In Genesis 13 Abram returns to the place we first saw him worship in Genesis 12,
And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the Lord.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ge 13:3–4). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
And just as in chapter 12 immediately after worshiping Abram is confronted with a dilemma. The confrontation in chapter 12 led to failure.
In chapter 13 Abram now faces conflict with his nephew and his nephew’s supporters.
But could it be that Abram remembers the last time he worshiped between Bethel and Ai how quickly he lost faith?
In this confrontation, Abram resembles the generosity and humble spirit of God.
What do we see?
Abram learning and growing from his past mistakes.
Isn’t that all that we are called to do–to learn from our past–to come again to worship God and to grow . . . to be better next time?
“Consistency” was the word that came to my mind when I read Genesis 12 this morning.
God’s consistency.
Humanity’s lack of consistency.
The chapter begins with God making a promise to Abram (this is before God renamed him Abraham),
And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ge 12:2). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.great . . .
And the chapter ends with God being faithful to that promise. I won’t add the entire story here, but read it for yourself and Abram while he was in Egypt received,
"sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels." (v. 16b)
Also, The Lord protected Abram from the Pharaoh in Egypt (vv. 17-20)
God was consistent!
The only reason, however, that Abram had to be protected from Pharaoh is due to Abram’s inconsistency towards God!
God made a promise to Abram, Abram trusted God and followed God’s leading and worshiped God,
From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord. 9 And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ge 12:8–9). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
Until things got tough.
Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ge 12:10). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
And since Abram was in a place God had not called him to go, he had to start operating under his own logic, which was to lie and betray his marital commitment (vv. 11-13).
Abram was inconsistent!
Let me point out the obvious.
God’s faithfulness is consistent.
Our faithfulness is not.
Who do you want to follow?
A consistent God . . . or your inconsistent self?
I’m going with God!
What is the purpose and value of genealogies in the Bible (Because that is all Genesis 10 is)?
So let’s not look down on genealogies. Let us mine them and see what blessing there may be for us.
“The rainbow is a promise in the sky . . . ” is the opening line to a song written by Chuck Fulmore and performed by his trio.
I loved singing this song when I was a kid growing up, and have renewed the joy as I sing along now with my three sons.
We can read about the origin of the rainbow and it’s meaning in Genesis 9,
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbowappears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”
Genesis 9:12-17
It is the only visual symbol of a promise that God Himself gave to humanity for all eternity. The cross is a modern-day symbol, but we created that symbol, The Lord never told us to look upon the cross and remember anything. But God did tell us that every time we see a rainbow it should remind us of ONE thing, His covenant with humanity after the flood.
It is not politically correct to say, but I will say it; I am saddened that the promise of God is not the only thing thought about when one looks upon the rainbow.
One day when one of my sons points out the pretty rainbow flag he sees flying, I’ll have to tell him it is not flying to symbolize what we’ve sung about all these years, God’s covenant with all life.
“The rainbow is a promise for you and me, there’ll never be another flood throughout eternity. ‘Till Jesus comes to take us home with Him to be, the rainbow is a promise for you and me.”
But God remembered Noah . . .
Genesis 8:1a
In this
In the Old Testament “remember” is used with God as the subject seventy-three times. Eighteen times it is followed by the preposition “to,” demonstrating that God’s remembrance is interpreted more as “an action directed toward someone, rather than as a psychological experience of the subject.” ( Hamilton, V. P. (1990). The Book of Genesis, Chapters 1–17 (p. 299). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.)
What does that mean? It means that when God remembers He acts!
“God remembered Abraham” and Lot and his family were rescued from the consuming fire. (Gen. 19:29)
“God remembered Rachel” and she was able to have a baby. (Gen. 30:22)
“God remembered Noah” and He sent a wind to dry out the land and end the flood.
Stay with God, He remembers and His remembering will lead to Him acting on your behalf.