Genesis 13:12

Genesis 13:12 says, Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.  Lot chose to live in the cities of the plain and set up his camp near Sodom.  Lot had seemingly left Abram, who had brought him to the land, when he saw what looked to be an ideal place to live.  The land was good and it was close to city, but unfortunately the city was one filled with very wicked people.  We should never be more influenced by what looks good than we are by what God would have us do.  Verse thirteen states, But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.  As just stated, the people of Sodom were wicked and sinners before God.  Though we may often be sent by God to live among sinners, we are not told that this was the case with Lot.  I believe he was there more out of fascination with the city than with bringing God's word to the people there.  We must make certain that if we find ourselves in a place filled with sin that we are there because God sent us there and not because we are fascinated by the sin.  Verse fourteen declares, 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:  God was directing Abram in his choice of the land after Abram separated from Lot.  Personally, I believe that this was when Abram really did what God instructed him to do and left all his kinsman.  Verse fifteen says, For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.  God promised to give Abram and his descendants all the land he could see forever.  God promises us a land we cannot see, a heavenly home,  forever as well.  Verse sixteen adds, 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.  This is still part of God's promise to Abram.  God again promised to make Abram the father of a great nation.  Since Sarai and Abram had no children at this time, and even Lot who may have been viewed as almost a son was gone, Abram may have wondered how this was going to happen.  We should never look at our situation to determine what we can do, but we must always look to God's promises.  When we truly put our faith in God, we can do anything He calls us to do.  Verse seventeen continues, Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.  Abram was told to take some action, to walk the land.  When God calls us to do something today, He expects us to take action.  Verse eighteen states, 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.  Abram moved his tent to the plain of Mamre, in Hebron.  There, he built another altar to God.  Abram never left his worship of God behind him, and neither should we.  We must keep our relationship with God first, wherever we are.

Genesis 13:1

Genesis 13;1 says, And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.  Abram left Egypt.  He had not distinguished himself as a man who trusted God while he was there.  Verse two states, And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.  Even though Abram had failed Sarai and God, God was still at work fulfilling His promise to Abram.  Even if we occasionally fail to obey God, if we have truly accepted Christ as our Savior and Lord, God will never forget His promise to us.  Verse three adds, And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai;  Abram went back to where he had first settled.  During the famine nor after, Abram never went back to his homeland.  When we accept Christ, we should never want to go back to where we were before spiritually.  Verse four says, Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.  Abram went back to the altar and called on God.  We do not find any evidence that Abram called on God when he made his plans in Egypt.  When we have strayed away from God, we need to go back to the altar and call on Him again.  I don't believe that the altar is necessarily a physically place, but it is a spiritual place where we meet God.  Verse five states, And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.  Lot was also prospering.  Verse six states, 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.   God had allowed both Abram and Lot to prosper so much that the land could not contain them.  I still do not believe that God intended for Abram to bring Lot along, since Lot was not a part of God's promise to Abram.  I do know that we should be careful to do exactly what calls us to do, and if we don't then we can expect problems.  Verse seven declares, 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.  Trouble arose between the herdmen of Abram and Lot.  Sometimes, being richly blessed can cause problems.  Verse eight adds, 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 took the initiative to solve the problem.  We, as followers of Christ, should always take the initiative to attempt to resolve problems between others and us.  This is especially true of problems with fellow Christians.  In verse nine Abram asks, 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.  After asking Lot if there were not plenty of land, he then gave Lot his choice of the land.  We must remember that God's promise was to Abram and not to Lot.  Even if we give others first choice in material matters, it does not change God's promise to us.  Verse ten states, 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.  Lot saw what looked like the perfect land.  Things of this world may look perfect to us, but if we are following our own sight and not God's will, then they will never be.  Verse eleven declares, 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 looked like the best land for himself.  As Abram's nephew who was along at Abram's invitation, we would have thought that he would have told Abram to choose, but he didn't.  People today too often are still too selfish in their dealings with others.

Today we in America celebrate Memorial Day, a day to remember all those who died in service to the country.  It was originally called Decoration Day, and originated shortly after the Civil War, and became a national holiday in 1971.  We are just discussing the first war recorded in the Bible, though war was never God's intention.  Still, war has been a part of human history almost from the beginning, and we need to remember those who gave their lives to support American during the wars that have been faught.  Most of all, I believe, we need to remember God, Who promises us a world where war will no longer exist, after Christ returns in judgment.  Today, hopefully you will take a few moments to remember why we celebrate this day and ask God to guide us toward a more peaceful world.   Since this is an American holiday, I have referred to Americans who died in service to their country.

Genesis 12:9

Genesis 12:9 says, And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.  Abram still had not settled permanently.  Though Abram was in the land of promise, there was a famine there as we see in verse ten, so he left temporarily.  Verse ten states, And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.  Abram did not use the famine as an excuse to return to his homeland, but went further still.  When people become followers of Christ, they can expect difficulties in life, but they must never use those difficulties as an excuse to return to where they were before accepting Christ as their Savior and Lord.  Verse eleven says, And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:  Abram began to waver in his faith in God when he entered Egypt.  He evidently didn't believe that God would keep him safe.  Verse twelve adds, Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.  Abram feared that the Egyptians would kill him if they knew that Sarai was his wife so that they might have her.  Again, this shows very little faith in God's promise.  Verse thirteen concludes, Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.  Abram devised his own plan to save himself, but he was not too concerned about what this would do to Sarai.  Our own plans of salvation will never work, but we must always put our faith in God's plan.  Verse fourteen states, And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.  What Abram had feared would happen did.  Sometimes, the things that we fear may happen will, but this is the time that we must put our faith in God even more.  Verse fifteen says, The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.  Sarai was taken into the house of the Pharaoh because she was a good looking woman, I guess we could say.  Verse sixteen declares, And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.  The Pharaoh was in effect buying Sarai, whom Abram had called his sister, from Abram, and Abram was willing to go along with it.  Our plans may not only save us problems, but they may materially reward us, but if they are not based on faith in God and His promises, they will ultimately fail.  Verse seventeen says, And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife.  Abram may have been willing to sell Sarai, but God still had His plan and promise in effect.  God brought a plague on Pharaoh's house because of Sarai.  Sarai was a part of God's plan to build a nation, and He would not let her go, even if Abram had.  As followers of Christ, we cannot use other people, especially other Christians, for our own benefit.  Verse eighteen asks, And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?  The pharaoh called Abram and asked why he had lied about Sarai being his wife.  It is bad when those who do not profess to know God can question the auctions of those who do, especially if it is based on something the the believer did that was wrong.  There was no way that Abram could justify his actions.  Verse nineteen adds, Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.  Even the pharaoh recognized that what he was about to do was wrong.  Verse twenty declares, And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.  Pharaoh sent Abram and Sarai and all that they had away.  I believe that Abram's lack of faith created a lot of problems, but God was still at work in his life.  Our lack of faith at times may create problems, but if we are truly followers of Christ, He will be at work to rescue us from our foolish plans.

Genesis 12:1

Genesis 12:1 says, Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:  God spoke to Abram and gave him specific instructions.  Abram was to leave his country, his kindred, and his father's house.  I believe that too often today people allow where they live and closeness to their family to dictate what they will do for God.  I also believe that God still calls people to leave home and family to serve Him by spreading the gospel in other parts of the country and world.  Verse two states, And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:  God's call to Abram came with a promise.  God said He would make Abram the father of a great nation and his name great.  God's call to us today comes with a promise.  God will write our names in the book of life and we will become a part of His kingdom.  Verse three adds, And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.  I believe that the reason Abram was to be blessed was not because of his own goodness, but because of his obedience to God.  When God blesses us today, it is not because of our own goodness or because we somehow deserve it because of who we are and where we were born, but because of God's grace to us.  If we want God to bless us, either as an individual or a nation, we must first be obedient to Him.  Verse four declares, So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.  Abram almost did as God instructed, but Lot went with Him.  I don't believe that this was totally doing what God instructed Abram to do, and later Lot would cause Abram problems.  When God calls us to do something, we need to be totally obedient or it will later cause us problems.  Verse five adds, And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.  This states that Abram took not only Lot but some other people, maybe servants, with Him.  Once more, we need to be certain that when God directs us to do something that we obey His instructions without adding to or taking away from them.  Verse six says, And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.  Abram went to the land of Canaan, and there were already people there.  Wherever God calls us to go today, there will already be people there.  Still, as followers of Christ, wherever we are, we are a part of God's kingdom if we are following His will for our lives.  God did not promise that Abram's becoming a great nation would be without problems, and we as followers of Christ today are not promised that life will be without problems.  Verse seven states, And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.  Though there were already people there, God promised that He would give this land to Abram.  I believe that when we are where God wants us to be that He will let us know and we can be certain of His promises to us.  Abram built an altar to God, and we today must always honor God even as we are doing His will.  Verse eight declares, And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.  When Abram got to where he was going to settle, he once again built an altar to God.  We can never leave our worship of God behind us at an altar we built before.  We must always make worship and obedience to God a daily practice.

Genesis 11:10

Genesis 11:10 says, These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood:  The rest of the chapter simply gives a more detailed genealogy of Shem.  Verse eleven states, And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.  Verse twelve says, And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah:   Verse thirteen adds, And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. Verse fourteen says, And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber: Verse fifteen adds, And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.  Verse sixteen says,  And Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat Peleg:  As stated earlier, Eber was the father of the Hebrews.  Verse seventeen adds, And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters.  Verse eighteen says, And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu:  Verse nineteen adds, And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons and daughters. Verse twenty says, And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug:  Verse twenty-one adds, And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters. We see that the length of life is decreasing.  Verse twenty-two says, And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor:  Verse twenty-three adds, And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.  Verse twenty-four states, And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah:  Verse twenty-five says, And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters.  Verse twenty six adds, And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.  We are now to Abram..  Verse twenty-seven adds, Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.  We also have the record of the birth of Lot, Abram's nephew.  Verse twenty-eight adds, And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.  This is the first time that it is mentioned that a son died before his father, with the exception of Abel.  It may be to show why Lot was with Abram.  Verse twenty-nine states, And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.  Verse thirty declares, But Sarai was barren; she had no child.  Verse thirty-one adds, And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.  Terah took Abram, Sarai, and Lot and went to the land or Ur of the Chaldees.  Verse thirty-two concludes, And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.  This bring us from the flood to Abram, or later Abraham, through the descendants of Shem.  We do not have the genealogy of Ham and Japheth, but they were also having generations of sons and daughters, so there were many more people in the world.

Genesis 11:1

Genesis 11:1  says, And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.  The world was still united.  Even though we were told groups of people, or nations, would descend from Noah's three sons, for a long time after the flood, the people were united with only one language.  Matthew Henry points out that God had told them to go populate all the world, but they were still remaining grouped together.  They may have felt that there was more security in numbers, but we must remember that our real security is in following God's commands.  Verse two states, And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.  The people found a place that looked good and all decided to live there.  Again, this was not what God had instructed them to do.  Verse three declares, And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.  Though they did not find building materials, they figured out how to make them.  When we are following God's leadership, He will provide us with what we need to accomplish His work.  Sometimes through, we decide to make our own provisions, but we can never accomplish what God wants us to do through our own abilities.  Even though we may need to work to accomplish God's purpose for us, we should always be sure that we are working under His guidance.  Verse four adds, And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.  Matthew Henry points out that the people were acting in defiance to God.  They were building a city so they would not be scattered, which is what God had told them to do.  We have that same command, which is to go into all the world with the gospel.  They wanted to build a tower to reach into heaven and preserve their names.  The only place we need to have our name remembered is in God's book of life.  God's people had always lived in tents, but now they wanted something more permanent.  We will never have a permanent home on earth, no matter how big and ornate we may build it.  Verse five declares, And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.  God knows what is going on in the world, and He judges whether things are being done according to His will.  Verse six adds, And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.  God noted that the people were united and were more capable of accomplishing great things, even if it was against God's will.  No matter how great we may think we are and how much power we may think we have, we are still but a part of God's creation.  Verse seven says, Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.  God gave the people several different languages.  I cannot imagine what it was like to suddenly have groups of people who no longer understood each other when they had a short time before.  Verse eight states, So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.  When we defy God, He will destroy our plans, if not immediately, then in the coming judgment.  Verse nine concludes, Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.  Even today, when someone is speaking in a way we don't understand, we say they are babbling.