Post 21 "Back to Bethel"

Genesis chapter 13. Even though Abraham, perhaps, should not have gone to Egypt; he came away with great riches. He journeyed back to Bethel, the house of God, to the altar and prayed. Isn't this a great picture for us? We pray and then troubles come (famine), we journey but our journey should bring us back to Bethel, to God. v1 "And Abram went up out of Egypt, he and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south." I wondered at this verse, the part where it says he went UP but also INTO THE SOUTH. Around where I come from up is always north to me. But you can also go down a mountain side and still be going north. A look at a map of the area where Abram traveled will, I think, show that the land flowed downward toward the north at this point. It appears to me that the river flows north into a lake. Any geography majors out there?

Lot has also gained riches of his own. Riches in those days were measured to a great degree in cattle. In our day, I suppose owning land would be similiar. So, you can see that as the huge flocks and herds moved over the land it would leave a wide swath of eaten grass. The travels gave the grass time to grow back. Now, the herds are too large for the land to support so the herdsmen began to bicker over the grass for their cattle. It was the herdsmen's job to feed the cattle so I can understand the strife when there was not enough. Abram saw the problem and talked to Lot about splitting up. v8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Then Abram gives Lot the choice of lands. Lot looked toward the well watered plains of Jordan and choose them. Abram dwelt in Canaan.

It is an example to us that what looks to be the best is not always the best for us. In the next chapter we will see that Lot lost everything but his two daughters.

Abram was told by the Lord to "walk through the land..." v17 "for I will give it unto thee." Then Abram goes to Hebron and builds a second altar unto the Lord.

One thing for sure Abram was a praying man.