Genesis 13-15          

In the closing of Chapter 12, something happened which is a reflection fear; a horrible spirit. After God had told Abram that where he stood was His promise to him, he then moved away from that place after building an altar there because of famine. The description of the compass of his journey was spiritually negative, “… Abram went DOWN to Egypt …”

Genesis 12:10 “And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.”

The great lesson we could learn from his trip is that, once a man leaves his apportioned place on earth, he will be faced with satanic threats and result includes lies, cheats, dishonesty, and the rest. Satan’s greatest weapon is fear. He instills fear in his victim. Peter was a victim and he denied Christ thrice. Fear made Jonah change his itinerary for Tarshish instead of Nineveh. Elijah ran into the cage of fear at the threat of Jezebel.

Fear has made many to change divine course of destiny. Abram, the prophet of the Most High God, lied for fear of the Egyptians. He pushed his wife to danger for fear. Danger in the sense that it was easier for the Egyptians to rape her as his sister, than as wife; though death lingered if he claimed her as wife. Note that he was not a liar because the Bible the not even accused him of one. The Bible only reported what he did. A liar is one that habitually does that. One act in the case of Abram never constituted him a liar. Because of the integrity of his heart, God intervened. Do you know that Pharaoh lavished Abram with wealth and kindness because of his wife, Sarai, assuming she was his Sister?

Genesis 12:16 “And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.”

All he had in Haran were goods and servants, not livestock. He went into Egypt without wealth, but by the time he was coming out of Egypt, he had become rich; wealth transfer. May the Lord make this year the year you have been waiting for, in prosperity and greatness, in the name of Jesus.

Proverbs 13:22 “A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.”

His step into Egypt could be regarded as what God ordered. Whatever happened there was under God’s watch. Abram wasn’t a wealth monger; he loved the Lord. if he loved wealth more than God, he had the opportunity to be richer in chapter 14 in the rescue of Lot from captivity with others and their goods, but he didn’t tamper with another person’s money.

Genesis 14:21-23 “And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. 22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, 23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:”

He trusted in God for his wealth. The fight he involves himself in was political, but he never enriched himself. The politicians of today are no like that.

Abram became famous because of the Battle he fought for the weak and the poor. Kings gave him immeasurable accolade and respect. The Priest of the land, Melchizedek received tithes from him of all the loot he had recovered, and the Priest blessed.

Genesis 14:17-20 “And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale. And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. 19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.”

Because he loved the Lord, he blessed the Lord’s servant. To tithe then was not a tradition or an obligation. But he did it out of a good heart to God. He was a giver; not selfish. No one should be persuaded to tithe if such has the love of God. It’s like a farmer taking everything from the ground with giving back to the ground. He will soon run dry and poor. Tithing is respect for God.

But the truth is that, not until Lot was separated from him, there was not any peace in his house, and he was not famous. And not until he changed the compass of his trip to positive, “Abram went UP out of Egypt …” Lot was not separated. God had told Abram to be separated from his father’s house, kindred and village. Lot was the last of his father’s house to be separated.

Abram was a man of vision, while Lot, though regarded as a righteous man, was a man of the flesh who walked by sight only. A man can be righteous, but blind. Such is conservative; very traditional and unchanged. Such don’t walk in the spirit.

Genesis 13:10 “And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.”

He initially moved close to the border, not in the city. But, one way or the other, he was in the city with the wicked people of Sodom, he even became an elder sitting at the Gate of the city (decision makers joint).

Genesis 13:12-13 “Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom (not in the city but at the border). But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.”

Whilst with Abram, he behaved as Abram behaved but not as Abram worshipped. There is no record he even built an altar. He only acted according to the order of the house. When he got closer to the city of Sodom, he flowed with their behavior also to drink and social. Lot was an unstable man who could change at any time.

Many are just like that. They have no spiritual culture. Such are betrayals. They speak good of you in your presence, but on stepping out of your presence, they go by what entails outside. Lot never even took time to check on his uncle who raised him up. Many are as ungrateful to God and to their mentors. They separate themselves from their mentor on bad ground because they think the land is green and well nourished. Beloved, vision is not the same as eyesight or gift. Avoid strife by all means if you must go independent; God is not an author of confusion.

The moment Lot was separated, the Vision of Abram became clearer and well detailed.

Genesis 13:14-18 “And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: 15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. 16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. 17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. 18 Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.”

The person you associate with could be a detrimental to the health of your vision. Vision is of the Lord, you can’t play games with him. He wants total commitment to His course. He wants it to run in your veins as blood. He wants your total attention. The people of vision must be your friend, not the people of division. Vision is not about “man know man” but a divine assignment that needs your heart. Jesus did not regard his own family as family (brother and mother), but those given to vision, listening to the word and ready to go for the vision. Choose your friends rightly.

When Abram was left alone in his journey, God then entered the real covenant with him. All along, He had been making promises, but in chapter 15, He made a covenant with him after gaining his attention. Lessons there are;

1. God calls singly and not in multitude
2. You may love a person, but before God, such could be a problem to the genuine relationship between you and the plan.
3. Things of God should be on God’s terms and not on “man know man” relationship.
4. The instruction of God cannot be handled partially.
5. Your privilege to a man of vision should highly cherished; don’t lose that opportunity on the platform of self-achievement. The gift might be there for you, but vision speaks louder. Remember, grace has levels and it is only God that grade it.
6. A promise is not the same as covenant
   1. Promise: parties are still separate and could be altered or changed.
   1. Covenant: parties become inseparable and will require another covenant stronger to escape the repercussion of breaking it.

Inconclusion, beloved, an intimate friend might decide to leave your life. After viewing the scenario or circumstances surrounding the separation and you realize it is not your fault and you have tried all you could to keep it, don’t remain there. You have only found a good ground for better and clearer vision. A place has just been vacant for God to occupy.

May God meet you this year in the name of Jesus.

Keep the fire burning

Supo Abayode

MFM, Delaware, USA