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.
Notice that Lot and Abram are together:
- but not in the same place:
- Abram and Lot had separate flocks and separate tents form their respective men
Genesis 13:6-7
“ But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. 7 And quarreling arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.”
- Abram and Lot are not owners of any land
- Their pasture is in places no one wants, or in places no one else is using at the time
- Lot and Abram are wanders in the land, but they are not alone
Who else is living in the Land?
- Canaanites and the Perizzites
- The population of the area had increased
- While simultaneously reducing the already scarce pasture
Disputes break out:
- Between Abrams herders and Lot’s
- There are too many animals, not enough pasture
- Tensions are high, problems are mounting
The Promised Land:
- Is that Land that God has promised descendants of Abram
God had promised this land to Abram in Genesis 12:6-7
“Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.”’
- As of now the land is only a promise, not a possession
- It will be hundreds of years before God’s people go into the land
- To Abram and Lot are in the promised land, but they do not own it.
3. Abram almost gave the Promised Land to Lot: (Genesis 13:8-13)
“So Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives.”
- Abram works to stop the quarreling
- The problem between the herdsmen
- threatens to become a bigger problem between Lot and Abram
Abram and Lot split up:
- Abram says, let’s not fight, we are family
- It’s hard to over state the value of family for Abram and Lot
o Truly they are without any other friend in this land
o If they lose each other, they will be completely ALONE
o Being in the same danger of death and starvation
o Likely with no help from anyone.
Abram offers the Promised Land to Lot:
- but Lot picks the land to the East
- what a mess it would have been if Lot started populating
- the land of Canaan, that was to become the inheritance of Abraham
Genesis 13:9 “Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”
- Abrams intention is to be generous
- Let’s part as friends
- You go one way, I’ll go the other way
Genesis 13:10-11a “Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)11 So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east.”
- Lot sees that the land to the east of the Jordan is good land
- Has easy access to water and good for his growing herd of livestock
- Lot picks the area to the East,
Lot’s choice:
- He chose what seemed to be the best of the land
- What was best for himself, leaving Abram with what was left
Trouble awaits for LOT:
- Lot chooses the better land, but there is a cost
- His choice to the East near Sodom became a problem
- Later in Genesis Lot would lose his wife and his wealth
Why did Lot suffer for a choice most of us would have made?
- because he was greedy and chose the best land
- because he got too close to the evil in Sodom
- also because he was never supposed to be on the journey
There’s not enough pasture for all the animals:
- it’s a problem for Abram and Lot
- bc their men were fighting over the land
- When we go down the wrong path, there are few good choices.
- When you head into Sin, often our choices are between bad and worse.
- There is no right way to do a wrong thing
Remember the Call of Abram:
Genesis 12:1 “The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.”
- Abram should have left LOT behind:
- Abram invited Lot on this journey, God DID NOT
There would be NOT:
- Shortage of land
- Fighting between herdsmen
- Separation of Lot and Abram
- Lot would not end up in trouble in Sodom
It’s Dangerous when we try to do things God never planned us to do.
Genesis 11b-13 “The two men parted company: 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. 13 Now the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD.”
- Abram remains in the Promised Land or Canaan
Lot:
- Lot moves towards Sodom, eventually moves to Sodom
Genesis 13:13
“Now the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.”
- Lot moved toward and into Sodom
- Lot has planted himself in a place God soon destroys
- bc of their exceptional wickedness
Are we separating ourselves from wickedness?
Are we drawing nearer to God, and God’s people?
- Or are do we have one foot in the world, and one foot in the Church?
We live in a time of Spiritual apathy and decline:
- Where even proclaimed Christians have not time for the things of God
- When God is on a man’s lips, but not in a man’s heart or life
- Where Christians and pagans are found in the same place at the same time
- And who is a Christian and who is a pagan cannot be determined.
Lot moved to Sodom:
- some here within the sound of my voice need to LEAVE SODOM
- in this very room are too familiar with wickedness
- need to Stop sinning and start repenting
4. The Lord Renews the Land Promise (Genesis 13:14-17)
“The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west. 15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever.”
God repeats his promise to God:
- Clarifying that Abram and his seed are the heirs of the promise
o Revealing that once again
? God is faithful
? and can be trusted
God defines the promise clearly
Genesis 13:15 “All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever.”
Here we are Reminded that:
- God’s promises are better than what the world promises
- Though Lot thought he got the best of the world, Abram got God’s best
- The promises of the world are fleeting, hard to grasp
- Bring no lasting salvation, joy or hope
Genesis 13:16-18
“I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. “Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.” “So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the LORD.”
- Abram is going to have a lot of children
- Abram is told to walk through the whole land
- Tour the land God is giving your children
Abram builds and altar to the Lord.
- This is the 3rd altar that Abram has built for the Lord.
- Stretching from the North to the south
- The land is marked and mapped for the worship of the Lord
- Though Abram owned none of it.
1. Everything that glitters is not gold
- It appears that Lot made a shrewd financial decision.
- Lots financial decision was based on greed, not God
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
1 Timothy 6:10
The love of money leads us to search for more money.
- Money can’t save us, but it can sure destroy us.
Lot chose the fertile lands near Sodom and Gomorrah:
- But in the end, he leaves with the clothes on his back
- Penniless we assume
- Even though God saved Lots life, He lost everything
Possessions lie:
- The promise security
- They promise pleasure
- But they rust, they get old they deteriorate
- There is something better, “treasures in heaven”
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:19-21
There are some that are rich today,
- but when eternity arrives they will be bankrupt
- having invested all their efforts into things that will burn
Hebrews 13:5
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
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2. Keep the Peace:
Abram went the extra mile to make peace with Lot:
- gave Lot first choice of the land
- as the eldest, Abram could have insisted on having all the land
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
Romans 12:18
Abram teaches us that People are more valuable than possessions:
How different would the story have been for Lot if he had said to Abram:
- "I don't want anything to come between us.
- I will sell some of my animals if necessary, or get rid of them, if it separates us.
- Let's stay together, no matter what."
- His story would have ended so much better.
- Abram valued his relationship with Lot, over the profit he could have made
What are we willing to pay, for the presence of peace?
- When we are offended,
? do we seek peace?
? Or do we seek revenge
- When we do wrong
? Are we willing to apologize?
? To swallow our pride?
- When someone does us wrong:
? Do we forgive,
? Or do we hold a grudge?
11 A person’s wisdom yields patience;
it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.
Proverbs 19:11
3. Stay away from evil:
“Submit yourselves, the, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
James 4:7-8
- Fire is hot, It will burn you.
- wisdom will teach you not to touch fire
In the same way fire burns, sin leads to death
Lot drew near to the EVIL of SODOM:
- That move came with devastating price
- it appears that Lot’s decision has no place for God to speak
The best way to fight temptation, is to flee from it!
2 Timothy 2:22
“Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
Lot was flirting with temptation
- Sodom was known to be wicked, it was the original SIN CITY
- Lot moved right into town, he will pay dearly for his mistake
- to live so close to evil, yet thought it would not impact him
- he was naive to think he could live in the pig pen and not get mud on himself
Flee temptation, don’t flirt with temptation
Conclusion:
Allow me to end with an illustration from the life of legendary college football coach, Paul “Bear” Bryant, of Alabama.
After a tough loss on Saturday, Coach Bryant went to the barber shop for a haircut on Monday.
After a few moments of silence, the barber said with some disgust, “Coach, I don’t believe I would have put in that young quarterback just because the starter was not doing well. The turnovers made by that young quarterback cost us the game!”
Coach Bryant nodded and said, “Well, you know, if I’d had until Monday to decide, I don’t think I would have put in that young quarterback either.”
INVITATION:
As the old saying goes, “Hindsight is 20/20:
- don’t wake up in Hell and think, I really wish I had decided to follow Jesus
- then it will be too late,
- but there is still time…
Biggest decision is one of ETERNAL SIGNIFICANCE
Invitation:
Do you need rest?
- Are you weary?
- Are you carrying a load and you can’t carry it any longer?
Jesus said:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28
