This week we are continuing our study in the book of Genesis with chapters 13-15. This study will help us understand the history and importance of not only the faithfulness of God through His Covenant Promise, but the love He has for His people, even those who are flawed like Abraham and us!

Defending our faith and developing a Biblical worldview based on our understanding of God’s Word takes time and practice, and must be part of a lifetime commitment we make to the LORD. It should form our purpose and identity in everyday life as we grow closer to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, modeling Him to our family, friends and neighbors. As Christians, it is more important than ever to know what we believe, and why we believe it, and then apply that to who we are on a consistent basis, and this can only be done if we know Jesus and what His Word teaches.

All class sessions include a time for prayer and reflection, a presentation, and a Bible study section. You will find the presentation overview and Bible study questions below with basic answers for your review and, or to use as a leader’s guide.

Watch this week’s presentation:

Presentation

Foundations Bible Study
Genesis Chapters 13-15
Abram and Lot

INTRODUCTION AND REVIEW

Prayer cards: Take a minute and write your name on the index card provided, and add any special prayer request you might have. Exchange cards at the end of the class. 

Review: What is our focus verse, why is it important, and what other Covenants does it relate to (Review chapter 12)?

Focus verse
THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT

“Now the Lord said to Abram,

“Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father’s house,
To the land which I will show you;
2 And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing;
3 And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” “  Genesis 12:1-3 (NASB)

Three Parts of the Covenant:

1. Land
2. Nation
3. Blessing

Chapter Reading for Step #3: Context
– What does it say?

Chapter 13

• 13:1-4
• 13:5-7
• 13:8-11
• 13:12-18

Discuss (summarize) the chapter 

Step #4 for Interpretation: What does it mean? Going Deeper Questions

1. (Genesis 13:1-18)Why did Abram and Lot separate and where did they end up settling? What part of the Covenant did God reaffirm with Abram at this point, and why (v. 13-18)?

13 So Abram went up from Egypt to the ^a]Negev, he and his wife and all that belonged to him, and Lot with him. ² Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver and in gold. ³ He went ^b]on his journeys from the ^c]Negev as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, ⁴ to the place of the altar which he had made there formerly; and there Abram called on the name of the Lord. ⁵ Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. ⁶ And the land could not ^d]sustain them ^e]while dwelling together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together. ⁷ And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. Now the Canaanite and the Perizzite were dwelling then in the land. ⁸ So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers. ⁹ Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me; if to the left, then I will go to the right; or if to the right, then I will go to the left.” ¹⁰ Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the ^f]valley of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere—this was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah—like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go to Zoar. ¹¹ So Lot chose for himself all the ^g]valley of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward. Thus they separated from each other. ¹² Abram ^h]settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot ^i]settled in the cities of the ^j]valley, and moved his tents as far as Sodom. ¹³ Now the men of Sodom were wicked ^k]exceedingly and sinners against the Lord. ¹⁴ The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; ¹⁵ for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your ^l]descendants forever. ¹⁶ I will make your ^m]descendants as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your ^n]descendants can also be numbered. ¹⁷ Arise, walk about the land through its length and breadth; for I will give it to you.” ¹⁸ Then Abram moved his tent and came and dwelt by the ^o]oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.

• Abram and Lot separated because they had become too big together and their herdsmen were fighting with each other over land-space – this seems to indicate they had gained a lot more wealth than they had before (livestock and people) from Egypt (12:9-12).
• Abram gave Lot the choice of where to live, and Lot chose land in the cities of the valley (of Jordan), and he moved his tents as far as Sodom (Note: Lot eventually ends up as an official in Sodom).
• Abram settled in the land of Canaan.
• In verses 13-18, God reaffirms two parts of the promise: 1) A people-group: “I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth” and 2) Land: From where Abram was looking, all that he could see northward, southward, eastward, and westward.
• Note: The Land area God showed Abram is more area than Israel currently occupies today.

LOT:

• Lot’s choice has become the topic of many sermons about sin: First “looking at it,” then moving close to it, and then ultimately living right in the middle of it. (Note: As we read on, there are many consequences to Lot’s choice: Loss of land, wealth, friends, and family, including his wife’s death).
• Many Bible teachers point out that Lot should have never come along with Abram to begin with, because, according to 12:1, God told Abram to leave his relatives behind. “Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you””
• Note: God only speaks again to Abram after Lot leaves, and here He reaffirms His commitment to the promise He gave Abram (in 12:3) ““And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”” This also shows that Lot was not part of the Covenant and his descendants will be a problem to Israel (Moab and Ben-Ammi: Moabite and Ammonite Nations)

Chapter Reading for Step #3: Context
– What does it say?

Chapter 14

• 14:1-4
• 14:5-7
• 14:8-12
• 14:13-16
• 14:17-24

Discuss (summarize) the chapters

2. (Genesis 14:1-16)Why was there a war between the kings, and what brought Abram into this war? Discuss:What was the outcome of the war and why do you think Abram would not take any of the spoil offered by the king of Sodom after the war (v. 21-24)?

14 And it came about in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of ^a]Goiim, ² that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). ³ All these ^b]came as allies to the valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). ⁴ Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but the thirteenth year they rebelled. ⁵ In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, came and ^c]defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim and the Zuzim in Ham and the Emim in ^d]Shaveh-kiriathaim, ⁶ and the Horites in their Mount Seir, as far as El-paran, which is by the wilderness. ⁷ Then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and ^e]conquered all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, who lived in Hazazon-tamar. ⁸ And the king of Sodom and the king of Gomorrah and the king of Admah and the king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) came out; and they arrayed for battle against them in the valley of Siddim, ⁹ against Chedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of ^f]Goiim and Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. ¹⁰ Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell ^g]into them. But those who survived fled to the hill country. ¹¹ Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food supply, and departed. ¹² They also took Lot, Abram’s nephew, and his possessions and departed, for he was living in Sodom. ¹³ Then ^h]a fugitive came and told Abram the Hebrew. Now he was ^i]living by the ^j]oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner, and these were ^k]allies with Abram. ¹⁴ When Abram heard that his ^l]relative had been taken captive, he ^m]led out his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. ¹⁵ He divided ^n]his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and ^o]defeated them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is ^p]north of Damascus. ¹⁶ He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his ^q]relative Lot with his possessions, and also the women, and the people. ²¹ The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give the ^[w]people to me and take the goods for yourself.” ²² Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have ^[x]sworn to the Lord ^[y]God Most High, ^[z]possessor of heaven and earth, ²³ that I will not take a thread or a sandal thong or anything that is yours, for fear you would say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ ^24 [aa]I will take nothing except what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their share.”

• There was a war between 5 Kings (including the King of Sodom) and 4 Kings – mainly Chedorlamer, because they had been in servitude to him for 12 years, and in the 13^thyear they rebelled.
• Because Lot was in Sodom, he became part of the war and was taken captive.
• Abram was told by messenger that Lot and his family had been taken, so Abram gathered a small army of 318, routed Chedorlamer’s group and retrieved Lot and his family – obviously under God’s hand of protection.

Special Note:

• Kings in those days were more like Tribal leaders and would lead the battles. This new King of Sodom (who could be a son or next in line because the other one died in the battle) needed to have the people back in order to have a “kingdom” again – he offered Abram the spoils, but Abram did not want to be in debt to this wicked King.

3. (Genesis 14:17-20)Who is Melchizedek and what happened between him and Abram? Cross-reference by reading Hebrews 6:20 through 7:28 – What does it say about Melchizedek in reference to Jesus?

¹⁷ Then after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). ¹⁸ And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. ¹⁹ He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; ²⁰ And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”

Genesis 14:17-20

²⁰ where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. 7 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, ² to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. ³ Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually. ⁴ Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils. ⁵ And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended from Abraham. ⁶ But the one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. ⁷ But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater. ⁸ In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on. ⁹ And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes, ¹⁰ for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him. ¹¹ Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? ¹² For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also. ¹³ For the one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. ¹⁴ For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. ¹⁵ And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, ¹⁶ who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life. ¹⁷ For it is attested of Him, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” ¹⁸ For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness ¹⁹ (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. ²⁰ And inasmuch as it was not without an oath ²¹ (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him, “The Lord has sworn And will not change His mind, You are a priest forever’”); ²² so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. ²³ The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, ²⁴ but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. ²⁵ Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. ²⁶ For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; ²⁷ who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. ²⁸ For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.

Hebrews 6:20-7:28

• The Genesis text tells us that Melchizedek was the king of Salem and priest of the “Most High God” – he gave honor and blessing to God as the Creator of Heaven and Earth.
• Melchizedek’s name means: “King of righteousness” and King of Salem means “King of peace” – Salem (peace) is the future location of Jerusalem(City of peace

From the Hebrews’ passage we find:

• Melchizedek has no recorded genealogy nor death.
• Melchizedek was in a higher position than Abraham because the greater blesses the lesser, and in addition, Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
• Jesus is our high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek; therefore He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him since He always lives to make intercession for us.
• Jesus was not in the Levitical priestly line, which was temporary, His is a permanent priesthood in the likeness of Melchizedek.
• Jesus’ permanent priesthood fulfills a piece of the Old Covenant prophecies.

Melchizedek

• Tithing was only mandated to the Nation of Israel some 600 years later in the Law given to Moses. However, culturally at that time it was traditional in pagan nations to give a tenth or “tithe” to one’s “gods” and Abram would have been following cultural tradition. Tithing in ancient times was usually from one’s goods, like livestock, but could also include silver and gold.
• Bible scholars present four basic thoughts on Melchizedek (the name is an ancient Jebusite name for “King of Righteousness”):

1. He was a respected King of that region and Abram was simply showing him the respect he deserved (some have even suggested that he was Shem, the son of Noah).
2. The name “Melchizedek” could have been a standard title for all Kings of Salem.
3. He was the appearance on earth of the preincarnate Christ in a temporary bodily form (these are known as Christophanies) – as is the case with the “Angel of the LORD” found in many places in Scripture.
4. He was a “type” of Christ (Hebrews 7:3). Types, pictures or foreshadowings of Christ (the Promised Messiah) is found throughout the Old Testament. These are events, persons or teachings that are so closely related to what Jesus later does that it illustrates a lesson about the Messiah who has been promised to come.

Chapter Reading for Step #3: Context
– What does it say?

Chapter 15

• 15:1-6
• 15:7-11
• 15:12-16
• 15:17-21

Discuss (summarize) the chapter

5. (Genesis 15:1-21) In ancient cultures there was a practice of cutting animals in half and passing through them to confirm an agreement between men – in this case it is only God who passed through, signifying Abram could do nothing on his part to gain God’s promise. What specific parts of the Covenant is God confirming here with Abram (you can reference back to Genesis 12:1-3)?

15 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; ^[a]Your reward shall be very great.” ² Abram said, “O Lord ^b]God, what will You give me, since I ^c]am childless, and the ^d]heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” ³ And Abram said, “^e]Since You have given no ^f]offspring to me, ^g]one born in my house is my heir.” ⁴ Then behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own ^h]body, he shall be your heir.” ⁵ And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your ^i]descendants be.” ⁶ Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness. ⁷ And He said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to ^j]possess it.” ⁸ He said, “O Lord ^k]God, how may I know that I will ^l]possess it?” ⁹ So He said to him, “^m]Bring Me a three year old heifer, and a three year old female goat, and a three year old ram, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” ¹⁰ Then he ^n]brought all these to Him and cut them ^o]in two, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds. ¹¹ The birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away. ¹² Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, ^p]terror and great darkness fell upon him. ¹³ God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your ^q]descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, ^r]where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. ¹⁴ But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with ^s]many possessions. ¹⁵ As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age. ¹⁶ Then in the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete.” ¹⁷ It came about when the sun had set, that it was very dark, and behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a flaming torch which passed between these pieces. ¹⁸ On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your ^t]descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates: ¹⁹ the Kenite and the Kenizzite and the Kadmonite ²⁰ and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Rephaim ²¹ and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Girgashite and the Jebusite.”

• The Abrahamic Covenant from chapter 12: God promises three things unconditionally: Nation – Land – Blessing. In this chapter God focuses on the promise of offspring as numerous as the stars, and He also mentions the promise of the Land.
• Note:God did not make a covenant with Abraham but through him. This is called a “suzerain” Covenant. A Suzeranity Covenant is a covenant between two sides of unequal power. In this case there is nothing Abram can do to earn, or keep, this promise from God. It is a picture of the “Grace” offered to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus – there is nothing we can do to earn it. (Later on, there are conditional parts of the Covenant that will be put into place that mainly deal with God’s protection or loss of that protection based on their actions).
• Culturally speaking: Men would make covenants and confirm them by cutting an animal and passing between them. The message was saying: “May it happen to us what we did to this animal if we break our covenant.” In this passage God cuts the animals and purposes the contract by Himself. God affirmed the chapter 12 Covenant here and swore by Himself as He passed through the animals cut in half (Abram was asleep/experienced this in a vision).
• This also pictures the “blood” part of the Covenant: Only the blood of an innocent can cover sin = Jesus’ blood will do that permanently, once and for all who believe in Him.
• Extra: This is the first time God confirmed that it would be through a physical heir of Abram, and this is the first time we see the word “believed” in 15:6 – “Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness” – previously Abram’s faith had been seen through his actions, now it was through a confession of faith in God’s Promise (this is why Abraham is called the “Father of the faithful” because he believed in something he did not see, but trusted in God’s Word – this will play out even further in chapter 22).

Going Even Deeper: Reread 15:13-16 – God gives Abram a prophecy about his descendants – what do you know about the fulfillment of that prophecy, and where in Old Testament can we find the story and fulfillment?

¹³ God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. ¹⁴ But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions. ¹⁵ As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age. ¹⁶ Then in the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete.” 

• It happened in the days of Moses and the Exodus.
• The 400 years is measured from Genesis chapter 46 (The time that Jacob went to Egypt) through to the time of the Exodus out of Egypt – Exodus chapter 12-13. (Special note: v. 14: God foretells that they will come out of the land with many possessions – it will be their payment for their years of slavery to the Egyptians)
• Note: The “Amorites” were a group within the Canaanites (also a term used to represent all Canaanites). In God’s mercy he was giving them time to repent (although He knew they would not, and their wickedness grew out of control). In His perfect justice God would have to enact punishment upon the Canaanites/Amorites – we see this played out in the book of Joshua and beyond where God uses Israel to punish this group of people (This also fulfills the curse of Ham through Canaan when he uncovered his father).
  • Jacob and his descendent move to Egypt to death of Joseph = 71 years
  • Death of Joseph to birth of Moses = 278 years
  • Birth of Moses to flight to Midian by Moses = 40 years In Midian to return to Egypt by Moses = 40 years
  • From Moses’ return to Egypt to the Exodus = 1 year
  • TOTAL = 430 YEARS

Step #5: Application
– How do I use what I have learned?

(Answers will vary but might include…)

• In application, the king of Sodom can be seen as a picture of the “world” and Abram would have been indebted to an evil that could then control him.
• The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah being pictures/types of worldly pleasures, thus this is a good model for us because once we are in debt to someone or something, it can control our life or our life’s direction – the only One we should be in debt to is God!
• We no longer need a priest to intercede for us, nor do we need a sacrifice performed, because Jesus is the permanent fulfillment of the Law, and a permanent intercessory priest for us forever – we can go directly to Him for confession, repentance and forgiveness.

HOMEWORK

Read Genesis chapters 16-17, then answer the following questions:

1.(Genesis 16:1-15) In ancient cultures (and some still today) taking a second wife, or a concubine, was not forbidden by law, especially when child bearing was necessary for a family’s tribal survival and inheritance. Summarize the story of Abram, Sarai and Hagar then discuss the following questions:

a.What was wrong with what Abram and Sarai did from God’s view? Can you think of other stories in the Old Testament with similar situations that have heartbreaking consequences?

b.How did God counsel Hagar, how did she respond, and is it different than you might have responded?

c.Cross-referencing: Where do you think Hagar came from originally, and could that have any implications for how things unfolded here (review the story in 12:10-20)?

d.Going Deeper: Do a study on the term “Angel of the LORD” and discuss what you learned about this person who met with Hagar.

2.(Genesis 17:1-8 and 17:15-16) What new names did God give Abram and Sarai, and why? Research the differences in the meaning of their old and new names.

3.(Genesis 17:9-27) Circumcision was not an unusual practice in ancient cultures, but God had a specific purpose for it here. What was the purpose of the Covenant of circumcision and how did Abraham respond to God’s command?

Please continue to join us each week for Foundations Bible Study and the return to the book of Genesis!

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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in!  Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.

Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.

Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.

Teri Dugan

TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com

1 Peter 3:15