the battle, by faith Abraham closed his hands to the King of Sodom but opened his hands to the King of Salem, receiving bread and wine and giving tithes.

“And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith” (1 John 5:4, NKJV). (Wiersbe, W. W. (1991). Be Obedient (pp. 39–41). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

Finally, it is to be noted that Melchizedek is termed “priest of the Most High God” (Gen. 14:18), a title which looks beyond all national relationships. Ilere is the final contrast between the two orders of priesthood—the Melchizedekian and the Aaronic. Aaron’s priestly ministry never transcended the limits of Israel, and he was ever the priest of Jehovah as the God of Israel. But Melchizedek was priest of Jehovah under His more comprehensive title of the Most High God, “Possessor of heaven and earth” (Gen. 14:19), and therefore Melchizedek foreshadowed the millennial glory of Christ when “He shall be a priest upon His throne” (Zech. 6:13) and reign in righteousness and peace. As it is written, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He shall be called THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jer. 23:5, 6). Then shall the Divine Melchizedek rule as Icing of Righteousness and King of Peace. As it is written again, “His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His Kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice (righteousness) from henceforth even for ever” (Isa. 9:6, 7).

That Melchizedek foreshadowed the millennial glory of Christ is further to be seen from the occasion when he appeared before Abram. The typical picture is wonderfully complete. Melchizedek met Abram as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings, having rescued from them his nephew Lot who foreshadows the Jewish remnant in the tribulation period. Then it was that Melchizedek met Abram and blessed him (14:19). Thus it will be when our Lord returns to usher in the Millennium. He will overthrow the Beast and his forces in this same “King’s dale,” deliver Israel out of their hands and bless the descendants of Abraham, and just as Abram acknowledged the superiority of Melchizedek by paying him tithes, so will Israel acknowledge their Divine Melchizedek and own Him as their Priest and King.

It now only remains for us to consider here the immediate effects upon Abram of the appearing of Melchizedek before him and the blessing he had received from him. “And the King of Sodom said unto Abram, give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself” (Gen. 14:21). In the King of Sodom’s over we may discover one of the “wiles” of the devil for we are not ignorant of his “devices.” The world is only too ready to offer God’s children its subsidies so as to bring them under obligation to itself. But Abram was preeminently a man of faith and faith is “the victory that overcometh the world” (1 John 5:4).

“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 anything 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” (14:22–24). What noble words were these! With quiet dignity our patriarch refuses to be dependent in anywise upon the King of Sodom—what a contrast was Balaam and the offer made him by Balak! Abram knew that in heaven he had a “better and an enduring substance” (Heb. 10:34). The words, “I have lifted up mine hand unto the Lord” (compare Deut. 32:40) signify a vow or solemn oath, and seem to show that when he started out in pursuit of Let’s captors he promised the Lord that if He would give him success he would not enrich himself by his campaign; but it is beautiful to note that he did not forget or overlook the claims of those who had accompanied him and shared his perils. In the giving of tithes to Melchizedek priest of the Most High God, Abram acknowledged God’s grace in giving him the victory. (Pink, A. W. (2005). Gleanings in Genesis (pp. 162–163). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.)

14:20 Who has delivered your enemies into your hand. Credit for victory over a superior military coalition correctly went to the Sovereign Lord (El Elyon) and not to Abram’s prowess (see note at vv. 15, 16). To Melchizedek, and to Abram too, this amounted to true worship of the true God. a tenth. This is the first mention in Scripture of giving 10 percent (cf. 28:22). This 10-percent offering was purely voluntary, and may only have been a tenth of the best, not a tenth of the total (see note on Heb 7:4). This tenth is not like the required tenths given to Israel in the Mosaic law (see notes on Nu 18:21–24; Dt 14:22; 26:12). (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Ge 14:20). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)

Ver. 20. And blessed be the most high God, &c.] Let his name be praised, and thanks be given to him for all mercies temporal and spiritual, since all flow from him, and particularly for the mercies Abram and others through him were now made partakers of; for whoever were the instruments, God was the efficient cause, and to him all the glory was to be given: which hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand; the 4 kings, who are called Abram’s enemies, because the enemies of God and of true religion, and because they had been injurious to a relation of his; and especially they may be so called, if their intention was, as, say the Jewish writers, to slay him, beginning first with Lot: and those 4 kings, according to them, signify the four monarchies, the Babylonian, Persian, Grecian, and Roman^r, who in their turns distressed his posterity, but in the latter day shall fall into their hands, as those did into Abram’s, and fall by them: and he gave him tithes of all; not Melchizedek to Abram, but Abram to Melchizedek, as appears from Heb. 7:4 and these tithes were given not out of the goods that were recovered, for they were restored to the proprietors of them, but out of the spoils that were taken from the enemy, as is evident from the same place referred to; and these were given both as a return for the respect shewn him by Melchizedek, and by way of thankfulness to God for the victory, whose priest he was; otherwise, as a king, he stood in no need of such a present; nor was it for his maintenance as a priest, or what Abram was obliged unto, but was a voluntary action, and not out of his own substance, but out of the spoils of the enemy, and to testify his gratitude to God: this was imitated by the Heathens in after-times; so the Tarentines, having got a victory over the Peucetians, sent the tenth (of the spoil) to Delphos: the Jews^t say Abraham was the first in the world that began to offer tithes; but they are mistaken, when they say in the same place, that he took all the tithes of Sodom and Gomorrah, and of Lot his brother’s son, and gave them to Shem the son of Noah. Eupolemus makes mention of this interview between Abram and Melchizedek by name; he says, Abram was hospitably entertained in the holy city Argarizin, which is by interpretation the mountain of the most High (but seems to be the Mount Gerizzim), and that he received gifts from Melchizedek, the priest of God, who reigned there. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 1, p. 108). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

FROM MY READING:

(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)

In the Bible, God instructed a system of tithing, which meant giving 10 percent of one’s profits back to God. Since God is all powerful and owns everything, he certainly does not need any percentage of our profits. So why did he institute tithing? Could it be that he understood that all human beings are subject to greed and that by requiring them to give away 10 percent of their profits they might learn a valuable lesson about not hoarding and about voluntarily sharing with others? (p. 68, America The Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great by Ben Carson)

By his oath the patriarch affirms his faith in the Lord who will bless him; he will not be indebted in any way to the foreign king for his success, lest he boast he “made Abram rich” (v. 23). (Mathews, K. A. (2005). Genesis 11:27–50:26 (Vol. 1B, p. 157). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers)

Abraham’s response shows how the author viewed this gesture. Abraham would have nothing to do with an offer of reward from the king of Sodom. As his solemn speech at the close of the narrative shows, Abraham’s reward would not come from the kings of this world but from Yahweh, “the Lord the Creator of heaven and earth” (v.22). Any “goods” or “possessions” he was to have would come from the Lord as the following chapter sets out to show (e.g., 15:1, 14b). (Sailhamer, J. H. (1990). Genesis. (F. E. Gaebelein, Ed.)The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)

2 Kings 8
The king restores the Shunammite widow’s land.
INSIGHT

Nothing happens in our lives or in the world apart from divine appointment or permission. Behind every event and incident, there is divine providence. The Shunammite widow, who has done so much for Elisha, is remembered and cared for years afterward. The Lord has a wonderful memory for those who feed Him when He is hungry and minister to Him when He is in need (see Matthew 25:37). The conversation between Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, and the king might seem an accident, but it is providential. When we abide in the will of God, life is sown with divine coincidences.

(Quiet Walk)

SPECIAL AUTHENTICATION

For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? Is it not in that thou goest with us? So shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth. Exodus 33:16
Moses prayed for a special authentication of [God’s people and their] mission. This is the message of Exodus 33:16. You can hear him argue. “Wherein,” he said—“For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? So shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.”
[Such a prayer for revival is] that the church should be as she is meant to be. The church is meant to be separate. The church is meant to be unique. “Now,” said Moses to God, “I am asking for this something extra, because I am concerned. Here are we, Thy people. How are all the other nations to know that we really are Your people? They are looking on at us; they are laughing at us, mocking us, and jeering at us; they are ready to overwhelm us. Now I am asking for something,” said Moses, “that will make it absolutely clear that we are not just one of the nations of the world, but that we are Thy people, that we are separate, unique, altogether apart.”
The prayer for revival, then, is the prayer that the church may again become like that. And my argument is that nothing but some unusual outpouring of the Spirit of God can do that. What is needed is something that cannot be explained in human terms. What is needed is something that is so striking and so extraordinary that it will arrest the attention of the whole world. That is revival.
A Thought to Ponder: This is a prayer that the church should be as she is meant to be.
(From Revival, pp. 182-183, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd- Jones)

Higher Ground
“Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)
Over the years, Christians have used many hymns to enhance the study of Scripture. Consider one such hymn, “Higher Ground,” as an impetus to our own study. Its refrain encapsulates the desire of many Christians.
Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith, on Heaven’s tableland,
A higher plane than I have found;
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
Many Christians live on a “plateau,” enjoying the Christian life around them, but inwardly they yearn for something more, something deeper and more lasting. They long to make a difference in the lives of their friends, lost or unlost. They want to live in victory over sin. They want more fruitfulness from their witness. They desire a deeper walk with God and to live by faith, living in a way that pleases God.
No longer satisfied with the accustomed “plateau,” they pray for God to grant them a “tableland” or “higher ground.” But this high ground is not one from which simply to minister. It is to know God in His entirety. We desire the same as Paul: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Philippians 3:10).
This may be the most lasting message we can take from this song. We want to know God more fully and serve as more effective Christians. We are encouraged to plant our feet on higher ground and be eternally more abundant as Christians.

(JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)

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