We will begin this lesson in Genesis 13:1 “And Abram went up out of
Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the
south.”
Last lesson, we learned that Pharaoh had sent Abram out of Egypt, when
he discovered that God had plagued him because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. We
notice, here, that Abram left nothing behind but took even the gifts that
Pharaoh had given him.
Genesis 13:2 “And Abram [was] very rich in cattle, in silver, and in
gold.”
We will find, throughout the Bible, that three things that God called
wealth, were cattle, silver, and gold. I really believe that cattle were
symbolic for all food. It is interesting that God did not include land, or
jewels as wealth. God’s people, many times, are wealthy. It is not the
riches that are sin. It is the love of riches.
Genesis 13:3 “And he went on his journeys from the south even to Beth-
el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el
and Hai;” Genesis 13:4 “Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there
at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.”
In this, I believe Abram saw that he had sinned, and went back to find
God, to get forgiveness, and begin again. That is where so many people fail.
When a Christian realizes he has sinned, he should repent, and go back to
his first love of God, and begin again.
Genesis 13:5 “And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and
herds, and tents.”
When a man has great wealth, as Abram did, his family as well usually
has wealth. Abram loved Lot as a son (which he did not have) and, probably,
helped Lot get these things to help him get started.
Genesis 13:6 “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.”
Lot was now grown. It was time for him to go out on his own. He had
acquired great wealth along with Abram. They had so many animals, there was
not enough grazing for them all.
Genesis 13:7 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.
It was safer to dwell together, in case someone attacked them, but the
land was not able to sustain both large herds, and their servants were
fighting over the best grazing spots. So many times large groups of people
cannot dwell together without strife. It is even difficult for two families
to live in the same house without fighting, and these were large groups of
people.
Genesis 13:8 “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.”
Abram did not want to fight with Lot. So many times when a young man
becomes of age, there is strife in the home. Both the father and his son,
who is of age, want to be the authority. Neither wants to be under the
other, and conflict arises. The only way to solve the problem is for this
adult son to move out and establish his own home. Such was the case of Abram
and Lot.
Genesis 13:9 “[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.”
Abram was telling Lot to choose first, and he would take the land Lot
did not want.
Genesis 13:10 “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.” Genesis 13:11 “Then Lot chose him all the
plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the
one from the other.”
Lot chose what he thought was the best for himself. This land had
plenty of water and was very fertile land. Lot was looking at the physical,
and not the spiritual. He had not taken into consideration the evil
lifestyle of the people. Abram was satisfied with the land Lot did not
choose. Abram’s unselfishness would be rewarded.
Genesis 13:12 “Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in
the cities of the plain, and pitched [his] tent toward Sodom.” Genesis 13:13
“But the men of Sodom [were] wicked and sinners before the LORD
exceedingly.”
Whether Lot knew that the men of Sodom were evil or not at this time
were not mentioned in the Bible. Lot should have checked this out before
moving in with them. Notice the Scripture above, it was not enough to just
say they were wicked and sinners. God considers homosexuality a terrible sin
(exceedingly).
Genesis 13:14 “And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was
separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where
thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:” Genesis
13:15 “For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy
seed for ever.”
God showed Abram the Promised Land, which his descendents will receive
as part of God’s promise to Abram. This was not for Lot’s descendents, only
Abram’s.
Genesis 13:16 “And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so
that if a man can number the dust of the earth, [then] shall thy seed also
be numbered.”
Here, again, God teld Abram (even though he was very old) I will make
so many descendents of you, that they will be impossible to number. God
felt He needed to reassure Abram that he would have children and
grandchildren. Abram, by this time thought, that the only descendents he
would have would be through his nephew, Lot.
Genesis 13:17 “Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in
the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.”
God set the boundaries of Israel right there that day. The Israelites
still claim this territory today.
Genesis 13:18 “Then Abram removed [his] tent, and came and dwelt in the
plain of Mamre, which [is] in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the
LORD.”
Wherever Abram was, he built an altar. Hebron is an area still with the
same name. “Hebron” means community and alliance.