Genesis 14:14
14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armedb his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.
An Ancient Battle
When Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen. Genesis 14:14.
Abraham had settled in the third and chief resting- place of his life-time Mamre. There, under the shelter of one of the great oaks for which Mamre was famous, he pitched his tent. He dwelt in a sort of state, as we understand the term; he had three hundred slaves ready at his command. Among his neighbors he must have been considered a man to be reckoned with, for four of the neighboring chiefs had allied themselves with him.
One day Abraham's peace was suddenly broken in upon. A messenger came hurriedly to the camp with very disturbing news. A band of four kings had descended upon the Jordan valley and were trying to conquer the people. They had reduced them to a helpless state of terror. Five of their kings had tried to defend themselves and their peoples, but everything had gone against them. They had been conquered; and those who had not got caught in the slime pits of the country had been driven north as prisoners of war. Lot was one of the latter. So you see that Lot's choice had brought upon him and his household troubles that he had never dreamt of. He had not thought that the beautiful valley was envied by people who wanted to find an easy way down to Egypt. And he had not taken into account that the easy-going and degraded inhabitants of the plain were neither brave nor chivalrous. They could not fight.
Abraham was only about twenty miles from the scene of disaster. He was not a soldier in the ordinary sense of the term; his people were shepherds, who could slay wild beasts, but could not fight with men. But he didn't hesitate. He did not sit still and say, “Just as I expected; it serves him right. Is not this calamity just a punishment for his folly?” No: Abraham was ready to help. At once his servants were summoned. Then the neighboring chiefs, his allies, rallied around him. One and all they set off in hot pursuit. In four or five days they overtook the enemy, near the source of the Jordan. This was a very troublesome march to catch the enemy.
They found the enemy “unprepared.” Probably they were relaxing, having a good time, under the impression that they were quite safe. The Patriarch, generally so silent and reserved, kept very wide awake. He waited for the darkness, then with his men he burst upon the sleeping host and scattered them. They fled in confusion. Abraham pursued and finally routed the army, rescuing the captives at a village called Hobah near Damascus.
It is the story of a very ancient battle. In a little country, a great and noble character, with his servants at his back, fights for people whom he loves. But what seems to you not worth the name of a battle had a great result. The Bible story lifts the tale into the region of sacred things.
Two people came out to meet Abraham after the battle was over the King of Sodom, acknowledging his indebtedness, and Melchizedek, described as King of Salem and Priest of the Most High God. This royal personage just appears and then vanishes; but he leaves us thinking of Abraham as more the friend of God than ever. He brought forth bread and wine, and blessed the Patriarch.
Melchizedek is such a type as we can imagine would fascinate John Bunyan. In the Pilgrim ' s Progress we read that after Christian's encounter with Apollyon “there came to him a hand with some of the leaves of the tree of life, the which Christian took and applied to the wounds that he had received in the battle, and was healed immediately. He also sat down in that place to eat bread, and to drink of the bottle (of wine) that was given to him a little before; so being refreshed he addressed himself to his journey.”
Lot, when he was rescued, must have thought there was no one in the world to compare with his uncle. Don't you admire him too this “father of scouts”? He was so splendidly swift and ready to act, his scheme of warfare was so perfect. But he was ready to do something besides fight; he was ready to kneel after the fight and receive Melchizedek's blessing. He was “prepared” for warfare, he was equally “prepared” to enter the presence of God.
I read a story the other day of a boy who had a strange dream. He dreamt that the richest man in his little town came to him and told him that he was tired of his money and his houses and his lands, and he wanted the boy to take his place. Then the old doctor arrived, and he said that he was weary of going up and down the streets healing sick folk, and would the boy get ready to become the town physician. Then the judge came, and he also was tired of his work. He wanted someone to try his cases and fill his place on the bench. Then the town drunkard, the shame of the village and its saddest sight, came on the scene, and he told the boy that he could not live much longer and he wanted somebody to be ready to take his place in the bars and on the streets.
That was a strange dream, but it was in a sense a true one. Boys and girls, you are all getting ready to fill some place in the world. What are you getting ready for? Are you getting ready to throw away your life like that village drunk? Or are you getting ready to be like Abraham, a defender of the defenseless, and a friend of God?