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name of this Most High God, taught Abram that the great deliverance that had been
accomplished was entirely the work of this Mighty One, and Abram had recognized the
truth and blessedness of all this by giving tithes of all the booty before ever he returned to
Sodom. He was thus equipped to meet the offer of Sodom's King:--
"And Abram said to the King of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the
Most High God, the possessor of heaven and earth (oh, how small the goods of Sodom
become by comparison! How small Lot's choice, with the northward, southward,
eastward and westward of a separate blessing!) that I will not take from a thread even to a
shoe-latchet, and that I will not take anything that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have
Abram rich: Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men
which went with me, Aner, Eschol, and Mamre; let them take their portion."
Abram is jealous of the glory of God. How marked a contrast with the sad lapse
before Pharaoh. Abram's attitude must have been wholly unintelligible to the King of
Sodom, especially as one professing like faith had acted so differently. "The far more
exceeding, age abiding, weight of glory" is in view "while we look not at the things
which are seen". An eye on the well-watered plains or the goods of Sodom would soon
lead to the reasoning that these things were Abram's possessions--for had not God
Himself given them to him? But no, away with the thought--the blessing is vitally
connected with righteousness and holiness, and to be a pilgrim in the midst of the earth is
our only capacity "till He come". Greater riches than the treasures of Sodom are in store
for Abram:--
"After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a great vision, saying,
Fear not Abram, I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward."
Great faith leads us face to face with great reactions. Abram had exposed himself and
made possible enemies by his victory. He had further repudiated legitimate reward, and
to confirm his faith and still his fears, the Lord reveals Himself in the twofold capacity of
shield from enemies, and reward in the place of Sodom's repudiated gifts. As the man of
faith goes on in the pilgrim pathway, he learns by blessed experience that his all is in
God. Presently (chapter 17:) God will reveal Himself in a yet fuller light as El-Shaddai,
God all-sufficient; but for the time being Abram's faith can rest satisfied in God His
shield and exceeding great reward.
There is no surer shield and reward for either the writer or the reader, than the same
Most High God, made known to us by Him Who ever liveth at the right hand of the
majesty on high. Oh that we all carried the name of the Lord so high and so clear that we
could always repudiate the temptations of the world "lest it should say, I have made
Abram rich"! None shall enrich the child of faith but God alone. The wilderness journey
is designed to teach that man does not live by bread alone.
It is noticeable, that Abram had his faith "to himself alone". He did not impose it
upon Lot who owed his life and liberty to his intervention, neither did he allow his own
scruples to rule the attitude of Aner, Eschol and Mamre. The cause of truth is often
hindered by zeal unaccompanied by knowledge. Think of the offence often caused by
one believer telling another believer that he ought not to take the Lord's supper, for
instance. In the first place the probability is that the said believer is blessed under the