Lekh L’Kha (Get Yourself Out) B’resheet (Genesis) 12-17
Haftorah Reading: Isaiah 40:27-41:16
1. In Genesis 15:6 it says, “Abram believed the L-rd, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” Romans 4:3 says, “Avraham believed G-d and it was counted to him as righteousness. What exactly does it mean, Avraham believed G-d. How did it affect Avraham’s life? When we say we believe in the Messiah what does that mean to us?
So, what does it mean to believe G-d?
Belief is often equated with being an intellectual acceptance of something being true. Example: I accept as a true fact that there is a sun in the sky. But that belief has no practical impact on my life.
When belief is used in Scripture, it implies trust or reliance on G-d.
Abraham was not perfect. But his belief in G-d’s promises led him to act in very concrete ways. He lived as if G-d’s promises had already happened.
Abraham took action when G-d spoke.
Genesis 17:23, “On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as G-d told him.”
That very same day Abraham was circumcised: Abraham’s obedience was complete, every male among the men of Abraham’s house were circumcised. He left off no one.
Abraham didn’t need to pray about it. He didn’t need to grow or transition into this. G-d said it, and he did it.
So my belief that Yeshua, G-d’s son, is the Messiah will lead to specific action on my part. I should be living out that belief in my daily life in such a way that G-d declares me as righteous.
G-d called Abraham to leave his home and move to a strange land.
And Abraham did.
G-d promised Abraham that he would have descendants.
And not just a few. G-d told him that his offspring would be as countless as the stars.
And Abraham believed G-d.
Even though he was an old man. Even though he did not yet have any children.
Because Abraham believed what G-d had told him, G-d considered him to be righteous
Romans 4:18-24, 18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of G-d, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to G-d, 21 being fully persuaded that G-d had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom G-d will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Yeshua from the dead.”
So Abraham fixed his heart on G-d, rested back in the arms of the promise-giver. Abraham believed G-d’s promise without having any concrete evidence that G-d’s promise would come to pass. We too have the opportunity to believe G-d when He speaks to us and from that moment on live as if it has already happened.
A good example for us is Donna Danley’s testimony of G-d speaking to her that she would live and not die when she was battling cancer. From that time on through the cancer battle she held on to the truth G-d spoke to her.
2.Look at the situation that arose between Avram and Lot in Genesis 13. How did Avram make decisions in his life? What was Lot’s criteria in making his choice? What is your main criteria when you face choices?
What happened between Avram and Lot?
Their herds had grown large and the land could no longer support both of them. Their herdsmen were always arguing. So Avram went to Lot and talked to him.
Read Genesis 13:9-18, “Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.” Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the L-rd, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the L-rd destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom.13 Now the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the L-rd.
14 The L-rd said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west. 15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring[a] forever. 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. 17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.” 18 So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the L-rd.
Now look at Lot’s criteria in making his choice in verse 10. Lot lifted up his eyes and it was well watered like the garden of the L-rd. In verse 11 Lot chose to go to the Jordan Valley. What did he base his decision on? He chose what his eyes could see and what his flesh saw as appealing. Do we read where G-d figured into his choice at all?
Remember, as Lot’s elder, Avram did not have to give Lot a choice.
He had every right to just tell him what would be. However, he did not do that. Why?
I think this showed Avram was trusting G-d to take care of him no matter what Lot chose. Avram had G-d’s promise. That promise is what he put his trust in.
Do you see another problem in verse 12-13?
Where did Lot choose to live? Abram would be living in the land of Canaan. Lot would be living right next door to Sodom a city filled with people who “were wicked and were sinning greatly against the L-rd.”
What did Abram do when he arrived in Hebron? He built an altar to the L-rd.
Do you think it is easy for us today when we spend our time right next door to people who are sinning greatly against the L-rd? We must keep ourselves at a distance from this kind of atmosphere. It did not go well for Lot and it never does for us when we allow ourselves to live in a spiritually unhealthy atmosphere.
3.In Gen 12:1, The L-rd told Avram to get out from his country and from his family and from his father’s house to a land that He would show him. Avram left his country and father’s house behind but he took family with him. Could it have been a mistake taking Lot with him? What verses do you have that might support that idea? What lesson is in this for us?
G-d gave the promise to Abram and his descendants. G-d did not Lot. Lot never embraced
G-d’s promise to Abram. In fact, Lot caused Abram nothing but trouble.
What are Examples of trouble caused by Lot:
In Genesis 13:7 it says there was strife between Avram’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen. Because of the strife they had to separate and go opposite directions.
Lot chose to live in Sodom, a place of great sin.
Genesis 14:12 Lot was taken hostage.
Avram was then forced to subject himself and his men to danger in order to rescue Lot.
Even after all this Lot returned to Sodom continuing to live in a city that did not honor G-d.
Genesis 18:16-33 When G-d was preparing to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah,
Abram interceded for the city
G-d sent an angel to rescue Lot once again.
Genesis 19:12-20
Angels had to take Lot by the hand to make him and his family leave Sodom before it was destroyed.
After all that Lot still argued with the angels on their escape plan of where he should go.
So in the end Lot was left alone. His wife dead, He was living with his two daughters in a cave having lost everything. Descendants of Lot, the Moabites and Ammonites, would cause Abraham’s descendants much grief for years afterward.
Is it a problem when we add to G-d’s instructions for us as Avram did?
At times, we clearly know what G-d is telling us to do, and we are willing to obey, but we add to His commands. We may do so out of the generosity of our heart. But our actions come from us, not G-d. It is just as dangerous to add to what G-d says as to subtract from it.
Be careful that you do not link yourself with those who are not helping you achieve G-d’s will in your life. They may be nice people. They may even be relatives. But your first priority is being true to G-d.
Building close relationships with the wrong person or getting involved in something you are not called to do can derail the work G-d intends for your life and can bring heartache and disappointment. We are called to listen carefully and follow G-d’s direction neither adding or taking away from what He is calling us to do.