Genesis 14 Study – “Lot’s Capture and Rescue “& The Blessing of Melchizedek” – (vv. 1-24)
Lot’s Captivity and Rescue
14 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 [a]nations, 2 that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 All these joined together in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). 4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
5 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him came and attacked the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in their mountain of Seir, as far as El Paran, which is by the wilderness. 7 Then they turned back and came to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and attacked all the country of the Amalekites, and the Amorites who dwelt in Hazezon Tamar.
8 And the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and joined together in battle in the Valley of Siddim 9 against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of [b]nations, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of asphalt pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled; some fell there, and the remainder fled to the mountains. 11 Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12 They also took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
13 Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt by [c]the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; and they were allies with Abram. 14 Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is [d]north of Damascus. 16 So he brought back all the goods, and brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people.
17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley), after his return from the [e]defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him.
Abram and Melchizedek
18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said:
“Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”
And he gave him [f]a tithe of all.
21 Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the [g]persons, and take the goods for yourself.”
22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’— 24 except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.”
Notes Genesis 14 Study – (vv. 1-24)
14:14: The 318 bishops of the Orthodox Church at the Council of Nicea were likened to these TRAINED SERVANTS OF ABRAHAM … As Abraham’s servants overcame insurmountable odds, so the bishops, the trained servants of the Church, defeated the arguments of the many heretics who denied that the Son of God is coeternal, and one is essence with the Father … These servants defended Abraham’s faith, handed down in the Church …
14:18: Melchizedek brought out bread and wine to Abraham … His priesthood typified the High Priesthood of Christ, who gives His precious body and blood to the faithful in the bread and wine of the Eucharist – (CypC) …
14:19-20: Two of the many reasons for the superiority of the order of Melchizedek are: (1): Melchizedek blessed Abraham … Aaron was a descendant of Abraham through Levi … Thus, in blessing Abraham, Melchizedek also blessed Levi and Aaron … It is always the greater who blesses the lesser … (2): Abraham paid a tithe to Melchizedek, and in this act, so did Levi and Aaron – (Hebrews 7) … Therefore, salvation comes through the superior order …
14:21-24: Abraham showed his complete detachment from earthly wealth, because (1): he knew that GOD MOST HIGH, CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH – (v. 22) had given him everything he possessed, and (2): he loved God supremely, and not the wealth God gave him … He also loved his neighbor as himself, for he saw the needs of Aner, Eschol, and Mamre … So, Abraham was, so to speak, heaven-bound … The king of Sodom, on the other hand, was earthbound … Faithful people follow the example of Abraham …
Notes Genesis 15 Study - “God’s Covenant with Abraham” - (vv. 1-21)
God’s Covenant with Abram
15 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, [a]your exceedingly great reward.”
2 But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I [b]go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one[c] born in my house is my heir!”
4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” 5 Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”
6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
7 Then He said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.”
8 And he said, “Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it?”
9 So He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. 11 And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
12 Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. 13 Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. 14 And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 15 Now as for you, you shall [d]go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. 16 But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
17 And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. 18 On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying:
“To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates— 19 the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”
Notes Genesis 15 Study – (vv. 1-21)
15:1-3: THE WORD OF THE LORD is the Word of the Father – (AthanG) … He is also the Son of God … Abraham saw God the Word IN A VISION … So, he saw Him before He became incarnate, as did the Old Testament prophets … Abraham was fearful the promise of God had given him in 12:1 would not be fulfilled, for he had no heir …
Genesis 12:1
Promises to Abram
12 Now the Lord had said to Abram:
“Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you
15:4: THE VOICE OF THE LORD is also the Word of the Father … he reassures Abraham that his heir WILL COME FROM YOUR OWN BODY … This refers to the birth of Isaac, based on God’s promise … For man is saved by this promise through faith in Christ – (Romans 4:17-25; and Romans 9:7-8) …
Romans 4:17-25
17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.
Romans 9:7-8
7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” 8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.
15:5: THE SEED IS FIRST CHRIST, then His Church – (Galatians 3:16; Romans 4:16) … THE STARS are a type of all the members of His body – (Philippians 2:15) … Their number is countless, and consists of both Jews and Gentiles – (Ephesians 2:11-16) …
Galatians 3:16
16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.
Romans 4:16
16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be [a]sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
Philippians 2:15
15 that you may become blameless and [a]harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
15:6: Abraham believed in the promise of 12:1, and he continued to believe it in 15:5 … For Abraham’s faith was living and growing – something special … He was made righteous by this faith … So are both Jews and Gentiles … Righteousness is the gift of God through Jesus Christ – (Romans 5:17) …
Genesis 12:1
Promises to Abram
12 Now the Lord had said to Abram:
“Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you
Genesis 15:5
5 Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.
Romans 5:17
17 For if by the one man’s [a]offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
15:7: God the Word said to Abraham, “I AM THE GOD WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT OF UR OF THE CHALDEANS, TO GIVE YOU THIS LAND TO INHERIT IT … “So, He identifies Himself as God … The Creed calls Him “True God of True God” … For He is the Only Begotten of the Father, through whom the Father speaks and reveals Himself …
15:8: Abraham calls the Word his own MASTER AND LORD, and thus recognizes His divinity … The Church does the same thing …
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