Good Morning. 

Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. Now the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. (Genesis 13:5-7)

All this time since they left Haran, Abram had been traveling with him is his nephew Lot. Lot was with him when they went into Egypt and remained with him when they left Egypt. However, at this point, it became clear that Abram would have to, once again, separate from his family — a directive that had been given to him before leaving Haran.

Because the land could not sustain both Abram’s and Lot’s herds, strife developed. I would argue that if it had not been this issue, there would have eventually been another issue and here’s why: God told Abram to “leave country AND family.” As I have shared previously, there was something about Abram’s family in Ur and Haran that, had he remained with them or them with him, would have prevented Abram from becoming Abraham. So in order to thrive, Abram had to send Lot away (later it would be Hagar and Ishmael).

So the point I’m trying to make here is, if Abram and Lot had remained together there would have been strife over something else because man’s agenda would have come into conflict with God’s purpose for Abram. It is needful to consider that dwelling in unity is not necessarily equivalent to peace when the one you’re dwelling with is at odds with God’s plan for your life. Here is how Paul addressed the issue:

“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? (2 Corinthians 6:14-15)

Am I saying that Lot was an unbeliever or walking in darkness? Peter suggests that is not the case (see  2 Peter 2:7) but I would argue that, at the very least, Lot was prone to making very unwise decisions and, being joined to someone so inclined, can have a negative impact on your life and destiny. In other words, to follow God in the way He has ordained for us, sometimes requires us to leave people behind. That doesn’t mean that we are spiritually superior to them; it just means that we have a mission for the Master and it MIGHT not involve them being involved with us. To he who has an ear.

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill  

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