Abraham Delivers Lot – A Pursuit Unto Dan

   January 8, 2020
ABRAHAM DELIVERS LOT

Lot lived in Sodom and was taken captive. The reason this war is significant to the record here is that it reveals what Abram is going to do in connection with his nephew.

Genesis 14:13-20 KJV

[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 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.

[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.

[18] And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

[19] And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

[20] And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

Genesis 14:13

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 Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.

  • When the kings of the east left the area of Sodom and Gomorrah with their captives, they moved north along the west bank of the Dead Sea, which was not too far from Hebron and Mamre where Abram was dwelling.
  • You can stand where Abram stood in that day and see any movement that takes place down toward the Dead Sea.
  • So that when word was brought to Abram, he immediately began to pursue the enemy as he moved north.
  • “And these were confederate with Abram.” Notice that Abram has a group of men that are with him.
  • They had to stand together in that day because of the pursuit or the approach of an enemy.
  • They either had to hang together or hang separately.

Genesis 14:14

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.

  • This is startling, and it reveals something of the extent of Abram’s possessions.
  • This gives you some conception of the number of servants Abram had.
  • In his own household, he could arm 318.

How many did he have that he could not arm?

For instance, there would also be women and children and the old folk—but he could arm 318.

To have that many hired hands indicates that Abram was carrying on quite a business of raising cattle and sheep. “And pursued them unto Dan”—Dan is up in the north.

Genesis 14:15

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.

  • Abram pursued these men all the way north to Damascus—that is quite a stretch.
  • Apparently, what Abram did was to divide his servants.
  • One group made an attack, probably from the rear as they were pursuing them.
  • The other group went around, and when the enemy turned to fight the first group, the second group came down upon them.
  • As a result, Abram was able to get a victory.
  • At least he was able to scatter them so that they fled across the desert, leaving the people and the booty they had captured.

Genesis 14:16

And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

  • Abraham had little interest in the happenings, had it not been for Lot. He hears that Lot has been taken captive, and sets about to rescue him. Concerning this, Mackintosh says: “The claims of a brother’s trouble are answered by the affections of a brother’s heart.
  • This is Divine. Genuine Faith, while it always renders us independent, never renders us indifferent. It will never wrap itself up in its fleece while a brother shivers in the cold.”

Genesis 14:17

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.

  • As we shall see here, there is no time so dangerous to the Christian as the morrow after a great spiritual victory.

Genesis 14:18

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

  • This man appears on the scene, who is a King and a Priest and, above all, who is a Type of Christ [Ps. 110:4; Heb. 5:5-6]; some Scholars believe that Melchizedek could actually have been Shem, the son of Noah; Shem was alive at this time, and actually lived for about 60 years more; in fact, some think he died when Abraham was about 150 years of age; his name means, “King of Righteousness” and “King of Peace” [Heb. 7:2]
  • The “bread and wine” symbolize the broken Body and shed Blood of our Lord, which was necessary for the Salvation of mankind [Mat. 26:29; Mk.,Chpt. 14; Lk. 22:15; Rom. 8:21]:
  • Melchizedek, as a Priest, symbolized the coming Christ, Who is our Great High Priest [Heb. 7:15-17]. David prophesied, about a thousand years after Abraham, “The Lord has sworn, and will not repent, You [Christ] are a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” [Ps. 110:4]. Abraham is here introduced to God by a different name than he had previously known, “El Elyon,” meaning “Most High God.”

Genesis 14:19

And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

  • Melchizedek blessing Abraham means that the standing of Melchizedek was greater than that of Abraham. The reason? Melchizedek was a Type of Christ [Heb. 7:4, 7].

Genesis 14:20

And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

  • We find here that Melchizedek did not come forth when Abraham was in pursuit of Chedorlaomer, but when the king of Sodom was in pursuit of Abraham. This makes a great moral difference. Mackintosh says: “A deeper character of communion was needed to meet the deeper character of conflict.”
  • This is the first time that “tithes” are mentioned in Scripture. It refers to a tenth part. Abraham paid tithe to Melchizedek, who was a Type of Christ; consequently, Abraham’s children, which make up the Church presently, are to continue to pay tithe to those carrying out the Work of God.

I hope that you have really enjoyed this post,

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