Note: When doing a study on a book in the Bible you use a lot of resources. The major influence for me on this study of Genesis is The Genesis Record by Henry Morris.
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;
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.
These may seem to be a record of useless words concerning Abram and his journey but it is not. This is history. Here we see the first recorded war in the scripture. Whats so important is the fact that at one time liberal scholars thought that these men never existed and the Bible was false in its record of history. But now we know that records have been found that prove these men do exist. These are real men.
3* All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which
is the salt sea.
4* Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth
year they rebelled.
It seems that these kings met together and decided to over throw the cities. They wanted to come down and take over. So they captured the weaker cities and went on. A lot of times kings would capture surrounding cities just to make his kingdom bigger. He would protect himself. Although he would not destroy the city. So we see here that the captured cities began to rebell after 12 yrs of captivity. They began to go against the grain.
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,
6* And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which
[is] by the wilderness.
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.
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;
9* 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.
10* And the vale of Siddim [was full of] slimepits; and the
kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that
remained fled to the mountain.
11* And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all
their victuals, and went their way.
12* And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in
Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
So the kings were mad against the rebellion. The began to destroy the cities that escaped. But here finally we see a relating factor in this history, Lot. It seems during their rout they captured slaves and material items and one slave was Lot. Which in turn involves Abram.
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.
This is where it is first mentioned of Abram being called the Hebrew. The word hebrew was usually refered to a nomad or traveler in this time. It later began to refer to the Israelites in Ex 3:18. Are we all Hebrews in this world? Are we like nomads passing through this old world? I have to remind myself of that.
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.
We see that when Abram heard that Lot had been captured he began to gather together his best fighting men which was 318. He put weapons in their hands and devised a plan. Here is the plan.
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.
He divided his army. Instead of one he had two. He probably let one purse and catch up with the enemy. Then when they began to fight the second half stepped in from behind and began to fight we see it worked.
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.
The retured victorious.
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.
Here we see an strange event. All the time the focus from God had seem to be on Abraham. The nation would come from Abram. The land would go to Abram. It seemed that no one worshiped God but Abram. But now we see a king and a high priest. One in the same. He was a high priest of the "most high God". This is the Hebrew word El Elohim. The highest God. The one and only God the one true God.
[2] "Most high," or "most high God" (Heb. "El Elyon"). ""Elyon" means
simply "highest."
(1) The first revelation of this name (v. 18) indicates its distinctive
meanings. Abram, returning from his victory over the confederated kings
# Ge 14:1-17
is met by Melchizedek, King of Salem . . . the "priest of
the most high God" (El Elyon), who blesses Abram in the name of El
Elyon, "possessor of heaven and earth." This revelation produced a
remarkable impression upon the patriarch. Not only did he at once
give Melchizedek "tithes of all" the spoil of the battle, but when the
King of Sodom offered other of that spoil to Abram, his answer was;
"I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord [Jehovah], the most high God
[El-Elyon], the possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take
from a thread even to a shoelatchet," etc.
# Ge 14:18-23
(a) The Lord (Jehovah) is know to a "Gentile" king (Melchizedek) by
the name "most high god" [El Elyon); (b) a "Gentile" is the priest
of El Elyon and (c) His distinctive "character" as most high God is
"possessor of heaven and earth."
Appropriately to this Gentile knowledge of God by His name "Most
High," we read that "the Most High divided to the nations [i.e.
Gentiles] their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam,"
etc.
# De 32:8
As ""possessor" heaven and earth," it was the
prerogative of the Most High to distribute the earth among the
nations according to whatever principle He chose. That principle is
declared Deu 32.8. To the same purport is the use of the name in
Daniel, the book of Gentile prophecy
# Da 3:26 4:17,24,25,32,34,35 5:18,21
(2) As "possessor of heaven and earth," the most high God has and
exercises authority in both spheres: (a) the heavenly authority of El
Elyon (e.g.
# Da 4:35,37 Isa 14:13,14 Mt 28:18
(b) the earthly authority of El Elyon (e.g).
# De 32:8 Ps 9:2-5 21:7 47:2-4 56:2,3 82:6,8 83:16-18 91:9-12
# 2Sa 22:14,15 Da 5:18
[Marg] {Salem} Meaning Peace. Cf.
# Heb 7:2
Stangely enough nothing is said of the origin of this man. Nothing is said of his family all that is known is that he was a priest and a king. He comes into the book silently and leaves the same way. Although he is mentioned elsewhere and as we will see he is a type of Christ.
[1] {Melchizedek} [2] {most high God}
[Marg] {Melchizedek} [Marg] {Salem}
[1] {Melchizedek}
[1] Melchizedek, type of Christ the King-Priest. The type strictly applies to the priestly work of Christ in "resurrection", since Melchizedek presents only the "memorials" of sacrifice, bread and wine. "After the order of Melchizedek"
Psalms 110: 4* The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou [art] a
priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
This whole Psalms is refering to Christ but we see an import note. Christ is after the order of Melchizedek. It would seem it would be Aronn the beginning priest to the Israelites but no it was Melchizedek. Why is this important?
Hebrews 6: 20* Whither the forerunner is for us entered, [even] Jesus,
made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
refers to the royal "authority" and unending "duration" of Christ’s
high priesthood
Hebrews 7: 23* And they truly were many priests, because they were not
suffered to continue by reason of death:
24* But this [man], because he continueth ever, hath an
unchangeable priesthood.
The Aaronic priesthood was often interrupted by death.
Christ is a priest after the "order" of Melchizedek, as King of
righteousness, King of peace
Isaiah 11: 4* But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. 5* And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. 6* The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 7* And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8* And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. 9* They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
Hebrews 7:2* 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;
# Isa 11:4-9 Heb 7:2
and in the "endlessness" of his priesthood; but the Aaronic priesthood
typifies His priestly "work"
Christ work was to bring righteousness to the world he can do this by the order of Mel. becaues he is endless. No beginning no end.
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.
Here we see the first mention of tithing to God. We see it is a blessing given to God. A form of worship. We tithe because we worship God. God does not need it but he desires it. Look what God has done for you now do for him and his work.
21*. And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons,
and take the goods to thyself.
22* And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine
hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven
and earth,
23* That I will not [take] from a thread even to a shoelatchet,
and that I will not take any thing that [is] thine, lest thou
shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
Here we see another king. A less respected king. The king of Sodom. Later we will learn of the wickedness and the evil of Sodom and How God finally destroys it but now we see the main focus of this man give me back my posessions.
I believe this was a temptation unto Abram. Would he take the posessions or turn away. He had a right but we see he did not Why because King Sodom might want something in return and say that he made Abram rich not God. We must depend on God not man or even allow ourselves to be in the position to let man think they have provided.
Feeding of the Five Thousand
Matthew 14:19* And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass,
and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to
heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to [his]
disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
Here we see why we should not provide for ourselves without God. God will provide. Christ is the "Bread of Life". He is the one who provides for the Body and soul.
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.
But he does make room for his servants to take part for their work.
In summary we see God’s working and building up of Abram. Building character of Abram. Abram here is described as a warrior, a worshiper, a giver and a follower of God and no other.
0569 ’Amraphel {am-raw-fel’}
0495 ’Ellacar {el-law-sawr’}
0746 ’Aryowk {ar-yoke’}
03540 K@dorla`omer {ked-or-law-o’-mer}
05867 `Eylam {ay-lawm’} or `Owlam (Ezr 10:2; Jer 49:36) {o-lawm’}
08413 Tid`al {tid-awl’}
01298 Bera` {beh’-rah}
01306 Birsha` {beer-shah’}
08134 Shin’ab {shin-awb’}
0126 ’Admah {ad-maw’}
08038 Shem’eber {shem-ay’-ber}
06636 Ts@bo’iym {tseb-o-eem’} or (more correctly) Ts@biyiym
{tseb-ee-yeem’} or Ts@biyim {tseb-ee-yeem’}
01106 Bela` {beh’-lah}
06820 Tso`ar {tso’ar}
06255 `Asht@roth Qarnayim {ash-ter-oth’ kar-nah’-yim}
02104 Zuwziym {zoo-zeem’}
0368 ’Eymiym {ay-meem’}
07741 Shaveh Qiryathayim {shaw-vay’ kir-yaw-thah’-yim}
0364 ’Eyl Pa’ran {ale paw-rawn’}
05880 `Eyn Mishpat {ane mish-pawt’}
02688 Chats@tsown Tamar {khats-ets-one’ taw-mawr’}
or Chatsatson Tamar {khats-ats-one’ taw-mawr’}
years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth
year they rebelled.
