Have you ever debated whether you should get involved in a situation?
Perhaps it’s small or large. Have you encountered a situation when someone was in trouble? You had to make a choice to help or not. Perhaps this trouble was of their own making. Perhaps it wasn’t.
Regardless, you are faced with a potential battle if you step in. But you are faced with regret and guilt if you don’t.
Abram apparently lived in comparative quiet and security in Mamre for several years after Lot departed from him (Genesis 13). Archaeology has confirmed that during Abram’s early years in Canaan, the lands from Syria through Sinai were peaceful. They were also fruitful.
Then the calm was broken. It was broken severely. A great northeastern confederation of kings swept through the land. They devastated everything in their path. This was a new and serious danger. It could have easily destroyed Abram and his possessions. This would have left God’s promise utterly broken.
With that in mind, we read in Genesis 14:1-16:
At the time when Amraphel was king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goyim, 2 these kings went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboyim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea Valley). 4 For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
Genesis 14:1-16, New International Version
5 In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim 6 and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran near the desert. 7 Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazezon Tamar.
8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboyim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim 9 against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills. 11 The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. 12 They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom.
13 A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshkol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.
We see from the beginning that the Lord was working in the situation. Why was Lot not killed? The Lord was sparing Lot. He was preparing Abram. And the Lord was beginning to teach Lot of His faithfulness.
Verses 13-16 provide many reasons why Abram might have hesitated to pursue his nephew. Abram’s land was valuable. War could’ve risked the estate the Lord had given Him. So far, these kings had left Abram alone. Going to war with them—for any reason—could have risked the peace.
Instead of using excuses, Abram heard the report and acted to save Lot. He called 318 men who had been trained, and they went out in hot pursuit. They went as far as the region of Dan, which would become the northern border of the Promised Land.
We see Abram’s military strategy in verses 14 and 15. He attacked at night, and he divided the men into two fronts. The result was victory.
I love the statement of victory in verse 16: He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.
Too often, we think our call is passivity: sitting back and watching God work without lifting a finger. This is fatalism. Is God in control? Yes, absolutely. I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it: I learn more and more every day how little control I have and how much control God has! It’s a great comfort. But it doesn’t mean I’m called to sit idly and do nothing.
Abram was acting in faith. He had to believe God was with him, or he would have been marching to his and 318 men’s deaths. Instead, God gave the victory.
When you face a battle, remember God still grants victory. In Zechariah 4:6 we read, “… ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.
Life Meets Theology 