2. Abraham and Lot – chapters 13-14

Read vs. 13:1-4. In spite of his unfaithful actions, what had happened with Abram? (become rich.)

Theology of glory says . . . (do things right and God will bless you.)

Theology of the cross says . . . (God gives you what you have by grace and undeserved love through your entire life.)

What was Abraham’s first item of importance? (worship – repentance to the Lord / give a BETTER TESTIMONY after his unfaithful actions in Egypt.)

Read 13:5-9. What does this show us about God’s generosity? (more than he and lot could handle together on land.)

2 Corinthians 9:8 God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Negev: (actually a quite barren and rocky land – had to travel far for grass for flocks, etc., God training Abraham to believe what He said about the LAND – even when contrary to what Abraham experienced. BEST PARTS were ALREADY TAKEN by Canaanites.)

What happened because of their great possessions? What does this show us? (blessings sometimes bring about curses – temptations – two in life – when blessed with MUCH and with LITTLE.)

Two dangers if Lot and Abraham had remained together . . .

1. (ruined their fellowship with each other)

2. (ruined their testimony to the world)

What did Abraham show about his priorities in his offer to Lot? (more concerned about inner relationship than outward prosperity.)

How did his faith improve from his time in Egypt? (instead of worrying about possessions and disowning Sara, he was willing to lose possessions to keep Lot.)

Jeske makes an interesting distinction: How easy it is to say, “I trust in Christ as my SAVIOR!” But how hard it is to say, “I trust in Christ as my PROVIDER.”

This rings true in the way we as Christians choose to . . . (spend our finances and when to work or where to work.) (Jesus doesn’t pay the bills.)

Matthew 6:31-33 Do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Read 13:10-18. A or D: Lot made a foolish decision. (We live and work among evil people every day – need to be careful how close to and intertwined you are with it.)

How would Abram have initially responded to this? (I shouldn’t have been so generous.)

How did the LORD respond? (seeing Abraham’s situation, gave him encouragement – reiterated his PROMISE to him to encourage.)

Forever = (indefinite future – not a promise to modern day Israel.)

Deuteronomy 28:58 If you do not carefully follow all the words of this law, which are written in this book, and do not revere this glorious and awesome name—the LORD your God- 59 the LORD will send fearful plagues on you and your descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and lingering illnesses. 60 He will bring upon you all the diseases of Egypt that you dreaded, and they will cling to you. 61 The LORD will also bring on you every kind of sickness and disaster not recorded in this Book of the Law, until you are destroyed. 62 You who were as numerous as the stars in the sky will be left but few in number, because you did not obey the LORD your God. 63 Just as it pleased the LORD to make you prosper and increase in number, so it will please him to ruin and destroy you. You will be uprooted from the land you are entering to possess. 64 Then the LORD will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other.

Another way you could look at this . . . Psalm 31: In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. 2 Turn your ear to me,

come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. 5 Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth. 8 You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place.

Christ is the fulfillment of the LAND as well. (Hebron is southern part- patriarchs lived there longest – where they buried their dead.)

Notice how the LORD makes His promises. (He connects his promises to physical things and actions – things which Abraham and sense and experience. Same rings true today in the sacraments – but there we have the actual LORD.)

Note vs. 18 again. (Abram building altars – LORD is front and center in his life.)

Read 14:1-4. This is the first WAR recorded in the Bible in around 2100 B.C.

The four kings came from 1000 miles away in ancient Mesopotamia, present day IRAQ. After victory they made the cities give an annual kind of tax which was humiliating and costly. Another example of this is when Ahab conquered Moab and made them pay 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams each year. (2 Kings 3:4)

Read 14:5-12. The cities in vs. 5-6 were along what is known as the KING’S HIGHWAY, as opposed to the VIA MARIS. They went far south and then attacked the five kings from the south.

What does vs. 12 show us? (Lot had made his home in Sodom.)

Read 14:13-24. Notice the first time Abram is referred to as . . . (Hebrew . . . unsure what means – thought to refer to the fact that his ancestors came from beyond the Euphrates – hence a foreigner.)

How might Abram have sinfully reacted? (he made his bed – let him lay in it.)

This shows us how Abram’s faith was . . . (not only unselfish but BOLD.)

Abraham used the element of . . . (surprise- vs. 15 – at NIGHT – divided and attacked with smaller forces from different directions.) (SHOW ON MAP – must have taken different way home.)

Melchizedek was a PRIEST and KING.

He came from JERUSALEM.

His name means . . . (king of righteousness.)

Nothing is mentioned of his . . . (heritage or future – no beginning or end.)

Here we see Abraham practice the . . . (tithe – before the law of Moses.)

Psalm 110:4 The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."

Therefore, Hebrews 7 says, “If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come—one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? 12 For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law. 13 He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. 14 For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. 15 And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16 one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it is declared:

"You are a priest forever,

in the order of Melchizedek."

Here we once again see how CHRIST permeates through the Scriptures. (explain concepts if not clear.)

Why didn’t Abram accept anything from the King of Sodom, especially when he had accepted something from the King of Salem? (wanted to give a clear testimony as to where his riches came from; God Almighty.)

What might this Melchizedek show us about the believers of Abraham’s time? (weren’t limited to Abraham. Think of Moses father in law Jethro as well – priest of Midian.)

What different stewardship principles can we learn from this portion of God’s Word?

Any questions?