Genesis: Abraham and Lot

Genesis: Abraham and Lot

text: Genesis 13 – 19

Outline:

Trip to Canaan, 12

Lot separates from Abraham, 13

Special military operation to free Lot, 14

LORD's Covenant with Abraham, 15 – 17

Doom of Sodom and Gomarah, 18 – 19

Comments: Most often we are talking about father Abraham as the one who went to Canaan. But he was accompanied by his wife Sarai, nephew Lot with his wife and daughters. Along with this, they had quite a number of servants (think about 318 men well trained for a night special military operation). We can think of about a 1000 people or so who went initially together with Abram to the land. Therefore, apart from challenges of relationship with the outsider – people of Canaan, Egyptians etc. – there is an inner dynamic in the camp. That's what we are going to concentrate on.

The move into the land. As far as we know the move into the land went “smooth.” We have no record of quarrel between the members of the camp. This unity is important to note in the story of famine and the subsequent move even more south to Egypt (12:10-20). When Abram presents Sarai as his sister, he defends not only his individual life, but the well-fare of the camp (again, about a 1000 people). There are different interpretations of this act of the father of our faith. Some blame him for wavering faith (Kretzmann, Popular Commentary, OT:I, p. 28). What to say, it is easy to blame people for a weak faith sitting in a comfortable office and not experiencing a real life-threatening situation. That's probably why Dr. Martin Luther in his lectures on Genesis is way more gracious (LW II:291-303), for he had his fare portion of life in hiding, and having a “wanted” status attached to his name. We won't have the Reformation if Frederick the Wise wouldn't “lie” about whereabouts of his university professors.

There is another factor to consider – as I said it was about 1000 people in the Abram's camp. The sacred author tells us about the fact that Abram had an agreement with his wife on her status. But he should have gathered the camp warning everyone how they plan to play this out. And, as far as we know, there was no traitor among his people. Unity is a beautiful feature of a godly family.

Lot separates from Abram. What is interesting – satan immediately attacks this unity, steering up the shepherds of Lot against the shepherds of Abram. Apparently, the flocks were so large that the plots of land they occupied where not sufficient for them (13:5-7). It took wisdom of Abram to settle this strife peacefully. He – the older – gave an option to Lot. So, Lot “sees” the land (just like the fruit in the Garden, 3:6) and makes his choice based on the eye assessment (13:8-13), disregarding the fact of the wickedness of the people of Sodom. This short statement prepares us to the outcome of this move (19).

As an immediate result, Lot is captured together with the king of Sodom (14). Three things should be said here. First, just by itself this war had no impact on Abram. If Lot wouldn't be captured, he would just mind his own business (stay away from world's problems, don't watch TV). He was a peaceful man, and by this time already made allies in the land (13:13). Second, being a peaceful man did not prevent him from preparing and keeping in shape at least 318 men ready for special military operation (it's a battalion size unit). Later the Romans will put it into a slogan: si vis pasum – para bellum. He organized his men to conduct a successful night assault. They pushed the invaders to Damascus – at least 150 miles from the place of engagement. Third, He knows from whom he should receive the gifts (Melchizedek) and from whom he should receive a payment (Sodom). Gifts create and maintain relationships vs. payments – one time transaction.

The establishment of the covenant. When the chaff is gone – the bread can be baked (cp. Psalm 1:4). God brings the fire to seal the covenant [not the water of the Flood] (cp. 9:15, 15:12-21) and then the sign of death and resurrection – circumcision and new name (17:1-14). We will not take to much time to discuss it, but Abram is a son of Adam. Therefore, there is a hick up in the covenant – birth of Ishmael. Ishmael was not the problem, but the tension his presence created between Sarai and her maidservant Hagar (16). It is possible to see the sign of circumcision as God's response to Abram's begetting the son outside of the covenant.

Doom of Sodom and Gomorrah. While the main topic for a discussion at the Abraham meeting with the LORD was the birth of the son of the covenant (18:1-15), starting their way One of the guests shares a possible fate of the neighboring cities. Abraham pleads for them (for the sake of Lot), placing the last bid on the number 10 [of righteous people in the city]. Turns out there was not even 10. No wonder, St. Peter tells about an inner torment Lot went through, living among the wicked people of Sodom (2 Peter 2:7-8). As a result of angelic intervention, Sodom is destroyed and Lot is spared. In the calamity of events Lot's wife dies but two daughters were rescued. Rescued but not saved... They picked up the habits of the city and getting their father drunk (this is drunk, not the Noah's way “drunk), get pregnant by him – that's the way we get Moabites and Ammonites.