DOING THE RIGHT THING
 
I have been studding the life of Abram and it has certainly been a blessing. I have been looking at his life line upon line,precept upon precept.The Holy Spirit brought me from the primary application to the prophetic levels in some cases showing me a picture of the Church Age,Rapture and the Day of the Lord. He even gave me a sneak preview of a picture of our worship experience in Heaven.Not only are these interpretations evident but the numbers match perfectly with the text.True to form Chapter 14 (Fourteen;Deliverance or Salvation) matches the theme of the chapter.In fact it fits so perfect that clearly only a Devine Author could have written and arranged the Bible.No mere human could have pulled this off.The Bible is truly the inspired Word of God.
 
In Genesis Chapter 14 Abram is shown rescuing Lot in a military conquest (14;Deliverance or Salvation). Then Melchizedek blesses Abram. Melchizedek is at the very least a type of priesthood Jesus Christ Himself has and will exercise during His Millennial reign. Some great theologians would agree that He was Jesus Christ Himself.Once again this matches (14) Deliverance or Salvation.The analysis of Melchizedek will have to be prolonged for another article. Relative to Melehizedek I even found clues to the approximate time of the Rapture and Day of the Lord.
 
To step back a notch you have to understand that Lot really was a righteous man. He just made a bad choice.As a result I personally believe he took Himself outside of God's protection.Some people reading this may be saying "that's great if I make a bad choice God won't protect me."That's not an easy question to answer.The story really has to be taken in it's proper context. God could decree that we go through something horrible even if we don't do anything wrong.I also question whether Lot had the peace of God.His soul seemed to be vexed day and night.It seems to me that God was in the process of teaching Lot many things. He was in a tough refinement process.God was molding him through fearful situations.
 
The war in Genesis chapter 14 is the first recorded battle or official military conflict.I'm surprised it took the World so long.In today's world that's all you hear about.The Chedorlaomer and the kings were very oppressive so in the thirteenth year the people under this government rebelled and attempted to get their previous liberties.It is no accident that this rebellion started in the thirteenth year (13 has a biblical meaning of Rebellion). In the fourteenth year I will explain why there was deliverance matching this very meaning of the number 14 in Chapter 14.That's a lot of fourteens but God is trying to say something relative to the backdrop of the meaning of this number.
 
Rather than get into all of the politics,I would like to focus on the main idea. Abram got wind that Lot had been captured.Much of this story is about friendship and Loyalty.There is a good chance that they were traveling about 50 years together before Lot was captured.Abram and his 318 men probably traveled 125 miles in a time span of 5 days by foot.Not only did they travel this fast but they knew they would be fighting 50,000 to 100,000 men.They won the war at nighttime when the odds were completely against them.
 
The walk seems to speak of a deep urgent caring with conviction.The fact that they knew they were outnumbered speaks of their unwavering faith in God to do the right thing. We have to understand that the great men and women of God had insurmountable odds against them throughout the history of mankind.If you are weak and inadequate realize that if you are really sincere before God with a desire to obey Him then just take simple steps of faith and the Holy Spirit will instill conviction in your heart so you will have greater faith as time progresses and the tasks or trials become a little more difficult. What I like about Abram's motive is it seemed to be pure love with no selfish ambition. If only we can follow this same example.That's not easy to do.If you read this story of Abram you will notice that God kept taking him to the next level of faith through his obedience until one day God called him to sacrifice his only son (Isaac).That trial was for the end of his life not the beginning.For Abram to be this way could only be contributed to God because he lived in a very degenerate age. All the glory went to God through Abram's faith and obedience.This is obviously our call as disciples of Jesus Christ.As we step out in faith remember "Being confident of this very thing,that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6.
 
Bob D.