THESE MADE WAR
Genesis 13:18 Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD. 14:1 ¶ And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations; 2 That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar. 3 All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea. 4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6 And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which is by the wilderness. 7 And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezontamar. 8 And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim; 9 With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five. 10 And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain. 11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. 12 And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
Genesis 14:13 ¶ And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram. 14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. 15 And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. 16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
In order to see that which is of our edification (for All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable … for instruction in righteousness: – 2 Timothy 3:16), let us first determine who these combatants are.
In verse one of chapter fourteen we have four kings listed, the first of whom is said to be king of Shinar. And according to our previous studies, we know that to be Babylonia, where the tower of Babel was attempted to be built! (See Genesis 9:9,10, 11:1,2; Daniel 1:1,2). And, without doubt, Babylon is fully religious, being called BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (Rev. 17:5).
But then in verse two of chapter fourteen we have a list of five kings, and included in their list is Sodom and Gomorrah. And we would never accuse these of being religious! They are the opposite of those religious tendencies of Babylon as seen in verse one. These are worldly, irreligious states. For Sodom is guilty of the top sin on God’s list of things which he hates! But it is not homosexuality! Christ preached on Sodom (Luke 17:28,29), and never mentions homosexuality! For the first sin the Lord mentions on his list of seven sins is – PRIDE! See Proverbs 6:16-17. And this is that sin which the scriptures deal with regarding Sodom. You have to go to the church of Corinth to find the “effeminate.” And there the apostle states that the believers there were now washed and sanctified.” (1 Corin. 6:9-11.)
Ezekiel 16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good. Those filled with pride are said to be not of the Father! 1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Therefore we see that the two main groups of combatants are the religious (not spiritual, just religious), and the irreligious!
Then in chapter thirteen and verse eighteen, we see that Abram is alone with the LORD, only hearing of wars and rumors of war, until Lot’s situation drags him into it. He will not war with the religious gang as they destroy the giants (Rephaims), out of the land, for that is not his issue. The religious realm deals on the lower ground of morality, while Abram lives in the highest of realms, involved with imputed righteousness! James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Nor will he war against Sodom, but will intercede for them.
Today’s true church will do well to take Abram as their example and not get in religion’s fight against that they hold as giant evils in their definition of ‘sin!’ For that is not the true church’s issue! Religion’s issue involves death! – the killing of the Rephaims, who were the giants. But Abraham’s issue is having faith for life! – believing in the birth of Isaac, in order for Messiah to be born into the world! Many believers have had their spiritual lives deadened, while they substitute for the Spirit’s leadership, base emotions in dealing with only social and moral issues of the Harlot church! For the harlot church’s issue is Reformation, while the true church deals, from her affiliation in the supernatural, with Regeneration! The religious deal with helping souls obtain a temporary comfort on their way to hell. But the true church deals with the sinners deliverance from darkness into life and light!
Worldly religionists do not soar in the heights of Hebron with Abram, on wings as eagles, but instead hop around on the earth, in the vale of Siddim, with its slimepits, like robins seeking for a worm! Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
And we would never know, and even when we do, we don’t make a great enough issue about it, that Abram and his household servants are such warriors as to defeat these mighty kings who had defeated the five kings, including those of Sodom and Gomorrah! Abram’s household servants defeated those who had defeated the Rephaims – the giants of the land! And so it is with the Lord Christ! He is little known as a mighty warrior who defeated the forces of darkness at Calvary! Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
And notice that Abram had war with the religious realm and not the irreligious! His war was with Babylon, not Sodom! And was that not the way with our Lord Jesus? Was he not always at war with the religious, but showing compassion on the sinner? He deals with the sinner concerning committed sin. But he deals with the religious about their denial of being sinners! For it is the spiritual man who deals with the fallen sinner! The religious man only seeks to condemn him! Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
For Christ, pictured by Abram, came not to condemn, but to save! John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. But make no mistake about it, dear Reader. He that is in the hearts of the believers is greater than he that is in the world (Satan) ever shall be! 1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. Psalm 45:3 Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.
And so with the true church! She is primarily known as Christ’s Bride, and as the salt and light of the world. But she is also a strong warrior, fighting against the forces of spiritual darkness. 2 Corinthians 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2 Timothy 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
Consider these verses, noting that the religious cannot even ‘speak’ that which is right, as their hearts are polluted with religious pride! Matthew 9:10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? 12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. 32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. 34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
So we see that Abram is never entangled with the realm of Lot in Sodom. (See Genesis 19:27,28). But he did that which the religious gang never thought to do! – He prayed for them! This is one of the charges the Lord levels against harlot Jerusalem! Ezekiel 16:56 For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned by thy mouth in the day of thy pride, Yet in Genesis 18:20-32 Abram has to ask the Lord’s forgiveness for praying so much about Sodom! The true church is never involved in worldliness, but does pray for those entrapped therein! 1 Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
The scriptures list those who practice religion without the indwelling of the Spirit’s life as cursed children! Matthew 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
2 Peter 2:14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: 18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
Yet one day, by the Lord’s good purposes, the whole of organized religion shall be eradicated from the earth! There will never be a one world government, like Nebuchadnezzar’s, or Caesar’s, or Alexander the Great’s. But there shall be a confederation of nations agreeing on this one thing – destroy religion from off the face of the earth! Revelation 17:16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. 17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. 18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
But when that is done and these destroyers of religion then seek to destroy the true church, her Heavenly Husband shall appear from his throne to destroy them all and bring her into eternal oneness with himself! 2 Thessalonians 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 1:7 …the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; gb
