What Will You Choose; Good Or Evil?

Abraham and Lot

What Choices Did They Make?

We are going to make comparisons between Abraham and his illustrious nephew Lot, but before making those comparisons, let us look at Abraham, his life and finally his choices.

Genesis 13:1-2 tells us that, “And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.” As we can see from these passages, it is apparent that: Abraham was rich and successful. Why was Abraham’s materialistic blessings mentioned in the first two verses of Genesis 13? Does this mean that being wealthy is a significant component?

For a clearer understanding of his materialistic blessings, let us go to Genesis 12:1-2 where the Scriptures say, “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.”

Let’s look more closely at the conditions and the promises of God: (1) There is a condition, and that condition is: “Get thee out of thy country, and from they kindred, and from thy father’s house, (2) unto a land that I will shew thee.” We see the conditions, and with every promise there are conditions that must be met before the promises are manifested. Abraham met those conditions.

The promises: (1) “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.” We can now understand Genesis 13:1-2, where we see that Abraham was not only blessed materialistically but spiritually as well.

Abraham Settles A Dispute

Genesis 13:5-9

“And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.

And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.

And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.

And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.

Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.”

Although Abraham was the older of the two, he amicably agreed to let his nephew, Lot have the first choice in the land. Abraham wanted peace because he believed that God would protect him and supply his needs. Perhaps, he remembered the promise that God had made to him, that he would bless him, and he held firmly to that promise.

Lot And His Choices

Let’s look at Lot and the choices he made in comparison to Abraham. What land did he choose? And what was the consequences of those choices? For a clearer understanding, let us go to Genesis 13:10-12. “And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.

Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.

Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.”

The Bible tells us that, “Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot….,…pitched his tent toward Sodom.”

What exactly was Lot doing? And why did he pitch his tent toward Sodom? For a cross reference, let’s go to the New Testament, to Luke 10:12. “But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.” From these passages, we can clearly see that Sodom was a wicked and evil city. Let’s look at Genesis 19 for more clarification.

Genesis 19:1-3: “And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.