BRAGADAYJAH 38

Imagine 300 men, however well trained and well armed, pursuing after a conglomeration of a hoard consisting of ten vanquishing, marauding, bloodthirsty, battle proven armies. Yet Abram took only 300 men and chased after them. Not only did he vanquish them, he was able to retrieve all they had taken away from his friend Lot, including Lot’s family and all his people, including the people of Sodom which had been carried away captives. On his return, having slaughtered Chedorlaomer and his massive army, Abram met with the new King of Sodom, who came forth to meet him. Indeed the return of the victorious Abram created quite a stir as even Mechisedek, King of Peace and Priest of the Most High God, performed the first known sacrament of Holy Communion, using in historical if prefigured perspective, the elements of bread and wine. At this ceremony also, we see the first pronounced beatitudic prayer, “Blessed be Abram of the Most High God; possessor of heaven and earth. And blessed be the Most High God which has delivered thine enemies into thy hand.” And here again we see Abram’s nobility of spirit; for when the King of Sodom suggested to him that he should keep all the goods he had retrieved and return the people only, Abram declined, acknowledging that what he had achieved in completing his mission was by and through the mercies and power of God. Therefore, he told the king, apart from that which the young men had eaten, (after all they had earned their keep), and the portion for the men who went with him, the King and his people could have it all. In any event Abram wanted to have none of the spoils of war, although he too would have incurred considerable expense in feeding and outfitting his men. More…