ABRAHAM DEFEATS THE KING OF ELAM (
ABRAHAM DEFEATS THE KING OF ELAM (Iran)
Genesis 14
Sunday, 1/12/20
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Today I find my Spirit leading me back into the ancient prophecies about the beginning of Elam and the judgment of the nine nations. I am well aware I am preaching to people who are students of the Holy Writ. I pray the Holy Spirit takes this Word for His purposes.
I told Ginny earlier in the week I would preach on Song, chapter 6 because of the dancing angel I saw before Christmas and her question about the difference between the virgins and the Bride.
“What the daughters see is a woman full of the attributes which Jesus has just described. They affirm they see her in ‘THE COMPANY OF TWO ARMIES.”
They portray her as dancing between two armies rather than being like two armies. She is like an army within an army. Mahanaim meaning ‘to dance’ is translated in the Amplified Bible: encampment, army, host, troop-, band, or station of priests. If you take the last meaning and have her dancing between two stations of priests, here is a free and liberated overcoming Bride dancing in the midst of the Priests. This is how I see the church: filled with the Holy Spirit, dancing freely among the priests. We are overcoming kings and priests unto our God. The Bride stands boldly, as an army with banners, but free and liberated to dance without shame (like David) between the Priests.” (Song. Bible Teaching 2/15/2006)
If the Lord will bless the Word, perhaps there are many revelations applicable to today and He will grace the Word to be in the company of two armies, the church on earth and the Hosts of Heaven.
Elam (Southwest Iran) and Edom (Transjordan)
are two of the nine nations to be judged in the latter days as described in Jeremiah, chapter 49.
The monster of terrorism has two heads and was spawned by the union of the families of Ishmael and Esau---two oldest sons who were disinherited, and cheated out of their birthrights by their younger brothers, and unfairly rejected by their fathers.
In Genesis 28:9, Esau marries Ishmael’s daughter, although he already had other wives. Esau was Jacob’s---or Israel’s—elder brother. We know that he sells his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew because he doesn’t know how to pass the bread test---to live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.
When Esau marries the daughter of Ishmael, he comforts himself with thoughts of killing Jacob. Gen. 27:41: Esau hated Jacob because of the blessings with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, the days of mourning for my father are at an end; then I will kill my brother Jacob.
This is the same spirit that is behind terrorism in Islam today---a spirit that wants first to kill the heirs of Jacob and then also all of those who follow his God.
Ishmael’s descendents embraced Islam for one reason: it spoke to the void in their heart that God is not a father and could never have a son.
From Genesis 32:3, we know that Esau went to live in the land of Seir, in the country of Edom. Mt. Seir in the Bible means to bristle with terror. The people of Seir were violent and fierce. The Seirites were known as “The Hairy Warriors” or “Riders on The Storm.” The Edomites kicked the original Seirites out.
Esau was the father of the Edomites. The Edomites have a history of always causing trouble for Israel even after Jacob and Esau made peace. When Babylon came in to take Jerusalem, the descendents of Esau sided with the invaders. Remember what the Edomites did on the day the armies of Babylon captured Jerusalem. Destroy it! They yelled. Level it to the ground. (Ps. 137:7)
The same political and religious powers and principalities have been “assigned to block the establishment of the government of the Kingdom of God on the earth by instituting false government and corrupt political practices”. (The Political Spirit by Faisal Malack, Destiny Image Publisher)
Faisal Malick wrote in his book, The Political Spirit: “The Lord spoke to me and said that wherever the political spirit has dominion the nation of Islam will prevail. If the church in the western world does not conquer the political spirit in her own backyard, then how will she have the authority to deal with the Nation of Islam at her door?”
We have no authority over any demonic spirit, power or principality that has a place and power within us. The only way Donald J. Trump can drain the swamp of the political spirit in Washington D.C. is to not allow the political spirit to rule him. His only authority over the nations is when he does not operate from the political spirit of the swamp.
The nation of Iran is the chief sponsor of terrorism in the Middle East. They are included in the nine nation prophecy of judgment in Jeremiah, chapter 49.
On January 3, 2020, the United States Government under the authority of Donald J. Trump ordered the assassination of General Soleimani, the chief of the might of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
A strong man in the flesh is by definition a political leader, a military leader, or someone with jurisdictional power, control, or authority who is influenced by the political spirit. This person might not necessarily have legal or positional authority, but they have imposed their influence and control over a territory or region---they have established their authority, whether it is legitimate or not, over a specific area.
They are controlled by a demonic spiritual power and principality over a region. When we take out the man, we don’t take out the demon, but if we have spiritual authority over the demonic strong man, we take authority over the region.
This is a “key” as to why we have never been able to take authority over Iraq or Afghanistan. We have within our leaders the same spirit controlling those nations.
Jeremiah 49: 35-39: “Thus says the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might. And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of Heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come. For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and before them that seek their life; and I will bring evil upon them, even my fierce anger, says the Lord; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them; And I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from there the king and the princes, says the Lord. But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring again the captivity of Elam, says the Lord.”
The other nations included in this judgment are: Ammon, Edom, Damascus (Syria), Kedar and Hazor (Arabs) , and Elam.
Elam was one of the sons of Shem, the son of Noah and who were given the nations of the earth:
Gen 10:32These were the families of the sons of Noah, according to their generations, in their nations; and from these the nations were divided on the earth after the flood.
The next mention of Elam is in Genesis 14.
The peaceful patriarch, Abraham becomes a successful warrior.
Lot had chosen to live in Sodom despite it being a notoriously wicked city. It was also a very wealthy city which would explain Lot’s temptation. Four kings made war with the KING OF Sodom:
- Amraphiel, king of Shinar (Babylon) – keeper of the gods, speaker of mysteries.
- Arioch, king of Ellasar – lion like venerable.
- Ched-or-laomer, king of Elam
- Tidal, king of nations (Prince over the United Nations?)
It is significant in verse 5, that Ched-or-la-o-mer and his allies smote and conquered the giants of Canaan. Abraham, in turn, defeated those who proved to be stronger than the giants.
- Lot is beginning to reap the results of his sowing to the flesh.
- Thirteen is the number of rebellion (vs. 4). The kings of the Jordan valley (including the effeminate men of Sodom) were defeated in The vale of Siddim (wild country= the world).
- Verse 10 – The vale of Siddim was full of slime-pits (swamps), and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there. They that remained fled to the mountain.
- Selfish Lot lost his goods (possessions.)
14:12-14: They took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed. There came one that had escaped and told Abram the Hebrew…when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them to Dan.
Abram brought back and restored all. His response to his carnal “brother” was:
- Prompt and Selfless
- Planned and he surprised the enemy.
Obviously the king of Sodom (17) was under obligation to Abram, and he made an offer to Abraham to take the goods for himself. Abram meant to be under no debt to any man---least of all the king of a city of Sodom’s evil reputation.
14:22-23: Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up my hand to the LORD, the Most High God, the possessor of heaven and earth. I will not take from you a thread even to a sandal strap and that I will not take any thing that is yours, less you should say, I have made Abram rich.
(Note – John the Baptist said he was not worthy to loose the sandal strap of Jesus)
Abram had already separated from the desire to get wealth. There is nothing wrong with wealth; but it must not be the desire of our heart. He could walk away from that which was not clean before God.
Abram is met by Melchizedek, King of Jerusalem. Abram had just defeated the heathen kings, and brought restoration and deliverance.
Some have said this encounter was the turning point of creation. Melchizedeck gave Abram bread and wine. This rejuvenated Abram and he gave this life to Sarah and she bore Isaac.
Melchizedek worshipped El Elyon (God Most High). El was worshipped by the Canaanites as their supreme deity, as father and creator, and the title Most High was also well known to them.
The wording of Abram’s reply (Vs. 22) makes it clear that the God worshipped by Melchizedek was none other than the LORD—the God who had appeared personally to Abram.
The name Melchizedek is translated “king of righteousness, king of justice, righteous rule, upright counselor, righteous judgment.” Do I believe this was a visitation from the LORD JESUS CHRIST? Yes I do. You see the same LORD who visited Abram visited him again and strengthened him again after the battle.
The Melchizedek priesthood ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ is referred to in the bible as:
- The High Priestly Ministry (Heb. 5:10; 6:20)
- The Zadok Priesthood (Ezek. 44: 15-31)
- The Royal Priesthood. (1 Pet. 2: 9-10)
The realm out of which the Melchizedek order flows is the Most Holy Place of the Holy of Holies, the realm ”within the veil.” The writer to the Hebrews summed up this More Excellent Ministry by stating God’s ultimate intention:
A man in the throne with a ministry. (Heb. 8: 1-6)
I have a teaching on the Melchizedek on the website if anyone is interested in following up.
I want to close with one more point of interest to myself:
Sodom as we know was doomed; but Jerusalem which figures nowhere else in Genesis had a notable future and destiny marked out for it, as the city of God’s choice and presence. It was wholly fitting, therefore, that the ancestor of Israel, the father of faith, Abram, should stand under the blessing of the God over Jerusalem.
Just as Abram represents the people of Israel and the father of faith, Melchizedek represents the King-Priest ministry of Jesus Christ.
Psa 110:4The LORD has sworn
And will not relent,
“You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.”
The Lord is at Your
right hand; (Jesus Christ)
He shall execute kings in the day of His wrath.
He shall judge among the nations,
He shall fill the places with dead
bodies,
He shall execute the heads of many countries.
Thus, Genesis 14 is prophetic of God’s ultimate plan of salvation, redemption, judgment and sovereignty over the kingdoms of the world.
The name of God used in Genesis 14:18 is “THE MOST-HIGH GOD.” This is the highest realm and order of ministry. El-Elyon is the God who possesses Heaven and earth, the God of fullness within the veil.
God’a heart has always been for the nations. He established a covenant to bless the nations through the seed of Abraham, which was fulfilled in Christ Jesus. Salvation has come to every nation who will receive Jesus Christ through the blood of the Lamb.
God will require of us an uncompromising spirit. We must dismantle the influence of the political spirit first within our own lives, then in our churches, and then in our nations. This must not only be displaced through divine strategies of faith, knowledge, and prayer, but it must also be replaced with the government of God’s Kingdom.
Chapter 49: Jeremiah’s word to the (9) nations including Ammon, Edom, Damascus (Syria), Kedar and Hazor, and Elam.
Bibliography: The Political Spirit by: Faisal Malick; Principles of Present Truth from Genesis by: Kelly Varner; F. F. Bruce Bible Commentary, H. L. Ellison. Various sermons by Pastor Sissom on Elam and the Judgment of the Nine Nations.