LastCall: Renewed Faith -Bob Caldwell

Renewed Faith Brings Renewed Promise  13:14-15 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; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.” We saw Abram’s failure of faith in Chapter 12. Out of fear for his own preservation he placed his wife in a very difficult situation, in the harem of the Pharaoh of Egypt. Here we see an amazing turnaround in his development of a life of faith. By faith, for the sake of peace with his nephew Lot, Abram is willing to give up the best of the land. Because of this act of faith, God reaffirms His promise that Abram will get back this land and much more. This same principle is key to the development of our own lives of faith in God. God is willing to use our lapses of faith and failure, if we will learn from them and take action the next time we are faced with a challenge that requires faith. Don’t waste your defeats! Turn them into future victories, for you will definitely be given another chance to turn failure into success. And like Abram, remember to build your own altars of worship from a heart of thankfulness for God’s renewed promises and grace in your life (v. 18).
Genesis 13:1-18  Abram Inherits Canaan 1 Then Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, to the South. 2 Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of the LORD. 5 Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. 6 Now the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. 7 And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land. 8 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.” 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.
Abram Returns to the Promised Land (Verses 1-4) v. 2 very rich – Abram returns with gifts from Pharaoh. These were probably Pharaoh’s way of trying to appease the God of Abram who had brought the plagues upon him. v. 4 called on the name of the Lord – Abram returns in faith to the first place he built an altar to God here at Bethel. He has left behind him the thief of unbelief. Lot and Abram Separate (Verses 5-18) v. 5 Lot – He was the son of Haran, Abram’s brother. When Haran died, Abram took Lot under his care. Abram likely loved him as a son, because Abram had no children of his own at this time. v. 7 strife – This arose out of insufficient grazing land and water to sustain their growing herds. Canaanites and Perizzites – These, along with other people groups, preceded Abram in settling in this region. Refer to the Table of Nations in Ch. 10 for more detail. v. 8 no strife – As the head of his family, Abram takes action to resolve the situation. He seeks to avoid conflict in such a way as to not hurt the relationship between him and Lot, even though everything Lot had he owed to Abram. v. 9 If you take – Abram reveals his growth in faith. He gives Lot first choice of the land, demonstrating his confidence in God to bless him rather than protecting himself by securing the best land. v. 10 Jordan Valley – This would have been on both sides of the Jordan River from the Lake of Gennesareth to the north (Galilee), to what was then Siddim to the south (presently the Dead Sea). Zoar – This highly fertile area resulted from the overflowing of the Nile River in Egypt. v. 11 Lot chose – Lot reveals his weak moral character by selfishly selecting what appeared by far to be the most prosperous area.
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. 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 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.” 18 Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the LORD.
v. 12 Sodom – Lot further reveals his character by choosing to live near areas known for their wickedness and sin. Even though Lot is declared to have believed in the true God (2 Pet. 2:7), he lived the life of a carnal, sensually oriented life. God Renews His Covenant with Abram (Verses 14-18) v. 14 after Lot had separated – God responds to Abram’s faith in giving up the best of the land for the sake of peace, by promising to give back to Abram far more than he had just given up. v. 16 dust of the earth – This is a word picture that declares his descendants will be so numerous they will not be able to be counted. v. 18 altar – Abram establishes his faith in the true and living God among these Amorites by building this altar of worship.

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