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Monday 20 July 2015

Abraham and Lot's conflict



If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left" (v.9). If they were facing eastward right is south and left if north; but if they were facing westward the opposite is true. He stands down. Each of them possessed many flocks, servants, and herds. Of course you pray, seek, and labor for some things that will never come to pass, but in the end you are content with God whatever God decided for your life. But biblically speaking, you can always get what you want. But a lie can never grow old; truth inevitably displaces it. You say with the Psalmist "Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you" (Ps. What do I mean? When your heart is aligned with God's heart, when He is enough for you, you only want what He wants to give you. But if you try sometimes, well you just might find, you get what you need." Many of us think this way. He refuses to let possessions trump his love for a person.

Abraham and Lot, Sunday School Lesson, Potter's Publishing

Some time later the people of Sodom and the area including Lot and his family are kidnapped by four kings. He says, "Separate yourself from me. 73:25). Abraham risked his life to protect Lot and his family.

Lot (biblical person) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That deceit was Abraham's ace in the hole, his alternative to faith, his fall-back plan in case God didn't come through. Abraham understood this and it enabled him to stand down when faced with a conflict with Lot. Abraham and Sarah were revealed as man and wife, a disclosure that almost cost them their lives.

This conflict between Abraham and Lot arose because of the physical blessings they received. Verse 6 tells us "their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together."

Lot was the son of Haran, Abraham’s brother. Obviously Abraham maintained his commitment to Lot, his adopted son. If they were in the current day center of Israel they would have been in the promised land of Canaan. Abraham may have expected Lot to choose northern Canaan or Southern Canaan, but he did not make that choice. How this conflict was settled is the focus of the message this evening.

‘If you take the left hand, then I shall go right, and of you take the right hand, I shall go left’ (13:9). Abraham understood this and it enabled him to stand down when faced with a conflict with Lot. This is an important truth. There are things that we want, even demand, that we know we will never get. And where were they geographically? If they were situated on the Mediterranean coast (near current day Tel Aviv) south is Philistine land (Gaza) and north up to Lebanon. He is your portion. Let's read our text and see what we can learn.

Intro: For Abram, everything isn't smooth sailing! After his return to Canaan from his disastrous trip to Egypt, there arises a conflict between himself and his nephew Lot. Abraham gathered an army and fought the kings; he succeeded in releasing Lot, his family and all his possessions and the people of Sodom. It was a conflict that had serious ramifications and had to be resolved. The dispute ends in peaceful way, in which Abraham concedes a handful piece of the Promised Land, which belongs to him, in order to resolve the conflict peacefully.

This is a very different understanding of contentment. Let's read our text and see what we can learn from Abraham.

Abraham would rather not be with Lot than be at odds with him. Abraham and Lot's conflict (Hebrew: מריבת רועי אברהם ורועי לוט‎, Merivat Roey Avraham Ve'Roey Lot) is a story told in the Book of Genesis, in the weekly Torah portion, Lech-Lecha, that depicts the separation of Abraham and Lot, as a result of a fight among their shepherds. Abraham yields to Lot's choice of any part of the land Lot desires. Was Abraham suggested they split the land of Canaan which was promised to him? Right hand or left hand is a strange and unclear way to define land. 7). He does not have to win this battle. Only when we are satisfied in God, and God alone, will we be content and be able to embrace whatever He sends our way with joy and patience. Abraham appears to value Lot over the land. This put a strain on the land and caused strife between the herdsmen (v. We are not told of Lot’s mother’s name, but she too apparently died before the family moved toward Canaan.

The Rolling Stones sang, "You can't always get what you want. Haran died relatively young during his father Terah’s lifetime and Abraham ‘adopted’ his nephew.

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