Genesis 13 &14 Casting in with Abram’s Lot & a Tale of Two Kings Life of Christ Semester I mr. e ~SRCS~ fall 08 The Jordan Valley

Genesis 13 &14 The State of Abram In what condition do we find Abram after returning from Egypt? 1. He had lost his communion with the Lord.   Abram did not build any altars in Egypt.  We are not told that he proclaimed the name of the Lord to Pharaoh.  We do not see him in prayer or believing the promises of God. 2.         2. He had lost his testimony before men. It is often true that the worst testimony to Christianity is Christians.  While Abram had been in Egypt, the chosen one of God had been rebuked by an idol-worshiping pagan. 3. He had lost his influence on others. Lot had gone with his uncle Abram down into Egypt.  Lot had seen the lie and its results.  He had seen the lack of faith in his uncle.  I cannot help but think that he had lost a measure of respect for the one who had been the spiritual leader of the family.  This lack of respect will be reflected later in Lot’s decision. The State of Abram

Genesis 13 &14 The Lot of Abram ch 13 2 Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver and in gold. 3 And he went on his journeys from the Negev as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the place of the altar, which he had made there formerly; and there Abram called on the name of the LORD. (Genesis 13:1-4) He has returned to worship the Lord.  As Abram returns to the Promised Land and again builds an altar and calls upon the name of the Lord, we are able to see the way in which we also make our return when we have allowed sinful actions to enter our lives. Confess it.  (1 John 1:9)      Get away from it. (Matthew 5:29-30)     Move on from there.  (Philippians 3:13-14) How’d he get this? What does this tell us about our Father?

Genesis 13 &14 The Lot of Abram Do you see the irony of Abram’s situation now? How is it a reversal of what drove him into Egypt The Lot of Abram   5 Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 6 And the land could not sustain them while dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together. 7 And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. Now the Canaanite and the Perizzite were dwelling then in the land. (Genesis 13:5-7). This brings us to another question.  How does one go about making difficult decisions?  Because this is a model for insight and generosity, there are several factors that we can observe in Abram’s case. The Factor of Circumstances. (What do you know?)…there was tension… The Factor of Biblical Principles (How is God going to work through you?); how can I model God to them?… The Factor of Self Sacrifice. (Christological!); give yourself… The Factor of Faith. (The common denominator of every believer)…Who gave it to me in the first place?

Genesis 13 &14 The Lot of Abram Abram lived by faith in this instance…how does Moses’ description of Lot’s basis contrast so poetically with the definition of faith? Genesis 13 &14 13:10 Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, toward Zoar. (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. 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 men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD. The Lot of Abram The background here is the fertile Jordan Valley (see title slide) Lot (by sight) Abram (by faith) Isolated In community Insecure Secure Corrupt Faithful

Genesis 13 &14 The Lot of Abram Does this happen to us? Are we this selfish and spiritually unaware? Are you where the surrounding influences have taken a hold of you and caused you to gradually become insensitive to what you know to be sin?...do you even recognize it as sin anymore? Of all the cities of the plain, Lot chose to camp near Sodom.  This city would become  a symbol for wickedness.  Lot’s move to this location would begin a downward spiral in which he would eventually fall into great sin.  There is a principle here.  It is that association often leads to compromise resulting in sin.   Association → Compromise → Overt Sin 

Genesis 13 &14 The Lot of Abram Pirating Are you where the surrounding influences have taken a hold of you and caused to gradually become insensitive to what you know top be sin?...do you even recognize it as sin anymore? Films ch 14 Association → Compromise → Overt Sin 

Genesis 13 &14 The Promise to Abram 14 And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, "Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; 15 for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever. 16 And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants can also be numbered. 17 Arise, walk about the land through its length and breadth; for I will give it to you."             18 Then Abram moved his tent and came and dwelt by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and there he built an altar to the LORD. (Genesis 13:14-18). For all practical purposes, doesn’t this seem a little hard to believe? That is what faith demands—trusting in God even if you thought you knew better

Genesis 13 &14 The Place to Abram This reads so much like an historical document…that it does two things: Establishes Abram’s historicity (place & reality) Show him to be ‘in the world, but not of it’ Genesis 13 &14 The Place to Abram  14:1 –7 (this king & that king…fought…rebelled…in the fourteenth year…etc…)  8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim 9 against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 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. 11 The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. 12 They also carried off Abram's nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom.  13 One who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother [c] of Eshcol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people. Note: Abram in his apparent ‘poverty’ gave all he had and was able to rescue Lot…who himself had pursued wealth and worldly things

b Genesis 13 &14 The Place to Abram Does his name sound familiar? Read Hebrews 7:2 Any idea what Salem is?… None other than the future Jerusalem itself! Genesis 13 &14 The Place to Abram b  14:17 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).  18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem [d] brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying,        "Blessed be Abram by God Most High,        Creator [e] of heaven and earth.  20 And blessed be [f] God Most High,        who delivered your enemies into your hand."       Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.  21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself."  22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath 23 that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.' 24 I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share." First mention of priests in the OT…what does he bear?..any parallels?…any foreshadowings? Note Abram’s response…

Genesis 13 &14 The Promise to Abram The name “Melchizedek” is a compound of two Hebrew words which have been joined together  Melech is the Hebrew word for “king.”      • Zedek means “righteousness.” Melchizedek greets Abram

Genesis 13 &14 The Promise to Abram Genesis 13 Genesis 14 Begins with strife between the servants Begins with strife between the of Lot and the servants of Abram. Elamite kings and the cities of the Jordan. Lot moves into Sodom. Lot is taken from Sodom. As a result of the strife, As a result of the strife, Abram separates from Lot. Abram goes to Lot’s rescue. After his separation from Lot, God After Abram’s rescue of Lot, comes and makes promises to Abram. Melchizedek comes and blesses Abram. God promises to give the land of Abram gives tithes to Melchizedek. Canaan to Abram.