Sermon Notes

13 8-9 Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have fighting between us, between your shepherds and my shepherds. After all, we’re family. Look around. Isn’t there plenty of land out there? Let’s separate. If you go left, I’ll go right; if you go right, I’ll go left.” 10-11 Lot looked. He saw the whole plain of the Jordan spread out, well-watered (this was before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah), like God’s Garden, like Egypt, and stretching all the way to Zoar. Lot took the whole plain of the Jordan. Lot set out to the east. 11-12 That’s how they came to part company, uncle and nephew. Abram settled in Canaan; Lot settled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent near Sodom. 13 The people of Sodom were evil—flagrant sinners against God. 14-17 After Lot separated from him, God said to Abram, “Open your eyes, look around. Look north, south, east, and west. Everything you see, the whole land spread out before you, I will give to you and your children forever. I’ll make your descendants like dust—counting your descendants will be as impossible as counting the dust of the Earth. So—on your feet, get moving! Walk through the country, its length and breadth; I’m giving it all to you.” 18 Abram moved his tent. He went and settled by the Oaks of Mamre in Hebron. There he built an altar to God.

At its core, Genesis tells the stories of beginnings. Its title in the original Hebrew, Bereshit—which comes from the first word of this first book—literally means “in beginning,” “in a beginning,” or “when beginning” depending on how one chooses to translate it. As the first book of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, Genesis naturally explores first things. It narrates the Divine as the catalyst of all that has been created. It indicates the source of human physiology and spiritual identity. It uncovers the keystone of evil and sin, and it discloses the limitless bounds of God’s love for the whole world.

Genesis also narrates how God chooses to be in relationship with humanity generally and specifically through the stories of those whom tradition calls the patriarchs and matriarchs—Abram, Sarai, Hagar, Issac, Rebecca, Jacob, Leah, Rachel. This first lesson of this new quarter focuses on how Abram experiences strife with his nephew Lot, but nevertheless retains both his dignity and spiritual

identity. Often, people choose to war with one another without concern for the preservation of familial or relational bonds. However, this text demonstrates that Abram humbly makes every effort to retain a positive relationship with his nephew Lot despite the strife they are enduring. Abram allows love to guide his actions and reactions toward his family. In doing so, he positions himself—physically and spiritually—for elevation with God and blessings beyond his wildest imagination.

According to both Christian and Jewish tradition, Moses wrote Genesis through direct dictation from God. However, the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament does not indicate this understanding, and ancient manuscripts of Genesis lack any claim of authorship. The first text that makes this claim is the 2nd century BCE Book of Jubilees, which also claims that Moses wrote the entire Pentateuch. However, modern biblical scholarship generally accepts that the book of Genesis, along with the rest of the Pentateuch, likely first consisted of oral traditions that were composed by multiple sources. Later, writers then edited those oral traditions together in written form during the monarchical period through the exilic/post-exilic period (approximately the tenth through sixth centuries BCE).i

There are two main sections in Genesis, the primeval history in chapters 1-11, and the ancestral history in chapters 12-50, which is often divided into stories about Abraham and Sarah (12-25), stories about Jacob and Esau (26-36), and stories about Jacob’s children (37-50) who eventually become the children of Israel. Throughout the book of Genesis, worship is an integral part of the narrative, as the writers seeks to explain how Abram and his descendants—as God’s people—are to faithfully live out their covenantal relationship with the Divine. In essence, Abram is a leader who models what Worship in the Covenantal Community looks like.

8-9 Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have fighting between us, between your shepherds and my shepherds. After all, we’re family. Look around. Isn’t there plenty of land out there? Let’s separate. If you go left, I’ll go right; if you go right, I’ll go left.” 10-11 Lot looked. He saw the whole plain of the Jordan spread out, well-watered (this was before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah), like God’s garden, like Egypt, and stretching all the way to Zoar. Lot took the whole plain of the Jordan. Lot set out to the east. 11-12 That’s how they came to part company, uncle and nephew. Abram settled in Canaan; Lot settled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent near Sodom. 13 The people of Sodom were evil—flagrant sinners against God.

In the opening verses of the lesson text we see several important details which illumine this scriptural passage. First, as a narrative within the ancestral narratives of Genesis, this particular text not only provides a provides a context for establishing God’s promises to Abram, but it also provides a context for Abram’s separation from Lot. While God called Abram from Ur and sent him to the “land I will show you,” the text does not say that God at any time called Lot. Lot either just

went, or Abram—who did not have an heir—brought him along. Thus, the story intimates that God has to separate Abram from Lot in order for Abram to be transformed into a great nation. This implicit details reminds contemporary believers that there are some places that God has called us to that might not include our chosen companions. Sometimes, separation is good for you and your assignment, even if it does not feel good to you!

Second, we see that these men had left home in peace and they seemed to have enjoyed peace for a long time. But now, peace has been jeopardized; it’s in danger of being destroyed. But we see peace preserved through knowledge and love being used in time:

a) Peace was preserved because Abram took the initiative to act upon what he knew. Often, peace is destroyed by confusion because no one takes the initiative to act upon what they know. But in this case, peace was preserved because Abraham was willing to make a move. Abram was perceptive enough to realize the potential dangers he and Lot they faced. They were surrounded by people who didn’t like them and didn’t want them there; they faced danger from the Canaanites and the Perizzites, both of whom were capable of doing great harm to them. So, the last thing they needed was to be at odds with one another. The only hope they had was to stick together.

Likewise, Contemporary Christians must recognize that we have a common adversary—Satan and his evil structures—that threatens to destroy us, unless we’re able to come together and stay together. Satan prides himself on being able to bring confusion into places and spaces where there is supposed to be peace. It’s his desire to keep us from coming together. But we must not allow Satan to prevail.

b) Abram recognized peace as a source of power. Lot was young and prosperous. We can’t blame him if he had the ambition to have the kind of power and prestige that Abram had. At the same time, Lot’s servants were fighting for their rights, their respect. They didn’t understand that the only reason why Lot was there was because of Abram. Neither Lot, nor his servants seemed willing to concede that they were this favorable position because God had chosen Abram for a special task. By contrast Abram understood that his power didn’t come from his wealth, prestige or position. It came from his willingness to commit to what God wanted him to do. So, instead of pushing back, Abram becomes powerful by being a peace-advocate.

*Most people are interested in power. But they seek it in the wrong places; they try to gain it by taking advantage of others; they try to demonstrate power by showing off what they own and how much they know. But there is power in being an advocate for peace. Peace doesn’t come from doing nothing; peace

comes from knowing what to do and having the courage to do it (Martin Luther King, Jr.). If we are to preserve the peace that we need so badly, we must first come to recognize the power of advocating for peace.

c) Peace is a choice. Abram chose peace ahead of a lot of things—his rights, his seniority in the family, his pride, his image in the eyes of others. He felt that choosing peace was worth forfeiting those things. In effect, Abram says, “Lot we shouldn’t have strife between us because we are family. Now Lot, let me make you an offer. Let’s separate from one another. You go your way and I’ll go mine. I’ll give you your choice. There’s a lot of great land here Lot. You tack your pick. If you go north, I’ll go south. You go south and I’ll go north. I don’t have to do it this way, but I’m doing it out of love. And I’m doing it because I want peace.”

*When we strive for peace, we are saying that we have made the choice to follow God’s way. If we want to live, to survive, to overcome, and sit at the table of sisterhood and brotherhood, then we need to choose peace.

Third, we see that the physical separation of Abram and Lot emphasizes that Lot will not be Abram’s heir. God is going to bless Abram with a son, in his old age, the old fashioned-way. God is going to bring about a miracle in Abram’s life. Further, by Lot’s choosing the Jordan valley, which looks good to his eye, it paves the way for God to bless Abram with the entire region of Canaan. Verse 11-13 also foreshadows the trouble that Lot will get into in Sodom and Gomorrah by seeking “greener pastures,” and pitching his tent near Sodom. We learn that the people are both evil and sinful. His choice of the green valley—which seems to be less work—will in many ways work him over, costing him everything.

14-17 After Lot separated from him, God said to Abram, “Open your eyes, look around. Look north, south, east, and west. Everything you see, the whole land spread out before you, I will give to you and your children forever. I’ll make your descendants like dust—counting your descendants will be as impossible as counting the dust of the Earth. So—on your feet, get moving! Walk through the country, its length and breadth; I’m giving it all to you.”

Verses 14-17 provide what biblical scholars call an “oracle of promise.” This is where God repeatedly provides a direct, unconditional promise of land and posterity. Abram has done all he could do to maintain peace with his nephew and Lot has tried to take advantage of the situation. However, Lot does not have the final word over Abram’s fate, his fortunes, or over his destiny. When Abram could not maintain peace with Lot, he humbly acquiesced to his nephew, allowing him to choose the way that he wanted to go. It is clear that Lot chose the “best land”, essentially taking advantage of his uncle’s generosity. But Lot did not know what God had in store for Abram in Canaan. Canaan was God’s providential promise for Abram all along. It was a land flowing with milk and honey, if one had the work ethic to go and find it!

It's also important to note that God did not speak to Abram until after he had separated from Lot. This Divine communication denotes a crucial transition in Abram’s journey—a transition that could not happen until Lot was gone! God reminds Abram of the promise that was already made in Genesis 12. God’s promises will stand, no matter what strife, confusion and experiences that Abram has had to endure.

God says, “Look around you. Look to the north and to the south. Look to the east and to the west. And as far as your eyes can see. I’ll give this land to you and your descendants forever. They’ll be like dust!” The place where God has placed Abram is a high place. The location between Bethel and Ai—where Abram pitched his tent—is an excellent lookout point. He is able to see everything around him and in this place he is protected from his enemies, unlike Lot who is down in the valley. Further, when verse 17 says, “I’m giving it all to you,” (MSG) or “for I will give it to you,” (NRSVue), it is actually employing the words of well-documented Ugaritic legal language for the transfer of property that goes back to the 13th century BCE. Essentially the writers are saying God will give Abram this land forever, into perpetuity.

18 Abram moved his tent. He went and settled by the Oaks of Mamre in Hebron. There he built an altar to God.

The final verse of the lesson text highlights Abram’s response to God’s promise. He lifts up his eyes, surveys the land, and walks the length and breadth of his promised land as he moves his tent to settle by Mamre in Hebron. The location of Hebron is significant because this is where he will buy land for burial (Genesis 23), and that purchase cements his ownership of Canaan land. Then, Abram builds an altar—his third thus far—and worships God in the open for Divine provision and blessings. This providential turn of events for Abram reminds us that God’s guidance brings about peace not confusion. God not only blesses those who pursue peace, but God blesses our peace of mind when we obey the voice of the Lord. Further, Abram’s manner of settling dispute brings about peace through non-violence. His example, in peaceful resolution and worship, is instructive for us all.

i For a more in-depth conversation about the sources of Genesis and the Pentateuch, please see “Introduction to the Pentateuch,” and “Introduction to Genesis,” in The SBL Study Bible (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2023) 34-46.