To read Genesis 14 without my comments
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After Abram and
Lot separated, Lot went to the area of the wicked city of Sodom. There were
four kings that made a confederacy to attack Sodom and the neighboring city states with, according to
the book of Jasher, 800,000 people. This battle was fought on a plain
called the vale of Siddim. This plain was unique because it was full
of slime pits, which the slime would be called asphalt or tar in
today's language. This area where these slime pits were located do
not exist today with tar, as it was the same place that Sodom once stood before
it was destroyed. This is also the area that Job got his rivers of
oil Job 29:6.
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."
The four kings
were victorious in their attack on Sodom in which they carried away
captives including Lot and his possessions. One of Abram's men happen
to be in the area and reported it to Abram, who in turn formed a
group of 318 men of his household to rescue both Lot and the
possessions. Because Abram was able to readily assemble 318 men for
this attack against the men who could have numbered up to 800,000
would lead us to believe that not only was Abram a military genius, because of his success in his out numbered attack, but there had to be more than a thousand people in his household to
assemble this many people in such a short time. Because there was so
many people at his disposal this would be the reason that Abram and
Lot had to separate in Genesis 13.
On the way back
from the successful battle Abram came across a person who is called Melchizedek
in the bible, the king of Salem. Salem is the ancient name of
Jerusalem. Some bible scholars believe that Melchizedek was none
other than Shem who was Noah's son, and some believe it to be God in
the flesh (Jesus). Abram gave his tithe (10%) to Melchizedek in
Gen 14:18-20. Melchizedek brought with him bread and wine in
celebration as he blessed Abram. This breaking of bread and wine,
one could think of it as the prelude to the Lord's supper. The bible
says that the Messiah (Jesus) was from the order of Melchizedek
Psalms 110:4. After this event, Jerusalem then became known as the seat of
authority in the order of Melchizedek which consists of prophet,
priest, and king.
This order
origonally started with Adam, Noah was the 8th,
Shem was the 9th
and the Messiah was the 10th
completing the order. Hebrews 5:5-6 “So
also Christ glorified not himself to be made high priest; but he that
said unto him, Thou art my son, to day have I begotten thee, as he
sayeth in another place, thou are a priest forever after the order of
Melchizedek.”
Bera,
the king of Sodom offered Abram the remaining 90% of the possessions of the city of
Sodom for rescuing them. Abram declined to take anything only because
he did not want the people of Sodom saying that he got rich by taking
their possessions.
Praise the Lord!
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