The Peace of Christ | Genesis 14:1-16

 

War.  War never changes.  War in this life is inevitable because sin entered the world.  Genesis 3 changed the course of history when Adam and Eve disobeyed God—this brought in rebellion towards God. 

 

In Genesis 14 this ancient land was governed by different kings, some were allied, and some warred against each other.  Kings governed city and tribal areas (states) not large pieces of land.  This led to tribal and city warfare—it was a time of allegiances and a time of war.

 

1. War exists because of Humanity’s depraved and sinful state.

 

-These kings are the leaders of city states

-Amraphel, Arioch, Chedorlaomer, and Tidal were allied and made war against Bera, Birsha, Shinab, Shember, and King of Bela

-Chedorlaomer is the king of Elam

-Humanity was preserved through Noah’s family, by the Ark which they built, through Shem, Ham, and Japheth.  There should have been comradery because humanity sprung from this family, but pride and ambition overtook. 

 

“And it came about in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, that they 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 (that is, Zoar).  All these came as allies to the valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but the thirteenth year they rebelled.”

--Genesis 14:1-4

 

Chedorlaomer then attacks and defeats four tribal groups, then the Amalekites and Amorites – the salt sea is the dead sea, The group of five kings then joins the battle-this is all out war.

 

 

“Against Chedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goiim and Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five.”

--Genesis 14:9

 

Why is this war happening?  Why does suffering and war exist?  The world is prideful, destructive, selfish and hungry for war and conquest.  Prideful ambition takes over the hearts of humanity; the hearts of these specific men as they though to attack one another because they are better than Chedorlaomer. 

 

Pride is the root of all sin, of all selfishness, of all destruction.

 

“The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverted mouth, I hate.”

--Proverbs 8:13

 

“The worst sort of clever men, are those who know better than the bible.”

--Charles Spurgeon

 

Throughout the entirety of God’s word there are those who will hear about God and His gospel and will reject it, will rebel, and those who hear God’s gospel and will put their faith in Him, will be saved by Him.

 

“At that time,’ declares the LORD, ‘they will bring out the bones of the kings of Judah and the bones of its princes, and the bones of the priests and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem from their graves.  They will spread them out to the sun, the moon and to all the host of heaven, which they have loved and which they have served, and which they have gone after and which they have sought, and which they have worshiped. They will not be gathered or buried; they will be as dung on the face of the ground.  And death will be chosen rather than life by all the remnant that remains of this evil family, that remains in all the places to which I have driven them,’ declares the Lord of hosts.’”

--Jeremiah 8:1-3,5

 

God’s people and their leaders knew better, but they chose wickedness, they chose pride, which led to judgment from pride—generations of evil, generations of rebellion, fully unrepentant hearts. God takes no joy in judging with His wrath but He must deal His wrath because He is just—those who hate God will receive God’s wrath.

 

God takes care of His family; God has offered salvation to those who believe in Him.  God will also destroy sin, will eternally destroy unrepentant hearts. 

 

“’The Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Jesus, they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven…An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.’ And He left them and went away.  And the disciples came to the other side of the sea, but they had forgotten to bring any bread.  And Jesus said to them, ‘Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’”

--Matthew 16:1,4-6

 

These kings were too prideful which led to war and destruction.  The Pharisees were too prideful to humble themselves and worship Jesus as their true saviour.  Yet, even in the suffering even in the darkness, God is still unfolding His perfect grace, and plan for salvation for His people. 

 

2. Abram was faithful. He was prepared and ready to give His life for Lot; for God.

 

When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he led out his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.  He divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. 

--Genesis 14:14-15

 

God delivered Lot through Abram’s sword.  This was a time to do righteous war to save God’s people. 

 

“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven— A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up…A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace.”

--Ecclesiastes 3:1-3,8

 

God operates outside of His created earth and through His creation.  God calls Abram to war because Lot was unjustly captured.   Abram was ready for battle and won the battle because God was with him; God would save Lot through Abram. 

 

“he led out his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and wen out in pursuit as far as Dan.”

--Genesis 14:14

 

The Christian/ Israelite’s posture throughout all of Scripture is to stand up to be ready, to be Alert, to be saturated in God and His word. Military language is used all throughout the Old and New Testament (both literally and figuratively). 

 

 

“The fear of the Lord prolongs life, But the years of the wicked will be shortened…The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the upright, But ruin to the workers of iniquity. The righteous will never be shaken, But the wicked will not dwell in the land.”

--Proverbs 10:27, 28-29

 

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”

--Ephesians 6:10-13

 

How do we stand on guard?  How do we stand as righteous in God’s Holy army? 

 

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”

--Ephesians 5:1-2

 

Abram went to war; he risked his life in order to save his nephew Lot.   He was obedient to God’s command because of his faith in God.  We must be disciplined in our faith.  We must follow God’s command.  How to be become strong in our faith?  We set up daily routines, daily actions, seeking Him. 

 

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.  If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.  Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.”

--1 Peter 4:12-16

 

 

3. God cares for and will save His people.

 

He divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus.  He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative Lot with his possessions, and also the women, and the people.

--Genesis 14:15-16

 

Remember, in Genesis 13 Lot chose to live in the Jordan valley.  It was lush, fertile but was located outside of the promised land and was occupied by the wicked men of Sodom.  Abram chose to go back to the altar where he first worshiped God.  Even though this was a mistake by Lot; Abram still chose to save him after hearing of his capture. 

 

God loves His people.  God loves the Jewish people and those who have faith in Him as Gentiles.  God is coming to save His people from sin, injustice, and the darkness of the world.  This prophecy of salvation is evident in Micah 5.

 

 

“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.  His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity. And He will arise and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God. And they will remain, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth.  This One will be our peace.”

--Micah 5:2,4-5

 

 

God will bring peace to His people; to those who are faithful to Him, to those who are called by Him.  Just as Abram saved Lot; Lot didn’t deserve that salvation, but Abram provided it.  We don’t deserve salvation, but Jesus has given us salvation as a gift of grace because He loves humanity, He is offering salvation for us.   

 

“’…for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,  ‘Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.’”

--Luke 2:11-14

 

Christ will one day bring peace for the entire world after he rides in on his horse as the ultimate / conquering general for God’s people, God’s army.  Jesus has brought peace to those who put their faith in him as we wait for Jesus to come back for His church.   God’s people are filled with peace, filled with Hope, filled with Joy and filled with Love that only comes from God.  Where does our peace come from as we live in this dark world?  It comes from the promise that God is coming back to save His people; to wage a holy war and to conquer the evil forces of Satan, demons and hell. 

 

 

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.  His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself.  He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.  And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.  From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.  And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’”

--Revelation 19:11-16

 

 

“Every anxiety in your life is an invitation to draw near to God.”

--Jonny Ardavanis