Slices
Prepare
What circumstances, relationships or world developments are affecting you against your will? Offer them to God and seek his wisdom.
Bible passage
Abram rescues Lot
14 At the time when Amraphel was king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goyim, 2 these kings went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboyim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea Valley). 4 For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
5 In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim 6 and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran near the desert. 7 Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazezon Tamar.
8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboyim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim 9 against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar – four kings against five. 10 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. 11 The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. 12 They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom.
13 A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshkol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.
17 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).
18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying,
‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth.
20 And praise be to God Most High,
who delivered your enemies into your hand.’
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, ‘Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.’
22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, ‘With raised hand I have sworn an oath to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 23 that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, “I made Abram rich.” 24 I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me – to Aner, Eshkol and Mamre. Let them have their share.’
Explore
How do we live faithfully in a complex and unpredictable world? Abram and Sarai, far from being a solitary couple with a few sheep, have become significant players in their neighbourhood, able to muster a fighting force of 318 fighting men. As the political situation around them shifts, and as their relative Lot is carried off by invading forces, they cannot help but get involved. They have to take sides.
This episode concludes with the mysterious figure of Melchizedek, a king and priest, blessing Abram (vs 18–20). Melchizedek is presented as a priest of God Most High who recognises that, through all the unpredictability of life, God’s blessing is on Abram, especially in his victory over the invading kings.
Abram receives this blessing. He doesn’t imply that Melchizedek knows nothing about the true God. In fact, he honours his priesthood with a tithe. However, he distances himself from Melchizedek in two ways. In his subsequent conversation with the king of Sodom, he makes it known that he has further revelation about God. Secondly, he avoids opportunism, trusting that the blessing God has promised will come directly from himself without the favours of the pagan king of Sodom.
Respond
‘Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life’ (Psalm 143:8).
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Esther 8–10; Luke 13
Pray for Scripture Union
Please pray for Mark Green as he leads the Digital Solutions Team, working on projects that will help us to work more effectively and efficiently. Pray especially for a project to restructure a key area of the website to give a better user experience.
