BACK TO BETHEL

BOOK OF GENESIS

CHAPTER 13

            Oh, there you are.  Good to have you back.  If we think back to the last adventure of Abram, we found him getting kicked out of Egypt for hiding his identity of Sarai, which was all in God's plan to provide Abram and his people with food during the famine and for God to be able to deal with a man who was taking the wives of men and killing the husbands. I bet he thought twice about this after that. Two birds with one stone if ya will. Aint God awesome?

             Abram was always very rich in cattle, gold, and silver.  He was heading back to a land of famine where gold and silver can’t buy or produce food for his cattle and the people who tend them for him.  A land that God promised would make him a great name and a great nation from his seed.  You’ve got to surmise that Abram had moments where he felt overwhelmed. It was all a test.

            Nevertheless, he traveled on, until he arrived back at the place in Bethel where he pitched his tent at the beginning.   They settled there once again for the time being and at the same altar, Abram prayed.

            Abram's nephew Lot also had flocks and herds and tents and family and workers.  Soon the land wasn’t able to sustain them because they had so much livestock.  As things became crowded there was fighting between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and of Lot’s men.  So Abram said to Lot, Let’s not fight, we’re family.  We have the whole land in front of us.  If you choose the right side, I’ll take the left, and if you choose the left, I’ll take the right.

            So Lot looked over the land and chose the side on the east, which was the area of Jordan.  Abram remained in the land of Canaan. 

            Then after Lot had left, God said to Abram, Look from where you are to the north, south, east and west, as far as you can see.  All the land that you see, I will give it to you and to your seed for ever.  And I will give you as many descendants as the dust of the earth.  Now go and walk through the land.  So once again, God assured Abram of his promise. 

            Abram chose a place about 30 miles south of Bethel in Hebron, and that was where he pitched his tent and built another altar to God.  Note:  This is where the name “Hebrew” comes from.

            Okay, let’s review a little bit about Abram and what’s happened to him so far.  An ordinary childless 75 year old man is promised by God that he will be given land, have oodles of children and become a famous nation forever.  He leaves his father’s house and takes his wife, nephew and many riches with him.  He comes to Canaan where God tells him that this is the Promised Land.  Then traveling through famine, he goes to Egypt and then back up to Canaan.  There he peaceably separates from his nephew because the land can’t support their wealth.  God reassures Abram of His promise and Abram settles in Hebron.  So there you have it in a nutshell. 

              We, as Christians are oft times asked by God to sojourn into the unknown as well and as we are learning from Abraham, we need only have faith that HE will see us through.

            Next time, you’ll read about a little skirmish that Lot gets into and how Abram rescues him, so keep your bookmark set to Daily Bread, and hurry back.    

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