War breaks out in the region and Abram is going to have to rescue his nephew Lot because Lot settled in the area of Sodom. It will take us two days to look at this section of Genesis.
"At the time when Amraphel was king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goyim, these kings went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboyim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea Valley). For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled." (Genesis 14:1-4) These southern kings are tired of living under the rule of Kedorlaomer and decide to fight for their independence.
"In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran near the desert. Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazezon Tamar." (Genesis 14:5-7) Kedorlaomer and his allies are mighty conquerors. First they secure the trade route through the area known as "the way of the kings", then they come against the rebellious kingdoms who no longer want to pay tribute to or be subject to Kedorlaomer.
Kedorlaomer may have thought that the demonstration of his power in the region would compel his rebellious subjects to surrender without a fight, but instead they assemble for battle. "Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboyim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar---four kings against five." (Genesis 14:8-9) The exact location of the battle of the Valley of Siddim is a matter of dispute. Some Bible scholars and archaeologists and geologists place it at the southern end of the Dead Sea, while others believe it lay at the northern end of the Dead Sea near Jericho. Those who believe it lay at the southern end are in the majority, partly because Lot will flee quickly to nearby Zoar later in Genesis when Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed. Zoar lay near the southern end of the Dead Sea. Also, the southern end of the Dead Sea lay in the path of Kedorlaomer's conquering march through the trade route. In verses 5-7 are listed the regions he conquered on his way to put down the rebellion, which would have placed him near the southern end when he completed his march.
"Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills. The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. They also carried off Abram's nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom." (Genesis 14:10-12) Originally we were told in Genesis 13 that Lot pitched his tents near Sodom. Now he is actually living in Sodom. He wasn't put off by the fact that these people were living in opposition to the Lord when he chose where to settle. Now he's actually become one of their citizens. Because he's one of them, he suffers hardship right along with them when trouble comes. As an old saying goes, "If you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas." In other words, trouble often comes when a person keeps the wrong kind of company. Lot has been keeping the wrong kind of company. He's been keeping the wrong kind of company for so long that the conquering kings mistake him for a native of Sodom. They can't tell any difference between him and anyone else of that evil city. We run the risk of looking just like unbelievers when we assimilate too much into the godless ways of the world. As the children of the living God, there ought to be something different about us. We shouldn't look like unbelievers, we shouldn't talk like unbelievers, and we shouldn't behave like unbelievers. Lot fell into this trap, and because he did, Kedorlaomer and his allies can't tell any difference between him and the heathen citizens of Sodom.
Lot's sad situation in our study today should be a reminder to us all to examine our lives. Can people tell we are the children of God? Or do we look, talk, and behave like those who don't belong to Him at all?
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