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Genesis 14, The Character of Abram

Our text concerns the character of Abram, the friend of God (James 2:23). This chapter reveals his love for family, his willingness to take risks for the right cause, his leadership capabilities, his humility in victory and his motives for going to war.

For love of family Abram was willing to attack the armies of four kings. Lot, his brother’s son, had been captured and taken prisoner along with all his belongings (Gen. 14:12). One could argue that it was far too risky an expedition to fight four kings but Abram went and fought a running battle from Dan, which is near Mt. Hermon to Damascus in Syria.

Abram shows us the proper attitude and action we ought to have and take when the stakes are high but the cause righteous. Abram was willing to take risks. The Christian life can be filled with times that are risky (2 Cor. 11:23-28) but the cause is the highest, the salvation of men. Abram is a great example of boldness in the face of danger when the cause is right.

Abram was a leader. He employed 318 men plus the men of Aner, Eshcol and Mamre, used proper tactics for the situation and decisively routed the four kings that had taken his nephew.

Abram then meets the high priest and displays his humility even after such a great victory. Melchizedek blesses Abram who pays a tithe (a tenth) to the priest. See 1 Cor. 3:5-9.

Finally Abram shows that he didn’t go to war for money. He didn’t use Lot as a pretext to go and enrich himself with the possessions of the helpless. He returns those things that don’t belong to him to the rightful owner.

In this chapter we see a cross-section of Abram’s life that is extremely valuable. We can learn a lot about how a man of God lives. Apply his example to your life. Do you have Abram’s love for family? Do you have his willingness to take risks for the right cause? Do you exercise the kind of leadership that he did? What of your humility in victory or your motives?

Surely Moses included this account to teach these great lessons to the children of Israel as they headed toward Canaan. They needed these lessons as do we.