Anglican Devotional 9 July 2024: Abraham Rescues Lot Faith Zone

The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 9 July 2024 – Abraham Rescues Lot

TOPIC: Abraham Rescues Lot

READ: Genesis 14: 1-16 (NKJV)

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,
[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).
All these joined together in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea).
Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
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,
and the Horites in their mountain of Seir, as far as El Paran, which [is] by the wilderness.
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.
And the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that [is,] Zoar) went out and joined together in battle in the Valley of Siddim
against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar — four kings against five.
Now the Valley of Siddim [was full of] asphalt pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled; [some] fell there, and the remainder fled to the mountains.
Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way.
They also took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; and they [were] allies with Abram.
Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained [servants] who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which [is] north of Damascus.
So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people.

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THE MESSAGE:

In pre-colonial and colonial times in most of Africa, inter-community and inter-tribal wars were common and the winning side often depopulated or enslaved the weaker side, or imposed heavy taxes on them. This is what Kedorlaomer and his allies in our story today did.

For twelve years, they subjected Sodom and Gomorrah and their allies to heavy taxation until they rebelled in the thirteenth year (verse 4). This resulted in the bitter war reported in verses 5 to 12. The human casualty was heavy, especially on the people of Sodom and Gomorrah and their allies. This is in contrast to the Russian invasion of Ukraine from February 2022, during which both sides have had many casualties. When Abraham received an alert about the capture of his nephew, Lot, and his family during the conflict, he mobilised his private army of 318 men and successfully rescued them (verses 13-15).

The year 2022 witnessed the kidnap of many church leaders, brethren and others by armed bandits. Many mobilised prayer, financial, material and sometimes, military support to rescue them. Abraham did not feel unconcerned when his nephew was taken captive. Do you know anyone under various levels of spiritual, economic or physical captivity? What can you do to help rescue them?