My Reflection on Abraham's Departing and the Conflict with Lot
As I read through Genesis, it's easy to see how the post-Flood world wasn't any better either. This reflection will cover from Genesis 12-14. This would be the story that involve Abraham back when he was called Abram and Sarah when was once called Sarai. Hebrews 11:8-10 that it was by faith that he obeyed God's command.
I thought about the whole promise that God said in Genesis 12:2-3, "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: 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." This is a serious command. God doesn't play games when He says things. This was the covenant that was made with Abram. If God blesses a person then you ought not to go against God's hand! Every person who is made right in God's sight is a beneficiary of this covenant.
Galatians 3:7 says that anyone today can be considered a child of Abraham not by Jewish descent but by accepting Jesus Christ as one's Lord and Savior. The problem of the Jewish people in John 8:37-30 was that they were using their biological link to Abraham to justify themselves. The question of being considered a Jew today isn't a biological matter. Esther 8:17 says that when the Jews fought back against their enemies as many Persians became Jews by faith. Being a descendant of Abraham and a beneficiary of God's promise to Israel isn't a biological matter anymore. Whether one's an Israeli or not - no one is exempt from getting saved. Even Israelis or biological Jews must accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior or perish! Jews persecuting Christians are not exempt from that curse as those who are in Jesus Christ.
I always thought why did Abram bring his nephew Lot? It was probably because he was childless. Abram was 75 years old and his wife Sarai (who was his half-sister and such marriages were still permissible until Leviticus was written) was 65. They had a ten year age gap. He probably treated Lot like a son. There was probably no adoption back then. He may have intended to make Lot his heir in the case that he would die without an heir. This was a difficult thing for him to die without an heir. It would all go to waste.
There was a famine and they decided to go to Egypt which was a big no-no. From what I heard, Egypt became a major exporter if not the major exporter of pagan religion during that time. Abram's faith receded and it was going to be very disastrous. He even feared that somebody would kill him because Sarai was fair to look upon. This has me thinking about it. Some of the older women may look better than the younger women. How pretty was Sarai that an old woman like her was fair to look upon that even the Pharaoh of that time (who was most likely an old man) decided to pick her instead of a much younger woman? This caused a plague and Abram and Sarai had to depart from Egypt for that lie.
The problem soon came between Abram and Lot as both were becoming very wealthy. Genesis 13 talks about the unfortunate battle between both sides at Bethel. Abram built an altar to the LORD and was faithful. Unfortunately, both Abram's and Lot's men kept fighting over territory. They decided to divide and this was where Lot's greed took the best of him. Lot chose the best land (Genesis 13:10) and he built his tent towards Sodom. Lot soon put himself in dangerous influence because of his greed which would vex his soul a lot.
The decision would soon expose Lot to such danger. Genesis 14 records of four kings who raided Sodom. Amphrael the king of Shinar, Arioch the king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer the king of Elan and Tidal the king of nations made war with Bera the king of Sodom. I don't know what reason was it that war was declared upon Sodom. Maybe it was because Sodom was so excessively wicked. I couldn't imagine what the cause was. Did the kings want revenge or where they after the wealth of Sodom? I believe at this point that maybe, only God knows or He will allow us to know through whatever historical manuscripts can be found for the reason of the war.
It wasn't long Abram's nephew Lot was also captured. Lot who once pitched his tent in Sodom was now dwelling in that sinful city. It proves that one little sin grows into a great sin! Abram went forth and this old man showed he wasn't so old. He led an expedition that would recover Lot and his belongings and defeated the four kings.
Here's one debate between Christian scholars today. This is the first time we run into Melchizedek. Some argue that he was a type of Christ. Others argue that he was a king of a literal city called Salem. He was the priest of the most High God. Hebrews 7:3 has been used to defend by scholars who consider Melchizedek to be Jesus Christ because of the phrase, "Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God abideth a priest continually." Some of my favorite teachers like John F. MacArthur and Vernon McGee both see him as a type of Christ. Personally, I want to believe that Hebrews 7:3 wasn't figurative but literal. But the phrase, "made like unto the Son of God" may suggest a comparison that there was no record of who he was and that he was a type of Christ as some study Bibles (such as those like the John Gill's Exposition, Matthew Henry's commentary, MacArthur Study Bible and McGee's commentary) may suggest. The statement Melchizedek blessed Abram and was a priest continually really almost suggests a theophany. Was Salem just another word for peace? Was Salem not a literal city? I can't be too certain.
Bera the king of Sodom wanted to offer Abram much wealth. But this was to surrender to God. Abram couldn't want to get his hands on wicked wealth. I think Sodom must have gotten wealthy with its sex trade and invading other people's properties. It was after all a very wicked city. Abram rejected and said, "I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most High God, the possessor Heaven and Earth, that I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shoudest say, I have made Abram rich;"
I would continue my reflections next with a selected topic. I was thinking about doing separate reflections on Sarai's unwise decision to get a surrogate mother and Lot's unfortunate stay in Sodom. Until then grace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
The decision would soon expose Lot to such danger. Genesis 14 records of four kings who raided Sodom. Amphrael the king of Shinar, Arioch the king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer the king of Elan and Tidal the king of nations made war with Bera the king of Sodom. I don't know what reason was it that war was declared upon Sodom. Maybe it was because Sodom was so excessively wicked. I couldn't imagine what the cause was. Did the kings want revenge or where they after the wealth of Sodom? I believe at this point that maybe, only God knows or He will allow us to know through whatever historical manuscripts can be found for the reason of the war.
It wasn't long Abram's nephew Lot was also captured. Lot who once pitched his tent in Sodom was now dwelling in that sinful city. It proves that one little sin grows into a great sin! Abram went forth and this old man showed he wasn't so old. He led an expedition that would recover Lot and his belongings and defeated the four kings.
Here's one debate between Christian scholars today. This is the first time we run into Melchizedek. Some argue that he was a type of Christ. Others argue that he was a king of a literal city called Salem. He was the priest of the most High God. Hebrews 7:3 has been used to defend by scholars who consider Melchizedek to be Jesus Christ because of the phrase, "Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God abideth a priest continually." Some of my favorite teachers like John F. MacArthur and Vernon McGee both see him as a type of Christ. Personally, I want to believe that Hebrews 7:3 wasn't figurative but literal. But the phrase, "made like unto the Son of God" may suggest a comparison that there was no record of who he was and that he was a type of Christ as some study Bibles (such as those like the John Gill's Exposition, Matthew Henry's commentary, MacArthur Study Bible and McGee's commentary) may suggest. The statement Melchizedek blessed Abram and was a priest continually really almost suggests a theophany. Was Salem just another word for peace? Was Salem not a literal city? I can't be too certain.
Bera the king of Sodom wanted to offer Abram much wealth. But this was to surrender to God. Abram couldn't want to get his hands on wicked wealth. I think Sodom must have gotten wealthy with its sex trade and invading other people's properties. It was after all a very wicked city. Abram rejected and said, "I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most High God, the possessor Heaven and Earth, that I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shoudest say, I have made Abram rich;"
I would continue my reflections next with a selected topic. I was thinking about doing separate reflections on Sarai's unwise decision to get a surrogate mother and Lot's unfortunate stay in Sodom. Until then grace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!