The chapter begins with the kings north-east of Sodom, from the Babylonian, Sumerian, Assyrian and Persian area. From there, down through the valley where the cities associated with Sodom, was a major trade route to Egypt, called “the King’s Highway.” The kings from the north evidently dominated the route and subjugated cities such as Sodom along the path. Sodom and its sister cities would have prospered much from this trade, as well as from their fertile land, however, if they could be free from the northern kings, they could earn even more in trade taxes. So they rebelled against these northern kings.
All this lines up
with the description of Ezekiel about Sodom: proud, rich, indulgent, at ease,
and the sexual perversion inherited from Canaan’s cultural influence in the
region. The narrative is so accurate that historians and archaeologists still
refer to the bible as the best source. These texts could not have been written
in any later period, because the many details could not have been accurately
known then. Some specialists though disagree with the text, or with the way it
is traditionally understood, claiming we have been misled by the ages of the
patriarchs in dating, saying these ages are “honorary.” It is true that old
people are often respected by exaggerating their years, but it’s obvious that
the biblical text did not intend this. Abraham, the most honourable patriarch,
was much younger at death. The age of patriarchs follows real criteria, as
mentioned in earlier chapters.
Sodom and her
associated cities met the kings of the north in the Valley of Siddim, just
south of where the Dead Sea is located today. The battle didn’t go well and as
the men from Sodom fled, some fell into tar pits, which refers to the oil pits
prevalent throughout that region, as confirmed also by archaeologists today.
This may be mentioned for other reasons, but the text is clearly preparing us
for the coming destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, showing us how this
destruction came about. But that is for a later chapter.
The kings of the
north looted Sodom and also carried away Lot and his possessions. Abram then
mustered 318 men born and trained in his own camp and was joined by three
allies from the other tribes where Abram lived. They pursued the kings of the
north and regathered the people and possessions of Sodom, as well as Lot and
his possessions. On Abram’s return Melchizedek appears in the text with Abram,
with bread and wine.
Melchizedek
means king of righteousness. He was a priest of God (El) Most High. El was a
regional term used for god, magistrate or heavenly being. There were priests of
the Most High El (the creator of all things) throughout the region. These were
those who didn’t compromise with the idolatry and debauchery of the land, but
worshipped God in true revelation and conscience. Job knew God as El, Jethro
was a priest of El, and Balaam also was a prophet of El, though he was
compromised by money. But this doesn’t mean Melchizedek was a regional priest.
The text doesn’t say where he came from. He was king of Salem, which means
peace. This is the title for Christ in Isaiah 9. Unlike the other kings
mentioned throughout the chapter, Melchizedek is not linked with any region,
city or tribe. “Salem” here doesn’t mean Jeruslem, which was known as Jebus in
Moses’s time.
So Melchizedek
was not a regional king. He was God appearing to Abram in the flesh: The God/
man, like he later came in Christ. His is the superior priesthood, without the
fallenness of human priests, so he can represent man perfectly. He appears in
the text to make a covenant with Abram, which is the meaning of the bread and
wine. In this meal he makes Abram his covenant partner: sharing food in this
symbolic way is like sharing their lives, oaths and futures. Melchizedek didn’t sacrifice an animal, or
shed blood, although there were animals with Abram. His priesthood was superior
to Levi’s’ old temple, sacrifice format. His was a priesthood of peace, not of
bloodsheding.
This is telling us
that Israel wasn’t superior to those in the nations who worshipped El but was
appointed by El to serve them as his witnesses. This was the point of the
author of the New Testament book of Hebrews in chapter seven. Israel was not called
to take God exclusively as their own, but to serve the whole creation and
people of El Most High. By the time of the author of Hebrews, Israel had stolen
this universal God and made him their tribal god for their own supremacy. The point
of the book of Hebrews was that this bigger picture, this God Most High of all
tribes, was greater than Israel’s own temporary system, and the point of their
system was that when Christ came, he would lead the whole world back to El Most
High in truth.
Abram paid tithe
to Melchizedek, again, according to the author of Hebrews, to show (as a human
custom in Abram’s time) the subservience of Israel to El Most High’s universal
cause. Tithing was to be a ritual of Israel under the law, which Abram was enacting.
In Christ, our whole lives belong to one another: “This is my body given for
you. Do this, as I have done.” (Paraphrased) The text doesn’t say what
Melchizedek did with this tithe. As a theophany, he had no need of a tithe, so
presumably either returned it or shared it. Melchizedek appears as the architect
of the new city in which righteousness dwells, unlike the greed, empire and
debauchery that existed in Abram’s time, calling Abram to follow him to this
new creation. Abram then follows his usual custom of refusing to take from the
land what belongs to his neighbours and returns the possessions to Sodom.
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