Date | Version | Reading Plan |
---|---|---|
January 14, 2025 | ESV (2016) | OT/NT Plan 2025 – 2027 |
Genesis 14
The chapter opens with an account of a conflict among kings and nations. The Eastern alliance was 1) Amraphel, king of Shinar, 2) Arioch, king of Ellasar, 3) Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, and 4) Tidal, king of Goiim. The Jordan Valley alliance consisted of 1) Bera, king of Sodom, 2) Birsha, king of Gomorrah, 3) Shinab, king of Admah, 4) Shemeber, king of Zeboiim, and 5) an unnamed king of Bela (also called Zoar). The battle culminates in the four kings defeating the five and taking away all their possessions and provisions, including Lot who was dwelling in Sodom at the time and all his possessions.
One of the escapees of the battle notifies Abram who responds by leading 318 of his trained men to take the captors by night. The campaign succeeds and Lot is rescued and returned along with his kinsmen, possessions and women. Following this, the king of Sodom went out to meet Abram at the Valley of Shaveh. Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought Abram food and wine and blessed Abram. As the TGCBC states, “Melchizedek’s actions and words focus on God’s role in Abraham’s victory.” Directly following the blessing, Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything that was captured by the eastern kings (cf. 1 Sam. 8:15).
The king of Sodom then spoke to Abram, requesting that he be given Abram’s captives and that Abram could keep the plunder. Abram refused the offer to prevent the notion that it was the king of Sodom made Abram rich. According to the TGCBC, “Abraham distances himself from the king of Sodom due to the wickedness of the city.”
Key Takeaways and Application
The conflict of the kings, the capture of Lot and his subsequent rescue by Abram demonstrate God’s immense orchestration capabilities. We also see the humility of Abram in giving a tenth of everything to Melchizedek and turning down the offer of the king of Sodom to keep the spoil. May we likewise forgo the fleeting niceties of this world and cheerfully give of our earthly possessions toward the effort of building the Lord’s kingdom.
Matthew 14
Several events are recorded in the chapter, but it was the circumstances of John the Baptist’s death that seemed pertinent for further reflection. In this, we see the wickedness of the Herods in their actions and corrupt relational structure. The ESVEC provides a detailed description of the situation:
Herodias had married her uncle Herod Antipas after divorcing another of her uncles, Herod Philip, with whom she had birthed Salome. Herod Antipas had likewise divorced his spouse, Phasaelis, in order to marry Herodias. When Salome matured (she was perhaps fourteen when she danced for Herod Antipas), Salome married Philip the tetrarch, son of Herod the Great by another woman and thus the half brother of Herod Antipas. By this marriage “she became both aunt and sister-in-law to her mother.”235 This dizzying set of events conflicted with the biblical view of marriage as a cove nant (Mal. 2:14) and violated Levitical laws governing consanguinity (Lev. 18:16; 20:21). – ESVEC
The poisonous fruit of a complete absence of upright conduct is demonstrated by Herod’s desire to kill John the Baptist because of his rebuke of Herod in taking Herodias to be his wife. The wickedness of the Herods is then compounded by Herod’s institution of a rash oath with Herodias’ daughter and Herodias prompting her daughter to request the head of John the Baptist on a platter.
Key Takeaways and Application
In this account, we see the depth of depravity to which man is capable and also the opposition we should expect as heralds of the truth. May we not shy from loving confrontation, gracious and resolute as we contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints.