A LOT of Mistakes

Genesis 12: Fatherless Lot, Abram’s nephew, went with Abram to the land of Canaan. After Lot’s father died, maybe Abram adopted Lot as a son since Sarai was barren. Lot had a good start in his relationship with Abram. Lot enjoyed the blessings promised to Abram by the LORD. Lot needed to stay close to Abram. “Blessed to be a blessing.” Abraham was blessed by God to be a blessing to all nations. If God blesses you, it is not so you can selfishly soak in the blessing; it is because God wants to use you to be a blessing to others. Lot was blessed by his relationship with Abram, and he could have been a blessing to many others.
G13: What was wrong with Lot’s choice? Abram offered Lot first choice. Abram said, “The whole land is before you.” He meant Canaan. “If you go left, then I will go right. If you go right, then I will go left.” Abram has been a father to fatherless Lot. Therefore, Lot should have deferred to Abram and said, “God has blessed me because of his promise to you. I am only your nephew. You choose first and I will go the opposite direction.” This was Lot’s first mistake.
This is Lot’s second mistake: “Lot lifted up his eyes and saw…” Here is what was wrong with Lot’s choice: “The grass looks greener on the other side of the fence.” This phrase is used to describe dissatisfaction and envy or covetousness. “You shall not covet.” Lot could have moved north, south, east, or west in the land of Canaan. There was plenty of room. Lot chose to move into the Jordan valley with cities and moved close to a notoriously sinful city named Sodom (13:13). Why would a shepherd settle in the cities of the valley? Yes, the valley had abundant water and looked like the garden of the LORD (Eden) and the Nile valley in Egypt, but it was also a place of danger with exceedingly wicked sinners and warring city states (G14). The “exceedingly wicked sinners” in Sodom were worse than the Canaanites. The Canaanites engaged in idolatry and child sacrifice. What could be worse than that? Keep reading.
Have you ever made a choice because “the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence?” What were the consequences of that choice?
G14: Abram saved Lot the first time. Lot moved from tents outside Sodom to living in Sodom. G19: Abram saved Lot the second time (18:22-33; 19:29). Lot continued to live in Sodom even though he knew the wickedness of the men of the city. Lot would not allow the angels to stay in the city square because he knew what would happen to them.
Lot made a lot of mistakes, but his biggest mistake was separation from Abram which was separation from God’s blessing. Lot began his journey with great promise when he left with Abram. Lot became wealthy by God’s blessing upon Abram. Lot ended his life as a penniless incestuous drunk in a cave and became the father of the Moabites and Ammonites. (Note: As proof of God’s mercy and kindness he blessed the grandsons of Lot, Moab and Ammon. When the Israelites entered the Promised Land, God told Moses not to take the land God gave to Moab and Ammon.) Lot is a tragic figure. Lot is an example of what happens when a person separates from God’s blessing.
Where is the place of God’s blessing today? It is Jesus Christ and his church. A relationship with Jesus Christ is the place of blessing. Jesus Christ alone is Savior and Lord. If you separate from Jesus Christ, then you are following the destiny of Lot. If you have a true relationship with Jesus Christ, then you will know the church as a place of blessing. The church is the body of Jesus Christ. If you want the blessing of God upon your life, then make a commitment to the church of Jesus Christ. Become a member of a church. Serve the church where you become a member. One warning: You must commit to a church that is true to the word of God. Check the beliefs of the church on its website. The beliefs of the church must state that it believes in the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture as the only rule for faith and practice. There are “churches” that have left the body of Christ because they have rejected the truth of God’s word and compromised with the wicked culture. There are “churches” that deny the deity of Christ. If you separate from the true church of Christ, then you are following the destiny of Lot.
Remain in the great blessing of Abraham. The greatest blessing from Abraham is Jesus Christ. Jesus had a conversation about Abraham with the religious leaders of Israel and said (John 8:56-58), “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So, the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” The only place to have contentment and confidence is to remain in the greatest blessing of Abraham, Jesus Christ.