Abram Rescues Lot
Text: Genesis 14
Core Idea: Faithlessness leaves us empty-handed, but faith enables us to leave our hands open, knowing that everything we have belongs to God. He gives and takes away – but by faith, we’ll choose to say, “Blessed be Your name.” May this be the confession of our lives – a deep trust in the One who rescued us from darkness.
INTRODUCTION
Well, we’re going through the Book of Genesis – looking at how God’s salvation plan for the world all began. And last week, we saw that Abram didn’t let his failure in Egypt drive him further away from God – instead, he retraced his steps back to God, repented, and was renewed in his faith. We know that his repentance was genuine because when he faced another test, he chose to trust God rather than rely on his own wisdom – in that when the land where God had called Abram to dwell could no longer support both him and Lot, for their possessions had grown too large, Abram didn’t assert his authority and claim the better portion for himself, he allowed Lot to choose first. Why? Because Abram was no longer walking by sight, but by faith. His eyes were fixed on the promises of God, knowing that everything he truly needed and longed for would be found in Him. In contrast, Lot chose to live by sight. So, when given the opportunity to choose, he didn’t seek God for His wisdom and direction – instead, he looked around, calculated, and took for himself the land he believed would benefit him most. But what Lot failed to see was that this decision would mark the beginning of his downfall. He was so captivated by what he saw on the surface that he overlooked the danger of settling near a wicked city like Sodom. In fact, that’s what we’re going to see today – the devastating consequences of his choice to live not by faith but by sight. Then, with that in mind, please turn your Bibles to Genesis 14 – and I will read this for us.
1 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.”
Amen. This is the Word of God for you today.
Let me share three things from this passage:
· THE COST OF COMPROMISE
· THE GENEROSITY OF FAITH
· THE JOY OF SURRENDER
1) THE COST OF COMPROMISE
The passage opens by highlighting a war that broke out in the region where Abram lived. Now, to help us better understand the geography, I’ve prepared a map for us – let’s keep this up so that everyone can visualize it as I walk us through the events. The battle involved nine kings in total – an alliance of four eastern kings waging war against five western kings. But this wasn’t a sudden clash. It was the culmination of a long-standing tension that began fourteen years earlier, when Kedorlaomer, king of Elam, took control of the five western city-states and demanded annual payments. But in verse 4, we learn that the western kings rebelled. We’re not exactly sure why they rebelled – perhaps they assumed the great distance would keep Kedorlaomer from retaliating. But they were gravely mistaken, for Kedorlaomer, along with three other kings, rather quickly set out toward the west. Interestingly, verses 5-7 show that they didn’t march straight to the five city-states. Instead, they first launched attacks on the surrounding regions – systematically defeating other cities to ensure that no reinforcements could come. In other words, they isolated the five cities before confronting them. Verses 8-9 recount the moment when both alliances assembled for war – drawing up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim. Now, the battle itself must have been completely one-sided because the author doesn’t even bother describing the details. In verse 10, we’re simply told that the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled – implying that their rebellion ended in utter failure. The eastern kings then swept through their cities, taking everything – their possessions, food, and people. And in verse 12, we find that Lot and his family were among those taken.
Now, considering the context, whose side are we supposed to be on here? Should we sympathize with the kings of the west, since they were being oppressed by Kedorlaomer? Or, given the evil and wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah, should we side with Kedorlaomer and see him as an agent of judgment from God?” The truth is that we’re not told explicitly – but what’s clear is that neither side is righteous. Kedorlaomer invaded the west out of greed – seeking to take what wasn’t his. And the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah rebelled out of selfishness – wanting to hold on to what they had. In other words, both sides were acting out of self-centered ambition – which is why this was a conflict not of good versus evil, but of one form of evil clashing with another. Then, we can’t help but wonder, “Why did the author of Genesis pause the story of Abram to recount this seemingly unrelated war? What does this have to do with God’s redemptive story?” The author did this because he wanted his readers to see the kind of culture Abram and Lot were living in – a world marked by greed, entitlement, and violence. This was a world where people were willing to do whatever it took to get ahead – to fill their hands with power and wealth, believing that these things would secure their desires. No wonder we don’t hear about Kedorlaomer after this chapter. Even though he was the powerhouse of his day, even though the world thought everything should revolve around him, in the grand story of God’s redemption, he was just a minor character. Isn’t that interesting? Then, just as a side note, one important truth we can take away from this is that our value is not determined by worldly recognition. No matter how much the world applauds our power, talents, or accomplishments, that doesn’t make us more valuable in God’s eyes. Scripture is clear: every person has inherent worth and dignity – not because of what they do or achieve, but because they’re made in the image of God. You’re not more significant in God’s redemptive story just because your work is noticed by many. No, your significance comes from the simple yet profound truth that God chooses to use you for His glory. Then, the aim of our lives shouldn’t be about gaining importance in the world’s eyes, but faithfully living out the calling God has placed on our lives – not to be seen as great by others, but to be found faithful before God.
Anyways, back to the passage. If you recall from last week, we talked about how Lot saw that the land near Sodom looked good – like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. So, he took it for himself. This is important to point out because it shows us that Lot didn’t just live near this harsh and self-serving culture – he became part of it. He embraced its values and lived like everyone else. Now, one thing we must remember is that when you adopt the ways of a self-serving culture, you may be able to gain things for a time – but eventually, everything can be taken from you as well. Think about it. The land appeared full of promise – but in the end, it proved to be nothing more than a mirage, for Lot’s ambition was swallowed up by someone more powerful than him. In the same way, this passage reminds us that when we place our hope in anything other than God, it’ll ultimately leave us empty-handed. The truth is that we chase after many things in life. We aim for prestigious schools or specific career paths – hoping they’ll earn us the respect of others. We seek relationships, marriage, and family – believing they’ll bring lasting fulfillment. We strive to be beautiful – thinking we’ll be admired by others. We long for wealth – convinced that it’ll bring us happiness. We pursue many things because we believe that they can give us a life that’s safe and secure, comfortable and convenient. This, of course, doesn’t mean that it’s wrong to go after these things – but it is wrong to make them the ultimate thing in our lives. To be fair, obtaining these things can give you what you’re looking for – but only for a moment, in that the satisfaction they offer is fleeting. Your wealth and status can be taken away by someone more powerful. Your skills can be outmatched – leaving you feeling insignificant. Your beauty can be overshadowed – crushing your pride and popularity. And even if you manage to hold onto it all, none of it will matter when you come face to face with death. It’s like building a house on sand – you may enjoy it for a while, but it’ll soon crumble and collapse to the ground. Some of you may be familiar with something Jim Carrey once said: “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it's not the answer.” Friends, I pray that you’ll take this to heart. I firmly believe that Lot’s captivity wasn’t just a consequence of his choices, but also an expression of God’s grace for his life, in that God allowed him to be taken away in order to wake him up and call him back. So, had Lot repented and returned to Abram, his story could’ve unfolded very differently. But he didn’t. He continued to live by sight, not by faith. And that’s the real tragedy of this passage – not the war or even Lot’s captivity, but that he didn’t repent. He had the opportunity to turn back, but he chose not to. Brothers and sisters, don’t place your hope in the things of this world because they will fail you. In fact, God may be allowing something unexpected in your life to happen right now – a loss, a setback, or even a painful failure. But this is not to punish you, but to get your attention – to draw you back to Himself. Then, don’t ignore His promptings. Stop living by sight. Don’t compromise and suffer the consequences of sin. Instead, place your hope in God, for He will never fail you.
2) THE GENEROSITY OF FAITH
In verse 13, we learn that Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre, the Amorite. So, like Lot, Abram lived in the world – but unlike Lot, he was not part of the world. Though he had allies, such as Eshkol and Aner, he didn’t adopt the values of the surrounding culture. We see this clearly in verse 14. When Abram heard that Lot and his family had been taken captive, he immediately summoned 318 trained men from his household and pursued the captors as far as Dan (see map). It was a long journey – but that wasn’t going to stop him from rescuing Lot. Let’s be honest – Abram wasn’t obligated to help. He could’ve just stayed where he was – safe and sound. In fact, he could’ve justified his inaction by blaming Lot, saying, “Well, that’s what you get for moving into Sodom. That’s what you get for being selfish.” But more than that, from a human perspective, the odds were stacked against him. We don’t know the exact size of the opposing army – but given that it was an alliance of four kings, it’s safe to say that Abram’s 318 men were vastly outnumbered. In other words, Abram had so much to lose – but he went anyway. Why? Because Lot was his brother. Because he had experienced the grace of God – and that grace had shaped him to be gracious toward others. The culture around him was built on taking things from others – grasping for power and possessions. But Abram chose a different way. He didn’t take – he gave. He wasn’t entitled – he was generous. He wasn’t desperately clenching his hands to hold onto all that he had – he loosened his grip to sacrificially share with others. All that to say, he chose to be a blessing. Do you remember the promise God has given Abram in Chapter 12? He said, “I will bless you, and you will be a blessing.” The truth is that Abram wasn’t naturally someone who shared his blessings – think about what happened in Egypt. But in order to fulfill that promise, God took Abram on a journey of transformation – to humble him, teach him, and shape him into someone who would become a blessing to others. Then, let me ask you, “Have you tasted and seen the goodness of God in your life? Have you been rescued by the grace of God? Have you received the forgiveness of God through Jesus Christ?” If so, He’s calling you to be a blessing – to give rather than take, to serve rather than be served, to live with sacrificial generosity rather than entitled pride. He could be taking you on a journey to teach you how you can open your hands and not hold tightly to all that you have.
But let’s be honest – this kind of sacrificial living is still difficult to embrace. How can anyone willingly set aside their rights and give so generously? How was Abram able to do it? Where did he find the courage to confront a powerful army with only 318 men? What changed between Chapter 12 and now? The answer: his faith in the promises of God. Humanly speaking, it was foolish to take on an alliance of kings with such a small force – most would’ve called it reckless. But Abram acted in faith – trusting that God was with him, that God would provide, and that God would make a way where there seemed to be no way. He had seen it before. When Sarai was taken into Pharaoh’s palace and all hope seemed lost, God stepped in and delivered her. When conflict with Lot threatened his place in the Promised Land, God preserved his inheritance. With each trial, Abram saw God’s faithfulness operating in his life. And because of that, he had no reason to doubt. He was confident that the God who called him would also equip him with everything he needed to fulfill that call. In the same way, it’s faith in God that will enable us to be gracious, generous, and courageous. Then, let me ask you, “Are you hesitant to take risks for the Lord? Are you reluctant to sacrificially give yourself to others? Do you hold back from making yourself vulnerable because you’re afraid that God might ask you to do something that could jeopardize your future, your career, or your reputation? Are you clinging tightly to your plans and possessions because you’re scared of losing control?” If so, ask God to strengthen your faith. Ask Him to open your eyes to see His faithfulness. Ask Him to illuminate your mind to understand His will. Ask Him to shape your heart to trust His sovereignty so that you’ll become courageous – courageous to take bold steps of obedience, to give generously, and to offer yourself as a blessing to others.
3) THE JOY OF SURRENDER
At this point, some of you may be wondering, “How can we be sure that Abram wasn’t acting out of selfish ambition? Didn’t he benefit from this victory? How do we know he didn’t take this risk to enrich himself?” Look at verse 17. When Abram returned from battle, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh – and it’s there that we’re introduced to a mysterious figure: Melchizedek, the king of Salem. He’s worth noting for many reasons but let me just share two. First, we read that he was a priest of God Most High. Sometimes, we assume that Abram was the only worshiper of God at that time – but clearly, he wasn’t. There were others who also knew and worshiped the Lord. That’s not entirely surprising, given that many of Noah’s descendants likely preserved the knowledge of God. But what is interesting is that Melchizedek is the first person in the Bible to be called a “priest.” He didn’t belong to the Levitical priesthood – because that wouldn’t exist for several more generations. But he wasn’t even an Israelite. And yet God had appointed him to serve as a priest – acting as a mediator between God and man. What makes this even more remarkable is that Melchizedek was not only a priest, but also a king. If you read the OT, you’ll notice that kings were strictly forbidden from performing priestly duties. God had wisely divided the office of king and priest, knowing that one person with too much power can quickly lead to pride, corruption, and eventual downfall. And this is what makes Melchizedek so unique – he held both offices by God’s appointment. Second, not much is known about him, and yet he foreshadows Christ. In a book filled with genealogies, we have no idea who his father or mother is. In a book that carefully records the births and deaths of people, we have no idea when he was born or died. He just appears and then disappears from the narrative – never to be mentioned again until Psalm 110, where it’s prophesied that the Promised Messiah will be a priest in the order of Melchizedek. And this prophecy actually finds its fulfillment in Hebrews 5, where we read that Jesus was appointed by God as our High Priest according to that same order. So, it’s clear that Melchizedek was a God-given preview of the coming Savior – Jesus, the ultimate Priest-King who would rescue His people not from earthly kings, but from sin and death.
Now, I could go on and on about Melchizedek because there’s so much more that could be said. But I’ll stop here because the main point I want to highlight is this: that Abram gave him a tenth of everything. Abram recognized Melchizedek as a priest of God – and by offering him a portion of the spoils, he was expressing his gratitude to God. It was Abram’s way of acknowledging that the victory didn’t come by his own strength – it was God who had given him success. And this is how we know Abram didn’t take the risk to enrich himself – even though he could’ve kept for himself all that he gained, he gave God what he had to give Him the glory. In contrast, the king of Sodom sought to take from Abram again. In verse 21, when he said, “Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself,” he was trying to sound generous. But in reality, it was a subtle attempt to elevate himself: “Abram became rich because of me.” Think about how ridiculous that is. This king had just been humiliated in battle. And yet he has the audacity to make demands of Abram, who had risked everything to take back all that he lost. But to his surprise, Abram refused to take anything from the king of Sodom – he only allowed his 318 men and his allies to receive their rightful share but returned the rest of the spoils to the king. And in doing so, he demonstrated a true open-handed attitude. Whether God chose to bless by filling his hands or test him by emptying them, Abram trusted the Lord. No wonder he was able to give back so joyfully – his confidence wasn’t in the gift, but in the Giver. Brothers and sisters, do you believe that everything you have belongs to the Lord? If so, how can we live with a sense of entitlement or demand what we think we deserve? Faith calls us to surrender – knowing that we’re not our own but Christ’s. But faith actually does more than that. True faith leads us to worship. That’s what the giving of tithes was meant to be – an expression of praise and a response of gratitude to God’s goodness. Too often, we take God’s blessings for granted. When He opens doors, when He provides, or when He rescues us, we give little thought to give Him worship He deserves. Our gratitude is nothing but a hollow and meaningless gesture – so we casually give thanks and quickly move on. But isn’t our God worth far more than that? Then, our worship should reflect the greatness of His glory and the depth of His grace. Now, if you ever feel like you don’t have enough reasons to worship God, let this truth stir your heart to do so. Up to this point, we’ve looked at Abram only as an example to follow – but, in reality, Abram, like Melchizedek, serves as a type of Christ in this passage. This is important to point out because it means that we’re, by nature, more like Lot than Abram. We’re the ones who pitched our tents near Sodom, and instead of turning back to God, we wandered deeper into sin until we became enslaved to it. We had no power to rescue ourselves – but God. Colossians 1:13-14, “He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” If you’re in Christ, you are a recipient of His rescuing grace – you’ve been delivered from the bondage of sin and transferred into the Kingdom of God. Then, give Him the glory He deserves. He’s your King and your Redeemer. Offer all that you have and all that you are to Him, for He alone is worthy of your worship.
CONCLUSION
Lighthouse family, faithlessness leaves us empty-handed, but faith enables us to leave our hands open, knowing that everything we have belongs to God. He gives and takes away, but by faith, we’ll choose to say, “Blessed be Your name.” May this be the confession of our lives – a deep trust in the One who rescued us from darkness and brought us into His marvelous light.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1) What do we learn about the cultural environment Abram and Lot were living in? How does that compare to the world we live in today? Have you ever experienced a situation where a seemingly promising choice led to spiritual compromise or regret? What did you learn from it? How can we discern whether our desires are aligned with God’s will or driven by selfish ambition?
2) In what ways might God use trials or setbacks in our lives to call us back to Him, as He did with Lot?
3) What stands out to you about Abram’s response to Lot’s captivity? What risks did he take, and why do you think he took them? Can you think of a time when someone showed you grace that you didn’t deserve? How did it impact you?
4) Why is it important to see that Abram refused to take credit or gain from the victory? How does that reflect a posture of worship? In what ways are we tempted to take credit for what God has done in our lives? How can we cultivate hearts of humility and gratitude? What are you thankful for today?