"Save A Lot"

“Save a Lot”

Genesis series 4

Genesis 14:1-16

Last week in Genesis:

- we looked at Lot’s and Abraham’s choices.

- Abraham gave Lot first choice of the land.

- Lot chose what he thought was the best land.

Sermon titles:

- We could have named last weeks sermon from Genesis 13 “Abram had a Lot to Lose”

- And I could have titled the message today in Genesis 14 “Abram had a lot to Gain”

- I tried other titles, and kept switching until

- I came up with my Favorite “Save a Lot”

We can rightly see:

- Abraham as a man of FAITH

- Lot as a man living by SIGHT

Hebrews 11:6

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Hebrews 11:8

“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.”

Summary of Chapter 14

Kedorlaomer (ked-r-lamer) has ruled over 5 subjegated kings for 12 years:

- The 5 Kings have enough and rebel

- they decided they had enough and stopped paying their tax.

- So the next year four kings go on the war path to teach them a lesson.

- the war, as described in Genesis 14 seems more like a slaughter

They defeated everyone in their path:

- the armies of king of Sodom and the other four kings are crushed

- sending them all running for the hills.

- after the sound defeat of Sodom, they destroying and looting Sodom.

- These kings conquered the land of Canaan; the land promised to Abram

- Sodom is sacked and Lot is captured while living in Sodom

Abram on the scene:

- Abram felt thought it was his job to save Lot

- This led Abram to being involved in the war to save his nephew Lot

1. There is a war between 2 sets of Kings.

- 4 kings and nations on 1 side

- 5 kings and nations on the other side including Sodom where Lot lives.

- battle lines are drawn, and there is war

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Genesis 14:8-9

“Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboyim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim 9 against Kedorlaomerking of Elam, Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five.”

How does the war affect Sodom, where Lot is living?

- Sodom is at war

- Sodom and Gomorrah are CRUSHED,

- The survivors run for their lives, are killed or taken captive

Genesis 14:10-11

“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. The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away.”

- Sodom and Gomorrah are plundered

- The other 3 cities were left alone

- The cities are WRECKAGE

SLIDE OF A WAR ZONE AFTERMATH

2. Lot is captured

“They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom.” Genesis 14:12

- In chapter 13 we see Abrams nephew LOT living NEAR SODOM

- today we notice that LOT is living IN SODOM

- Sodom is described in the Bible to be exceptionally wicked.

Lot is in a TERRIBLE SITUATION:

- Largely of his own making

- Abram brought Lot, even though God told Abram to leave his family behind

- Because there isn’t enough pasture Abram and Lot split forces,

- Lot moves near the wicked city of Sodom

- And then moves INTO the city of Sodom

Instead of calling Lot unlucky, we should instead call him UNWISE.

- He’s in a terrible situation,

- But we are always in a terrible position

- when we go where God does not.

Proverbs 14:12 (ESV)

“There is a way that seems right to a man,

but its end is the way to death.”

God’s way is the best way:

- it will come at a cost

- people may mock you

- it will mean cutting things from your schedule that you’d really like to do

- it will mean arranging your finances in order to honor God with the 1st Fruits of you harvest.

Remember did not do what God said

- Abram was supposed to leave Lot behind in Haran

- Lot wasn’t supposed to with Abram, and definitely NOT IN SODOM.

When we don’t stick with God’s plan, misery awaits: