1. When Abraham left his native land, whom did he take with him? "And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came." (Genesis 12:5)
2. After his sojourning in Canaan, where did he go? "Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there." (Genesis 12:10)
3. Why did he go there? "And there was a famine in the land; ... the famine was grievous in the land." (Genesis 12:10)
4. How was he prospered while there? "And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold." (Genesis 13:1-2)
"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." (Genesis 12:16)
5. How was Lot situated as regards wealth? "And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents." (Genesis 13:5)
6. What was the consequence of the great wealth of both Abram and Lot? "And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together; for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle; and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelt then in the land." (Genesis 13:6-7)
7. How was Abraham affected by this strife? "And Abram said unto Lot: 'Let there be no strife, I pray you, between me and you, and between my herdmen and your herdmen; for we be brethren.'" (Genesis 13:8)
8. What generous part did Abraham act? "Is not the whole land before you? separate yourself, I pray you, from me; if you will take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left." (Genesis 13:9)
9. How did Lot respond to this generous offer? "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 you come unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east; and they separated themselves the one from the other." (Genesis 13:10-11)
10. What alone seemed to influence Lot in his choice?
11. Near what city did Lot pitch his tent? "Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom." (Genesis 13:12)
12. What was the character of the men of Sodom? "But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly." (Genesis 13:13)
13. Did Abraham lose anything by his generosity? "And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now your eyes, and look from the place where you are northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which you see, to you will I give it, and to your seed for ever. And I will make your seed as the dust of the earth; so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall your seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto you." (Genesis 13:14-17)
14. What great battle was fought some years after? "And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim; With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five." (Genesis 14:8-9)
15. What happened to the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah and their people? "And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain. And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way." (Genesis 14:10-11)
16. Who else was taken captive? "And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed." (Genesis 14:12)
17. What do you think was the indirect cause of Lot's misfortune?
18. What charge is given to the rich? "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." (1 Timothy 6:17-19)
19. How sure may a man be of retaining riches? "Labor not to be rich; cease from your own wisdom. Will you set your eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven." (Proverbs 23:4-5)
20. What proverb was fulfilled in the case of Lot? "He that is greedy of gain troubles his own house; but he that hates gifts shall live." (Proverbs 15:27)
Notes:
Now note the result:
• Abraham was unselfish, and was willing to take whatever should be left, yet his wealth increased right along;
• Lot eagerly took the first choice, looking out for his own interests, and lost everything.
It doesn't always pay, even from a worldly standpoint, to be too eager for gain. We would not dwell unduly on the course of Lot, for the Bible makes no comment upon it; but we cannot but note that Abraham appears as the grand patriarch worthy of our admiration.
While the Bible says nothing directly concerning Lot's course, there is a great deal suggested in the statement that: "The men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly." (Genesis 13:13)
It is strongly implied that Lot knew this, and that he ought therefore to have kept away from there.
"[He] pitched his tent toward Sodom," (Genesis 13:12) but we find that before long he was in Sodom. No doubt it was a good business town, affording a good market. Having started towards Sodom with the idea of bettering his fortunes, it was a very natural thing for Lot to go into Sodom for the same purpose.
"But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition." (1 Timothy 6:9)
We do not learn that Lot himself was at all swerved from virtue by the wickedness with which he was surrounded; on the contrary, we know that he was very much vexed by it; but he suffered terribly in the loss of his family and his property.
"Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy, (1 Timothy 6:17) is the exhortation of the apostle Paul. Riches themselves are not an evil; but trusting in them is. Money is a good thing; but the love of it is the root of evil.
"For the love of money is the root of all evil." (1 Timothy 6:10)
When men set their hearts on riches, then they show where their trust is. The man who didn't know what to do with his goods, and so pulled down his barns and built greater, and said to his soul: "Soul, you have much goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry," (Luke 12:19) trusted in his riches, and not in God. So does every man who hoards up his wealth. Such a man is an idolater; he sets gold ahead of the Lord; he tacitly says that his sole dependence for support is in his hoarded treasure, thus grieving God.
The warnings in the 6th chapter of 1 Timothy are not all for the rich. The poor may love money, and by their strivings after it for its own sake, even though they strive in vain, they may show that they trust in uncertain riches, rather than in the living God.--Signs of the Times, February 24, 1888--Lesson 9 - Sabbath, March 3--Genesis 12:5 to 14:12.
E.J. Waggoner