GENESIS LESSON 22


     We will begin this lesson in Genesis 13:1 "And Abram went up out
of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him,
into the south."

     Last lesson, we learned that Pharaoh had sent Abram out of Egypt,
when he discovered that God had plagued him because of Sarai, Abram's
wife. We notice, here, that Abram left nothing behind but took even the
gifts that Pharaoh had given him.

     Genesis 13:2 "And Abram [was] very rich in cattle, in silver, and
in gold."

     We will find, throughout the Bible, that three things that God
called wealth, were cattle, silver, and gold. I really believe that
cattle were symbolic for all food, It is interesting that God did not
include land, or jewels as wealth. God's people, many times, are
wealthy. It is not the riches that are sin. It is the love of riches.

     Genesis 13:3 "And he went on his journeys from the south even to
Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning,
between Beth-el and Hai;" Genesis 13:4 "Unto the place of the altar,
which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the
name of the LORD."

     In this, I believe Abram saw that he had sinned, and went back to
find God, to get forgiveness, and begin again. That is where so many
people fail. When a Christian realizes he has sinned, he should repent,
 and go back to his first love of God, and begin again.

     Genesis 13:5  "And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks,
and herds, and tents."

     When a man has great wealth, as Abram did, his family as well
usually has wealth. Abram loved Lot as a son (which he did not have)
and, probably, helped Lot get these things to help him get started.

     Genesis 13:6 "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."

     Lot was now grown. It was time for him to go out on his own. He had
acquired great wealth along with Abram. They had so many animals, there
was not enough grazing for them all.

     Genesis 13:7 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.

     It was safer to dwell together, in case someone attacked them,
but the land was not able to sustain both large herds, and their
servants were fighting over the best grazing spots. So many times
large groups of people cannot dwell together without strife. It is
even difficult for two families to live in the same house without
fighting, and these were large groups of people.

     Genesis 13:8 "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."

     Abram did not want to fight with Lot. So many times when a young
man becomes of age, there is strife in the home. Both the father and
his son, who is of age, want to be the authority. Neither wants to be
under the other, and conflict arises. The only way to solve the
problem, is for this adult son to move out and establish his own home.
Such was the case of Abram and Lot.

     Genesis 13:9 "[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."

     Abram was telling Lot to choose first, and he would take the land
Lot did not want.

     Genesis 13:10 "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." Genesis 13:11 "Then
Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and
they separated themselves the one from the other."

     Lot chose what he thought was the best for himself. This land had
plenty of water and was very fertile land. Lot was looking at the
physical, and not the spiritual. He had not taken into consideration
the evil lifestyle of the people. Abram was satisfied with the land Lot
did not choose. Abram's unselfishness would be rewarded.

     Genesis 13:12 "Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot
dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched [his] tent toward
Sodom." Genesis 13:13 "But the men of Sodom [were] wicked and sinners
before the LORD exceedingly."

     Whether Lot knew that the men of Sodom were evil, or not, at this
time was not mentioned in the Bible. Lot should have checked this out
before moving in with them. Notice the Scripture above, it was not
enough to just say they were wicked and sinners. God considers
homosexuality a terrible sin. (exceedingly).

     Genesis 13:14  "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:"
Genesis 13:15 "For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give
it, and to thy seed for ever."

     God showed Abram the promised land, which his descendents will
receive as part of God's promise to Abram. this was not for Lot's
descendents, only Abram's.

     Genesis 13:16 "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."

     Here, again, God teld Abram (even though he was very old) I will
make so many descendents of you, that they will be impossible to
number.  God felt He needed to reassure Abram that he would have
children and grandchildren. Abram, by this time thought, that the only
descendents he would have would be through his nephew, Lot.

     Genesis 13:17 "Arise, walk through the land in the length of it
and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee."

     God set the boundaries of Israel right there that day. The
Israelites still claim this territory today.

     Genesis 13:18 "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."

     Wherever Abram was, he built an alter. Hebron is an area still
with the same name. "Hebron" means community and alliance.

     In the next lesson, we will begin in chapter 14.


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                             Questions 22


1.  What three things did God classify as wealth?
2.  What two things, that we classify as wealth, does God not count as
    wealth?
3.  What pertaining to wealth is sin?
4.  We read that Bethel is the place of what?
5.  Why do you think Abram went back to Bethel?
6.  What should Christians do when they discover they have
    sinned?
7.  What three things did Lot have with Him?
8.  Where do you suppose Lot acquired them?
9.  Why was the land unable to sustain them?
10. Who was the strife between?
11. What makes us realize that Abram was a peacemaker?
12. What plan did Abram offer Lot?
13. What area did Lot choose?
14. Why?
15. What town was Lot's tent near?
16. How should Lot have judged which area he should take?
17. What was the sin in this area?
18. What area did this land compare with physically?
19. How long did God promise to give the promised land to Abram?
20. How many descendents would Abram have?
21. Why had Abram just about given up having natural children?
22. Where did Abram come to in this land?
23. What was the first thing Abram did here?
24. What does Hebron mean?

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