Genesis 14: 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 they made war
with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah,
Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 All
these joined together in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt
Sea). 4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer,
and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
5 In
the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with
him came and attacked the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in
Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6 and the
Horites in their mountain of Seir, as far as El Paran, which is by
the wilderness. 7 Then they turned back and came to
En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and attacked all the country of
the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who dwelt in Hazezon Tamar.
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Egypt had a Pharaoh
who was revered as a god. But other places instituted kings who were great
warriors. The people who followed these leaders did not see value in following
GOD. When Canaan rebelled and started many cities, a rebellious attitude
lingered amongst those he led. Temporary alliances were formed and broken.
People were attacking one another.
My Observations:
- Rebelling against GOD led to rebelling against other humans.
- Kings were first mentioned here in a negative way.
- GOD said humans were still evil, yet HE would not wipe them out with a flood.
Creating heaven on
earth led to jealousy amongst those who did not share in those comforts. Wells watered
plants, making them lush and green. Animals had plenty to eat. People had
shelter and enjoyed life’s luxuries. But this would only last so long.
Lot left Abram,
seeking a better life. Instead, he ended up in a warzone. He stayed there for
years, but things got bad . Rebellion and attacks became the norm. What looked
good on the surface was now a curse. Fear and hatred were now dominant in the
area.
Challenge
- Why does GOD tell Moses about this first set of kings?
- Have you ever wanted something better and found yourself in a worse situation?
- Is there a part of you that wants to rebel against GOD so your following can grow?
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