Abram & Lot Seperate

Last week we looked at the account of Abrams failings in Egypt. We talked about how faith in God is often a direct result of experience with God. Abram failed to trust God’s promise because he had not yet experienced the character of the promise giver. Yet even in Abrams state of weakness God was faithful.

Abram left Egypt with is life, his wife, and even more riches because God is faithful to fulfill his promises. God had promised Abram if you leave your land I will bless you.

But as we will see today as a result of Abrams wealth conflict begins.

Genesis 13:1–4 CSB

Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev—he, his wife, and all he had, and Lot with him. Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold. He went by stages from the Negev to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly been, to the site where he had built the altar. And Abram called on the name of the Lord there.

So Abram after leaving Egypt returns back to the land that he had left from. A land that he had dedicated to the Lord by building an Altar. He returned the place of worship.

Altars were seen as a place where the gods met with people. So I get the sense that Abram went back to the same place maybe hoping to receive further instruction. However, things do not go as planned.

The Problem

Genesis 13:5–7 CSB

Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks, herds, and tents. But the land was unable to support them as long as they stayed together, for they had so many possessions that they could not stay together, and there was quarreling between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. (At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land.)

But once Abram arrives back in the land. He and Lot begin to have problems. Both of them have become so wealthy that the land cannot sustain them both. This seems reasonable because the land was probably still recovering from the famine they had initially fled.

Did you know that success and wealth can often bring with it it’s own set of problems?

Lot was no doubt like a son to Abram. In this situation both of them had become so wealthy they could no longer live together. I have seen many times that wealth or the love of it has separated many families. I have heard countless stories of after a loved one dies how siblings squabble over the distribution of the estate.

You have all heard of stories of best friends going into business with each other. Only to end up the bitterest of enemies over disputes about wealth.

But there is a much more subtle separation that happens slowly over days, months and years. It happens so slowly many do not realize that it has even happened until many years down the road. It often subtly hides behind the intention of providing a better life.

The pursuit of wealth in this nation has separated many parents from their children. Children are only small once. Sure money can buy comforts and pleasure. But It cannot buy back time. It cannot purchase your child’s heart or steward it toward Christ.

As you make career choices keep this in mind. Only you know how much you need to work in order to provide for your family. So we cannot judge each other. But I would encourage you to examine you own heart and ask yourself, “ have I prioritized these things over my children. Have I allowed wealth to separate me from my family? There is a difference between being a hard worker and having a high paying job and pursuing wealth. One is a blessing and one bring sorrow.

1 Timothy 6:9 CSB

But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction.

Now it seems that Abram and Lot were not wealthy because of a pursuit of if but rather by the goodness of God.

And in this situation Abram and Lot were both older adults . This separation probably needed to take place as there is some argument whether or not Abram should have taken lot with him in the first place. Abram was commanded to leave his father’s household. However, Lot may have been seen as part of Abram’s household because lot’s Father had died. Either way God was working and they come to this solution.

The Solution

Genesis 13:8–9 CSB

So Abram said to Lot, “Please, let’s not have quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, since we are relatives. Isn’t the whole land before you? Separate from me: if you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.”

Abram in order to preserve peace tells Lot, “hey it’s time to separate.” We’ve got this whole land before us. You go your way and I will go mine. Wherever direction you choose I will go the opposite direction. I’ll even give you the first choice of the land.

Genesis 13:10–11 CSB

Lot looked out and saw that the entire plain of the Jordan as far as Zoar was well watered everywhere like the Lord’s garden and the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose the entire plain of the Jordan for himself. Then Lot journeyed eastward, and they separated from each other.

Now verse 13 is giving us a hint of trouble that is coming for Lot. We will deal with that in a few weeks. But I wanted to point it out to you because we often miss that the authors of scripture are writing with intention. When we read fiction we understand this concept. In a mystery novel , we often notice when the author makes a point to give us some new information that we will see it again. This is the intent of Moses. He is leading us into the next account while still focusing on this present one.

So Abram gives Lot the best land and Abram chooses a land that is much more rugged and harsh.

So let’s take a step back for a moment and maybe look at this passage from a different angle. I want to point something out to you that maybe you didn’t notice before.

Why did Abram go to Egypt in the first place? He went because there was famine in the land. We know the famine must have been terrible because Abram was willing to risk his own life in order to secure provisions.

So Abram left because he was worried about provisions. Yet now upon his return to the land He gives away his best land. He gives away the very thing that would have provided for his needs.

So then what changed? What changed so much in heart of a man that at one point he is willing to lie about his wife’s identity and allow her to be taken by another man to provide for himself till now.

now he gives away his very means of provision, the land. So what changed?

The difference is Now Abram had experience with God. Do you see how his experience with God gave him the confidence he needed to allow Lot to have the best of the land.

His experience with God’s provision gave him the courage and confidence to put others before himself.

Faith wroughts FAith. If you want to serve God and have confidence in him you have to live by faith.

The man that believes will obey; failure to obey is convincing proof that there is not true faith present. To attempt the impossible God must give faith or there will be none, and He gives faith to the obedient heart only.30

A. W. Tozer