(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)
In the world we live in today, one that has evil groups of people who kill Christians simply for being Christians and are taking members of God’s family captive, there is comfort in knowing that God will not stand for this for long. These victims willing to give their lives for God’s honor are the true and/or adopted sons of Abraham. One way or another, they are his descendants. God always remembers His promises. He has promised Abraham He will destroy his enemies. These old ancient stories we have studied confirm this over and over and serve to remind us that God’s promises are still true today.
Wouldn’t it have been better though in the story we just studied of Abram and Lot, for Lot to not have placed himself and his family in this place of danger? Yet, we know there are still those who are doing the same today. Some live in terrorized lands and can’t escape, but others live in evil lands and ignore what is around them even though they are free to walk away.
I’ve come to think of Lot’s life in Sodom as being similar to many of today’s modern church congregations that seem to exist in a weakened, watered down, sold-out state. I’ve come to think of Abram in this very interesting and ever-teaching story as being symbolic of God The Father. It would seem that Abram’s adopted sons, being the true and righteous sons at heart, who followed him without yielding to evil and were careful to be totally loyal to him, are comparable to the saints. I am simply summarizing what has been said before for the sake of reminder. I feel this is important to remember in the times in which we are living.
The Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah represent our arch-enemy in disguise; shepherds in sheep’s clothing that appear to be good and righteous but are actually ugly and evil within. They are part of the picture of Satan and the antichrists that roam the earth seeking to kill, steal and destroy the holy people of God. They come masked as famous world leaders, living in our finest cities, sitting at our highest tables, living greedy, materialistic, unloving, selfish lives, like those ancient pagan kings. Their ways are not godly and their lives are full of evil that is cleverly hidden from the world.
It was said that Sodom was a city that did not like travelers passing through. They were closed off into their own ways, unwilling to let others who thought and acted different from them be a part of the lush and blessed land where they had chosen to live. They wanted to make up their own rules and not be held to the standards of the rest of the world. If they could keep others who did not think like them away, they would not have to be bothered with accountability. This is why Lot originally lived outside the city. He kept moving closer and closer as they became used to him being around, but they had to be sure he was not someone who would bring change and morality to their city before they let him live inside their gates. Lot, even as a leader that sat in the gates, was not a threat to them. I suspect he kept his status as a leader simply because he paid heavy taxes to The King of Sodom and the citizens became used to him and allowed it as long as he kept his mouth shut and did not preach to them.
A lot of so called churches today have gone down this path of Lot and just let sin seep in all around them but never said a word against it because they were too busy enjoying the fruit of the land and loving the entertainment and tithes they received every week from the local congregations. Lot just didn’t want to offend anyone. I guess you can become so conditioned to evil that you don’t even notice it anymore. Perhaps this was the case with Lot and his family. They had become weak and were never willing to take a stand for what God says is holy even though they DID believe in God and claimed to follow Him. They caved to their environment, so much so that God quit guarding them and protecting them from the destroyer. Simply because of their environment – they were taken captive.
When you pitch your tent with sinners you often suffer their circumstances. It doesn’t mean that God will not hear you when you cry or listen to your prayers, but if you forget to cry out, God will let you find out what usually becomes of sinners in the end. In this case, they went into captivity.
I find it amusing that the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah got side-tracked in battle by some slime pits. They marred up in quicksand around the asphalt pits where they were chased. For some reason mercy was shown to the King of Sodom and he was finally allowed to escape, perhaps not until the battle had been fought and his people had all been taken away and his city spoiled. Can’t you just see him walking home after living in the pits for awhile to find everything gone and destroyed? How his face must have fallen. Then he must have heard of the miracle of Abram and his men who had shown up at the last minute and won the day. This must have made him hopeful. He devised a plan to go out and meet Abram.
How appropriate that the King of Sodom met Abram in the valley. There will be another battle in the same valley one day. The King of Sodom will once again come to claim the souls of people that he believes belong to him. His modern day name is Satan. He and his armies will come to destroy those who belong to God’s Kingdom.
In the days of Abram, perhaps this King of Sodom came to say “Thank You.” Perhaps he came to claim his people and the spoils of battle from his lands that Abram had rescued and restored. There are still modern day Abram’s out there fighting for God’s people and bringing restoration into their lives. Satan will always try to undo this, to take them back, but there is a King mightier than he. There is a King that values people above the spoils of war.
This ancient King of Sodom needn’t have worried about the spoils, Abram had promised God not to keep one little bit of it for himself. He did not want others to think that his wealth came from any pagan entity, because he knew it came only from The One True God of Heaven and Earth. The King of Sodom offered the spoils to Abram to keep in exchange for the people. How like the devil that was! He would trade all of his material wealth to possess one soul that is supposed to belong to the Kingdom of God.
Abram could not be bought, and he also held to the idea that people were not for sale. He gave back the spoils and allowed the peoples to return if they wished. Most of them went running right back to The King of Sodom. Isn’t that the way of the world? There is a scripture that says dogs always return to their vomit. God allows us choices. He has granted us free will.
Abram did allow his allies to have their share of the spoils. This was no reflection on Abram’s house. None of Abram’s wealth was gained from The King of Sodom’s spoil. All of his treasures were gifts of The Kingdom of God.
But what had this great God promised Abram? He had promised to bless those who blessed him and curse those who cursed them. This battle confirmed without a doubt that God was keeping his promises to Abram.
After being confronted by The King of Sodom a very opposite King appeared before Abram. His name was Melchizedek and he had come to remind Abram that God had won the battle for him. Melchizedek blessed Abram and Abram gave Him, as The Priest of The Most High God, a tenth of the spoils. This is the first time we hear of a tithe in the form of money instead of a sacrifice, yet in a way, blood had been shed to achieve it.
If we reread Genesis 12:1-3 again we know exactly why Melchizedek came to meet Abram after the battle, even though as His name proclaimed, He was The King of Peace and He had not participated in this battle:
(Genesis 12:1-3)
The Lord had
said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s
household to the land I will show you.
It was The LORD who had won the battle of
The Nine Kings and Melchizedek, The Priest Of The Most High God, was there to
make this statement known to all and to keep the promise of God; that He would
bless Abram and that He would bless those who blessed him. He came
bearing bread and wine blessed of heaven.
In the next lesson we will leave all of the
symbolism and return to the story, but remember the name of Melchizedek, who we
are told will remain a priest forever and ever.
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