Abram And Lot Seperate

Genesis series 3

Genesis 13:1-18

“Lot and Abram separate”

Credit:

“Letting God Choose”, by David Owns sermoncentral.com June 19, 2017. I used his introduction and the concluding illustration.

“THE COLLEGE PRESS NIV COMMENTARY: GENESIS VOLUME 2” Paul J. Kissling

Let’s Make a Deal

How many of you have enjoyed watching the TV show “Let’s Make a Deal” over the years?

It has been on and off the air since its beginning in 1963.

We can picture the host saying,

“You can keep your money and prizes or you can trade it all for what’s behind door number 3. What’s your choice?”

The audience and viewers watch as:

- the contestant twitches nervously while thinking:

- “What’s behind that door?

- Is it a new sports car?

- Or is it a year’s supply of dog food?

- Should I risk it all or hold on to what I have?”

Meanwhile, some of the audience members shout:

“Go for it!” While others shout “Don’t be a fool! Hold on to what you have!”

Some contestants:

- make the right choice,

- others make the wrong choice and get “zonked”

But as we all know, life is no game show.

Every day we are faced with all kinds of choices; some big and some small.

The consequences of the choices we make can lead to marvelous blessings or painful zonks.

Today, as we continue our study of the life of Abraham:

- we will explore an episode where he and his nephew, Lot,

- have some decisions to make.

I hope we can learn from Abraham and Lot:

- how to best to follow after God

- in the choices and decisions of life.

Let’s review:

- let’s be reminded of the developments of the story of Abraham that we have studied so far.

- God called Abraham when he was living in Ur of the Chaldeans and said to him:

“Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

Genesis 12:1-3

- Abram followed God,

- But not long after being in Canaan:

- a severe famine struck the area.

- he fled to Egypt without consulting God.

God never sent Abram to Egypt:

- Abram moves without God’s direction

- but manages to make a huge mess,

- God rescued Abram and Sarai from their MESS

- (read Genesis 12:10-20)

- Abram had entered Egypt without much, but he leaves a rich man

- God is faithful to his promise, and to Abram

Abram and Lot return to the Promised Land very rich

- But there is a problem

- There isn’t enough pasture for both Lot and Abram

Why is Lot even here?

- God said to leave everything behind, that included Lot

“The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.”

Genesis 12:1

- Bringing Lot along is now creating some problems

- Abram has shepherds, Lot has shepherds

- Land is scarce, tensions are high and

1. Abram Returns to the Promised Land a Rich Man (13:1-4)

Genesis 13:1 “So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him.”

- Abram is back where he started

- He went from Negev to Egypt and is now in Negev

- He is back, but now he is WEALTHY

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MAP SLIDE-

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Genesis 13:2 “Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.”

- Abram and Lot had a lot of livestock

- they also had need of adequate pasture

- this became a point of conflict

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Genesis 13:3-4 “From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the LORD”

This is the 2nd time Abam calls on the name of the Lord

“There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord”

Genesis 12:9

2. A conflict is brewing (Genesis 13:5-7)

“Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents.”

Genesis 13:5

- God told Abram to leave his extended family, including Lot behind

- In Genesis 13 we see that Lots presence will bring NEW PROBLEMS

- The ripples of disobedience can become large waves.