Abraham & LotRefusing the world

Genesis 13-14

Where are we in Abram’s life?

Abraham returns to the altar of

12:8

God had made Abram

rich (2)

But with riches come trials!

God limited the land so it

would not support

Abram & Lot

How will they solve the conflict?

“Blessed are the peacemakers”• Please…no strife – we are

brethren (8)• Abram let Lot choose first

because he trusted God• Lot chose for himself (11)

– Not thinking about spiritual food for his family

– Not thinking about the future

Faith motivates us to be peacemakers too!

11 Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. 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.

God brought

choices into their lives

Gen 13:11-13

Plains of Jordan

What about our choices in life?

Place to live, career, friends, spouse, TV,

internet use?

God blessed the peacemakerGen 13:14-17

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."

Faith allows us to entrust our future to God

The 4 kings head south to restore

their rule and defeat others along the

way home.

5 Kings near the Valley of Siddim rebel from their 4 overlord kings

from Babylonia & Elam.

4 kings defeat the 5 local

kings. They also defeat Sodom &

Gomorrah, taking Lot and

his family north

Abraham hears about

Lot’s capture and

immediately sets out to rescue Lot with 318 of

his men

Abraham’s men attack by night and rescue Lot,

the men of Sodom, and all

their goods. Then they return

south

Abram, Melchizedek, and the King

of Sodom meet up

Sodom.

*

Abram meets Melchizedek

• Abram would have appeared as a military giant of his day.

• He submits to Melchizedek and gives all the glory to God

Melchizedek: King and Priest!• King: administers justice

• Priest: extends mercy

Not allowed under the Law, because the Law

could not provide salvation. Uzziah was

struck with leprosy when he tried! God’s

Son would one day reign as King/Priest. David

acted the part when he brought the ark into

Jerusalem.

Melchizedek in Hebrews 7• 1) Melchi - zedek = King of righteousness• 2) King of Salem = King of peace• No father or mother, no genealogy, no beginning

or ending• Remains a priest forever• Made like the Son of God (presented in the Bible

like God’s Son)• Abraham gave him 1/10, people under Law were

commanded to pay tithes to Levites, and even Levi in a sense paid tithes to Melchizedek through Abram!

Psalm 110: King/Priest• Invited to sit with God on His throne as king

(v.1). “Rule” (v.2)• Lord has sworn (oath) “your are a priest forever,

according to the order of Melchizedek” (v.4)• Paul argues in Heb 7 that:

– If perfection were attainable through the Levitical priests, then God would not have predicted that a priest would arise after the order of Melchizedek (v.11)

– if God predicted He would change the priesthood, He also must change the Law (v.12)

– Psa 110 predicted an immortal priest – better (v.25)

Abram draws the line!

• Refuses to take any of Sodom’s stuff

• Promised God he would not take it (v.22-23)

• Didn’t want the king of Sodom to claim he had made Abram rich.

• Abram didn’t want any connection to Sodom – he wanted a clear separation

• This incident was Lot’s warning – he should have moved out of Sodom, but he was too connected. Now it will cost him his family

Are you willing to draw lines for God in your

life?

Think about your lines

this week at camp!