LOT-THE RIGHTEOUS BUT WORLDLY MAN.
Genesis12:4, “So Abram went forth as the Lord has spoken to him; and Lot went with him.”
At the call of God, Abram, on leaving his father in Haran, took his wife Sarai and nephew Lot, and set out southward toward Canaan. He did not know what to expect, only that he was in the hands of God and obeying His guidance. Thinking of the way Abram set out on his journey always reminds me of a little song which my wife and I use to teach in the Children’s Bible Club. We used to run this Club in our home for our own children and their friends in the same street. The first verse and chorus went as follows:-
Abraham where are you going?
Anywhere that God will say;
Will you leave without first knowing?
Yes for God will show the way.
Chorus: Faith is just expecting
What God says He’ll do;
So Abram went and lived in a tent
For God’s Word he knew was true.
This is a simple song, but it encapsulates the step of faith which Abram made. From Ur to Harran, and now on faith’s journey to Canaan’s, Abram’s nephew Lot must have both caught and been taught something of living by faith in the One supreme and true God in whom Abram believed and followed. As Abram was moving through Canaan (see Genesis 12:6-9), he pitched his tent between Bethel and Ai, and there built an altar and worshipped God. Here again, it is quite possible that Lot assisted with the sacrifices which Abram made upon the altar, and would have learned of their significance. We can only gather from all this that, like Abram, Lot also became a believer in the One Who became known as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
As we follow Abram, and those with him, we learn that due to a famine in Canaan, they all went down to Egypt and awaited better times. This was not a particularly happy time for Abram and as soon as possible they all returned to Canaan. We are not told any of Lot’s experiences in Egypt, but it is certain that he observed many of the ways and attitudes of those among whom he lived, and may even become influenced by the things he had both seen and heard.
As soon as they arrived back in Canaan, Abram rebuilt his altar to once again establish his worship of God. However, trouble was already clouding the horizon. Genesis 13:5 tell us that when they came back from Egypt, both Abram and Lot were very wealthy with flocks, and herds, and tents. Unfortunately, Lot could not handle his wealth, and had become mean-minded and self-seeking. Genesis 13:7 tells us “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 in the land.”
Abram was content to live peaceably with Lot and the land’s other inhabitants until God fulfilled His promise to give the whole land to him and his descendants. Lot’s mind though was filled with other ideas. He observed that his uncle still had no children and was getting older. With no visible descendants for Abram, Lot began to visualise himself as taking Abram’s place, and therefore began to stretch his wings. Lot then gave instructions to his herdsmen to begin to stir up trouble with Abram’s herdsmen by moving Abram’s landmarks, taking most of the good water, and being generally offensive to the other herdsmen.
The unfortunate thing about this strife, was that it was observed by the other inhabitants, namely the Canaanite and the Perizzite. The Holy Spirit named these people in the last sentence of Genesis 13:7 for a purpose. It was to remind us that when there is contention and falling out among God’s people, it does not go unobserved by non-Christians in the world.
The fact is, that sometimes there are differences among Christians and occasionally a group in one Church will leave and begin another Church a short distance away. This can happen for a number of reason; the Lord may do it for some purpose of His own; or a disagreement within the leadership; or a struggle for power among the members of the congregation. We should always remember that whenever there is a problem within a Church or Fellowship, we need to take notice that we are living among the Canaanites and the Perizzites of this world, and the first thing we should wish to avoid, through our differences, is to cast aspersions upon the name of Christ.
Abram, being the senior, the leader, and the wealthier with not only substance, but through God, holding the title-deeds for the whole land, could have told Lot to pack up and go to a place allotted for him by Abram, thus avoiding any further conflict with his nephew. However, with the two men deciding to go their separate ways, we see full blown evidence of their natures. Abram put his authority and position totally aside and placed himself on an equality with Lot. Rather than be caused to reflect upon Abram’s nobility and high-mindedness, Lot’s heart turned to stone. Instead, without even a ‘thank-you,’ he looked out the best land and the best water in all the country around, and moved off without a moment’s hesitation .Lot ignored the fact that the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were where he had chosen to live, and also ignored the fact that he had often heard his uncle pouring out his heart to God for those cities. Well could the Apostle have been speaking of Lot when he wrote to the Galatian Christians, “You were running well, what hindered you from obeying the truth,” Galatians 5:7.
Like Lot, many Christians have done well in their employment, but have been bitten by the bug of “success at any price.” The thought of a higher salary, or a better position has ensnared many at the expense of their Christian walk. I am not saying that a desire to improve one’s working situation is wrong, far from it. But not at the expense of one’s faith and family. I was once offered a very responsible positon in a Company for which I worked. The position would entail ensuring the legality of all the future financial transactions of the Company. Having learned something of the past history of the Managing Director I did not feel that as a Christian I could put my name to some of the transactions that were being planned. Was the salary good? Yes. Was the position good? Yes, excellent. Would all the transactions of the Company be honest and above board? Doubtful. So I turned down the Company’s offer. As Christians, we have to deal with the Canaanite, but we do not have to pitch our tent near or live in Sodom to do so.
Lot, however, allowed the glitter of more wealth and position to dazzle his thinking into compromising his weak and shaky faith. He did not ask any advice from Abram, and through his mean and selfish attitude, by choosing what he thought was the best, ended up by living in the worst of places. This proved his undoing. There are many Scriptures which point out the danger of compromising with the world and James 4:4 tells us, “Friendship with the world is hostility toward God.”
Lot had not long been living in Sodom when it was attacked, and Lot (with others), were carried off as captives. On hearing this Abram gathered together a force, pursued the invaders and rescued Lot. Did Lot learn his lesson from this experience? Not at all. He returned immediately to Sodom. “Like a dog that returns to its vomit is a fool who repeats his folly,” Proverbs 26:11.
Later on, Sodom was visited by two angels who had come to rescue Lot and then destroy the city. Some of Lot’s righteousness at last began to re-assert itself as he tried to stop the Sodomites of the city from abusing the angels. These angels finally managed to drag Lot, his wife and two daughters away from the city, while they destroyed it. What a cost to Lot. He lost all his wealth, his wife, and was sadly debased by his two daughters. As Jude instructs us, “save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating the very garments polluted by the flesh,” Jude 23. Lot was literally saved from the fire, but with his garments smelling of the smoke. However, Peter does refer to Lot as righteous. “…and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), 2 Peter 2:7-8.
As Christians, there is much we can learn from Lot. Who does not have a family member, or a friend or acquaintance who once had a lively faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and was used by God in the Church? There are many around us whose faith has grown cold because of other attractions, or by making compromises have become entangled with the world.
Please pray for them until their faith re-awakens and they once again enjoy their faith in God.
God bless you,
John