Abraham's Victory Over Chedorlaomer

    The race is not to the swift, nor is the battle to the strong. It is God who giveth the victory. The most numerous and the best disciplined armies are no security for success. Divine Providence disposes the event according to sovereign pleasure. Even without any miraculous interference, the most powerful armies are often defeated by a small number. So was it on this occasion. The household of Abraham, with a few confederates, obtained an easy victory over the forces of four powerful kings.

    Yet this does not imply that the strongest means in our power are not to be employed, and every exertion made to gain the purpose. Abraham armed his trained servants, and availed himself of the assistance of his confederates. He divided his band, attacked the enemy by night, and used every precaution, as if he depended for success solely on his own wisdom and power. He fought, he conquered; but God gave victory. "Blessed be the Most High God," says Melchizedek, "who hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand." God is the author of the victory obtained through the means of Abraham's little army, as truly as if the enemy had been defeated by the artillery of heaven, while Abraham and his men had been reposing on their beds. In all things let the people of the Lord trust in him with the greatest confidence; in all things let them with the utmost earnestness and vigour use the means that God puts in their power. This is the will of God with respect both to things temporal and things spiritual. Men are prone to separate what God has joined together. They either depend on means, or neglect them.

    In this affair we see also the Providence of God in bringing his people into danger, that he may try their faith, exercise their patience, and manifest himself as their deliverer. The rebellion of the kings subject to Chedorlaomer, his expedition against them, and his victory over them, were all necessary to show God as the author of victory to his servant Abraham. By this means Lot was made a captive, and Abraham obliged to attempt his deliverance. We ought not to expose ourselves to danger unnecessarily; but when the Providence of God brings dangers around us, we need not fear deliverance by Providence. He will either save us from ruin, or glorify himself and us in our sufferings.