Transcendence

Four: Fearing God's Power

They had been kicked out of Egypt, his lie had caught up with him. Abram, his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot, with all they had, set out toward Negev, then on to Bethel. Both Lot and Abram had acquired great wealth in livestock, gold and silver while in Egypt. God had blessed them both greatly. When they reached the place where he had build an altar years earlier before his stay in Egypt, Abram pitched his tents and prayed. He thanked God for all they had, and asked for protection whiling traveling onward.

At a slow pace Abram and Lot finally reached Canaan, the promised land. The place God told him would belong to him and his descendants. It was a beautiful land, one in which they could continue to grow and multiply, just as God intended. However, as Abram looked out over the land below he realized the land could better support both him and Lot if they were separated. With all the multitudes of livestock and people between them the number was too great to try to stick so close together. Also quarreling started between the herdsmen of them both. And, since the land was already acquired and populated with both Canaanites, and Perezites, Abram knew it was time that he and Lot part ways.

Abram gave Lot the choice of which way he wanted to go live, and offered to live peacefully with no quarreling in the opposite direction. Abram said, "If you go right, I will go left. If you go left, I will go to the right."

Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of Eden, like Egypt, so he decided it was there, in the East where he would claim the land toward Zoar. So, Lot left Abram and pitched his tents in the cities among the planes near the Jordan river. He saw promise there. What he didn't know at that time was in those cities, namely: Sodom, and Gomorrah, the men were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord. ( You will remember these cities were built up by the descendants of Ham, Noah's son. This gives a little more depth look at how many years had passed, and how much sin had grew since Noah left the Arc.)

After Lot and Abram parted ways the Lord spoke to Abram telling him to look around and take notice, to lift up his eyes from north to south, east and west. All of the land he could see would be given to him and his offspring. The Lord told him his offspring will be like the dust, unable to be counted, and they will have the land laid before him, a gift and promise from the Lord. Abram pitched his tents near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, and he built another altar to the Lord there. (Abram believed in God's great promises. He knew God's word was real and true even though he still didn't have even one child, much less countless descendants. He still believed God's word was power.)

Being as sinful as they were, in the cities where Lot was living a war broke out among the kings. The kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Bela, Admah and Zeboiim were subject to King Kedorlaomer, king of Elam, for twelve years due to a previous agreement. These cities wanted to break free from King Kedorlaomer's command, so in the thirteenth year they rebelled. They joined forces in the Valley of Siddim, near the Salt Sea, where they marched out and drew up their battle lines - ready to fight, though neither were equipped nor trained. In contrast King Kedorlaomer and his allies had already defeated many territories, including the Rephaites, Amalekites, and the Amorites. They were well trained and prepared. They were also well aware that the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits. 

The battle was no contest and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of their men fell into the tar pits and the rest fled into the hills. King Kedorlaomer and his three allies seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, including all of their food. During their defeat King Kedorlaomer's men also kidnaped Abram's nephew Lot, along with all his possessions.

When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive he gathered his men to begin Lot's rescue. He called out 318 trained men from his household -a small number compared to the large well trained King's army he was going up against! He began pursuit as far as the city of Dan, then during the night Abram divided his men to prepare to attack, pursuing them north of Damascus. God put Abram's enemies under his feet, so that even with a small number of men, Abram was successfull.  He recovered all the goods and brought back his nephew Lot, along with his possessions and people. ( These battles and wars were usually all about control and power. The Kings always wanted more and would in some cases do many evil things to get what they wanted. Here though we see the power one man has when God is on his side. There isn't a greater army anywhere. God provided Abram protection and allowed him to get Lot back. This shows the power of God over men no matter what their number or training. It also shows the mighty power of faith as a weapon is emminsly stronger than any other.)