ABRAHAM AND LOT
Genesis 18:1 ¶ And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
Genesis 19:1 ¶ And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
The Lord’s first appearance to his “Friend” Abraham (James 2:23), as recorded in Genesis 12:1, instructs him of the Lord’s jealously of him. For it instructs him to leave his country, his earthly kindred and his father’s house. The Lord’s love contains in it a holy jealously that must be met with a proper devotion from it’s recipients. Exodus 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: Deuteronomy 4:24 For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
And here the last vestiges of earthly kindred are going to be removed from Abraham’s life before the promised seed shall be born. And is this not the same pattern for all believers throughout the ages? Do we not all need inordinate affections mortified, in order that Christ may be more fully formed within us? Romans 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
And yet Abraham’s name is not even mentioned in our Genesis 18:1 verse. He lives in a tent, and is but a pilgrim and a stranger on earth. For he dwells in the realm of the spiritual with a God consciousness. It is enough that the Lord God knows him, and that he knows God! Revelation 2:17 …To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. For every believer must have that blessed name of Jesus Christ exalted above all others. Philippians 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
But not so with Lot! When we come to the difference as to where he sits, (see Genesis 19:1), we have his name twice mentioned! Carnal religion is recognized by the promotion of self! Revelation 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. But those with the true, spiritual revelation, who worship God in the spirit, seek for self to decrease for the Lord Christ to increase! John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease. 31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
And just where was Abraham sitting? We are told first that he sat in the tent door. For being but a pilgrim and a stranger here on earth, he needed but a temporary dwelling! Hebrews 11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 13 …confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
And then it states that it was a sitting in the heat of the day. The Lord God approached Adam walking in the garden in the cool of the day: (Genesis 3:8). But sin has now entered into the realm of creation. Therefore the issue now is not in the providing of a physical place for the man to dwell, (the garden of Eden), but the providing of a spiritual place for the redeemed to survive the fiery trials from the result of sin. And the Lord Christ tells us that he went to the cross to provide that place of redemption. John 14:2 … I go to prepare a place for you.
The heat of the afflictions which all believers must endure is always closely attended by the precious Lamb of God! Daniel 3:25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. 1 Corinthians10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
The rendering of verse one of chapter eighteen in the Interlinear and Amplified Bibles states that the LORD appeared by the oaks of Mamre. (See also Genesis 23:17). And we see in verse eight of this chapter that Abraham stood by his guests under the tree, and they did eat. The one thing that provides believing mortals communion with the Almighty God is the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. For this is where they enter into the fellowship of his sufferings. (Philippians 3:10). This is where his glory is imparted to them! 1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
We also see that the food provided by Abraham and Lot for these heavenly visitors was quite noteworthy and very telling. For Lot only provides unleavened bread for his “feast!” But we read in verse seven of chapter eighteen that Abraham ran unto the herd and fetcht a son of the herd! For the spiritual food of both God and the believers is the very sacrificed Humanity of God! For the offering of the sacrifice is called the bread of God. Leviticus 22:25 Neither from a stranger’s hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in them: they shall not be accepted for you.
And the aroma of this ‘fresh baked’ Bread moves God’s heart. Genesis 8:20 And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, …
The Son himself reveals to us that obedience and submission to his role as sacrifice are his food! John 4:32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. And just when was that work finished? John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
And complete reliance upon the Person of Christ is more necessary to the believer than their daily bread! Job 23:12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. John 6:53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
What is the life-giving ‘fuel’ that maintains all the millions of souls in eternity right this present moment? None have their bodies. All their teeth to chew, their tongues to taste, their throats to swallow, and their stomaches to digest were left behind, rotting in their graves! Christ – the Bread of God – sustains them! For the ‘energy,’ of his spirit sustains all life! Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist (or, are held together).
Another name for Mamre is Hebron. Genesis 13:18 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. And the Hebrew word for Hebron is from the word translated in Psalm 94:20, have fellowship with.
And it was in this place that the man after God’s own heart was anointed king of Israel. 2 Samuel 5:3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel.
And this land was given to Caleb upon the dividing of Canaan to Israel. Joshua 14:14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel. And the very next verse states, And the land had rest from war.
So Abraham communes and has fellowship with God in the place where David is crowned king. Which is a picture of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1), reigning as sovereign! And this communion is at the place of faithful Caleb’s reward. For the Lord Jesus Christ is the faithful and true witness (Revelation 3:14). And he always did that which his Father required. John 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
But what of Lot? The coming of the days of the Son of man is compared to him, although Abraham lived in that same day. The Lord God asks Abraham, Where is Sarah thy wife? (18:9). And let us ask Lot the same thing. Where is – but we never come to know this nameless person – thy wife? Well, according to the Lord Jesus Christ she is a salt lick for the animals outside the city of Sodom! Genesis 19:26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
Luke 17:31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife. Hebrews 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
Another issue with Abraham by the Lord was that of teaching his children. The revelation from the Lord God Himself came based on this faithfulness of Abraham. Genesis 18:17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
Therefore let us ask Lot what of the teaching of his children? To those married daughters and their husbands, as he warned them to flee Sodom, he seemed as one that mocked. (Genesis 19:14). He had no credible witness with them, for he tells them, Up, get you out. He does not say, “Come go with me.” For it is said of him in just two verses down that he lingered! He could not say with the Apostle Paul, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (Philippians 3:17). Lot did not practice what he preached, therefore he had no spiritual integrity with them!
The Lord Jesus warned his disciples of such Pharisees who sit in the seats of authority. In Matthew 23:3 we read, but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. Instruction without example is a deadly influence which has caused the loss of many in younger generations! Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
And what of the two daughters who did get out of Sodom with their dad? There they stand! Both with swollen bellies, impregnated by their dad. One with the beginning of the nation of Moab within her. The other with the beginning of the nation of the Ammonites! Genesis 19:36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. 37 And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. 38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.
We know the names of the fruit of their incest, but they, like their mom remain nameless on the pages of the Lord’s Scriptures! Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
And these births of incest produced strong enemies to Israel for many years to come. They were not at all helpful to Israel in her journey to Canaan from Egyptian bondage. Therefore the Lord shut them out from the blessings of his presence. Deuteronomy 23:3 An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever: 4 Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.
And yet we see, by the power of the new birth, Ruth, a Moabitess, in the very lineage of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ! Matthew 1:5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; 6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; gb
