Wednesday: The Babel Coalition
Read Genesis 14:1-17. What is significant about this war taking place just after the gift of the Promised Land? What does this story teach us about Abram?
This is the first war narrated in the Scriptures (Genesis 14:2). The coalition of four armies from Mesopotamia and Persia against the other coalition of five Canaanite armies, including the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 14:8), suggest a large conflict (Genesis 14:9).
Image © Ron Bell at Goodsalt.com
The reason for this military operation has to do with the fact that the Canaanite peoples had rebelled against their Babylonian suzerains (Genesis 14:4-5). Although this story refers to a specific historical conflict, the timing of this “global” war, just after God’s gift of the Promised Land to Abram, gives this event a particular spiritual significance.
The involvement of so many peoples from the country of Canaan suggests that the issue at stake in this conflict was about sovereignty over the land. Ironically, the camp of Abram, the truly interested party, because he is the only true owner of the land, is the only force that remains outside of the conflict, at least at first.
The reason for Abram’s neutrality is that for Abram, the Promised Land was not acquired through the force of arms or through the wisdom of political strategies. Abram’s kingdom was God’s gift. The only reason Abram will intervene is the fate of his nephew Lot, who was taken prisoner in the course of the battles (Genesis 14:12-13).
“Abraham, dwelling in peace in the oak groves at Mamre, learned from one of the fugitives the story of the battle and the calamity that had befallen his nephew. He had cherished no unkind memory of Lot’s ingratitude. All his affection for him was awakened, and he determined that he should be rescued. Seeking, first of all, divine counsel, Abraham prepared for war.” — Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 135.
But Abram does not confront the whole coalition. In what must have been a quick and nocturnal commando operation, he attacks only the camp where Lot was held prisoner. Lot is saved. Thus, this faithful man of God also showed great courage and fortitude. No doubt his influence in the region grew, and people saw the kind of man he was and learned something more of the God whom he served.
| What kind of influence do our actions have on others? What kind of message are we sending about our faith by our actions? |
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Q: What kind of influence do our actions have on others? What kind of message are we sending about our faith by our actions?
My wife got me to order a DVD named Hacksaw Ridge. (We are not affiliated to the SDA denomination)
This Movie is about a young man, of the SDA denomination and aptly fits today's question on this forum.
It's worth a watch!
I am a bit wary of the language used in today's lesson about the ownership of the land.
I am well aware of God's conversations with Abram/Abraham about the promised land and its possession. I am also aware that Abraham did not consider himself a land owner. He describes himself as a stranger and sojourner in the land at the time of Sarah's death. At the time, he bought the field with a burial cave from Ephron for 400 shekels of silver. (Gen 23:4)
Heb 11 sums up Abraham's (and Isaac's and Jacob's) ownership status thus:
Land ownership and use at the time were somewhat different to now, but the fact that Abram did not use his "God-given" ownership for his own benefit is worth noting.
This is in contrast with the colonial days when lands were claimed for the king and Christianity without any consultation with the occupiers. In Australia, the land was declared "Terra Nullius", owned by no one, and it was up for grabs by the colonials. Scant heed was paid to the fact that the Aboriginal peoples of Australia had been living there for millennia, and had been doing a pretty good job of looking after the land in their own way. The same notion that God had given the land to the Christian colonials drove the formation of homelands in Southern Africa, and reservations in Northern America, just to name a couple more.
In all these cases we are living with the consequences of a misapplication of the Biblical sense of ownership. It has created a tiered society and has been used to exert control and enforce colonial possession.
It is worth noting that in spite of God's promise to Abraham, he showed respect for the people of Canaan who lived there before him and they, in turn, respected him. Is there something here we modern Christians can learn from Abraham?
I, too, was very uncomfortable with the study author’s claim. It was this kind of religious thinking that was used to justify the colonization of the Americas, Africa and other areas by European countries in the 18th through 20th centuries. It was also reflected in “scientific” literature, for example, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life by Charles Darwin. Non-white races were viewed as inferior or less than human.
In Canada, the government negotiated treaties with First Nations persons because of concerns that without their cooperation it would be very difficult to colonize western Canada. Once the government had control of the area, it broke the treaties, stripped First Nations persons of their treaty rights and forced them to live on reservations. Later, it also forced their children to attend "residential schools" where they were forbidden to speak their languages and were "christianized." These “schools” were based on those established in the USA and were operated by the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches. The purpose was to “assimilate” these peoples and thus eliminate the “Indian problem.”
At these schools most of the children were sexually, mentally, emotionally and physically abused. During the 1960s, many First Nations children were also forcibly removed from their families by child welfare departments and adopted out to white families all over North America. The result of these policies was the destruction of social, cultural and family structures of First Nations communities and its devastating effects are seen to this day.
In contrast to the above, it is remarkable to note the respectful relationships Abram had with people of Canaan and Egypt, who often appeared to be as moral and connected to God as he was.
Melchizedek may have appeared at the end of the war as a "spiritual guide" to protect Abram from temptation? It could have seemed like God had worked justice to give to Abram what should have been his in the first place if Lot hadn't chosen to live in S + G. After a big battle when adrenaline is running high, Abram might have been tempted to receive the spoils of war from the King of Sodom and to let the likely ecstatic reception of the people he had just rescued to get to his head. Abram had already passed some big faith tests so this is not necessarily the case, just a thought that success can be a temptation (Prov. 27:21). And also a thought borne out of the dialog.
The king of Sodom approached Abram (Gen.14:17). But before we have any record of the king of Sodom saying anything, Melchizedek "intervenes" in a very symbolic way, bearing bread and wine and blessing Abram with words that moved Abram (Gen. 14:18-20 KJV, bold print mine):"Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth, and blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand..."
Why do I think Melchizedek's blessing moved Abram? Not only did Abram give a tithe to this priest of God, but look at Abram's words to the Sodomite king (Gen. 14:22-23 KJV, bold print mine): "I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take...." These are Melchizedek's exact words about God! Could Melchizedek have been the encouragement Abram needed at that very moment to remember Who had won the victory? To remember that the victory was the result of God's blessing and covenant promise? To avoid getting caught up in the backslapping praise of politicians? Melchizedek and Abram were joined in an alliance to give ALL the glory to God alone. What a gift that God doesn't ask us to be "Lone Soldiers" in the faith: He places us together to encourage each other (1 Thess. 5:11).
Waiting patiently for God to fulfill His promises is hard to do! To not prematurely or aggressively take that which you KNOW the Lord wants for you. David also passed this faith test with the cat-mouse game he found himself in, running from King Saul: David knew the kingdom and throne of Israel was to be his, but he respected Saul's life and appointment by the Lord, and trusted God to fulfill the prophecy Himself in His time (1 Sam. 24:4-7). Maurice's post about colonial conquest and land ownership is a painfully apt and true example of "Christians" doing the opposite of what David and Abram did. Christians are not to bully themselves into fulfillment of God's promises. "Go and make disciples" didn't mean "Go and steal land and spread diseases and subjugate Native peoples into your own culture for your own material benefit."
Another way we see this humble, non-bullying spirit on the part of Abram was in the tithing. Abram was inspired to give a tenth of the best spoils of Sodom to Melchizedek and keep nothing for himself (Heb. 7:4; Gen. 14:22-23). But he didn't push this conviction on his allies (Gen. 14:24). Abram supported that the men fighting with him, who had not become men of the same faith as Abram, were entitled to make their own conclusions about the war.
I do not think that I am 100% secure that all my actions resemble my faith in God, because I am a sinner and depend completely on His grace for salvation... Nevertheless, I begin my daily activities with the study of the Word and prayer with friends, through a "meeting app", from 6-6:15 AM. That gives me the strenght I need to start my day! Always asking God for a change of heart and a help with my choices. Hopefully, others will see some faith in my own life.
"Seeking, first of all, divine counsel, Abraham prepared for war."
This was the 'secret of Abraham's success' - Proverbs 3:4-5. Follow and stick with this no matter what and you won't go wrong - even if/when it looks like things are going all wrong (as per Romans 8:28; Hebrews 11:13).
Shadow: Canaan / Reality in Christ: New Heavens New Earth
Shadow: Babylon / Reality: Bad angelical powers and influence on earth. Old heavens Old earth
Shadow: Abraham / Reality: Father of many nations Christ Jesus
Shadow: Melkisedek / Reality: High Priesthood of Christ Jesus
Letter to Hebrews chapters 3,4,5, 6, 7, 8, 11, Ephesians 6:12, Galatians 4:1-31
Shalom
🙏
I think the significance of this war was that it accomplished that which was spiritual and also recognizeable by all participants involved. I am certain the kings of the East did not come to do battle to just maintain their territory to assure their income through the control of commerce and income through taxes and tributes. I think the most important aspect was that God had decided that it was time to establish His Name in this Land; He had started to lay claim to it!
If we look at the circumstances through the long-range lens of God who’s plan it was to establish this region for the people he chose would magnify His Name, one could consider that He sent Abram ahead to form a ‘beach-head’ for 'conquests' to be brought about in the future. Abraham already established a name for himself, and the kings and leaders of the tribes around him knew him to be a trustworthy and courageous man serving a mighty God.
Abram did not participate in the conflict because he did not possess land or cities which needed to be protected from invaders – he did not build cities, he dwelled in tents. Abram's allegiance with his almighty, powerful, and loving God was able to accomplish that which served him and God – protect his family and for God to establish His Name's mighty power.
Thanks for this discussion it has helped my spiritual life