The Children's Chapel Award-winning site, featuring Bible stories from a variety of authors, excellent Christian resources for children, and over 140 links to other Christian and family-friendly sites for kids. ~ A Ministry of The Missing Link, Inc. ~ THE ENEMY IS COMING! (This Bible story lesson was lovingly prepared for you by a team of four Internet volunteers.) Riiiinnnnnnnnggggggg!!! The school bell somehow sounded louder than it ever was before. John quickly stuffed his notebook, papers, pencils and other belongings into his backpack. It had been his first day back to school, but he was eager to get home now so he could go out and play. As he went out the door and onto the sidewalk, he couldn't help but notice that same boy who had been bullying him at recess. "Oh, no! Maybe I should go back inside." But just as John turned around to go back inside, the heavy door slammed shut, locking him out. Too late! The bully saw him coming and was headed straight towards him, with three of his friends right behind. "Hey, John!" he yelled. "Wanna fight?" John tried to act as if he didn't hear him and started walking on down the sidewalk. "Too chicken, AREN'T you?" the bully scoffed. Just then, Mrs. Shade, the art teacher stepped outside with an armload of books. "You boys run on home," she scolded. John breathed a sign of relief, as he watched the bully back away with his three friends. * * * After his father died, leaving him everything he owned, Lot left home and followed Uncle Abram, his father's brother. Because they each owned too many things, they kept getting in each other's way. Before long, in order to keep peace between them, Abram and Lot had to move away from one another. Lot chose to move near Sodom, simply because the place LOOKED so BEAUTIFUL. Yet he KNEW Sodom was a very WICKED city. Of course, he didn't move right inside the city...at first. He just lived near the EDGE of it, not intending to stay very long. Little did he know what was about to happen to him, along with everyone ELSE who lived in that evil city. Let me tell you what happened. Living so near Sodom, Lot no doubt often went into the city to sell some of the many things he owned so he could buy food. Perhaps he even sold food he raised in his own garden. Well, each time he went to the market, he learned more and more about Sodom. He found out Sodom's king wasn't really the ruler, for Sodom had been taken over by a king whose name was Chedorlaomer (ked-or-lay-oh' mžr). "Where is this other king?" Lot asked one day in the marketplace. "I've never seen him." "Oh," the merchant replied, "that's because he doesn't LIVE here. You see, he's king over four OTHER cities. He's ruled over us for 12 years now, and we're sick and TIRED of it. One day, we're going to show him who's BOSS!" So the people in all five cities banded together and made it known that Chedorlaomer was NO LONGER THEIR KING. Soon the news reached the king's ears. A messenger told the king what the people had done. "Well," said King Chedorlaomer, "if they think they can get by with THIS, they have another thing coming to them." "Send a messenger to my friends, Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, and Tidal king of Goiim. We will show these people who's boss!" And so it was that, in the fourteenth year of his rule, Chedorlaomer and his friends gathered all their armies together and headed toward the Salt Sea, conquering village after village as they went. * * * The news soon reached Sodom that King Chedorlaomer, his friends, and ALL THEIR ARMIES were coming. It struck FEAR in the hearts of all the people. Lot and his family moaned in panic: "What will we do NOW?" They wondered why in the world they had chosen to live so close to Sodom in the first place. But it was TOO LATE! The enemy armies were ON THEIR WAY. It seemed the entire city of Sodom was in an uproar. People were DASHING back and forth in ALL directions. Mothers were busy buying all the food they could afford for their families, so they wouldn't have to worry about running out of food. Fathers were RACING to get their swords sharpened, and to buy more weapons and armor to defend themselves, and then RACING back home to say good-bye to their wives and children. Children were running through the streets crying, trying to find their moms and dads. Oh, there was so much FEAR and CONFUSION. It was just TERRIBLE! The men of Sodom called for the men of the other four cities to come and help. Together, they met King Chedorlaomer and his friends and their armies on the same battlefield where Chedorlaomer had defeated them 14 years earlier. * * * THINK! 1. How close did Lot move to Sodom? 2. Did he plan on staying in Sodom a long time? 3. How long did King Chedorlaomer rule over Sodom? 4. How many other cities did he rule over? 5. What caused the entire city of Sodom to be in an uproar? 6. When the people were afraid, what did they do? 7. Did they turn to God for help? 8. Who is bigger than any problem you have? REMEMBER God is bigger than any problem I have. A VERSE TO LEARN "Fear thou not; for I am with thee..." (Isaiah 41:10a). ALTERNATIVE VERSES TO LEARN "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee" (Psalm 56:3). "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen" (Matthew 6:13). PRACTICAL APPLICATION Has someone ever started a fight with you? Were you afraid? Did you run away, fight back or remember to ask God to help you? Can you remember what caused the fight? Why do you think people argue and fight among one another? What does the Bible say about this? [After discussion:] The Bible says we fight with others because our wicked hearts love to make trouble. We want what we don't have and try to take it from others. The reason we don't have, is because we don't ask God for it. And when we ask God for it, we don't receive it because God knows our hearts are selfish. God hears the cry of a humble heart and honors those who trust Him in everything, even scary moments. LET'S PRAY **************************************************** Dear God, when I'm afraid, give me the courage to trust You. Help me to always remember that You are bigger than any problem I have. In Jesus' Name. Amen. **************************************************** CAN YOU FIND THIS STORY IN THE BIBLE? Genesis 11:27-28; 12:4; 13:1-13; 14:1-7 BIBLE STORY ARCHIVE http://childrenschapel.org/bibstory2.html Copyright © 2002-2023 by Barbara Wilmerton Haas. You may NOT re-post this Bible story. However, you may freely link to it, provided visitors can see our web address when they click on the link. ----------------------------------------------------------------- JUST FOR FUN Bible Story Taken Prisoner (Bible Story) SING A SONG! Father Abraham God Can Do Anything Don't Be Afraid (The Donut Man) If you don't hear the music, make sure you have RealAudio Player installed. Word Search ----------------------- TEACHER RESOURCES Abraham Abraham (Little Fish Books About You and Me) Abraham (VHS Video) Adam Clarke's Commentaries Genesis - Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Genesis 14 Battles And Blessings Gleanings in Genesis - #19 by Arthur W. 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