Godly fathers-ungodly sons-9

God promised Abram that he would be the ‘father’ of many nations. Just what did this mean? At this time, Abram was still without any children and advancing in years, as was Sarai.

Genesis 13:1  So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, he and his wife and all that belonged to him, and Lot with him. 13:2  Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver and in gold. 13:3  He went on his journeys from the Negev as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 13:4  to the place of the altar which he had made there formerly; and there Abram called on the name of the LORD. 

Abram left Egypt and returned to the land which God had directed him to be his new home.

13:5  Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 13:6  And the land could not sustain them while dwelling together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together. 13:7  And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. Now the Canaanite and the Perizzite were dwelling then in the land. 

It would appear that Lot did not fully appreciate all that Abram had done for him, as he did not intervene during this strife. Abram appeared to be the one who truly sought peace between them.

13:8  So Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers. 13:9  "Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me; if to the left, then I will go to the right; or if to the right, then I will go to the left." 

13:10  Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the valley of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere—this was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah—like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go to Zoar. 13:11  So Lot chose for himself all the valley of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward. Thus they separated from each other. 

Lot chose the land that looked the best, but was in an area of the worse people. Not a good choice.

13:12  Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled in the cities of the valley, and moved his tents as far as Sodom. 13:13  Now the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the LORD. 

Once again the LORD reminded Abram of all that would come in the future, a future that Abram and Sarai did not fully understand.

Gen 13:14  The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, "Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; 

13:15  for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever. 13:16  "I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants can also be numbered. 13:17  "Arise, walk about the land through its length and breadth; for I will give it to you." 

13:18  Then Abram moved his tent and came and dwelt by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and there he built an altar to the LORD. 

14:12  They also took Lot, Abram's nephew, and his possessions and departed, for he was living in Sodom. 14:13  Then a fugitive came and told Abram the Hebrew. Now he was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner, and these were allies with Abram. 

Waring kings took over Sodom and captured Lot and all his possessions. Abram showed himself to be able to fight these kings and win back Lot. The same Abram that feared Pharaoh and told everyone that Sarai was his sister.

Gen 14:14  When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he led out his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 

14:15  He divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. 14:16  He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative Lot with his possessions, and also the women, and the people.

Abram and Lot were both very wealthy, but Abram still did not have an heir for all the promises of the LORD.

15:1  After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great." 15:2  Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" 5:3  And Abram said, "Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir." 

God does not have to perform to our planning schedules. The LORD will do a miracle of birth, even though Abram and Sarai don’t truly believe it.

15:4  Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir." 15:5  And He took him outside and said, "Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." 

15:6  Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.  

It would appear that after all these appearances of the LORD to Abram, that he was truly ready to believe in the sovereign power of the LORD. But would this be true some years later? As they aged, their trust weakened.

More next Saturday.