Battles are Personal
When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people. (Genesis 14:14-16 ESV)
War and Battles are, of course, usually fought about principles, ideas, and worldviews. We usually speak about fighting for freedom, fighting for rights, or fighting to end an evil thing.
But this first battle in the Bible is personal.
A war of rebellion had just finished in the Fertile Crescent. Five kings fought against an high king and three other kings… making a war of five leaders against four. We do not know what mottos had been shouted from city walls, or what motivated either side to fight.
But we DO know that Sodom and Gomorrah were on the side that was rebelling. And what we know about Sodom and Gomorrah gives us confidence in saying that they were likely the bad guys.
Abram did not take part in the war. He was not a king, nor dwelling in the lands ruled by the nine fighting kings. But when the Big Fight was finished, his nephew Lot had been taking captive.
And for Abram, that was personal.
So he took a force of 318 soldiers, and rescued Lot and Lot’s folk. God aided Abram, of course. How else could that small force defeat the victorious army made up of the soldiers of five kingdoms? And Melchizedek praises God for saving Abram during the victory celebration and worship that followed.
But notice that Abram fought a battle when it was personal. Yes, principles matter. But when we choose to fight, whether with swords or words, spears or speeches, arrows or conversations… it is personal.
And when the BIG battle of the Bible… Christ defeating His enemies on the cross, and in the empty tomb, it was also personal.
Yes, Christ saved His people. Yes, Christ defeated Sin. Yes, Christ was providing the way for rebels to return to God.
But it was also personal.
Christian, He did it for you.