Lesson Outline

Series: Abraham: The journey of faith

Title: The Separation

Lesson 0607-5 (Miller)

 

KEY VERSE: Genesis 13:5-11

5 Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. 6 Now the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. 7 And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land.
8 So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.”
10 And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other.

 

INTRODUCTION:

In Genesis 12:1 Abraham was instructed to leave his family behind in Haran. Abraham chose to take his nephew Lot. While at the time this may not have seemed like a problem but we will find out that it was still disobedience. As both Lot’s and Abram’s flocks grow to point that they cannot live together, Abram asks Lot to “Please separate from me.” A few years after the initial call to go to the Promised Land Abraham is finally alone. Lot had no choice but to leave Abraham’s protection and step out on his own. The end result of this decision was disastrous for Lot but for Abram it was necessary. As we will find out Abram and his descendants will pay for Lot’s mistakes for hundreds of years to come.

 

 

OUTLINE:

  1. The land cannot support both Abram and Lot.
    1. This is the result of disobedience.
    2. Abram obeyed God by leaving Haran but he did not leave his family as directed in the same promise. “leave your father’s household”.
    3. This is the fruit of Abram’s first mistake.
    4. He wakes up one morning and finds his people are fighting with Lot’s people.  The nephew that should never have been with him on this trip.

 

  1. Lot took the land that looked better and was better watered.
    1. This is the area of Sodom and Gomorrah
    2. Lot did not have his focus on God but on material prosperity.

                                                               i.      We later find him living in Sodom.

    1. What Lot did not realize is that his prosperity was based in Abraham’s righteousness as prophet. By leaving Abraham’s protection, Lot was easily swayed into unrighteous living

 

  1. It appears that Lots eyes were on material prosperity.
    1. This affected his wife. When told to leave Sodom and Gomorrah, his wife looks back and turns to salt.
    2. His morals are corrupted because when the Angels come to his house and the people of the city want Lot to allow them to abuse them, Lot offers his daughters and basically states that the townspeople can abuse the daughters.
    3. His daughters are affected also because when Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed his daughters have sex with their dad and then two new people groups are created.

                                                               i.      His descendants were the people groups called the Moabites and the Ammonites. (Genesis 19:37-38 the descendants of Lot)

1.      Moabites caused Israel to sin by hiring Balaam to curse them. However because Balaam couldn’t curse Israel he taught the Moabites to seduce Israel’s men with loose women.

2.      See full story in:

a.       Numbers 23-24

b.      Nub 31:8

c.       Joshua 13:22

d.      2 Peter 2:15

e.       Revelation 2:14

3.      Eventually God has to remove the Moabites

a.       Isaiah 15

b.      Jeremiah 48

c.       Amos 2

                                                             ii.      Ammonites were also a pesky group that often fought with the Israelites.

1.      See Jephthah in Judges

2.      Solomon took at least one Ammonite wife and allowed her to worship Micom, the ammonite God at her home in Jerusalem. It was not removed from Jerusalem until Josiah in 2 Kings 23

3.      God also removed the Ammonites.

a.       Amos 1

 

  1. However, Once Lot leaves God renews his promise to Abram
    1. Genesis 13:14-18 I WILL give this land to you and YOUR descendants (not the descendants of Lot)
    2. I WILL make your descendants as the dust of the earth

 

 

DISCUSSION KEYWORDS:

            Materialism

            Worldly Prosperity vs. Spiritual Prosperity

 

OPTIONAL DISCUSSION TOPICS:

            Are all your relatives Christians?

            If not, do they understand what God is doing in your life?

            Is it difficult to talk about God to your family?

Have you had to ever separate from loved ones in order to pursue God?