Genesis 14:14-16. 14When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. 16Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.
This is the dramatic conclusion to the epic events of Genesis 14. War breaks out in Canaan. The four kings of the Shinar plain (think Babylon, modern Iraq) attack the five Canaanite kings of the city-states around the Dead Sea. This includes the city of Sodom, Lot’s home.
Once again the Promised Land is proving to be a dangerous place for Abraham. First the land revealed its scarcity during the great famine, now it will reveal its geo-political desirability as a trade route to be seized by outside forces.
The War of the Four and Five Kings is not recorded anywhere else in history (though all the names and places are consistent with other historic documents). Truly this would have been just another footnote in the annals of time, and something that Abraham himself could have easily avoided if not for his wayward nephew.
Genesis 14:11-12. 11So the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12They also took Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way.
Once again, Lot proves to be a thorn in Abraham’s side. First the inter-family conflict that occurred when their herdsmen could not get along in Mamre. Now the international conflict, which Lot did not cause, but which he did put himself in the middle of when he chose to move into Sodom.
And once again, we will see the developing character of Abraham revealed. Did Lot deserve to be rescued? Not at all. But in the words of Wonder Woman in the 2017 movie, “It’s not about deserve, it’s about what you believe, and I believe in love.” Substitute “love” for the word “God” (who is love), and you have the mindset of Abraham. Yes, I AM my brother’s keeper. Yes, I will love him unconditionally.
What happens next is truly incredible. It’s as if mild-mannered Abraham turns into Superman. Who knew that this tent-dwelling, nomad, keeper of sheep, was actually a military genius with a group of highly trained Hebrew Navy Seals living in his camp? Three hundred and eighteen of them to be exact.
In a strategic move that is still studied by the Israeli military, after a 110-mile pursuit, Abraham divides his small force, attacks at night, defeats a presumably much larger battalion, even pursues them, thus rescuing Lot, his family, and all his possessions.
Author Iain Duguid calls this story “Abraham’s mountain of transfiguration,” where his glory is revealed. Abraham is no mere shepherd; he is actually a powerful king. The shepherd- king of Canaan. Never taking the land by force, yet willing to defend the land and the “righteous” (Lot) within it by faith in God’s help.
2 Peter 2:9. …the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment,
Jesus Christ is the better Abraham who ran into battle for us. Undeserving us. We, the collective “Lot” who have wandered into our own versions of Sodom and placed ourselves in constant danger. But like Abraham, Jesus was no mere carpenter. He is the king of the universe, whose glory was revealed in his sin crushing victory on the cross. Just as Abraham defeated the kings of Babylon, Jesus has defeated the devil and his demonic “five-nation” army. Jesus has pursued sin, death, and the grave driving them into the pit of everlasting destruction. Satan is defeated and death is no more. Hallelujah!
Babylon offered a direct threat to the promises of God to Abraham. If the kings of Shinar can so easily capture the walled cities of Canaan, surely the tent-dwelling Abraham (the richest man in the region btw), is next. That is unless there is more to Abraham than meets the eye.
Our “Sodoms” and “Babylons” stills seek to threaten us today, even in Christ. First they allure us away from the promises of Christ with the fleeting pleasures of sin and the seeming stability of self-righteousness, then they crush us with the army of guilt and despair when all our self-righteousness runs out and our pleasures evaporate like a vapor before our eyes.
But this is when the ever chasing, ever pursuing, ever warring love of Christ finds us in the night, and frees us once more from the choke-hold of guilt and despair that our sin has caused. Not because we deserve it. Never. But because Jesus believes in love, and we believe in Jesus.
You: Can you identify your “Sodoms” and your “Babylons?”
You in Christ: How does knowing that Jesus is always fighting for your heart allow you to avoid the allures of “Sodom” (pleasures and security)?
Christ in you: Is there a “kinsman” that you need to go to battle for like Abraham did for Lot and Jesus did for you?
Prayer: Father, you sent Jesus to pursue me and destroy my enemies. Jesus, you left your heavenly “tent” and went into battle for me, even losing in order to win. Help me to join you in the battle for my “kinsmen.” Amen.
To Live is Christ 