Genesis 16
The Result of Faith and Unbelief
(Genesis 14:1-24 )
<Introduction>
Verses 1-12 introduce Abram's involvement in a fight between the kings of the region.
(Verses 10-12) “Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills. The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away.
They also carried off Abram's nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom.“
In fact, the flat cities in the Dead Sea area served Kedorlaomer, who represented the five kings of the north, for 12 years. However, when they rebelled against Kedorlaomer, a year later the five kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar, the so-called 'plain cities of the east' located east of the Dead Sea, and became a military target of the four kings who came from the north (Shinar, Ellasar, Elam, Kedorlaomer, and Goiim), and was defeated in battle and had to flee. As a result, his nephew Lot, who lived in Sodom, was taken captive, and Abram also became caught up in the war between those countries and their kings.
In verses 13-16, when Abram heard that his nephew Lot had been taken captive, he took 318 men who had been raised and trained at home, and chased them all the way to Dan, defeated them, and pursued them as far as Oba on the left side of Damascus, capturing Lot, his family, and the stolen wealth. He got them all back.
The victory in the war led by Abram, who was a nomad among the flat cities that formed the city-state, must have been an amazing event worthy of ‘making his name great’ in the area.
In verses 17-20, Bera, the king of Sodom, comes out to the King's Valley, called the Valley of Shaveh, to welcome Abram after he returns from defeating the five kings of the north.
In addition, the king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, and Melchizedek (King of Righteousness), who was the area of present-day Jerusalem located west of the Dead Sea, also brought bread and wine to welcome them. He gave a blessing praising 'God Most High'. In gratitude for this, Abram gave the tithe to Melchizedek.
1. Lot who forgot God. (1-12)
1) Allianced war arise.(14:1-10)
2) Lot became a captive.(14:11-12)
2. Abraham who build an Altar
1) Gen.13:18. So Abram moved his tents and went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the LORD.
2) Gen.14:13-16
3. The faith of Abraham and Refuse of goods(Gen.14:21-24)
v. 13. that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.'
4. Shadow of the Christ.
* Melchizedek (Gen.14:17-20)
1) Bloodline of Aaron
2) Accomplish the work of priest
3) Heb.7:11-25
Conclusion: Let's live a life centered on the throne of heaven
1) You must know the spiritual secrets first (1 Corinthians 3:16)
2) Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33)
3) Confession of continued faith (Genesis 14:17-24)