I. War on Sodom Gomorrah
A. Genesis 14:1- And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations;
1. “in the days” – Dated in the reighn of a king of Babylon Elam
2. The Book of Jasher states that Nimrod (Amraphel) was conquered by Chedorlaomer and returned in shame and disgrace to his land and was under Chedolaomer’s subjection
3. The Assyrian tablets show that Elam Babylonia
a. Amraphel, king of Shinar
· אמרפל 'Amraphel - "sayer of darkness: fall of the sayer"
· שנער Shin`ar - "country of two rivers", the ancient name for the territory later known as Babylonia or Chaldea
b. Arioch, king of Ellasar – Depicted as Eri-aku in the Assyrian tablets and reigned in the south at Larsa/Ellasar. It is also stated that his mother was the sister of Chedorlaomer
· אריוך 'Aryowk - "lion-like"
· אלסר 'Ellacar - "God is chastener", a town in Babylonia , c. 28 miles (50 km) E of Ur
c. Chedorlaomer, king of Elam
· כדרלעמר Kĕdorla`omer - "handful of sheaves"
· עילם `Eylam - "eternity", a province east of Babylon Tigris
d. Tidal, king of nations – Depicted as Tudghula in the Assyrian tablets, which also says that hr assembled the “Ummanmanda”, known as the barbarian tribes of the Kurdish mountains, and that he did evil in the land of Bel
· תדעל Tid`al - "great son"
· גוי gowy - "nations"
4. The Book of Jasher says that these four kings lead an invasion force of about 800,000 men
5. Assuming that 800,000 is accurate, we are only about 250-300 years after the flood this has to be a war of epic proportions after only 300 years of re-populating the earth this war would have included well over one million combatants probably one third of the world population. We’ll say 3 fertile couples got off of the ark and use 30 year generations. Assuming each couple produced 5 offspring each of 9 generations (or 270 years) would yield a world population of around 3 Million. ((3x 59)/2)…3 couples produce 5 kids each for 9 generations divided by 2 parents each child yields around 3 Million total earth population.
6. Additionally one should consider that with the assembly of this many men, launching in invasion force creates the inherent risk of leaving the home front exposed. Chedorlaomer must have had reason to be confident that the Babylonian region was not vulnerable to an invasion by reason that he had ascribed nearly all of the surrounding village men into his forces.
B. Genesis 14:2- [That these] made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.
1. Bera, king of Sodom
a. ברע Bera`- "son of evil"
b. סדם Cĕdom - "burning"
2. Birsha, king of Gomorrah
a. ברשע Birsha` - "with iniquity"
b. עמרה `Amorah - "submersion"
3. Shinab, king of Admah
a. שנאב Shin'ab - "splendour of the father"
b. אדמה 'Admah - "red earth", city in the Siddim valley
4. Shemeber, king of Zeboiim
a. שמאבר Shem'eber - "lofty flight"
b. צבאים Tsĕbo'iym - "gazelles"
5. The king of Bela/Zoar – The Book of Jasher reads Bela, king of Zoar
a. בלע Bela`- "destruction"
b. צער Tso`ar - "insignificance"
C. Genesis 14:3- All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.
1. שדים Siddiym - "field" or "plain", valley where the Dead Sea is located
D. Genesis 14:4- Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
1. Appears that this group was paying tribute to Chedorlaomer for 12 years and declared independence from Babylon
2. It took 1 year for Chedorlaomer to raise an invasion force
3. Its worth noting here that throughout scripture the number 12 is closely aligned with perfection in government such as tribes, apostles or measurements of time; and the number 13 denotes rebellion, apostacy, revolution and disintegration
E. Genesis 14:5- And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that [were] with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim,
1. Chedorlaomer and his allies had some battle experience:
a. Raphaims - רפאים rapha' - old tribe of giants; closely related to the word רְפָאִים, meaning ghosts of the dead, shades, spirits. This group was ultimately considered a branch of the Nephilim,
· Apparently the Raphaim were descended from a giant by the name of Rapha, no ancestors can be determined from Noah.
· Deuteronomy 2:10 -11 – The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims.
o Giants - רפאים rapha', giants, Rephaim
· II Samuel 21:16 - And Ishbibenob, which [was] of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear [weighed] three hundred [shekels] of brass in weight, he being girded with a new [sword], thought to have slain David.
o Giant - רפאים rapha'
o Of the Sons of the Repha
b. Ashteroth Karniam - עשתרות קרנים `Ashtĕroth Qarnayim - "Ashtoreth of the two horns or peaks" derived from:
· עשתרת `Ashtarowth - "star", false goddesses in the Canaanite religion, usually related to fertility cult
· קרן qeren - horn
c. Zuzims - זוזים Zuwziym, "roving creatures", ancient people of uncertain origin, perhaps, inhabitants of ancient Ammon east of the Jordan
d. Emims - אימים 'Eymiym, "terrors", ancient inhabitants of Moab
e. Shaveh Kiriathaim - שוה קריתים Shaveh Qiryathayim, "plain of the double or two city"
2. Apparantly this is given to provide Chedorlaomer’s credentials as a battle hardened warrior. It becomes obvious to the reader that this king has fought against some heavy hitters which makes supernatural intervention from the Lord a necessity for the achievement of Abram and his 318 servants in v.14
F. Genesis 14:6- And the Horites in their mount Seir
1. Continued list of conquests
2. Horites – חרי Choriy - "cave dweller", referred to as Horims in Deuteronomy 2:12
3. Seir – שעיר Se`iyr - "hairy" or "shaggy" - a mountain range in Edom extending from the Dead Sea to the Elanitic Gulf
4. Elparan - איל פארן 'Eyl Pa'ran, "palm of Paran" - town and harbour at tip of Gulf of Aqaba on the Red Sea
G. Genesis 14:7- And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which [is] Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezontamar.
1. Enmishpat - עין משפט `Eyn Mishpat, "spring of judgment", a place near southern Palestine
2. Amalekites - עמלקי `Amaleqiy, "people of lapping", descendants of Amalek, the grandson of Esau
a. Obviously the name of the of the geographical region contemporary to the author of Genesis (Moses) for Esau is Abraham’s grandson
3. Amorites - אמרי 'Emoriy, "a sayer" one of the peoples of east Canaan and beyond the Jordan, a nation of Canaan, and apparently the greatest and most powerful of them all, whose name is sometimes used in a wider sense, so as to include all the nations of Canaan
4. Hazezontamar - חצצון תמר Chatsĕtsown Tamar, "dividing or pruning the date-palm"
H. Genesis 14:8- And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same [is] Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim;
I. Genesis 14:9- With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam Shinar
1. The five kings of Sodom & Gommorah vs. the 4 kings of Babylon
2. Abram remained neutral
3. 9 total kingdoms, the number nine is closely aligned with judgment
J. Genesis 14:10 - And the vale of Siddim [was full of] slimepits; and the kings of Sodom Gomorrah
1. The battle turned and favored the Babylonian coalition
2. The slime pits or asphalt pits remain a feature in the region west of the Dead Sea today
K. Genesis 14:11 - And they took all the goods of Sodom Gomorrah
1. A lesson learned, even the wicked will pay their taxes one way or another
2. Seems that homosexuality in the ranks might effect troop moral after all despite what recent studies show
L. Genesis 14:12 - And they took Lot , Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom
1. Now that was a no, no the sleeping giant of Abram is about to be awakened
2. Lots 5th of 6 steps toward degeneracy
M. 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.
1. Abram apparently has a coalition of his own
2. Hebrew - עברי `Ibriy, "one from beyond", first occurrence used to describe Abram as one from “beyond the river”
II. Rescue of Lot (Genesis 14:14 -17)
A. 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.
1. We begin to learn more about the character of Abram and why God chose him
2. Shows that his house has grown considerably
3. 318 vs. 800,000 (less any lost in battle with S&G)? This sounds very familiar to the story of Gideon
4. What was Abram’s servants “trained” in?
a. Likely the worship of God
b. Recall 12:5 when Abram gathered “the souls that they had gotten” these were servants who had been converted to Yĕhovah
c. Genesis 18:19- For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him.
d. More important than being trained for battle is to be trained in the way of the Lord. When the odds are 800,000 to 318 it doesn’t help much to be trained for battle. Only God can offset those odds.
B. 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
1. Night battles were very rare in antiquity, commanders could not maintain control of their legions. A small attacking force would have had a surprise advantage on a force of this magnitude
2. Shows that Abram was not a cowherd as might have been previously surmised with his encounter with Pharaoh.
C. 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.
1. Abram now found himself in a very enviable position, this was a decisive point in his life. Abram could have easily went back to Babylon after just defeating all of her kings in battle and claimed the region for himself along with Sodom and Gomorrah would have effectively made him ruler of the world. Even though God’s promise was limited to the land of Canaan
2. Abram was given a choice; believe God will honor His promise or exceed the authority limitations that God had placed upon him
3. Abram was one of a handful of men in Scripture who attained great power and was not corrupted by it (Joseph, Daniel, Jesus Christ)
4. Even the great king David, a man after God’s own heart, was corrupted by power
5. Very few men throughout history have achieved this level of power and were not corrupted by it ( I can only think of one possibility and that is George Washington who turned down the opportunity to rule America
6. The lesson we can learn from Abram here is that God is pleased with those who respect His authority and the limitations that He places on the authority He has given us. We all have some measure of authority and remaining
7. Lucifer could not remain within the confines of the authority granted him, thus he became corrupted by his thirst for more and more power. Being able to handle power must be accompanied with the faith to believe God and humility to submit to His ultimate authority. The attributes are something our world leaders are sorely lacking today!!!
D. Genesis 14:17 - And the king of Sodom valley of Shaveh
III. Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18 -20)
A. Genesis 14:18- And Melchizedek king of Salem
1. Melchizedek - מלכי–צדק Malkiy-Tsedeq, (proper masculine noun) "my king is Sedek"
a. מלך melek – meaning king
b. צדק tsedeq – meaning: justice, rightness, righteousness
· what is right or just or normal, rightness, justness (of weights and measures)
· righteousness (in government)
o of judges, rulers, kings
o of law
o of Davidic king, Messiah
o of Jerusalem
o of God's attribute
· righteousness, justice (in case or cause)
· rightness (in speech)
· righteousness (as ethically right)
· righteousness (as vindicated), justification (in controversy), deliverance, victory, prosperity
o of God as covenant-keeping in redemption
o in name of Messianic king
o of people enjoying salvation
2. Salem
3. Brought forth bread and wine – a possible foreshadowing of the Messiah? Luther doesn’t think so
4. Priest – כהן kohen, priest, principal officer or chief ruler
5. Most High – עליון 'elyown, Highest, Most High
6. God - אל 'el, god, god-like one, mighty one
a. (note the generic term god, but preceded by the most high so even though it’s the generic name the adjective of Most High naturally exalts one over all others)
b. Different than יהוה Yĕhovah , the name used in connection with the covenant
c. Only used here and Psalm 78:35
· Psalm 78:35 - And they remembered that God [was] their rock, and the high God their redeemer.
7. One of the most mysterious characters in the Bible. Who was this man, this priest of the Most High who had neither beginning nor end of life? All creatures including the angels have a specific beginning, but according to the Word this man had no beginning and apparently he is still alive today for he did not have an end of life. Melchizedek makes only one known appearance in the Bible, that being when he met Abraham, all 11 scripture references either point to this occurrence or the order to which his priesthood belongs.
a. Psalm 110:4 - The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
b. Hebrews 5:6-10 - As he saith also in another [place], Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
c. Hebrews 6:20 - Whither the forerunner is for us entered, [even] Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
d. Hebrews 7:1-28 - For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. Now consider how great this man [was], unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better. And here men that die receive tithes; but there he [receiveth them], of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him. If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need [was there] that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. For [it is] evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. For he testifieth, Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope [did]; by the which we draw nigh unto God. And inasmuch as not without an oath [he was made priest]: (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this [man], because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, [who is] holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, [maketh] the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
· Without father - ἀπάτωρ apatōr - whose father is not recorded in the genealogies
· Without mother - ἀμήτωρ amētōr - 1) born without a mother,2) bereft of a mother,3) born of a base or unknown mother,4) unmotherly, not worthy of the name of mother
· Without descent - ἀγενεαλόγητος agenealogētos - one whose descent there is no record of, without genealogy
· Only place in scripture where these three words appear
· Beginning - ἀρχή archē –
o beginning, origin
o the person or thing that commences, the first person or thing in a series, the leader
o that by which anything begins to be, the origin, the active cause
o the extremity of a thing
§ of the corners of a sail
o the first place, principality, rule, magistracy
§ of angels and demons
· End - τέλος telos –
o End
§ termination, the limit at which a thing ceases to be (always of the end of some act or state, but not of the end of a period of time)
§ the end
- the last in any succession or series
- eternal
§ that by which a thing is finished, its close, issue
§ the end to which all things relate, the aim, purpose
o toll, custom (i.e. indirect tax on goods)
· No Beginnig of days nor end of life but abides continually, we only know that he lived and appears that the only possible candidate to fill this identity is the Lord Himself.
· Made Like - ἀφομοιόω aphomoioō –
o to cause a model to pass off into an image or shape like it
o to express itself in it, to copy
o to produce a facsimile
o to be made like, render similar
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