Daily Devotional | A Dramatic Rescue

A good friend will always be there for you. But many of us have that one friend who is in a state of perpetual crisis. We are no longer surprised when we get a message asking for help. That seems to be the case with Abram and Lot.

In Genesis 14, Lot was in trouble. Sodom and Gomorrah had been paying tribute to a coalition of Elamite kings (vv. 1–4). After years of this tribute, they decided to rebel and paid a price (vv. 5–12). Not only were Sodom and Gomorrah defeated, but Lot and his family were taken captive (vv. 11–12).

When Abram found out, he jumped into action. He gathered 318 men from his household and went to rescue Lot (v. 14). Since he had a much smaller force, he sprung a night attack (v. 15). This caught the captors by surprise, and Abram was able to rescue Lot and the residents of Sodom (v. 16).

At the end of the chapter, there is an interesting contrast between the king of Sodom and Melchizedek. Melchizedek showed hospitality to Abram and blessed him (vv. 18–20). However, the King of Sodom was disdainful of Abram. His only speech with Abram was a surly, “Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself” (v. 21). God had promised to bless those who blessed Abram and curse those who treated Him with contempt (Gen. 12:3). Melchizedek was blessed. We will see what happens to the King of Sodom. God was keeping His promise to Abram. Melchizedek is not only an example of a non-Jew who is blessed by Abram but also becomes a type of the future Messiah (Ps. 110; Heb. 5–7). Bundled into this story is the hope of our future deliverer and Savior.

Go Deeper

Why did Abram react to the King of Sodom by saying, “I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal” (v. 23)?

Pray with Us

You gave Abram wisdom to recognize that Melchizedek was Your true servant, while the King of Sodom had no love for Abram or for You. Grant us grace to perceive others’ true motives and to respond with wisdom.

BY Ryan Cook

Dr. Ryan Cook has taught at Moody Bible Institute since 2012. He earned his bachelor of arts in Bible and Theology from Moody and his master of arts in Old Testament from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. He has worked in Christian education and served as a pastor in Michigan for seven years. During his time as a professor at Moody, he earned his doctorate from Asbury Theological Seminary. He now lives with his wife, Ashley, and their three children in the Chicagoland area.