Tag: Land

At the end of chapter 12, we saw Abram is asked to leave Egypt, and now he is returning to the place which he should have never left.
So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. ² Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.

I just like to bring your attention to this verse, Egypt in bible represents the WORLD so, in the Bible, you always go DOWN to Egypt, and whenever you go towards Jerusalem, You are going UP. As we read Verse 2, it seems as though no harm was done by Abram going to Egypt. He is still very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold. It seems there was no consequence to his disobedience. Sarai suffered in Egypt, but Abram did not have to go through any hardship, a matter of fact he came out with more servants and all his possession. Lot of times we feel same way. We stray away from God and things work out well. We even might come out ahead and say see God actually blessed me although deep down you know, you disobeyed God. Although it seems like there was no harm done on the surface by Abram going down to Egypt, there was a big mistake made, and it altered God’s plan. As you see, one of the female servants who came back with Sarai from Egypt was a beautiful woman named Haggar. We all know what happened later in that story. Sometimes, we do not realize the damage we cause by our disobedience. Whenever we do not seek guidance from God when we are in a famine of life, we may end up going down to Egypt and picking up Haggar in our life.

Verse 4 tells us that Abram went to the place where he first built the altar, and he called on the name of God. You see while he was in Egypt, he never built an altar. He had stopped worshiping God, but here first thing he does is seeks out God. It is imperative to come back and repent to God in our Christian walk. We all fall short of the glory of God as roman 3: 23 tells us, but when we do, we must ask for forgiveness. Peter denied Christ, but when he repented, he became a rock of the early church.

Verse 5-7 tells us about the developing conflict between Lot’s herdsman & Abram Herdsman.
Verse 7: And quarreling arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.

In today’s world, we are very much aware of the conflict. We have conflict everywhere. There is conflict within the family, workplace, church Etc. We as Christians have to behave in a certain way when conflict arises. As written here, others were watching how Lot’s herdsman & Abram’s herdsman were acting and that reflected on the testimony of Abram & Lot. Similarly, the world is watching us. How we interact with people and when they see us bickering and arguing, we are discrediting our testimony and providing a bad witness for our God. If there is a conflict within the family, remember people are watching your behavior. How are you speaking to your wife or husband, your kids are watching. How are you treating your elderly parents or elders in general, you are teaching your kids how to treat you in the future. In church, people are watching if there is constant disagreement, bickering, and conflict, we need to pay attention to how we deal with that. There might be congregation members who are not firm in faith or may now be born again at all, what kind of testimony are you giving to them. John 13: 35 tells us, they will know you are my followers by your love for each other.

In rest of the chapter, we see how Abram has grown spiritually after his journey to Egypt. When you do fall and go through a time of trial in your life, if you recommit to God and seek him, you become wiser and more spiritual. We see how Abram deals with the conflict and we learn about ” Wisdom of Abram,” and I am going to saw you in contrast “Foolishness of Lot.” This part of scripture is an excellent teaching on how to deal with conflict and what our attitude should be.
So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. ⁹ Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.”

First thing Abram does is, he acknowledge the problem. How many times we see that we don’t address the issue until it is too late or far out of hand and lives are ruined, or relationships are broken? Abram decided to deal with the problem right away.

Secondly, he clearly pointed out such conflict is not right between relatives. Yes, sometimes conflict arises within a family, church, between husband & wife, brothers but what unites us is far greater than what divides us. There is nothing that should separate the family which is joined in Christ. Notice he does not say your herdsman but rather MY herdsman. Many times we are so eager to point out someone Else’s mistake and downplay our on part in the conflict, but here Abram who was older takes the blame first. Remember this next time you have a disagreement with your wife or husband or in church committee, a softly spoken question or comment will quite the heart instead of inflaming the other person. Read Proverbs 15 1-2 for reference

Thirdly, Abram lets Lot choose. He acknowledges the problem. Abram outlined the reason for the problem, and now he is giving the solution to the problem. Abram was the uncle and an elder, he could have just said to Lot, you go this way, and I am going to go this way. I have raised you, I am the patriarch of the family, and we are going to do it my way, but instead, he presented the solution and let Lot decide where he was going to go, and in doing so he was going to choose where Abram was going to go. What dignity and humility. Imagine if we had this kind of an attitude in churches today? Would we need to take votes in committee? How about within family? What if an older brother said to younger brothers & sisters, you know here is the family property you choose what you want, and I will take the rest.

What an excellent teaching by Abram in spiritual maturity. What wisdom he shows in dealing with Lot. In contrast, we see the foolishness of Lot. In Verse 5 we read that Lot also was rich in livestock and in silver and in gold but what we never learn if he ever built an altar to God. He was weak in devotions. He was with Abram from the time he left Ur to now, he saw Abram built alter and worship God, He may even have participated, but he never builds one to God. He never developed the relationship with God, and we see the results of it in his decision.
¹⁰ And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. ¹¹ Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. ¹² Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. ¹³ But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord.

First mistake Lot made was, he did not differ to his uncle, Abram. He was the younger nephew and, he should not have forgotten that. Abram was gracious enough to let him choose, he should have shown the same respect to Abram.

Secondly, he lifted his eyes high but not high enough. He did not seek the guidance of God. He did not seek God’s will. How many times we make the same mistake? We do all kind of research before buying a home or searching for a new job. We look at all the factors just like Lot. He saw the land was well watered and green like the garden of Eden, but he did not see the wickedness of Sodom & Gomorrah. Our site is limited and restricted. He should have looked higher. His lack of relationship with God and lack of daily walk hindered him. Until this point, he went where Abram went, but when he had to make his own decision, he failed.

Lot’s behavior is a great warning to us. We are a lot like LOT. We make a lot of our decisions based on the information available now, and we fail to seek God’s will. We choose our kids School very carefully but ignore to pay any attention to which Sunday School they are attending. Lot chose foolishly, and his kids were influenced by their surroundings, and later in chapter 18 & 19, we will see the consequences of his choice and effect on the lives of his kids. Where you are attending church is very important. Are your kids getting right teaching? Are you getting proper teaching? Lot walked with Abram from his childhood. Abram probably taught him all he knew and, by being close to Abram, Lot reaped the benefits of blessings Abram received from God but, he failed to learn the most critical lesson, relationship with God and worship of God. Many of us today go to church, we are born into a Christian family or even in a pastor’s home. We may also be a leader in the church and perhaps serve the church, God has blessed you or what you may think as a blessing, but if you do not have developed a personal relationship with Christ ( been born Again), you are a lot like LOT. You are weak in devotion, and you will pay the price of your decision like Lot did. What may seem like well-watered green land just might be Sodom, and your destruction might be right around the corner. Salvation is a personal choice, and each one of us has to make that choice on our own. You might be a child of born-again parents or husband or wife of born-again spouse and living with them, you might be enjoying the blessings and protection of God but, at some point, you will have to develop a personal relationship with Christ.

Lastly, Lord spoke to Abram after Lot separated from him and look what the Lord chooses for him.
¹⁴ And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; ¹⁵ for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants^[b] forever. ¹⁶ And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. ¹⁷ Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.”

A wiser, Spiritually mature Abram relied on God. He put his faith in God and let God decide where he was going to go and what land he will have. What a marvelous example of faith. Imagine, if we practice this kind of faith. When Abram let God choose, God gave him everything including what Lot had picked. When we put our faith in God, He not only meets our needs but gives it to us abundantly. In Matthew 19, Jesus speaks of a parable of the rich man, and afterward Peter asks, we have left everything for you, what will we get? and, Jesus answers in verse 29 that not only you will receive eternal life but hundredfold in this life. We see this played out in the life of Abram. He chose to put his faith in God and gave up his right as an elder to select the land, but instead, he let Lot pick and, his reward was more than he can imagine. My beloved brothers & Sisters, don’t restrict God. Let him select your blessing. Many times God wants to give us a house but, we are satisfied with the 2-bedroom Apartment/flat. I can give you my own testimony, I have 1 brother & 1 sister, and by God’s grace they are born again, but because I have decided to follow Christ, he has put other believers in my life, and that relationship is as healthy as I have with my brother and now I have 5 brothers. I have met other pastors & Christians in this journey who along the way have become family. Although, we might not be related by birth, but we are connected through “Blood of Christ.” Do not be afraid to put your faith in Christ because of family & friends. They might not agree with you or may even abandon you, but God will bless you with more friends and deeper relationships. This is what Jesus has promised.

Now at the end, we see Abram who is a different person after the experience of Egypt, he builds an altar and worships God. What a great lesson in humility and faith. Abram trusted the Lord and Lot trusted his own ability and knowledge. One went on to inherit all the land and Lot ended living in the mountain without any property. Proverbs 3: 5-6 says
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct^[a] your paths.

Hope this was a blessing to you as it was for me. May God add His grace to his words.