Sermon notes October 12th, 2025

GENESIS 14 

Thirteen years before the main events of this chapter,(14) Ched-or-laomer, king of Elam (Persia), had conquered various kings in the plains adjacent to the Dead (Salt) Sea. In the thirteenth year, the five captive kings rebelled against Ched-or-laomer. So, he allied himself with three other kings from the region of Babylon, they marched south along the eastern side of the Dead Sea, then north on the western side to Sodom, Gomorrah, and the other cities of the plain. The battle took place in the Valley of Siddim, which was full of asphalt pits. The invaders defeated the rebels and marched north with their booty and captives, including Lot, Abram’s back-slidden nephew. Let’s go back just a little bit and see what God had told Abram in chapter 13 and see what he was doing for these 13 years.

Genesis 13:17-18

17   Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.”

18   Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the Lord.

• This is where Abram is at for some years while Lot is down at Sodom and Gomorrah. Ched-or-laomer and the kings that were with him came and attacked: The people who lived in Canaan in the days of Abram, well, they were like humanity in general. There were many among them interested in conquest and domination. This confederation of five kings who rebelled against Ched-or-laomer, wanted to be free from his dominion. This is where chapter 14 begins. God chose to put in all these names of the Kings and at times it seems exhausting to read all these names but there will be a few who stand out.

 Genesis 14:1-13                                           New King James Version

1   And it came to pass in the days of Am-ra-phel king of Shinar, Ari-och king of Ellasar, Ched-or-laomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations, 

• Tidal's title "king of nations" (or "king of Goiim") refers to his role as a chief over several confederated tribes or peoples, rather than a single empire. The exact nature of these "nations" is debated, but it likely indicates a leader of a diverse group or coalition of peoples united under his command, rather than the ruler of a geographically defined nation or kingdom in the modern sense.

2   that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, Bir-sha king of Gomorrah, Shin-ab 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 Ched-or-laomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

5   In the fourteenth year Ched-or-laomer and the kings that were with him came and attacked the Re-phaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kir-ia-thaim, 

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 also 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 Ched-or-laomer king of Elam, Tidal king of 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 the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; and they were allies with Abram. 

• Abram the Hebrew: This is the first use of the term Hebrew in the Bible. It was probably a reference to the fact that Abram came from beyond the Euphrates River, and had passed over the river to come to Canaan “The word Hebrew comes from a root that means passed over. The Septuagint translates Hebrew “the passenger.”. 

Genesis 14:14-17

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. 

• This demonstrates the great wealth of Abram. Any man who could assemble 318 servants capable of fighting must be very rich. Abram was a man who walked in faith, yet he was also a prudent man. Abram kept his own personal army, and he apparently kept them trained and ready to defend his interests. 
• Abram’s army pursued the confederacy of four kings for a long distance to the north. The city of Dan is not far from the northern border of Israel.
• The gates of the city of Dan from Abram’s time have been discovered by archaeologists and can be viewed at the Israeli national park at 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 north of Damascus. 

• He divided his forces against them by night: Abram had military wisdom. Using the clever tactic of a night attack with his army split into two groups, he succeeded in rescuing Lot and recovering all the plunder (all the goods) seized by the partnership of the four kings.

16   So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people.

• We should see a story in the account of Abram’s rescue of Lot. We were those off in sin and shame, rescued by one who left his safety and happiness. 
• Our kinsman redeemer went to great trouble and distance, and with His courage and daring defeated the mighty enemy (of sin) that had put us in bondage, and He took all the enemy’s spoil.

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 defeat of     Ched-or-laomer and the kings who were with him.

Genesis 14:18-24

18   Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 

• Some scholars think Melchizedek may have been Shem, who was still alive at that time, while others believe that Melchizedek was a theophany or Christophany, an appearance of God in human form, which would be Christ. We have no idea of where Melchizedek came from, how he came to be in Canaan, how he came to be a worshipper and priest of the true God, and how Abram came to know about him. We only know he was there. 
• The name Melchizedek means King of Righteousness. He was the king of Salem, and Salem was the original Jerusalem, and Melchizedek was the priest of God Most High. He was a worshipper and priest of the true God, ruling over Jerusalem even in those ancient times.
• One thing that makes Melchizedek unique was he was both a king and a priest. History shows that it is often dangerous to combine religious and civic authority. God forbade the kings of Israel to be priests and the priests to be kings. In 2 Chronicles 26:16-23, King Uzziah tried to do the work of a priest, and God struck him with leprosy. Melchizedek was the exception. Melchizedek served Abram bread and wine. Perhaps he even served them in a manner looking forward to our redeeming sacrifice, as the bread and wine of Passover and the Lord’s Table look at our redeeming sacrifice, Jesus Christ.
• Though Melchizedek seems like an obscure figure, he is in fact an important Old Testament person. Psalm 110:4

Psalm 110:4                                                New King James Version

4   The Lord has sworn                                                                                            And will not relent,                                                                                                  “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”

Hebrews 7:1-4                                               New King James Version

1   For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 

2   to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” 

3   without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.

4   Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils.

Genesis 14:19-20

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 a tithe of all.

• He was the priest of God Most High: Melchizedek, as priest, did two things. He blessed Abram and he blessed God. Melchizedek showed that a priest must connect with both God and man and has a ministry to both God and man.

Genesis 14:21-24

21   Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the 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.”

Chapter 15 Introduction 

Ancient Near Eastern covenant practices

In the theological view that God has complete knowledge of the future, God knew Abraham's heart and faith would respond to the covenant by believing and understanding. The Abrahamic covenant was established to reveal God's faithfulness and the reliability of His promises, serving as a basis for Abraham's belief and a model for future faith and understanding of God's character

• In the wider ancient world, solemn covenants often included a ritualistic ceremony. This is the cultural context for the later covenant between God and Abram in Genesis 15. This is what Abram understands. He understands covenants between people groups. He had probably been involved in covenants between other tribes for food or protection. The covenant is different from contracts. People go into contracts for prophet reasons; the contract is a written document to remind them of their responsibilities to the contract. 

• The covenant that Abram understood is a promise with your life;

Cutting the covenant: The Hebrew phrase for making a covenant literally means "to cut a covenant." This refers to the ritual of sacrificing and cutting an animal into two pieces.

• Walking between the pieces: The covenanting parties would walk between the divided animal pieces. This was a symbolic, self-curse oath that meant: "May I become like these animals if I break my oath".

God's unique role: Notably, during the covenant with Abram, God alone, symbolized by a smoking pot and a flaming torch, passed between the pieces. This signified that God bore the entire weight of responsibility for the agreement and swore by his own life to fulfill it.