1. The Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide Bible Study Program – GENESIS OVERVIEW (13)

2. Review of last Lesson from Capter 12: Abram is called by God to leave his home and go unto the place that God will “show him”. He is told to ake no family of possessions. Abram obeys only partially. 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: Gen 12:1 (KJV) And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. Gen 12:5 (KJV)

3. Abram’s partial disobedience, which may be understandable in Human logic, will lead to many complications and delays in God’s plan for Abram. God leads Abram to Bethel (House of God) Abram does no stop in the place God ‘ shows him’ (Bethel) but continues on down into Egypt to find more properous ground. It is worth noting that Abram built no altar in Egypt. Because of the beauty of Sarai, his wife, Abram lies – and causes Sarai to lie – about their relationship. This brings plague and judgment against Pharoah and his house. Abram is forced to leave Egypt and return to the place God had “showed him.” (Bethel)

4. Now we embark in another episode in the Calling of Abram who has now returned to the Land God has showed him from the first – Bethel. Bringing Sarai along from Haran has already created a problem for Abram in Egypt. We will now observe other problems that will arise as a result of Abram’s remission in obeying God to the letter as Noah had done so completely before. Chapter 13 follows…………………..

6. 1 And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. 2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; 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. Gen 13:1-4 (KJV) LEARNING POINT: Man’s disobedience cannot foil the plan of God, but may lead to a delay of intended blessings. There will follow more than one illustration of Abram’s failure to obey God completely with resultant setbacks following.

7. A Quarrel arises between Abram’s herdsmen and those of Lot.

8. 5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. 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. Gen 13:5-6 (KJV) The blessings that God intends for His elect cannot be divided with those who are not a party to the promise of God. Therefore, the Land of Promise was insufficient for Abram’s possessions AND those of Lot. It was never God’s will that Lot leave Haran and accompany Abram, so they could not dwell together.

9. 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. Gen 13:7 (KJV ) Anytime two groups are not agreed upon the Word of the Lord, there will be strife. If all have taken upon themselves that Mind of God revealed in His Word, the strife would cease. Note what contention exists between churches in our day. Why do you suppose this is so?

10. Abram is the elder of the two (Abram and Lot); yet it is Abram that initiates the resolution of the conflict. He proposes a division of the two familes – those of Lot and those of his own. Due respect for eldership should dictate that Lot would have approached Abram first to settle the matter, but virtue is the better part of valor, and Abram takes the first step to peace. 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. 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. Gen 13:8-9 (KJV)

11. Abram’s proposal: Lot, being the junior of the two, should have given Abram the choice between the divisions of land, but his greed prevented him from doing so. He (Lot) lifted up his eyes to the fertile, green plains over against that wicked city of Sodom, and chose that cursed plot of land.

12. 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. 11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. Gen 13:10-11 (KJV) Lot chose the riches of the world over those of Heaven. He desired the rich lands near Sodom to the arid lands that God had offered Abram. Every time that we place our desires above the Will of God, we are choosing Sodom over God’s promises. As we shall learn later, Lot pitched his tent “toward Sodom.” The next we know, he moves into the city itself and, finally, sits as a judge in the gate thereof. Sin is a direction!

13. 1 Blessed is the man that (a) walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, (b) nor standeth in the way of sinners, (c) nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. Psalms 1:1-6 (KJV) When we walk with the wrong crowd, we shall later sojourn with them, and finally, make ourselves at home with the scornful.

14. Lot leaves Abram!

15. 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: 15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. Gen 13:14-15 (KJV) Once we have returned to the Will of God, He will deal with us according to His promises as He does with Abram in renewing His promise when Abram returns to Bethel. The union with Lot caused a momentary delay but, once Lot departs, God renews His promise to Abram.

16. God renews His Promise to Abram:

17. REVIEW QUESTION: WHO IS THE SEED OF ABRAHAM AND WHO ARE THE CHILDREN OF PROMISE? Answer: Jesus Christ is the ultimate Seed of Abraham (Heb 2:16) and those who belong to Christ are the Children of Abraham. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise (true Christians) are counted for the seed. Romans 9:8 (KJV)

18. 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. 17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. 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. Gen 13:16-18 (KJV) Are those claiming lineal, physical descent from Abraham (Jews) as numerous as the dust of the earth? But those who are the spiritual children of faith, these are a host of untold magnitude. Note that wherever Abram goes to dwell, he builds an altar to the Lord. If there is not a quiet space in your home set aside for worship of the Lord, perhaps it is time to remedy that deficiency.

19. Abram builds an Altar on the plains of Mamre near Bethel.

20. Our Home Altar may include a worship table: Or……

21. Our home altar may consisit of only a park bench in our garden…..

22. Though we may refer to the altar of the home as an ALTAR, it is NOT truly so. For an ALTAR is a place of sacrifice, and there remains no sacrifice for sins apart from that once-and-for-all sacrifice made by our Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary. It is for this reason that the traditional and Reformed Book of Common Prayer makes no mention of an ALTAR. That furniture Upon which the bread and cup are served is called, rather, the Lord’s Table. This is a leading distinction between the Roman Worship and that of the Reformers. The romans believe that They make a sacrifice anew of Christ at each Mass on their altars, But the Reformers rejected that doctrine of ‘transubstantiation’ In recognition of the one and only sacrifice sufficient to cover all Sins – Jesus at Calvary. He is no longer on the cross as the Roman Crucifix portrays, but He left the cross and rose again for you and me.

23. NEXT: More trouble brought about by Lot’s choice! CHAPTER 14!