Battle Of The Kings

So, this morning we turn in our Bibles to the book of Genesis. We are continuing our study in the book of Genesis, if you're visiting with us this morning. And we come to chapter 14 this morning. And I thought about dividing up this chapter, but I really think that it's meant to be taken as a whole, even though there's a significant section here with Melchizedek, I think it really has to be understood in light of what comes before it. So, this is on page 12 in your Pew Bible, Genesis chapter 14. We will consider the entirety of the chapter. Let's give our attention this morning to the word of the Lord. In the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar, Ariok, king of Elassar, Kedor Laomer, king of Elam, and Tidal, king of Goyim. These kings made war with Bera, king of Sodom, Bersha, king of Gomorrah, Shanab, king of Adma, Shem-Eber, king of Zeboim, and the king of Bela, that is Zoar. All these joined forces in the valley of Sidim, that is, the Salt Sea. Twelve years they had served Kedor Laomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. In the 14th year, Ketola Omer and the kings who were with him came and defeated the Raf'im, the Ashtoreth Karna'im, the Zuzim in Ham, the Imim in Shaveh Kiriath Sa'im, and the Horites in their hill country of Ser, as far as El Peron on the border of the wilderness. Then they turned back and came to En Mishpat, that is Kadesh, and defeated all the country of the Amalekites and also the Amorites who were dwelling in Hazazan Tamar. Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Adma, the king of Zeboiim, the king of Bela, that is Zoar, went out and they joined battle in the valley of Sidim. With Kedolei Omer, king of Elam, Tidal, king of Goyim, Amraphel, king of Shinar, and Ariok, king of Elassar, four kings against five. Now the valley of Sidim was full of bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country. So the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their provisions and went their way. They also took Lot, the son of Abram's brother who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions and went their way. Then one who had escaped came and told Abram, the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre in the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner. These were allies of Abram. When Abram heard that his kinsmen had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house. Three hundred and eighteen of them went and went in pursuit as far as Dan, and he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. Then he brought back all the possessions, and he also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women, and the people. After his return from the defeat of Kedoleh Omer, the kings, and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the valley of Shaveth, that is the king's valley. And Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was priest of most high God, God most high. And he blessed him and said, 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. And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. And the king of Sodom said to Abram, give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself. But Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted my hand to the Lord, God most high, possessor of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything 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, Eshkol, and Mamre take their share. May the Lord bless the hearing this morning of his word. If you have been following this past week everything that is happening in the world and in our country, and I would ask you to summarize how you felt, how you feel with everything that is going on with one word, what would it be? Most likely it would be uncertainty. You would have in there, I'm sure, turbulence, turmoil, madness. I mean, we could go on and on describing the situations that are in front of us. We sit here today, our government is shut down. I'm still processing that. I didn't care when I was in high school. I care a little bit now. Some just predicted yesterday that we are going to have a complete economic collapse. and now all the other kingdoms of the world are looking at us shaking their heads how does this happen how does this happen look at the weakness of the united states of america our debt is 17 trillion you can't get out of that i don't see how not with the way things are going and and and as things are right now everything is so tense everything is so unstable in the world the least of things could set off another world war the least of things could set off another world war just a few weeks ago we almost invaded iran and now we're shut down i don't know what's coming tomorrow everyone's looking for a leader somebody who has the answer somebody who has the answers to this catastrophic mess we are in someone who can bring relief turbulence it's all we know it's all we seem to be experiencing and you can't go through this if your head's up and you're looking and watching the news you can't go through this without real concern for the future and without real concern for the instability of the nation now in which we live and here we are as Christians in the midst of this what are we to do what are we to think what are we to think in the midst of this well I don't know if this has raised and how much fear you have for this maybe you're thinking about what your children will have to endure, but maybe it would be a great help this morning to think about what the Lord has said. Of course it is. And Genesis chapter 14 is a wonderful chapter to look at with these things in mind. What we have before us is all of the kingdoms of Abram's day completely falling apart. And it's a fascinating passage because what really happens here is you have this tyrannical leader who does a raid right on through the promised land and picks off every single nation along the way and wins, takes the land. It's fascinating. And you stop and you think, wait a minute, this is the land that was promised to Abram. This is the land that the Lord said, I am giving you. And look at the current international crisis that is before you here in Genesis chapter 14. It is an international crisis. In fact, you could properly say this was the first World War I. They all united together in battle, four against five. The powerful world forces of the time. Some of you can still remember World War II and how uncertain everything was. The horrors of that war. And where did everything sort of focus? What kind of figure was that whole war focused on? You know, it was one tyrant, wasn't it? One awful tyrant who wanted to take over Europe. And everything broke into these two opposing military alliances and nobody knew what was going to happen. Where was this all going to go? You were in a scary time. Many of you lived through that. Many of you know this. You've been through suffering. You've seen it. Well, this is the kind of perspective that Genesis 14 gives us this morning. This is the kind of chapter that helps us understand how to think, what to do, how to live in uncertain times like this, and what the Lord is after for the believer to understand in uncertain times like this, how relevant. That's Genesis 14. He wants you to see what he's doing behind the scenes. He wants you to see that he is behind the scenes working and that we can have peace in times of real uncertainty and that we can see that this is only a short run. This is only a short raid of the land. The passage this morning is the kind a passage similar to Exodus when they were backed up against the Red Sea and they didn't know what to do. There was no way of getting out. They didn't know. And Moses says to the people, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Just stand. Don't do a thing. And there's a lot of those kind of passages in the Bible. This is one of them. It's the kind of passage this morning where the Lord is saying, stand still and watch what I am going to do to these turbulent nations of the world. Asking the question as we go through this this morning, who is the true king? Who is the one that is preparing a kingdom that cannot be shaken? And so I want to look at this this morning with the continuing reminder that here we have no continuing city. And as the Lord says, we should seek the one that is to come. Let's look at this this morning. Last week, a great contrast was made between Abram and Lot. And here was the scene. Abram and Lot had separated from each other. Lot lifted up his eyes and Lot looked at this plain of the Jordan, that it was well watered. If there was ever a garden of God, that's where I want to be. Look at that place. And being in search for his best life now, wanting it all now for him and his children, he pitched his tent near Sodom. It was the biggest mistake. Lot was after the Sodom dream and he is pictured in Genesis as loving the world and the world system and the things in the world. But the contrast last time, and I didn't pick up on this so much, but at the very end of chapter 13, we see Abram dwelling over by the trees of Mamre, these trees. And it's a fascinating thing that he's over by a grove of trees next to some men and the imagery here that the lord is picking up which the new testament picks up on is that is that abram is learning to live now as a pilgrim he's waiting patiently for the promises he's learning and living to think this world's not it this is not it i'm not seeking that land of which i came out i'm seeking a better land a heavenly country and we're seeing this start to develop in Abram in the life of Abram as he learns to think this way and live this way but now the issue that comes to the surface this morning in Genesis 14 is then who is the king and whose land is this this land was a picture of the heavenly land and so in verse 1 what you have described is this impressive military campaign I I mean, this is really impressive if you see what Moses, the author, is doing here. These four great kings make an alliance together to conquer the whole region of the Transjordan, Sinai, all the way to the borders of Canaan. And you'll notice that there's one name. There's one name that permeates and that fills this narrative. One king. Did you see it? Kedor Leomer. One powerful king. and so all the kings in the region are paying tribute to this king well in verse 5 he is represented this way all the kings are in subjection to him and so the picture here is this powerful king has summoned together three other great kings of the region they have made an alliance and now they are going through a sweeping purge of the land to conquer and put everyone in tribute so that all the nations would pay tribute to him. Now I want you to really understand the picture here. This is a powerful, if you really see what Moses is doing, just think about this for a minute. In verses 5 through 7, you have this collision attacking all of the major centers and all of the strength of the region, just picking off the other nations. You'll notice they attack in verse 5, the Rephaim. These were like the Nephilim, the giants. They went on, you'll notice here, to attack the Zuzim, the roving creatures. Next, the Emim, known as the terrors. In fact, Deuteronomy 2 says this, the Emim had dwelt there in times past, a people as great and numerous and tall as the anakim they were regarded as giants like the anakim but the moabites called them emin so are you getting the sense of who these people these were these were studs these were powerful men really powerful men the horites were the cave dweller The picture here represented is that all of these kings under Ketola Omer, in their first great sweep, totally annihilated all of the formidable opponents. Everyone that stood in their way, they just butchered. The cave dwellers in the mountains, the giants, all of them are subdued. This is a powerful Napoleonic kind of king, isn't it? mustering troops and leading through warfare. Moses then goes on. This is not over. He then says that they turn next to the Amalekites and the Amorites, crushing them all the way to the Dead Sea. So it was very strategic because the whole region was utterly crippled under the force of this king. So these four kings conquered the whole region, and now it comes down to the big moment. This is the final showdown. This is the big battle in the Valley of Sedim. This was an amazing, awesome achievement. All of the trade routes between Mesopotamia had been cut off and even the link between the Euphrates and the Nile. And the author wants you to understand Moses and to see the magnificence. I can't emphasize this enough. Magnificence of this power, this alliance, and this brutal king. Now what prompted all of this? Something set it off. What prompted it was, is that 12 years ago, the five kings of Sodom and Gomorrah had begun to pay tribute to Ketolei Omer. And in the 13th year, they said, no more. We rebel. We're not paying tribute to that powerful kingdom anymore. Well, that's what comes to the showdown. After sweeping everything, it heads down to the middle of the valley. This is a battle. This is a kind of Armageddon, if you will. they're battling. And you'll notice that five kings are mentioned. We tend to think of Sodom and Gomorrah as one city, but actually what Sodom and Gomorrah was, was really five cities united together in the plains, and that's what made this collision so powerful. Nobody touched them. Five kings had united together, and this was all that was left now that had refused to pay tribute to Ketolei Omer. And so we have the great finale, the final battle known as the Valley of Sedim in the plain. And notice what happens in verse 8. Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Adma, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, that is Zoar, went out and they joined battle in the Valley of Sedim with Kedoleh Omer, king of Elam, Tidal, king of Goyim, Amraphel, king of Shinar, and Ariok, king of Elassar. Four kings against five. Now the valley of Sidim was full of bitumen pits, asphalt pits. And as the kings of Sodom fled, I think it reads, we should see this, as a few of them fell in there. In other words, they just jumped in. They jumped into the asphalt pits and were incinerated. The rest fled to the hill country. And so what we have in verse 11 is the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah all their provisions and went their way this was an utter slaughter five kings of Sodom fall terribly few of them jump into the asphalt pits a few of them all the rest were carried away and now the crucial fact that everything has been leading to in Genesis 14 is brought out the crucial point of the story what does it mean what is the Lord telling us Let's pause for a minute and consider that. Back in chapter 3, the Lord had cursed the serpent, and the Lord had said one day a champion would come who would come and crush his head. What has God been doing throughout history up to this point? Well, ever since chapter 12 began, God has now focused it on one man. History is focused on one man. And what does that mean? That means that now the king, something about the king, Satan understands that now what the Lord is doing in raising up this one man, everything now is focused on the promise of land and seed. In other words, the devil knows the conqueror's coming. What is the scene before you? You have an evil, vicious king that stands out above all others. And this king has just conquered the land. He has taken the land by force. It's over. He has conquered. He has positioned every other king under him. Everything's been conquered. And then comes verse 12. They also took Lot, the son of Abram's brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way. What is the narrative really demonstrating to us this morning? What does the Lord want us to see this morning? This foreign king overrunning the promised land not only takes everything under his tribute and bondage, but he captures the righteous. He takes into bondage the righteous. Now here's where we have to pause for a minute and think about what Lot's story is teaching us. I know and you know that he chose Sodom for all the wrong reasons. The text made that really clear last week. They were at Bethel. He lifted up his eyes. They're 3,000 miles up. They look over the valley and Lot fixes his eyes on Sodom. And it looked to him like the garden of God. It looked like Egypt. And he went there. He wanted that. He wanted to live. And so he went and he joined himself with the powerful kings of the plains. What does this mean? What does the Lord want us understand. I believe that believers throughout history have always struggled knowing what their place is in this world. I believe Christians have always struggled. Believers have always struggled understanding their place in this world. The reality is that is our greatest challenge today, isn't it? What do we do here? How do we fit into this? What do we fit into everything that's going on right now? I don't fully understand that. And so what is our pursuit here our pursuit is is that we are trying to root it root down in it and then what begins to happen i mean think of the sheer glory that we have enjoyed living in the united states i mean glory this is there's been no nation on the face of the earth ever that has had glory like this one i think someone might disagree not militarily nothing like us ever and we see all this glory and we live in it and we we then have so much handed to us we we work hard here and we prosper here how do we fit in here what is the struggle that that you face fitting in here we don't and ultimately, the Lord is working to attack the world, the devil, and the flesh, right? These things that are seeking to bring us into bondage and idolatry. The Lord is working on that, and so what He's doing is He is ultimately attacking the things that we value and the systems that we value living in this world, pulling us out of that. That's what Abram's learning. That's what we're seeing, dwelling by the tents of Mamre. So we're seeing this, but we are fools because we get really attracted to this. Hey, I have eyes. You have eyes. We have senses. It's tough to suppress senses, isn't it? Tough to do that. I understand that. But I also know that New Testament describes Lot, who was totally sense-driven, as a righteous man. And I'm moved by that too, because Lot, who was tormented day and night by what was happening in Sodom. So he looks at it, he says, wow, I want to live there. That's the choice. That is the prime property. And day and night, that man's tormented living in it. So much for the Sodom dream. Found himself living in a mess of evil, and the picture we have is he became so rooted in this kingdom, he couldn't get out. He joined with the world. So I want you to think about him for a minute. What just happened to Lot? I want you to feel that. What just happened to Lot? Think about it. I'm living here. I'm going to go after this. And then in one moment, what happened to his kingdom? It was kicked over. It was utterly kicked over. It just crumbled right in front of his eyes. And that's the point. Lot lifted up his eyes and he found himself now in a kingless kingdom that had just been toppled. Now what a moment, isn't it? Because this was a power. I mean, what an alliance. You know, he realized in a moment how fragile that kingdom was. But when he saw it as it was, oh no, this was an alliance of five powerful kings. Think about the power of this. How do you feel about that kind of situation? Do you feel Lot right now? Put yourself in Lot's shoes for a moment and feel what he's going through. How do you think about this? We're struggling with, he's struggling with, how could a superpower fall apart like this? How could a superpower implode like this? Now I'm not talking about the cities of the plain. No nation is raiding us. Internally, unless things really change, this thing's collapsing. You say, I don't want to hear that. Well, I've got a really good message this morning on a better kingdom for you. The message is no kingdom of this world's enduring. It never has been nor it ever will be. And everything that Lot sought for in a moment of time was taken and now he has been taken captive by a cruel king who takes away all of his riches, all of his hopes, all of his dreams are shattered and everything was so secure. This was the place of security. Nobody touched the social security system of Sodom. Who would have ever dreamed that anyone could take out Sodom? And now this untouchable alliance has been all ripped away. All their goods are gone. Everything has been hauled off under the control of another master. What a tragedy is it? And now the text is ready to show you something else. God lifts you up today with one of the most amazing displays of power and the most amazing displays of grace. There's one king that Kedol Leomer did not consider. There's one little king that Kedol Leomer just said, no way can this guy touch me. One little meek and lowly king off by the trees of Mamre that this wicked coalitions, come on, give me a break. And that's what makes 13, verse 13, really fascinating, isn't it? Then one who had escaped and came and told Abram the Hebrew who was living by the oaks of Mamre, the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner, these were allies of Abram. When Abram heard that his kinsmen had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, both in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. So think of the military might of Ketolahomer. This is a David and Goliath moment. Trust me, 318 men can't take out this king. And now you're thinking, boy, this sounds a little bit like Gideon. These guys must have lapped like dogs out by the river. Abram earns 318 men, and they get on their horses, and they go 120 miles. And what do you read? There's no conflict. there's no slaughter. All you read is, so he brought back all the goods and brought back Lot and all his goods as well as the women and the people. Wow. Moses has just brilliantly chronicled all the campaigns of these armies, killing of giants and cave dwellers and running over the mightiest inhabitants of the land and this little unrespected, weak, powerless king by the oaks of Mamre comes out with 318 men and he and his family, Lot had been taken captive and Abram recovers it all, every last single one. If you could look at this from Lot's perspective, all of a sudden he looks in the rear and here is King Abram on a horse, a mighty king. I say this morning that we are a lot like Lot. I confess it, that I am easily gripped by this world and its system. And what do we read of Lot initially? Well, initially Lot had pitched his tent near Sodom. Did you notice in verse 14 that Lot is now dwelling in Sodom? I would love to stand up here today and just beat you up all over the fact that you're too worldly. I think you know it. I'm too worldly. We're too worldly. And it's shameful. And I can tell you the truth that I am way too tied to the things of this world. And look at the distress when I have lived in a, you know, a country that has afforded me so much outward comfort. Have I been so comfortable that I have forgotten that this kingdom, the United States, is not an eternal kingdom and that this kingdom is not my home. Have I forgotten that? Have you forgotten that? Picture Abram dwelling in peace, fellowship with God by the trees of Mamre, and all of a sudden a report is given, some of your brethren, Abram, have been taken captive by Ketolet Omer. He's a hard master to them. He has carried them away into bondage. they can't get out. And now you say, well, I'm starting to see there's a greater story here. This is the story of your salvation. Here's what I can't get away from. In the book of Revelation, I see Genesis and Revelation so together, but these early Christians were struggling with a kingdom crumbling or a kingdom attacking them, which would later crumble in Rome. And they didn't know how to think about it. They didn't know what to do with it. And John himself has been banished now and he's persecuted to the island of Patmos and all of a sudden in the very first vision a vision is given to him and what is that vision a king appears unlike any other king throughout history his hair was white as wool and his eyes were a flame of fire and he is on fire john when he sees him bows down and can't even look at him the glory was that great john just saw that behind all the kings and kingdoms of this world there stands a true king and this king and this kingdom can never be shaken because there's a throne fixed in heaven and all around that throne it's it's glass it's it's calm it's not like the turbulence you're experiencing here. And soon the everlasting kingdom would be brought in. And this is what it would be like. What did the Lord do for you? What did this king do for you? He bowed the heavens and came down, didn't he? You know Psalm 68, blessed be the Lord who daily loads us with benefits. This God is our salvation. Our God is the God of salvation. What did he do for you? What did this God do for you? And to our God belongs escapes from death. But God will wound the head of his enemies, the hairy scalp of the one who still goes on in his trespasses. The Lord said, I will bring back from Bashan. I will bring them back from the depths of the sea that your foot may crush them in blood. Hebrews says that he came and he released those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. And what did he do to the devil? Crushed him. And after all of this, what did this king say to his disciples in the midst of all of this? Ponder this. We're going to close with this this morning. What did this king say to his disciples in the midst of all of this? Think about it just for a moment. Hold this verse to the end. And I bestow upon you a kingdom just as my father bestowed one upon you that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. Hold that. I'm giving you a king. I'm your king. I'm giving you a kingdom and I'm going to give you to eat. Eat and drink in my kingdom. Abram comes back. What happens? Two kings meet him. All these kings are mentioned. All these kings. Two last kings meet him. In verse 21, the king of Sodom makes an offer. Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, give me the persons and take the goods for yourself. Did you just hear that? Give me souls. Take the goods. I know the Lord establishes justice and works through governments, but you should understand that the heart of wicked, evil men, they are not out for your best interest. Trust me. They want your souls. Because ultimately, when the devil is behind that, that's what he's after. Abram says, who are you? I'm not giving you a thing. You're not going to run around saying, you've made Abram rich. This king had no right to that. So who shows up? One more king in the narrative. One more right at the end. You know how many kings are mentioned in this chapter? One king, verse 18. And Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God most high. And he blessed him and said, 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. And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. What a scene. Melchizedek, king of righteousness, his name means? King of Salem, Jerusalem, brings out bread and wine. He was priest of Most High God. And in the midst of World War I, Abram bows to one king. Isn't that, do you feel that? Abram bows to one king. Abram pays tithes to one king. Who is this? Hebrews tells us that when we think of Melchizedek, don't go on an endless speculation we are to know that everything about melchizedek was made to resemble jesus no beginning no end joining the offices of priest and king first time in history wouldn't see that throughout israel as mediator of god's blessings abram bows and he understood that this is what the true king looks like this is when he comes who he will look like, and in looking at Melchizedek, I believe when Jesus said, Abram rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad, Abram saw in Melchizedek the priest king who was Jesus, and this king comes out after all of this fighting, after all of these, this brutal oppression, after all the things, and think about our time, think about all the uncertainty, think about all the stuff going on this single king comes out and what does he give bread and wine i've got a feast for you i want to refresh you and you should stop today and you should say why in the world have i been so tied to this kingdom and this world when i'm called to live by faith when he is set apart for me and I am set apart for him and he has promised me a kingdom and he has promised me when he comes on that day, he's going to give me to eat and drink forever with him. He has come from heaven and taken the victory by storm and he wants you to know you're safe in his arms. How do you know? What does he hold out for you all the time? Bread and wine. That's the supper. Sad we don't take it more seriously or delight in it or want it more. He doesn't oppress you. His yoke is easy and his burden is light. And he has said, I'm giving you a kingdom and I'm feeding it that you may know that I love you. And Abram gives a tithe. Abram gives a tithe. This is the one. And so the question that we close with, have you worshipped and bowed down to this king? Anyone who enlists as a soldier of Jesus Christ doesn't get too caught up in the affairs of this life, Paul says. In a world of insecurity and turbulence, everything seeming to fall apart, and living in a day when the nations are doing this, the Lord wants you to know that He desires to bless you with spiritual blessing, every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. He's your King. thanks be to God who gives us the victory through Jesus Christ. Let me leave you with this final question this morning. Where's Lot? Where's Lot? Back in Sodom. Well, heading back to Sodom, and the angels will have to come and pull him out. Amazing thought, isn't it? May we remember what Hebrews says, that here we have no enduring city, but we seek the one to come, and he's got that for you aren't you excited by what is to come then let's live by faith trusting him jesus christ is your king let's pray oh lord our god we praise you and thank you we bow the head oh lord before you are king we give today a tithe to you we bow the head and thank you for your blessing that you've bestowed upon us you've given to us us, and that you give us bread and wine constantly to tell us you've got something so much better. And so give us the grace to trust you, to believe you, and to not become discouraged when we see all these things happening around us. It's short-lived to not fear, but to pray to you, to talk to you, and to realize that there is a throne in heaven, that there's peace around that throne that there's a sea of glass like crystal and there's a home that awaits us better than anything this world has to offer thank you for laying down your life oh lord jesus that we might live and we might know your peace in jesus name we pray amen