Let’s read on… His vision is pushing him onward. Genesis 12:10-20:
However, we find that Abram’s faith is not fully developed yet.
In Genesis 12:10-20 we discover that there was a famine in the land of Canaan. In an attempt to provide food for his large family, Abram travels South to Egypt where he hopes to secure a place to stay and adequate provisions. However, he also realized that the Egyptians might recognize SARAI’S beauty and desire her. So Abram, now operating on the basis of fear rather than faith, concocts a scheme to avoid losing his life because another man might want his Wife.
Sure enough, not long after entering Egypt, no less than the Pharaoh himself sets his sights on SARAI. Now Abram is in a serious dilemma. The lie has turned into a trap and what earlier had led to Abram’s prosperity as a result of the Pharaoh’s generosity, has now led to the real possibility that SARAI would be lost to him and thus the promise of God.
We sometimes operate like Abram. We receive God’s promise and vision, we pursue God until a specific situation enters our life. Suddenly we take matters into our own hands, we begin to operate out of fear or pride rather than faith. Before long, I was in such dilemma just like Abram. Fortunately we serve a God of mercy Who will often bail us out just as He did as Abram
God sends a plague upon the Egyptians which is perceived as a curse of the gods, and subsequently Abram’s plot is uncovered. In the end, Abram is saved, but only by the gracious intervention of his newfound Lord.
Lesson to be learnt is that, we cannot lose sight of our vision in the midst of trials. If Abram would have kept his vision focused, he surely would have kept faith knowing that God had promised to make a great nation from his seed and that God would keep His word.Abram left Egypt to return to Bethel. Upon his arrival back to the place where he had erected the second altar what does Abram do? Listen to Genesis 13:4: This was the place where Abram had built the altar, and there he again worshiped the Lord. Vision and mission restored. Abram chose to recenter himself upon God.
That’s all we need to do today. When we find ourselves off center and struggling to live life on our own strength, all we need to do is stop, recognize our foolishness, and then bow before God in worship giving Him control of our lives again.
In Genesis 13 we find Abram and his nephew Lot in a predicament involving land and water rights. Because the existing residents of the land possessed the best land, Abram and Lot were forced to share what land and water was left. This situation led to quarreling between herdsmen. Abram realizing this was not good, met with Lot. In an effort to maintain peaceful relations, Abram made a very generous proposal – he would give Lot first choice of the land. Lot could choose the fertile Jordan Valley or the plains of Canaan. Lot chose the green Jordan Valley close to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abram stayed in the land of Canaan. Abram’s vision is starting to direct his life and his decisions. Now watch how God honors Abram’s decisions.
In Genesis 13:14-18 ,After Lot was gone, the Lord said to Abram, “Look as far as you can see in every direction. I am going to give all this land to you and your offspring as a permanent possession. And I am going to give you so many descendants that, like dust, they cannot be counted! Take a walk in every direction and explore the new possessions I am giving you.” Then Abram moved his camp to the oak grove owned by Mamre, which is at Hebron. There he built an altar to the Lord.
Hardly any other chapter in the Bible describes faith so marvelously. Here was the patriarch as a genuine believer in and worshiper of Yahweh – whose faith functioned in a conflict. Lot, walking by sight, chose on the basis of what appealed to him. His choice was self-seeking and self-gratifying. But such a choice became dangerous and short-lived, for all was not as it appeared to be on the surface.
Abram, on the other hand, walking by faith, generously let Lot choose first. Abram was unselfish, trusting God. He had learned that it was not by his own plan that he would come into the possession, or by jealously guarding what was his. He acted righteously and generously. One who believes that God is pledged to provide for him is not greedy, anxious, or covetous.
Faith and Worship acting in unison. By faith, Abram chose to give Lot first choice. At the conclusion of the matter what does Abram do? He builds an altar to the Lord. Our vision, our lives are guided by faith and sustained through worship.
In Genesis 14 Abram discovers that his nephew Lot has been captured and taken away. Immediately he gathers his men and allies and leaves to take back his family. God grants Abram the victory and upon his triumphal arrival home, he is greeted by two kings. These kings could not be more different. The first king is king to greet Abram is Bera king of Sodom. Next, Melchizadek, King of Salem, greets Abram. What makes this scene so significant is that Abram is confronted with two choices, one of which would compromise his vision and mission.
Upon receiving a rich blessing from Melchizadek, king Bera steps in and offers Abram a deal. Bera states that if Abram will return all his people to him, Abram can keep all the loot he had captured from the invading armies. Now we must bear in mind that the recovered booty was, more than likely, a very large amount. At this point it would not surprise me if Abram had decided to go along with Bera’s offer. After all, it was Abram who gathered an army, set out after the invaders and defeated them in battle. Wasn’t Abram entitled to the loot?…
Let’s freeze this moment… Abram is standing between two kings representing two diametrically opposing standards.
Bera, king of Sodom, was an evil king who ruled an excessively wicked city. On the other hand there was Melchizadek, who was a completely righteous King. In fact, Some Bible students believe Melchizedek was a theophany, or an appearance of the preincarnate Christ.
This incident was a test of Abram’s faith after a great victory. Bera, Sodom’s king, offered a most appealing deal. But Abram, knowing what he did about the king of Sodom, felt that keeping Sodom’s loot which he captured would make him subject to Bera. He wanted something far more enduring than possessions and wealth; he wanted the fulfillment of God’s miraculous and enduring promise. Faith looks beyond the riches of this world to the grander prospects God has in store. …
