BE LOYAL TO THE LORD YOUR GOD

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Roger Flowers
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1 BELOYALTOTHELORDYOURGOD 14 At the time when Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer kingofelam,andtidalkingofgoiimwereinpower, 2 theywagedwaragainstberathe kingofsodom,birshathekingofgomorrah,shinabthekingofadmah,shemeberthe king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, (which is also called Zoar). 3 These latter five kingsjoinedforcesinthevalleyofsiddim,(whichisthesaltsea). 4 For twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 Then in the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer came with the kings who were alliedwithhim. 8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim,andthekingofBela,(whichisZoar,)marchedoutanddrewuptheirbattle linesagainstthosekingsinthevalleyofsiddim; 9 namely,againstchedorlaomerking ofelam,tidalkingofgoiim,amraphelkingofshinar,andariochkingofellasar four kings against the five. 10 Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, that is where some of the men fell. Those who remainedalivefledtothemountains. 11 ChedorlaomerandhisalliestookallthewealthofSodomandGomorrah,aswellas alltheirfood,thentheywenttheirway. 12 TheyalsotookLot,Abram sbrother sson, whohadsettledinsodom,andhispossessions,andtheydeparted. 13 Nowonewhohad escapedcameandtoldabramthehebrew.atthetimeabramwaslivingneartheoaks ofmamretheamorite,(mamrewasabrotherofeshcolandaner;andthesethreewere inalliancewithabram.) 14 NowwhenAbramheardthathisbrotherwastakencaptive, he mustered his trained men who were born in his household three hundred and eighteeninall andpursuedafterthemasfarasdan. 15 Duringthenighthedivided his forces between himself and his servants. Then he routed the enemy and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. 16 Abram retrieved all the possessions;healsobroughtbackhisbrotherlot,togetherwithhispossessions.abram alsobroughtbackthewomenandtherestofthepeoplewhohadbeentakencaptive. 17 ThekingofSodomwentouttomeetAbramatthevalleyofShaveh,(whichisthe King svalley),afterhisreturnfromtheslaughterofchedorlaomerandthekingsthat werewithhim. 18 AndMelchizedekkingofSalembroughtbreadandwine;nowhewas priestofgodmosthigh. 19 AndMelchizedekblessedhimsaying,BlessedbeAbramby God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High, the Onewhohasdeliveredyourenemiesintoyourhand.AndAbramgavehimatenthofall thespoils. 21 AndthekingofSodomsaidtoAbram,Givemethepeople,butkeepthespoilsfor yourself. 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have raised my hand in oath to Jehovah,GodMostHigh,Possessorofheavenandearth, 23 thatiwillnottakesomuch asathreadorathongofasandaloranythingelsethatbelongstoyou,sothatyoumay notsay,ihavemadeabramrich. 24 Theoneexceptionbeingthatwhichtheyoungmen have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Letthemtaketheirshare. 15AfterthesethingsthewordofJehovahcametoAbraminavision,saying,Fearnot, Abram,Iamyourshield,andyourrewardshallbeexceedinglygreat. 2 AndAbramsaid, O Lord Jehovah, what will you give me, seeing that I am childless, and the one who

2 shallinheritmyestateiseliezerofdamascus? 3 AndAbramsaid,Tomeyouhavegiven nooffspring;soaservantborninmyhouseholdismyheir. 4 ThenthewordofJehovah cametohim,saying,thismanshallnotbeyourheir;rather,hewhoshallcomeforth outofyourownbowelsshallbeyourheir. 5 AndJehovahbroughthimouttotheopen field and said, Look toward heaven and number the stars, if you are able to number them.thenhesaidtohim,soshallyouroffspringbe. 6 AndhebelievedJehovah;and Jehovahcreditedittohimasrighteousness. 7 Andhesaidtohim,IamJehovahwhobroughtyououtofUroftheChaldees,in ordertogiveyouthislandtoinherit. 8 Andhesaid,OLordJehovah,howshallIknow thatishallinheritit? 9 Andhesaidtohim,Bringmeathree year oldheifer,athreeyear old she goat and a three year old ram, also a turtle dove and a young pigeon. 10 Abrambroughtallthesetohim,cutthemintwo,andarrangedthehalvesopposite eachother;thebirds,however,hedidnotcutinhalf. 11 Thenthebirdsofpreycame downuponthecarcasses,butabramdrovethemaway. 12 Andwhenthesunwasgoingdown,adeepsleepfelluponAbram;andahorrorof great darkness fell upon him. 13 And he said to Abram, Know for sure that your descendants shall be sojourners in a land that is not theirs, and they shall serve the inhabitants of that land; and that nation shall afflict your descendants for four hundredyears. 14 ButalsoknowthatIwilljudgethatnationwhomtheyshallserve; andafterwardshalltheycomeoutwithgreatpossessions. 15 Butyoushallgotoyour fathersinpeace;youshallbeburiedatagoodoldage. 16 Andinthefourthgeneration yourdescendantsshallcomebackhereagain;becausetheiniquityoftheamoriteshas notyetreacheditsfullmeasure. 17 Whenthesunwentdownanditwasdark,asmokingfirepotandaflamingtorch passedbetweenthepiecesofthedividedanimalcarcasses. 18 OnthatdayJehovahmade acovenantwithabram,saying,toyourdescendantshaveigiventhisland,fromthe river of Egypt unto the great river, the Euphrates: 19 the land of the Kenite, and the Kenizzite, and the Kadmonite, 20 and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Rephaim, 21 andtheamorite,andthecanaanite,andthegirgashite,andthejebusite.(gen.14:1 15:21) Introduction YoungRyanSchmitz,a3 rd graderatclevelandelementaryschool(cleveland,wi), receivedthefollowingletteroneday: DearRyan, IunderstandthatyouareabigVikingfanandthateveryoneelseinyourschool cheers for the Packers. I know that is a tough situation. I hope that you will at least consider cheering for the Packers. I hope you will think about joining us, Ryan! MikeHolmgren(HeadCoachoftheGreenBayPackers) No,I mnotgoingtojoinhim. Ryansaid, They renevergoingtotalkmeintoit.

3 Despitethepeerpressureofhisfellowclassmates,despitetheeffortsofhisteachers to make him a Packer fan, despite a letter from the Packer s head coach himself, RyanSchmitzwasdeterminedtobeloyaltohisteam,theMinnesotaVikings.(The SheboyganPress,11/19/96) May we as Christians learn from the example of this young boy and exhibit a far greaterloyalty,loyaltytothelordourgod.becauseheisworthyofourloyalty,let usbeloyaltothelordourgod. I.BeLoyaltotheLORDYourGod,EvenWhenItMeansMakingaSacrifice Lot had initially chosen to settle in the Plains of the Jordan in the suburbs of Sodom,becauseoftheeconomicpotentialhesawinthefertilefields.Butbefore longhewouldcometoregrethisdecision. Not only was his righteous soul tormented by the wicked lives of the men of Sodom,astheApostlePeterinformsus, righteous Lot was distressed by the conduct of lawless men living in licentiousness 8 forbywhathesawandheardashelivedamongthemdayby day,thatrighteousmanfelthisrighteoussoultormentedbytheirlawlessdeeds.(2pet.2:7 8) healsowitnessedthebeginningofthelord sjudgmentuponthatsociety. Before the final judgment fell from heaven, (as recorded in Genesis 19:24 25, printedbelow,) Then Jehovah rained brimstone and fire upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah fromjehovahoutofheaven. 25 Heoverthrewthosecities,andtheentirePlain, and all the inhabitants of those cities, and also the vegetation of the land. (Gen.19:24 25) thelordadministeredapreliminaryjudgmentintheformofaforeignoppressor. For12yearsthecity statesofsodomandgomorrahwereforcedtopayahefty financial tribute to a powerful confederacy under the leadership of a warlord namedchedorlaomer.when,inthe13 th year,thekingsofsodomandgomorrah rebelled,chedorlaomerlaunchedamilitarycampaignagainstthem.theoutcome resulted in the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah being defeated, their cities plundered(14:11,)andmanycaptivesbeingcarriedawayintoslavery,included amongthemwaslotandhisfamily(14:12.) One of the captives managed to escape, and he made his way back to Canaan; there he reported to Abram what had happened to his nephew, Lot (14:13.) Abram summons his trained militia to prepare for battle. He and his troops

4 overtook Chedorlaomer s army, launched a surprise attack in the middle of the night,andredeemedthecaptivesandrecoupedthelosses(14:14 16.) Now, as Abram returns in victory with the spoil, he is met by two men: the gratefulkingofsodomandthemysteriousmelchizedek.melchizedek,indentified as priestofgodmosthigh, 1)suppliesbringsbreadandwine(foracommunion meal,)2)blessesabraminthenameofgodmosthigh,thepossessorofheaven andearth,and3)blessesgodmosthighwhogaveabramthevictory.thekingof Sodom,ontheotherhand,requestsAbramtoreturnthecitizenstohiscity,and offerstoallowabramtokeepallthespoilsofwarforhimself. Consider how Abram responds to these two men, and why he responds as he does. Abram gave a tenth of the spoil to Melchizedek, as a tithe to the LORD, (acknowledgingthatthelordispossessorofallandthegiverofvictoryoverthe enemies of His people.) Abram returns all the rest of the spoils to the king of Sodom.Whydidhedoso?First,inordertohonorhisvowtotheLORD(14:22 23.) Second,inordertoavoidhavingthekingofSodombecomehisbenefactorandhis lord to whom he would be indebted. Apparently Abram vowed that if the LORD gave him the victory, he would give God the glory and not allow the king of Sodomtobecomehisbenefactor. Abram did what he did, even at a personal sacrifice, in order that he might be loyal to the LORD his God, and that he might not become indebted to the pagan king of Sodom. Abram realized that the blessing and favor of the world comes with strings attached, strings that can turn into cords of bondage. Abram rightfully acknowledged that the LORD God alone is our only Lord and true Benefactor. LetusbeloyaltotheLORDourGod,evenwhenitmeansmakingasacrifice.Like Abram, may we realize that the blessings the world offers come with strings attached when men bestow their blessings upon us, there is often times the expectation to receive reciprocal benefits or obligations. Like Abram, may we recognizethatthelordourgodisoursupremelordandtruebenefactor, JehovahGodisasunandashield.Jehovahwillgivegraceandglory;nogood thing will he withhold from those who walk uprightly. 12 O Jehovah of hosts, blessedisthemanthattrustsinyou.(psl.84:11 12) II.BeLoyaltotheLORDYourGod,byTrustinginHisWord Genesis15:1informsus, Afterthesethings,[i.e.,afterAbram srefusaloftheking of Sodom s offer], the Word of the Jehovah came to Abram. Once again as occurred earlier when Lot departed, note Genesis 13:14 15,(printed below) following a difficult, but godly choice, the LORD draws near to Abram with renewedassurance.

5 AfterLothadseparatedhimselffromhim,JehovahsaidtoAbram,Nowliftup your eyes from the place where you are and look northward and southward andeastwardandwestward; 15 becauseiwillgivetoyouandtoyouroffspring foreverallthelandthatyousee.(gen.13:14 15) BymeansofasupernaturalvisiontheLORDspeakstoAbram: Fearnot,Abram,I amyourshield,andyourrewardshallbeexceedinglygreat. Onceagain,hereisa word of assurance that Abram s faith and loyalty shall be rewarded and not forgotten. NoticehowAbramrespondswithareverentboldness: OLordJehovah,whatwill yougiveme? Abramisasking,WhatistherewardYouaregoingtogiveme?He goes on to inform the LORD, I am childless, and the one who shall inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus [Abram s servant], to me you have given no offspring. Abramprotests,OLORD,Youpromisetogivemeagreatreward,but whatwillbecomeofthatreward?youhavenotyetfulfilledyourinitialpromise togivemeadescendanttowhomicanpassontherewardyounowpromiseto giveme. The LORD assures Abram, this man[eliezer]shall not be your heir, but you will haveasonwhoshallbeyourheir (15:4.)AgaintheLORDrenewsHispromiseto give Abram a son and descendants as numerous as the stars. Abram, in turn, demonstrateshisloyaltytothelordbybelievinginhisword(15:6.)abramput histrustandconfidenceintheintegrityandtheabilityandthewordofthelord, astheapostlepaulwritesinromans4:18 21, [Despite all the obstacles standing] against hope, [Abraham] believed with hope, so that he might become a father of many nations, just as it had been spoken to him, So shall your offspring be. 19 And without becoming weak in faith,heacknowledgedthathisownbodywasnowasgoodasdead(hebeing about a hundred years old), and he acknowledged the barrenness of Sarah s womb. 20 Nevertheless,lookingtothepromiseofGod,hedidnotwaverthrough unbelief, but grew strong through faith, thereby giving glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that what God had promised, he was also able to fulfill. (Rom.4:18 21) Let us be loyal to the LORD our God, by trusting in His Word. One great expressionofloyaltyisacceptinggod swordwithconfidenceandbyhisgrace restinginitandactinguponit. III.BeLoyaltotheLORDYourGod,RelyinguponHisCovenant TheLORDremindsAbramofHisdivineidentityandpurpose.Hedeclares, Iam Jehovah. He is the sovereign God and the covenant God. Note Exodus 3:14 15, wherethelordrevealshimselftomosesinthesameway, GodsaidtoMoses, I AMTHATIAM. 15 Furthermore,GodsaidtoMoses, Thisiswhatyoushallsayto

6 the children of Israel: Jehovah, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the GodofIsaac,andtheGodofJacob,hassentmetoyou. TheLORDthengoesonto remindabram, IbroughtyououtofUroftheChaldeesinordertogiveyouthis landtoinherit. Abram, who had just expressed his faith in the LORD s Word (15:6,) now is emboldenedtoaskforadivinetokenorsigntobolsterhisfaith(15:8.)thelord honorsabram sfaithandcondescendstoabram sweaknessbygrantinghima tremendous token of assurance: the LORD enters into a formal covenant with Abram(15:9 21.) Whatisdescribedinverses9 21isacovenant makingceremonytypicalofthat day. The parties involved would bring several animals, which would be sacrificedandthecarcasseswouldbesplitinhalf.thedividedcarcasseswould then be arranged to form a corridor. The parties entering into covenant would then pass through the corridor of the divided carcasses, thereby pledging themselves to fulfill the covenant on penalty of death (Keil & Delitzsch, CommentariesontheOldTestament,ThePentateuch,Vol.1,p.214.) There is one significant difference between this particular covenant and the typicalcovenantsoftheday,inthiscovenantonlythelordpassedthroughthe corridor of death: a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between the pieces [of the divided animal carcasses] (15:17.) The smoking firepot and flamingtorch wererepresentingthelord sownpresenceandarecomparable tothepillarofcloudandpillaroffiredescribedinexodus13:21, BydayJehovah wentbeforetheminapillarofcloudtoguidethemontheway,andbynightina pillar of fire to give them light. The LORD was actively taking upon Himself the obligation to fulfill the covenant, while Abram was to passively rely upon the LORD sfaithfulness. In the making of this covenant, the LORD also explained to Abram what would happen and why. Abram s descendants would become foreigners in a strange land,theywouldbeoppressed;then,after400yearswouldcometheirsalvation. Abram s descendants must wait until the fourth generation to inherit the land, becausetheiniquityoftheamoritehadnotyetreacheditsfullmeasure (15:16.) Abram s descendants must endure while God s long suffering patience allows thesinoftheworldtocometofullfruition. The LORD honored Abram s faith and condescended to his weakness by establishingwithhimaformalcovenant.itwasacovenantthatprovidedabram with an added measure of assurance, but one that also exposed him to the awesomeness of God. Abram was exposed to the awesome Person of God as revealedingenesis15:12, whenthesunwasgoingdown,adeepsleepfellupon Abram; and a horror of great darkness fell upon him. Abram was also made acquaintedwiththeawesomewayofgodasrevealedingenesis15:13 16,

7 AndhesaidtoAbram,Knowforsurethatyourdescendantsshallbesojourners inalandthatisnottheirs,andtheyshallservetheinhabitantsofthatland;and that nation shall afflict your descendants for four hundred years. 14 But also knowthatiwilljudgethatnationwhomtheyshallserve;andafterwardshall they come out with great possessions. 15 But you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. 16 And in the fourth generation your descendants shall come back here again; because the iniquity of the Amoriteshasnotyetreacheditsfullmeasure.(Gen.15:13 16) AbramwasmadetorealizethattheLORD spromisesarefulfilledinhistime,and may require much patience and the endurance of much hardship before their fulfillmentisaccomplished.wemaynotehowthisverytruthisexpressedbythe hymnwriter,johnnewton,speakingfromhisownexperience: Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; grace has broughtmesafethisfar,andgraceshallleadmehome.(amazinggrace,john Newton) LetusbeloyaltotheLORDourGod,relyinguponHiscovenant,thecovenantthe LORDestablishedatCalvary,thecovenanttowhichallthecovenantsoftheOld Testamentpointed,thecovenantofwhichtheLord ssupperisthesymboland reminder, Thiscup[represents]thenewcovenant[ratified]bymyblood.Wheneveryou drinkit,dothisinmemoryofme. 26 Wheneveryoueatthisbreadanddrinkfrom the cup, you are proclaiming the Lord s death until he comes [again]. (1 Cor.11:25 26) Here is the covenant, which is the pledge that God will surely fulfill all His promises, However many may be the promises of God, in Christ is the yes [of their fulfillment].(2cor.1:20) Conclusion That young boy, Ryan Schmitz, was determined to be loyal to his favorite sports team;despitethepressureshefacedtobetraythatallegiance.mayweaschristians exhibitafargreaterloyalty:loyaltytothelordourgod.

Genesis KJV. stolen. 1 Chedorlaomer was the king who was being paid tribute. The 4 kings of the north were attracted to the same area

Genesis KJV. stolen. 1 Chedorlaomer was the king who was being paid tribute. The 4 kings of the north were attracted to the same area Genesis 14-16 KJV [1] 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; [2] That these made war with Bera king of