The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Genesis 14:22-23,
"But Abram said to the king of Sodom, 'With raised hand I have sworn an oath to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, "I made Abram rich."'"
A group of kings attacked another group of kings in Abram's day. The group that lost had all their goods, food and people taken. Among the group of lost people was Abram's nephew, Lot, together with his possessions. When Abram learned of it, he chased down the kings that had taken Lot and routed them, recovering all of the loot and people the one set of kings had lost.
As Abram returned, one of the kings, the king of Sodom, whose people and things Abram brought back, wanted to give the goods Abram recovered to him. He just wanted his people back. Abram had certainly earned it.
The above two verses was Abram's response. For his effort, Abram accepted nothing the king of Sodom offered him, save for what he felt his men were due. He did not want the king of Sodom to ever be able to say that he had "made Abram rich."
It is my perspective that Abram didn't want any human to claim they had made Abram rich. In the previous chapter we are told that Abram was already rich when he left Egypt, following his stay there, "Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold." Genesis 13:2. However, we also read in that chapter that the Lord had spoken to Abram, and promised him offspring "like the dust of the earth" and all the land he could see. The Lord blessed Abram because of his faith.
"But Abram said to the king of Sodom, 'With raised hand I have sworn an oath to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, "I made Abram rich."'"
A group of kings attacked another group of kings in Abram's day. The group that lost had all their goods, food and people taken. Among the group of lost people was Abram's nephew, Lot, together with his possessions. When Abram learned of it, he chased down the kings that had taken Lot and routed them, recovering all of the loot and people the one set of kings had lost.
As Abram returned, one of the kings, the king of Sodom, whose people and things Abram brought back, wanted to give the goods Abram recovered to him. He just wanted his people back. Abram had certainly earned it.
The above two verses was Abram's response. For his effort, Abram accepted nothing the king of Sodom offered him, save for what he felt his men were due. He did not want the king of Sodom to ever be able to say that he had "made Abram rich."
It is my perspective that Abram didn't want any human to claim they had made Abram rich. In the previous chapter we are told that Abram was already rich when he left Egypt, following his stay there, "Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold." Genesis 13:2. However, we also read in that chapter that the Lord had spoken to Abram, and promised him offspring "like the dust of the earth" and all the land he could see. The Lord blessed Abram because of his faith.
Here is why I think Abram would not accept anything where someone could claim they enriched him. Abram, and the Lord, wanted everyone to recognize the Lord blessed Abram because of his faith. Abram is our example of what faith looks like, as well as the Lord's blessing if we emulate that faith. Today, that blessing is recognized as the gift of eternal life. The illustration of the Lord's blessing of Abram would have been obscured if others were heaping their wealth on him.
Just a thought....
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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