Day 5: Genesis 13-15

(The previous post covered the beginning and end of the 3rd Dispensation. It took eleven chapters to cover the first three dispensations. Chapter 12 introduced the background for the 4th Dispensation. The 4th Dispensation continued for the rest of the Book of Genesis.)

Genesis 13
¹ And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the South.
² And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
³ And he went on his journeys from the South even to Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Ai,
⁴ unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of Jehovah.

(Abram initiated an interaction with God. Lot was with Abram.)

⁵ And Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.
⁶ 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.

(Abram's and Lot's flocks, herds, and tents were too much for the land to bear. How would they separate?)

⁷ And there was a strife between the herdsmen of Abram's cattle and the herdsmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelt then in the land.
⁸ And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen; for we are brethren.

(A conflict arose between Abram's and Lot's men. Abram wanted to resolve the conflict.)

⁹ Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me. If thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right. Or if thou take the right hand, then I will go to the left.
¹⁰ And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the Plain of the Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before Jehovah destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of Jehovah, like the land of Egypt, as thou goest unto Zoar.
¹¹ So Lot chose him all the Plain of the Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.

(Abram successfully resolved the conflict between his and Lot's herdsmen. Lot chose the land that was well watered every where.)

¹² Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the Plain, and moved his tent as far as Sodom.
¹³ Now the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners against Jehovah exceedingly.

(Lot's situation sounded like Noah's.)

¹⁴ And Jehovah said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward and southward and eastward and westward:
¹⁵ for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
¹⁶ And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: So that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then may thy seed also be numbered.

(Dust represented "ungodly seed.")

¹⁷ Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for unto thee will I give it.
¹⁸ And Abram moved his tent, and came and dwelt by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built there an altar unto Jehovah.

(Abram moved his tent to Hebron. This was approximately 20 miles south of what would be the city of Jerusalem.)




Genesis 14
¹ And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of 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 (the same is Zoar).

(There was a great war of which the people and kings from nine regions/cities were involved.)

³ All these joined together in the vale of Siddim (the same is the Salt Sea).
⁴ Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
⁵ And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim,
⁶ and the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which is by the wilderness.
⁷ And they returned, and came to En-mishpat (the same is Kadesh), and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazazon-tamar.
⁸ 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 set the battle in array against them in the vale of Siddim;
⁹ against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings against the five.

(The four kings of the cities in the region of Sodom and Gomorrah rebelled against the alliance of five kings of the nations who ruled over them.)

¹⁰ Now the vale of Siddim was full of slime pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell there, and they that remained fled to the mountain.
¹¹ And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.
¹² And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

(Lot chose to live among the ungodly and was treated like the ungodly. All their goods were taken, including their "victuals," which was their food.)

¹³ And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew: now he dwelt by the oaks of Mamre, the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner; and these were confederate with Abram.
¹⁴ And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued as far as Dan.

(Abram was referred to as "the Hebrew," which meant "one from beyond." Abram was not from the place God gave him. We are not from the place God has given to us. Abram had 318 trained servants that he was able to arm.)

¹⁵ And he divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.
¹⁶ And he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
¹⁷ And the king of Sodom went out to meet him, after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, at the vale of Shaveh (the same is the King's Vale).
¹⁸ And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was priest of God Most High.

(Communion! Melchizedek was a type (symbol) of Christ. Paul stated this in Hebrews 7.)

¹⁹ And 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 hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him a tenth of all.

(Abram gave a tenth to the priest of God Most High. Abram tithed!)

²¹ And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
²² And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up my hand unto Jehovah, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth,
²³ that I will not take a thread nor a shoe-latchet nor aught that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:

(Abram did not want to owe anyone.)

²⁴ save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men that went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their portion.




Genesis 15
¹ After these things the word of Jehovah came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

(God gave Abram a vision after he saved Lot, tithed, and received communion. God stated He was Abram's "shield" and his "exceeding great reward." Abram greatly benefited from protecting Lot.)

² And Abram said, O Lord Jehovah, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and he that shall be possessor of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?
³ And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
⁴ And, behold, the word of Jehovah came unto him, saying, This man shall not be thine heir; But he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.

(Abram's response to God concerning "exceeding great reward" was to ask a question: what could God possibly give him that would matter, seeing that he did not have a son? Abram did not have a son to pass this reward to. However, God stated Abram's heir would come from his "own bowels." Remember, Abram was at least 75 years old (Genesis 12:4) at this time.)

⁵ And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and number the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

(Stars represented "Godly Seed.")

⁶ And he believed in Jehovah; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.

(Abram's belief was in faith. Faith is "a belief in something that you cannot see, either because it is invisible or it is yet to happen." Abram believed he would have a seed that would be as the stars in quantity, which was something that had not yet happened. Abram's faith in God was counted to him for Righteousness for Salvation. Paul referenced this verse in Romans 4:23. James 2:23 also referenced this verse.)

⁷ And he said unto him, I am Jehovah that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.

(God gave Abram understanding and experience.)

⁸ And he said, O Lord Jehovah, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?

(Abram wanted confirmation of this inheritance.)

⁹ And he said unto him, Take me a heifer three years old, and a she-goat three years old, and a ram three years old, and a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon.
¹⁰ And he took him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each half over against the other: but the birds divided he not.

(With the exception of the birds, the animals were divided in half.)

¹¹ And the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.
¹² And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, a horror of great darkness fell upon him.
¹³ And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be sojourners in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

(This event occurred roughly halfway between the Flood and Jehovah leading the children of Israel out of Egypt and through the Red Sea, about 430 years between each of these.)

¹⁴ and also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

(The Exodus was foretold.)

¹⁵ But thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
¹⁶ And in the fourth generation they shall come hither again; for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.
¹⁷ And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch that passed between these pieces.

(Verses 9-17 symbolized sexual intercourse: God was taking Abram's virginity. A smoking furnace passed between bloody, furry flesh. Notice, consensual sexual intercourse covers all five of the requirements for a covenant that we covered in Genesis 9 with Noah's Covenant:
1) go through ("passing between") something,
2) bloodshed,
3) sharing,
4) agreement, and
5) death.

Here, we saw Abram's actions covered all five requirements for a covenant.)

¹⁸ In that day Jehovah made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

(This verse began the 4th Dispensation - Abraham. God's Covenant with Abram allowed God to speak through the patriarchs of one nation in order to be an example to the other nations during this dispensation.)

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.

(Verses 19-21 was a record of the people that were occupying the land that God gave to Abram.)

(This post presented the beginning of the 4th Dispensation.)

Day 6