Genesis 13:1-18
And Abram went up from Mitsrayim into Negeb, he and his wife and all he had, and Lot with him. And he went on his journey from the Negeb as far as Beyth El and Ai, to the place of the altar which he had made there at first, and there Abram called on the Name of Yahuwah..
In chapter Genesis 12:1 Yahuwah said to Abram, "Go yourself out of your land, from your relatives and from your father's house to a land I will show you
As you can see from what Yah commanded Abram to do, He obeyed, except for what we read in Genesis 13:1 that Lot (as well as his family, herdsman and livestock) went with Abram. Did not Yahuwah say to Abram "Go yourself out of the land, from your relatives? As you read the account of the trouble Lot caused by having him and his family tag along, it would have been BEST if Abram told Lot He was commanded to go himself (and his immediate family he was in covenant and responsible for) and that Lot was to remain behind.
What we can learn from this is how utterly important it is for us to obey ALL Yah commands us to do in His Word and our own lives personally. When we only obey Him in part, it opens the door for the adversary to cause not only trouble and heartache in the present, but also in the future during our spiritual sojourn.
We have enough troubles and spiritual battles when we fully obey, but they are easily won and make us stronger in spiritual warefare, but when we only obey part of what Yah commands in His Word or gives to us personally, than the battle can go on far beyond what we can humanly comprehend. Especially whenit involves or affects the lives of others and those closest to us.
Abram went out as far as to the place where he had built an altar before Yahuwah commanded him to leave all to go the the land He would show him and make his name great and his nation that would come out of his loins great. I know Abrams father and relatives worshipped other gods. Abram may have as well. I dont know if the altar that he built before he went to that place again was used to offer sacrifices to other gods. It doesn't say, but in returning to that place he did call on the Name of Yahuwah to the place the altar.
Altar in Hebrew is mizbeach (H2076 - A place to slaughter and sacrifice an animal)
I see a correlation to Abram calling on the Name of Yahuwah in prayer and him offering up an animal sacrifice.
Several scriptures come to mind that connect prayer and offering sacrifices pleasing and acceptable Yahuwah ELohim.
Hebrews 13:15 says,
Through Him then, let us continually offer up a slaughter offering of praise to Elohim, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name.
Romans 12:1
I call upon you, therefore, brothers, through the compassion of Elohim, to present your bodies a living offering – set-apart, well-pleasing to Elohim – your reasonable(spiritual, rational and logical) service of worship (your Divine purpose in ministering to Yah in ALL you say and do)
Why? Because we have been redeemed (purchased) with the price and highest cost of Yahushua's shed blood, which means we NO LONGER belong to ourselves, or demand our rights as His followers, but we are the sole and explicit property of Yahuwah Yahushua. To move, guide and direct us whichever Way He wills and chooses for His glory and Name sake.
Eph 5:2
And walk in love, as Messiah also has loved us, and gave Himself for us, a gift and an offering to Elohim for a sweet-smelling fragrance.
Phil 4:18
Indeed I have all and more than enough. I have been filled, having received from Epaphroditos what you sent, a sweet-smelling fragrance, an acceptable offering, well-pleasing to Elohim.
Ps 141:2-4
Let my prayer be prepared before You as incense, The lifting up of my hands as the evening offering. O יהוה, set a guard for my mouth; Watch over the door of my lips. Let not my heart be inclined to evil, To practise deeds of wrongness With men working wickedness, And let me not eat of their delicacies.
Revelation 8:3-5
And another messenger came and stood at the slaughter-place, holding a golden censer, and much incense was given to him, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the set-apart ones upon the golden slaughter-place which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the set-apart ones, went up before Elohim from the hand of the messenger. And the messenger took the censer, and filled it with fire from the slaughter-place, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, and thunders, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
As we ourselves thoroughly enjoy the smell of a good barbecue, with it's sweet and inviting aroma that draws us to it's alluring fragrance, so does our Yah when clean, unblemished and acceptable animal sacrifices were being offered up daily to Him in the wilderness.
We are now those daily offerings to Yahuwah, through the shed blood of Yahushua, as we give ourselves up in service to Him daily drawing near to Yah in prayer, supplication, fellowship and intimacy. To listen to and obey Him and His Word daily. To seek His forgiveness and cleansing in repentance through the blood of Yahushua upon the brazen altar of laying down our sins, transgressions, self life, will and emotions before Yahuwah our Elohim.
In Genesis 13:8 Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers.
Abram was a peacemaker to diffuse the strife against him, his household and livestock being stirred up from Lot, his family, and herdsman. You can already see the trouble brewing because Abram allowed Lot and his family to tag along with him.
Matt 5:9
“Blessed are the peacemakers, because they shall be called sons of Elohim.
What is a peacemaker? It's to act rightly and carry out a plan or solution to diffuse strife, fighting, arguing, and getting all heated up in anger
Peace~Shalom is contentment, quiet, friendship, safety and completeness.
Yahushua offers us the Shalom (peace) in this troubled world we live in
John 14:27
“Peace I leave with you – My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Romans 12:17-18
Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is right (be at peace) in the sight of all men.
Abram walks in love towards his cousin Lot when he comes up with a solution, by letting him choose first the land he is to go and settle in with his family, herdsman, and livestock.
Genesis 13:9
“Is not all the land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I go to the left.”
1Corinthians 13:4-5 says, "Love is patient, is kind, love does not envy, love does not boast, is not puffed up, does not behave indecently, does not seek its own, is not provoked, reckons not the evil,
Love is not self seeking
Phil 2:2-4
make my joy complete by being of the same mind, having the same love, one in being and of purpose, doing none at all through selfishness or self-conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each one should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
Here we see humility and love working together in Phil 2:2-4 that Abram shows towards his cousin he calls a brother. Even in his struggles and weakness by letting Lot tag along with Him when Yah told Abram to dapart from his father and relatives and to go himself (along with his immediate household he was responsible for.)
He still showed humility and love. I can see by Abrams example of righteousness, despite his weakness, why Yahuwah would call Abram to leave his former life to cross over into the life and the One nation (the seed of Abraham) Yah was setting apart for Himself.
Mark 10:45
For even the Son of Aḏam did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
Romans 12:15-17
Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not be proud in mind, but go along with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, on your part, be at peace with all men.
Hebrews 13:16
And do not forget to do good and to share, for with such slaughter offerings Elohim is well pleased.
We continue on in Genesis 13 verse 10
"And Lot lifted his eyes (the lust and desires (pleasures) of the eyes ~ Example: Gen 3:6; Eve SAW that the fruit was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes) and SAW all the plain of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere - before Yahuwah destroyed Sedom and Amorah - like the (lush, beautiful and plentiful) garden of Yahuwah, like the land of Mitsrayim (Egypt) as you go toward Tso'ar.
Unlike his uncle Abram who considered Lot first in letting him chose where he, his family and livestock needed to separate themselves to, Lot chose the land based on outward appearance (what was pleasing to his eyes.) A land flowing with plenty of water, vegetation and beauty. Sin seems pleasant for a time, but in the end leads to destruction. Look what ultimately happened to Lots wife and the sons he bore by the trickery and deception of Lots daughter after they were led out of Sedom and Amorah before it's destruction?
When we choose based on outward appearance and materialism' that is the workings and desires of our flesh over the Spirit. The flesh us into the world, ie., the Babylonian system (Materialism, domination/control and false religion) When follow after the Spirit, through self denial, hunmility and love, the kingdom of Yahuwah and His will is being lived out through us over our own will and desires we crucify and declare as dead through the blood of Yahushua and power of the Ruach Ha Kodesh ( Holy, set apart Spirit)
We see Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan where he moved to the east, dwelling in the cities of the plain where he pitched his tent as far as Sedom and Abram settled in the land of Canaan.
Why would Lot pitch his tent Sedom when it says in Genesis 13:13, "But the men of Seḏom were evil and sinned before יהוה, exceedingly so?
Because Lot was not being led by the Spirit, but rather the lusts and desires of his flesh. In doing so, he had no discernment and wisdom to see the exceedingly evil environment and people he was surrounding himself and his family with.
You can see the contrast between Abram who walked in obedience and righteousness to Yahuwah by His Spirit, and Lot who walked after the manner of his own fleshly desires leading to his wifes death, and Lots future that spiraled out of control. Have you ever wondered where the phrase, "That is your lot in life," comes from?
Abram was blessed wherever he sojourned. Whether he was surrounded famine or plenty.
When you choose Yahuwah Yahushua, (the things of the Spirit and obedience to Him and His Word) you choose LIFE!
When you choose the flesh, ( that which is of outward appearance and materialism)
you choose the world (Babylon ~ sin) which leads to death!
Linda Rose
