About Jesus Steve Sweetman

About Jesus Steve Sweetman

Chapter 13

Abram And Lot Separate (ch. 13:1 - 18)

In verse 1 we see that Abram, his wife, Lot and all the rest of the people who followed Abram to Egypt and also those he got while in Egypt returned to the Negev.

We see Lot mentioned here. Remember, Lot is Abram's brother's son. This chapter is the story of Lot and Abram parting ways. We should note that Lot went with Abram into Egypt. It is clear that Egypt affected Lot . You might say the influence of the world affected Lot greatly. He never lost this influence. Abram's going into Egypt I believe was not God's will, and when they left Egypt, lots of Egypt left with them. In Lot's case, Egypt was clearly part of his life. We also will note later that Hagar, and Egyptian left Egypt too, which caused great problems. It is difficult to recover from a backslidden place. It's not impossible, but to get the world out of you may not be an easy process, and you might have scars for life.

Verse 2 tells us that Abram became very wealthy while in Egypt. This is often the case. One can get materially wealthy when they leave God's will but become spiritually poor at the same time. This reminds me of the Laodicean church of Revelation 3. They were very rich in the eyes of the world but Jesus called them pitiful and poor. Wealth is often seen as a blessing from God but that is not always the case. It can be a product of the world and leaving the will of God.

Verses 3 and 4 tell us that Abram returned to the place in Canaan where he had first built an altar to the Lord at Bethel. Ironically, Abram seemed to have taken an excursion that was a waist of time. He returned to the place where he worshipped God and then decided to leave God's will. He's back to the start.

In verse 5 we see that Lot was becoming a man of his own. He had gathered many flocks and tents and people with him. Verse 6 simply tells us that there were too many people for the land to support. Verse 7 tells us that arguing broke out between the two camps.

Also in verse 7 we see another reason for the crowdedness of the land. Canaanites and Perrizites were also in the land, and had been there before Abram and Lot came to the area.

In verses 8 and 9 Abram tells Lot that they should separate. He figured there's enough land to the east and west that would support them all. So Abram told Lot that whatever direction he wanted to go in would be fine. He'd go the opposite direction.

Verses 10 and 11 tell us that once hearing this, Lot looked towards the east and west and understood that the land to the east, the plain of Jordan was "well watered, like the garden of the Lord and Egypt". When given the choice, man will always take the best and leave the rest to someone else.

Note the mention of the "garden of the Lord". This is in reference to the Garden of Eden. I don't believe the Garden of Eden was still in existence, although some Bible teachers suggest it might well have still been in existence. I think, if it had not have been destroyed before the flood, the flood would have destroyed it. That being said, people still remembered the account of the Garden of Eden. The thought of Eden was not lost to this point in history.

It's also interesting to note that Eden and Egypt are compared here with similarities. They were both well watered, resulting in many good things. In one sense of the word, the kingdoms of the world are pleasant to the eye, just as the kingdom of God is, but the kingdoms of the world are a false alternative to the Kingdom of God.

Verse 12 says that Abram lived in Canaan while Lot lived near Sodom . There might be something to why Lot located here. As I mentioned earlier, the things of the world seemed to have become important to Lot while he lived in Egypt. He might have seen similar things in Sodom that he liked. So often we try to get as close to sin as possible without sinning, but in reality, getting close to sin is actually sin itself, that is, if you're getting close to sin to enjoy it.

One thing we should learn about Canaan during these days. The Canaanite religion which later came to be known as the Babylonian religion was prominent. It was polytheistic in nature. It also mixed many immoral sexual activities with the religion. The Canaanite or Babylonian religion has affected societies, right down to our day in age, and can be seen at the end of this age in the Babylonian society in the book of Revelation.

Verses 14 and 16 are important prophetic verses. God tells Abram to look to the north, south, east, and west. All that Abram saw would be given to his "offspring", or "seed". Once again we have to note the word "seed" is singular. The word "offspring" can be either singular or plural, but the Hebrew text has it singular here, and as notice before, Paul picks up on this singular word "seed" and says it is actually Jesus. So in one sense of the word, and it might well be the most important sense of the word, "this land would one day be given to Jesus". I believe this will happen in the thousand years of Christ's rule on earth.

Verse 15 further clarifies verse 14. We've noted that Paul told us to see the word "seed" or the word "offspring" as being singular, meaning Jesus. Yet when Paul was using this argument in Galatians 3:13 to 35, he was speaking of the Law of Moses in reference to salvation. He was not commenting on the specific piece of land that we see mentioned here. What this verse is saying then is that the land mentioned here at some point in the future will be given to Jesus. We learn elsewhere in Genesis that it will also be given to Abraham's descendents.

Verse 16 tells us that God will make Abram's offspring like the dust of the earth. Since Paul tells us that this offspring is Jesus, this must refer to all of those who have put their trust in Jesus, both Jew and Gentile.

I believe that this land, that is more than what Israel possess today, will be there's because God has promised it to them and to Jesus. This will happen in the thousand year rule of Christ. God told Abram that this land would be given to his offspring forever, therefore, I suggest that beyond the thousand year rule of Christ, this land will be Israel's into the new earth, as seen in Revelation.

Verse 17 tells us that God told Abram to go and walk through the land. See what it's like because "I am giving it to you." He's basically telling Abram to explore the land. God tells us to do the same. Whatever He gives us, it is ours to explore and enjoy, and use.

Verse 18 tells us that Abram did go and ended up at Hebron, where he built another altar. Hebron means communion. Abram communed with God at this place.

It seems that Lot had to leave, the two had to be separated before Abram could carry on with the will of God. It's also interesting to note that Abram searched for a city built by God as seen in Hebrews 11, while Lot chose to live by a city that was destroyed by God. It suggests to me that Abram's leaving God's will had more effect on Lot than it did on Abram. That is often the case. We may survive our backsliding, but others may not.

This chapter is about Abram returning from his departure from the will of God. We see that God did not cast Abram away. He had chosen Abram to be the founder and father of His people, and even though Abram strayed, that did not negate God's calling on his life, which Paul makes very clear in his discourse concerning Israel. He says that God's gifts and call are irrevocable in Romans 11:29. When you study the life of Abram, you'll understand Romans 9 through 11 much better.

Next Section - Chapter 14

Previous Section - Chapter 12

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