GENESIS: Lord God, the Deliverer, the Tithe Receiver, the Prophesier, the Covenant Maker; "Abram believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness."

And the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley), after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him. (Genesis 14:17) Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.” (Genesis 14:21)

In the previous lessons, we studied how Abram's nephew, Lot went to live in an area near Sodom and Gomorrah, But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord. (Genesis 13:13) When a war broke out among the four kings from the north with the five kings in the south, the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled; some fell there, and the remainder fled to the mountains. Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. They also took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed. (Genesis 14:10-12)

Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew,... Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people. (Genesis 14:13-16)

Now the king of Sodom came out of hiding and asked Abram to give him back the persons, and take the goods for yourself. The significance of that request will become more clear in a future lesson. But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’— except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.” (Genesis 14:22-24) 

Abram gave the king of Sodom back everything that was his, with the exception of getting reimbursement for what he provided to the young men who helped him, and allowing the men who helped him to get what they felt was fair payment for their services. We must be very careful not to take more than we need and never covet what others have and try to take it for ourselves. Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” [Psalm 118:6] (Hebrews 13:5-6)

While in the Valley of Shaveh, Abram has another meeting with another king. Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all. (Genesis 14:18-20) 

We've studied about Melchizedek in a previous lesson. (read HEBREWS: Melchizedek, God's High Priest) This is believed to be one of the earlier physical manifestations of Christ before the birth of Jesus. This is also the first time we are introduced to tithing, giving God a tenth of all. We'll study the importance of this more in a future lesson also, when God institutes the Levitical laws to the children of Israel. 

The main thing we need to get from this now is that it is God Most High Who blesses and protects and keeps us; therefore, "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” says the Lord of hosts;... (Malachi 3:10-11)

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!” And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. (Genesis 15:1-6)

Remember, Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. (Genesis 12:4) And his wife, Sarai was barren; she had no child. (Genesis 11:30) Some years have passed, they are getting older, and he and Sarai still haven't had any children. It's natural for him to have doubts, concerns or questions; but he did the wise thing, and talked to God about it directly, not Sarai nor his friends nor others. But Abram said, “Lord God,..." We who are saved, who believe in the Lord, and it has been accounted to us for righteousness, we may have doubts, concerns or questions about God's will for our lives also.  All we need to do is remain faithful to Him and His Word and pray, Hear my prayer, O Lord, Give ear to my supplications! In Your faithfulness answer me, and in Your righteousness. (Psalm 143:1)

Then He said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.” And he said, “Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it?” So He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. (Genesis 15:7-11)

Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” (Genesis 15:12-16) 

And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates— the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.” (Genesis 15:17-21)

The Lord had Abram perform a burnt offering sacrifice to show him that he will have descendants, but to also reveal to him that there would be a division among his descendants (Israel and Judah would separate into two nations), and that they would be in captivity by other nations for a total of 400 years.  However, in the end the nation whom they serve God will judge. 

The Lord also reaffirmed His covenant with Abram. Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan. Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” (Genesis 12:5-6)

We have the benefit of history to see that what God promised Abram indeed came to pass just as He had prophesied. Abram believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness, before he lived to see most of what God promised come to pass.  Jesus once told Thomas, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29) No matter how things look or what others may say, we have to hold on to the promises of God, For we walk by faith, not by sight. (II Corinthians 5:7) AMEN!