Ⅳ
To live by faith, as Abraham did, is to cooperate with Christ in His heavenly ministry, not only by living a life of the altar and the tent but also by fighting for the brother—Gen. 12:7-8; 14:1-24; Rom. 4:12:
A
Lot made the mistake of separating himself from Abraham and moving his tent as far as Sodom (Gen. 13:5-12); “now the men of Sodom were very wicked and sinful toward Jehovah” (v. 13).
B
To leave Abraham was to leave God's goal and God's protection (Phil. 3:17; 1 Cor. 4:16-17; Heb. 13:7); we need to join ourselves to and follow the proper persons in God's economy so that we may be kept in the line of life and the flow of the Lord's move (1 Cor. 15:33; Prov. 13:20; 2 Tim. 1:15-18; 2:22).
C
Because the land around Sodom was rich, Lot journeyed toward Sodom; eventually, he moved into the city, lived there, and settled there; under God's sovereignty Sodom was conquered, and Lot was taken captive—Gen. 14:12; cf. Jer. 2:13.
D
Abraham did not count the weak point of his brother and did not take pleasure in Lot's suffering and calamity; as far as Abraham was concerned, it was a shame for him to see that his brother had been captured—1 John 5:16a; Prov. 10:12; James 5:19-20.
E
When Abraham received the information about Lot's capture, he made a strong decision to fight for Lot, and he prayed, lifting up his hand to Jehovah, God the Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth—Gen. 14:14, 22; 1 Tim. 2:8.
F
Abraham decided to take his three hundred eighteen men and fight against the four kings and their armies due to the fact that behind the scene, Melchizedek (meaning “king of righteousness”), king of Salem (meaning “peace”), was interceding for Lot, Abraham, and Abraham's fighting—Gen. 14:18-20; Heb. 7:1-4, 25-26; 4:14-16; Rom. 8:26-29, 34.
G
Melchizedek is a type of Christ as the kingly High Priest in His heavenly ministry, who is continually interceding for us and for those under our care to save us to the uttermost—Heb. 5:6, 10; 7:1-3, 25.
Morning Nourishment
Gen. 14:14 And when Abram heard that his brother had been taken captive, he led out his trained men…16 And he… brought back Lot his brother…
18 And Melchizedek…brought out bread and wine. Now he was priest of God the Most High.
Heb. 7:25 …He is able to save to the uttermost those who come forward to God through Him, since He lives always to intercede for them.
Abraham’s nephew, Lot, had separated himself from Abraham and dwelt in Sodom. Because of the fighting between the four kings and the five kings, Lot was taken captive. When Abraham heard this, he led forth his trained men who were born in his house, and fought against the four kings; he smote them and brought back all the goods. After his return, Melchizedek, king of Salem, met him with bread and wine and blessed him (Gen. 14:18). Melchizedek as the priest of the Most High God is a type of Christ as God’s High Priest (Heb. 7:1-3, 16-17). Christ today is the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek. He is always living to intercede for us and to nourish us with bread and wine. (Truth Lessons—Level One, vol. 1, p. 89)
Today’s Reading
One person who escaped told Abraham that Lot had been captured… That person was preserved by God’s sovereignty… It must have happened because of the intercession behind the scene. Abraham did not count the weak point of his brother and did not take pleasure in Lot’s suffering and calamity… When he received this information, he made a strong decision to fight for Lot (Gen. 14:14)… Abraham prayed. In verse 22 he told the king of Sodom that before he went out to war he lifted up his hand to God. How could Abraham have prayed and made such a decision? It must have been due to the fact that someone behind the scene was interceding for him. I believe that the intercessor knew of the fighting that was going on and of the capture of Lot.As far as Abraham was concerned, it was a shame for him to see that his brother had been captured. It is the same in the church today. It is a shame for us to see that any brother or sister has been captured… You should not tolerate it but should say, “I cannot bear with this. I must rise up and do something about it!” This is what Abraham did. Abraham could say, “… I cannot bear seeing that my brother has been captured. This is a shame to me. I must take him back. I don’t care for the number of soldiers and I don’t care for the kings and armies. I don’t care that I have less than they do. My burden is to get my brother back. If I don’t do this, it is a shame to me.”
In fighting for his brother, Abraham risked his life. It was not a small thing for him to risk his life in order to rescue his captured brother. But he did it. The fight went smoothly, and Abraham pursued the enemy from the south all the way to Dan in the north. His victory must have been the result of the intercession behind the scene.
Do you not believe that before Melchizedek came to minister bread and wine, as the priest of God he was interceding for Lot and Abraham?… I believe that Abraham’s brief and bold decision to fight for the rescue of Lot was stirred up by the intercession of Melchizedek… As a priest, Melchizedek must have been taking care of God’s people. In answer to his intercession, one escaped from Sodom, told Abraham the news, and Abraham made the bold decision to fight for the rescue of Lot.
While we walk on this earth, many things happen to us. Apparently, these things just happen. Actually, behind the earthly scene, an intercession is going on. Our Melchizedek, our High Priest Christ, is still interceding for us in heaven (Heb. 7:25). His intercession overshadows us and cares for us. (Life-study of Genesis, pp. 579-580, 582-584)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1991-1992, vol. 4, “The History of God in His Union with Man,” ch. 7