OUR LORD WHO GIVES US SIGNS OF IMMINENT DANGER

The five kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboyim and Bela rebelled against the king of Elam who had dominated them for 12 years. In response to the challenge by his subjects, the king of Elam formed an alliance with the kings of Goyim, Shinar and Ellasar.

Genesis chapter 14 verse 9 - 10 records the five kings squaring off...

against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills.

This passage describes a detail of what occured when the five kings formed battle lines against the four kings. 

When they met on the battle field, the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled. Some men went through the valley of Siddim where a number of them fell into the tar pits that dotted the valley while other men fled to the hills.

In this battle against oppression, the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah  had two options: To flee down through the valley of Siddim or to flee to the hills. Those who went down to the valley were trapped in the hazardous environment while those who fled to the hills were safe.

This event parallels the prophecy described by the Lord Jesus in Mathew chapter 24.

Here, there is a struggle between the oppressed and the oppressor but at a certain point, when a sign of the times occurs, a rapid retreat is required and in this case, Jesus directs people to flee to the hills and not to go down into their homes to get their things. The passage reads this way;

“So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house.  Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.

This fearsome scenario should compel us to always keep watch for the signs that our Lord has indicated for our safety and be prepared to take action.

Amen.

Reference resource: https://bible.knowing-jesus.com