Where is our security?

Let me start by quoting the lyrics of a recent advert, and see if you can remember or guess who is the ‘I’ in this song:

When you think you're all aloneI'll wrap you up and take you homeNo matter what you're going throughI will look after youWhen you get knocked down and you've had enoughI'll be there to dust you offWhen you don't know what you're gonna doI will look after you[Look After You, Aron Wright]

And the ‘I’ is? Lloyds bank. Lloyds bank will look after you, or rather, money will. And that’s one of the places our culture tells us to look for security, isn’t it? Which is why job security worries us – because that’s where we get the money. And why investment and pension security worries us – because that’s where we grow the money. And why the economy as a whole worries us, and why it’s always what the news is mostly about. Because the culture says that’s what will ultimately look after you. But for Christians, that source of security is now more threatened, because as Peter Hitchens, the journalist and atheist-become-Christian, says Britain is now worryingly like the Soviet Union (where he worked for years) – because a State atheism and morality is being imposed on us. And Hitchens says (quote):

they don’t make us comply by threatening our lives, Soviet style, but by threatening our livelihoods. And it’s becoming particularly clear to those who work in the public sector that there is no job security… if you will not conform, especially to the… Equality Act. [Which is what paved the way for all the LGBT legislation we’re now under.][Peter Hitchens, talk at the Christian Institute]

Well, as we continue this series on Abraham, tonight’s passage asks: Where is our security? In other words, our sense that something or someone is there to protect and provide for us. If you’re still living at home (or semi-at-home), a big part of the answer might be family. Or a big part of the answer might be a relationship – one we hope is headed for marriage, or already has. Or a big part of the answer might be yourself because you know that life isn’t going to be kind and look after you, and that you need to look after you
by working hard to get through school, and maybe through uni, and into a job, and all the rest of it. But none of those sources of security are really secure, are they? Because they can all break down (families, relationships, marriages) even our own physical and emotional and mental health. So, where should we be looking for our security? Well, before we listen to the answer in Genesis 14, let’s pray:

Father, Help us to see you through this part of your written Word, and to see how you are the answer to our needs. In Jesus’ name, Amen

So can I encourage you to open a Bible to page 9. That’ll get you to Genesis 12-13, which is what we’ve done so far. And we’ve seen how the Lord called Abram to leave his former life and beliefs in Mesopotamia, and to trust and obey him in a new life in the land of Canaan. And he didn’t do that alone. He took his wife Sarai, and his nephew Lot, and as we’ll see this week, a big household as well. And last week we saw how pressure on land for their livestock meant Abram and Lot needing to go their separate ways. Which brings us to the first of two lessons tonight:

1. Don’t look to the world for your security (Genesis 14.1-16)

But do look down to Genesis 13.8:

Then Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.” And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar…

So to Lot’s eyes the valley looked like security – like food and water would never run out, like life would always be good because he didn’t have the advantage we do of the ominous next bit in brackets:

…(This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom.

Because to Lot’s eyes, a city looked even more secure, and the leading city of Sodom most secure of all. The trouble was, Genesis 13.13:

Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord.

And Lot should have seen that, but when we look to things or people for security, we easily turn a blind eye to what’s wrong them, don’t we? So Lot looked to the world for his security. And the events of Genesis 14 teach us that he shouldn’t have done, and nor should we. So, turn over to Genesis 14.1 and we’ll dive into the bit that I felt we just couldn’t inflict on a reader:

In the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, these kings 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). And all these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

I can sense the corporate, stifled yawn. So just give me two minutes to get us through this bit. Let’s simplify. There was a bunch of kings in Genesis 14.1 who came from outside Canaan, from Mesopotamia – modern day Iran, Iraq and Turkey. And Chedorlaomer was the leader of that pack. And in American team-name style, we’ll call them the Mesopatamian Marauders. But then there was this other bunch of kings in Genesis 14.2, who lived in Canaan, down in the Salt Sea (we’d say Dead Sea) valley – which, despite the saltiness, was fertile and rich. And Bera king of Sodom was the leader of that pack. And we’ll call them the Dead Sea Defenders. And thirteen years earlier, the Mesopatamian Marauders had invaded Canaan, and brought the Dead Sea Defenders and other Canaanites under their control and taxation. And so the MU – the Mesopotamian Union was born. But after twelve years, the Defenders said, ‘We’ve had enough. We want our money and our sovereignty back. We want Mesopot-exit.’ So, Genesis 14.4:

Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

So, Genesis 14.5:

In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and [the Marauders] came…

…and started putting down the rebellion in Canaan. And in Genesis 14.5-7, they picked off one rebel area after another – and then finally turned their attention to the Dead Sea Defenders. Genesis 14.8-12:

Then the king of Sodom… [and the Defenders] went out, and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim with Chedorlaomer [and the Marauders]. Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled [which means the Defenders lost], some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country. So the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. They also took Lot, the son of Abram's brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way.

So much for the security the world seems to offer. And this was written firstly for Israel down the tracks – for when she’d finally occupy the Promised Land, but be tempted to look for her security by doing deals with the people around her. And it was also written for us, – for when we’re similarly tempted to look for security in the acceptance of the people around us, even if the price of the deal is that we go quiet on the gospel – or even adjust the gospel to the culture, and just blend in. Well, look on to Genesis 14.13-14:

Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner. These were allies of Abram. When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.

So on the one hand, we need to ditch any image we have of Abram backpacking through Canaan with Sarai and a two-man tent because he had a huge household. He was wealthy, and later in Genesis, some Canaanites say to him (Genesis 23.6):

…my lord, you are a prince… among us.

In other words, they thought of him like their own kings. But having said that, on the other hand, what happens next is a remarkable win for Abram, (Genesis 14.15-16):

And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.

Now the striking thing about Genesis 14 so far is that it hasn’t mentioned God once. It’s as if the writer of Genesis said to himself, ‘First, I’ll just give them what happened. And then I’ll show them what God was doing in it all.’ So up to Genesis 14.16, you could just read these events as the world would and say; ‘Wasn’t Lot unlucky to get carted off by the Marauders? But wasn’t he lucky to have an uncle like Abram? And wasn’t Abram lucky to win the fight?’ But Genesis 14.17 onwards is going to remind us that nothing is a matter of luck or fortune or chance or coincidence, or any of the other things the world would call it. Instead, everything happens because the Lord is working out the plan he’s promised. Which brings us to the other lesson tonight:

2. Look to the Lord for your security

Look on to Genesis 14.17:

After [Abram’s] return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the [Mesopotamian Marauders] the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).

So the fight took Abram up north. Now he’s back south, with all the people and things he’s recaptured. And the action seems to be near Jerusalem, because out of Salem (which I take to be Jerusalem) comes another king, Melchizedek (Genesis 14.18-20):

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

So Melchizedek was both king of Jerusalem and priest of God Most High. And we’re not told how, but what Melchizedek says shows that he knew the one true God. I assume he didn’t know about God’s promise to Abram back in Genesis 12. But he knew enough to say, ‘Abram, what’s just happened wasn’t luck. It was God Most High blessing you and keeping you secure.’ And Abram could have said, ‘Yes, and that’s just what he promised, back in chapter 12.’ (Genesis 12.2-3):

…I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonours you I will curse…

Because the Lord had certainly begun to make Abram’s name great, everyone would have been talking about him after he’d beaten the Marauders. And the Lord had certainly made him a blessing to Lot and company, because he’d recaptured them; and to all Canaan, because he’d sent the Marauders packing. And that, at the same time, showed that the Lord was certainly cursing those who’d dishonoured him by carting off his nephew. So, promises kept. And, again, this was written firstly for Israel down the tracks – as a reassurance that God would keep the same promises to bless and secure her. And it was written as a reassurance that he’ll do the same for us. Only we live this side of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and know that the promise of blessing and security will only be fully kept when he raises us to be with him in glory.

In the meantime, if we’re trusting in Jesus, we are secure in his love and his commitment to get us to glory. But we’re not secure from suffering and difficulty on the way. Which is what we heard in Romans 8.35-39:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [Rhetorical question expecting the answer, ‘Nothing.’ So there’s our security in his love and his commitment to get us to glory]. Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” [So there’s the hard reality that we’re not secure from suffering and difficulty on the way. So does that call his love, and ability to get us to glory, into question? Verse 37:] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Well, back to Genesis 14.19-20:

And [Melchizedek] blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

So Melchizedek was saying, ‘Abram, you’ve clearly been blessed by God. So now you ought to bless him.’ So when any good comes our way (like Abram getting Lot back) that’s God blessing us. And our response should be to bless God in return – which means acknowledging that the good has come from him, and thanking him for it, rather than just taking it for granted, or worse still, patting ourselves on the back and saying ‘Well done me…Well done me for a successful fight against the Marauders, or for passing that exam, or for recovering from that operation, or for twenty years of good marriage, or whatever it may be. No, says Melchizedek (Genesis 14.20):

…blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

So God blessed Abram by giving him Lot and company and all their things, back from the Marauders. And in response, Abram blessed God by giving him a tenth of those things. As if to say, ‘It all came from you, so here’s some of it back, to acknowledge that and say thank you.’ And that’s the origin of giving a tenth (or tithing), in Old Testament times; and of giving a proportion of our income for God’s work today. And those who know their security is in the Lord can give without worrying that they’ve just lost some security. Because, as Melchizedek says (Gensis 14.19), the Lord is the Possessor of heaven and earth. Which means he has the resources to meet our needs – as we’ve just seen, in his blessing of our church finances. And did you notice? Abram gave his gift to the Lord through Melchizedek – as if Melchizedek was a kind of mediator. Which is why, in the New Testament book of Hebrews, you find Melchizedek used as a picture of Jesus.

Because Hebrews says Jesus died to pay for our forgiveness. And then he rose again to be King forever, and to be the priest (or mediator) who can bring us back into relationship with his Father. So when the writer of Hebrews said to himself, ‘What picture could I use to show that Jesus is King and Priest?’, he thought…‘Melchizedek!’ Which is why this mystery man pops up again in Hebrews 5-7.

Well, let’s finish the chapter. Look on to Genesis 14.21:

And the king of Sodom [who’d been waiting in the wings while Melchizedek was speaking] said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.”

Which is back to the world speaking and looking to the world for security. Because the king of Sodom basically says, ‘Take all you can. Look after yourself. Because no one else will.’ Genesis 14.22-24:

But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.”

In other words, ‘I do have someone else looking after me – the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth. So I don’t need your dubious help, with the inevitable strings attached, to make me secure. I am secure – in my God.’ And just creeping into chapter 15 you’ll see that’s exactly what the Lord wanted Abram to learn from all this. Look at Genesis 15.1:

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”

In other words, ‘I am your protecter. I am your provider. I am your security.’ And as the Lord Jesus says that to us today, the question is: do we believe him?