Monthly Archives: November 2023

GENESIS 14 LOT’S CAPTIVITY IN THE WAR AT SODOM

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November 30

GENESIS 14

In the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, 2 these kings made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 And all these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). 4 Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in their hill country of Seir as far as El-paran on the border of the wilderness. 7 Then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh) and defeated all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who were dwelling in Hazazon-tamar.8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out, and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim 9 with Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country. 11 So the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12 They also took Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way.

                                                                    – Genesis 14:1-12

GENESIS 14 LOT’S CAPTIVITY IN THE WAR AT SODOM

When Lot separated from Abram and chose to go towards the Jordan Valley near the cities, he got caught up in the war happening at Sodom. The kings of Shinar, Ellasar, Elam and Goiim made war with the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and Bela (also called Zoar). Four kings fighting with five kings at the Valley of Siddim which is the Salt Sea. During this war, the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled to the hill country and some of them fell in the bitumen pits that were in the Siddim valley. As these two kings fled, the enemy took all the possession of Sodom and Gomorrah, including Lot’s who was then living in Sodom. He was held captive in this war. Lot chose the Jordan Valley and it’s surrounding cities as his area when Abram gave him the choice. He thought that he will be more prosperous in this area, only to be caught up in the middle of this war.

REFLECTION

  • What can we learn from Lot’s predicament in this war?

GENESIS 13 GOD REITERATES HIS PROMISED LAND TO ABRAM

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November 29

GENESIS 13

14 The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, 15 for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. 17 Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.” 18 So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord. – Genesis 13:14-18

GENESIS 13 GOD REITERATES HIS PROMISED LAND TO ABRAM

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

After Abram and Lot went separate ways to avoid strife with their herdsmen

The Lord God reminded Abram what was going to be his promised land

God instructed him to look upwards from where Abram was

To the north, south, east and west, he showed him what’s going to be his.

God promised Abram the breadth of the land that he is visibly seeing that time

This is the land that he will inherit from the Lord which will be for his sons as well

All his offspring will have as much land as they can count the dust of the earth

Abram moved his tent by the oaks of Mamre at Hebron and built an altar for God.

Abram must have felt sad that he and his nephew Lot had to separate ways. When Lot chose the better part of the area without even thinking how Abram must have felt letting him go another way Lot had his eye focused on the benefits of choosing that land that have water running through it. Many times, we become fixated on benefits and profits from something without even thinking how it will affect our souls or other people.

Then, God reiterated his promise to Abram about Canaan. Can you imagine if you were in Abram’s place and God was showing you the vast space that your eyes could see which was going to be yours? Even though it seems that Lot chose the better part, Abram had God’s promise which is far much better than anything that the world offers.

REFLECTION

  • How can we fight our nature for selfish ambitions?

GENESIS 13 WHEN ABRAM & LOT SEPARATED WAYS

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November 28

GENESIS 13

8 Then Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.” 10 And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. 12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. 13 Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord. – Genesis 13:8-13

GENESIS 13 WHEN ABRAM & LOT SEPARATED WAYS

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

In order for strife and conflict not to thrive between Abram and Lot,

They agreed to separate ways to avoid fights between their herdsmen

Abram gave Lot the choice to select which area he preferred

So, Lot chose the Jordan Valley since it was well watered.

Abram chose the one which was left from Lot’s preference

That was so kind of him do so even though he had more seniority

Despite occupants in that land, Abram settled and stayed in Canaan

While Lot settled among the cities, he also stayed away from Sodom.

In this account, we witness the gracious character of Abram once again. He was kind enough to make his nephew Lot make his choice which area he wanted to occupy. Even though he could have chosen the better option, he gave Lot that choice. How often do we know people as gentleman as Abram in our world today.  There is much prevalence of making oneself first rather than others in our world today. It also shows that whichever area he chooses, God will always bless him and give him favor. It is a good lesson to learn from Abram about how the Lord will always provide for his people’s needs.

REFLECTION

  • Why is it important to let others needs and preferences come first before our own?

GENESIS 13 OVERFLOWING BLESSING TO ABRAM & LOT

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November 27

GENESIS 13

So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Negeb.2 Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3 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. 5 And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, 6 so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, 7 and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land.

                                                               – Genesis 13:1-7

GENESIS 13 OVERFLOWING BLESSINGS TO ABRAM & LOT

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

After their release from Egypt by Pharaoh Abram went to the Negeb

The Lord God has blessed Abram and his nephew Lot with much blessings

They both have livestock, gold and silver and proceeded between Ai and Bethel

It was here that Abram built an altar for the Lord, so they worshiped there.

Because God was with them always, despite no permanent place to live

With so much possessions Abram and Lot couldn’t fit in one place

The herdsmen of Abram’s livestock were fighting with Lot’s herdsmen

They were still unable to occupy Canaan since there were occupants there.

What an interesting problem Abram and Lot have in this account. Because of the overflowing blessings in riches and livestock, they couldn’t live in one place together. Their numbers were growing and so with the livestock. It’s probably a good problem to encounter rather than having so much lack. It must have been a challenge to follow God’s leading to the Canaan since they had so much riches to bring along with them wherever they pitch their tents. Despite all these challenges, they never forgot to worship the Lord and called upon him between Ai and Bethel where they had built an altar for the Lord.

REFLECTION

  • What riches and blessings have you received from the Lord as a proof of his providence for you?

GENESIS 12 PHARAOH RELEASES ABRAM AND SARAI

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November 26

GENESIS 12

17 But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18 So Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her, and go.” 20 And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him, and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had. – Genesis 12:17-20

GENESIS 12 PHARAOH RELEASES ABRAM AND SARAI

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

When Abram thought of using Sarai to spare his life

Even though it didn’t honor God doing such plan,

The Lord God still protected him and Sarai

By afflicting Pharoah with great plagues.

Plans that we take in our own hands may not be good

It still doesn’t change the love of God for his people

This is how faithful and loving our heavenly Father is

Let’s not forget to always rely on Him instead of our own strength.

In this narrative of Abram’s deception of Pharaoh to spare his own life at the expense of using his wife’s beauty and letting Sarai lie for him, we are presented with the reality of man’s bent nature. We tend to take control of things especially when we perceive dangers that may not be truly there. Fear can always spur us to do the wrong thing. It filters our perception and thwarts it. It goes on automatically taking care of our own instead of going and running to God.

After the fall, we cannot hide from the wickedness that is so prevalent in all of us humans. In this situation, despite the way Abram took control of the events, we still see God protecting him and Sarai from the possible evil plan of Pharaoh to take Sarai as part of his concubine. They were all set free because of the plague that God sent Pharaoh. We learn from this story how God takes care and protects his own people.

REFLECTION

  • Share an incident when you were protected by the Lord even though you made a foolish or rash decision.

GENESIS 12 ABRAM DECIEVES PHAROAH

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November 25

GENESIS 12

10 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. 11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance, 12 and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.” 14 When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15 And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. 16 And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels. – Genesis 12:10-16

GENESIS 12 ABRAM DECEIVES PHARAOH

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

When a famine threatened Abram and his entire clan

He decided to use his wife’s beauty as a shield, that was his plan

Abram thought that because of Sarai’s exquisite beauty

He will be killed by the Egyptians and take Sarai as Pharoah’s wife.

To spare his own life, instead of trusting the Lord, he plotted

If he says to Pharoah that Sarai was his sister, he would be spared

And his plan worked because he was spared his own life

He was also treated well including his animals and servants.

In this story Abram was being threatened by famine as they were passing through Egypt. We witness another side of Abram that was not spoken of earlier. We know how obedient and trusting he was to follow God’s lead towards Canaan, the promised land. Because Abram is still human like all of us, his sinful nature is still inherent in him. The desperate need to save his entire clan, servants and animals was so imminent in this time of famine. He suddenly took upon himself to take care of the situation instead of continually trusting God. The deception worked because not only was he spared from being killed, he and his entire clan was also treated well by Pharoah.

REFLECTION

  • Share a time when you took matters into your hands instead of trusting God and the result of such act.

GENESIS 12 GOD SHOWED HIMSELF TO ABRAM

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November 24

GENESIS 12

When they came to the land of Canaan, 6 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oakof Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So, he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. 8 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. – Genesis 12:5-9

GENESIS 12 GOD SHOWED HIMSELF TO ABRAM

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

When Abram reached the land of Canaan

It was still occupied by Canaanites that time

But the Lord showed himself to Abram at Shechem

It was to the oak of Moreh God showed himself, so he built an altar.

God told Abram that he’ll grant the promised land to his descendants

Then he began moving to the east of Bethel and there, he built another altar

So, he could continually praise him as he moved towards the promised land

After that, Abram continued his journey towards the Negeb.

What a blessing it was for Abram to actually experience God’s presence at the oak of Moreh. Notice how it must have been for Abram. He saw that the Canaanites where still occupying the land that God was leading him to. Before he could ask the question to God how he can occupy that land, God showed himself to Abram at that moment. What amazing response from God! Abram was promised that place to be given to his offspring. What an assurance that was. As God’s people, don’t we also get answers even before we ask it? This is how amazing our Lord is. Yahweh means God the provider. No matter how impossible it seems in our naked eye how much obstacles are in our way, God always makes a way for us to reach that place that he wanted us to be at.

We see in this time frame that Abram built two altars as a result of God’s appearance to him. His faithfulness and complete trust in the Lord are astounding.

REFLECTION

  • How has God manifested his provision in your life in your most trying moment?

GENESIS 12 ABRAM’S RESPONSE TO GOD’S CALL

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November 23

GENESIS 12

Now the Lord saidto Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan.  

                                                                     – Genesis 12:1-5

GENESIS 12 ABRAM’S RESPONSE TO GOD’S CALL

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

When Abram was seventy-five years of age, God called on him

The Lord wanted him to leave his country and kin to another land

Then God promised Abram a blessing to make his name great

Blessings to those who will honor him and curses to the defiant.

When Terah began his journey with Abram to go to Canaan

It was disrupted when they settled and got comfortable in Haran

But when Terah died, God’s call to Abram to proceed with the trip came

So, Abram took his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot and all that they had.

Terah, Abram’s father was from Ur of the Chaldeans, which was a pagan country. In Joshua 24:2, we know that Terah worshipped other gods and did not know the Lord. Somehow without knowing, Terah led his family to leave Ur to proceed to Canaan. It must have been God’s leading him to do so. He got sidetracked when they reached Haran and settled there where he died. It was here when the Lord called Abram to continue the journey to Canaan with a promise to give him a great name and a great nation. Without question, Abram heeded God’s call and believed his promise even though he doesn’t even know where he was going. What a remarkable response Abram gave God.

REFLECTION

  • Would you have obeyed God without question when instructed to do something you don’t understand? Why or why not?

GENESIS 11 TERAH’S GENERATIONS

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November 22

GENESIS 11

27 Now these are the generations of Terah. Terah fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran fathered Lot. 28 Haran died in the presence of his father Terah in the land of his kindred, in Ur of the Chaldeans. 29 And Abram and Nahor took wives. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and Iscah. 30 Now Sarai was barren; she had no child. 31 Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife, and they went forth together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan, but when they came to Haran, they settled there. 32 The days of Terah were 205 years, and Terah died in Haran.  – Genesis 11:27-32

GENESIS 11 TERAH’S GENERATIONS

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

When Terah was seventy, he fathered Abram, Nahor and Haran

Haran fathered Lot but died ahead of Terah in Ur of the Chaldeans

Aside from Lot, Haran also had two daughters, Milcah and Iscah

Abram took Sarai as his wife and Nahor’s wife was his own niece, Milcah.

Abram’s wife Sarai was barren and had no child when they left Ur

Terah took his son Abram, Sarai and Lot planning to go to Canaan

But they were sidetracked and settled in a place called Haran

It was there that Terah died at age two-hundred five.

In this account we place the spotlight on Terah who is the father of Abram (the one God chose to be the Father of all Nations). It is in Abram’s line where Jesus would come from. Terah must have been led by God to move Abram, Sarai and his grandson Lot to journey to Canaan, but got derailed to Haran. Haran, served as a crossroads trading town between Arabia and Syria in northern Mesopotamia. Abram would have traveled along the Euphrates to get to Canaan rather than crossing the desert with his large group of people and animals. Why Terah did the move was not clear but in Acts 7:4, Stephen mentioned that Abram left Haran after his father died to resume their journey to Canaan. He was 75 when he left Haran to proceed to Canaan where God told him to go.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think God chose Abram (also Abraham)who came from an idolatrous country Ur to be his own Son Jesus’ ancestor?

GENESIS 11 GENERATIONS FROM SHEM TO ABRAM

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November 21

GENESIS 11

10 These are the generations of Shem. When Shem was 100 years old, he fathered Arpachshad two years after the flood. 11 And Shem lived after he fathered Arpachshad 500 years and had other sons and daughters.12 When Arpachshad had lived 35 years, he fathered Shelah. 13 And Arpachshad lived after he fathered Shelah 403 years and had other sons and daughters.14 When Shelah had lived 30 years, he fathered Eber. 15 And Shelah lived after he fathered Eber 403 years and had other sons and daughters. 16 When Eber had lived 34 years, he fathered Peleg. 17 And Eber lived after he fathered Peleg 430 years and had other sons and daughters.18 When Peleg had lived 30 years, he fathered Reu. 19 And Peleg lived after he fathered Reu 209 years and had other sons and daughters.20 When Reu had lived 32 years, he fathered Serug. 21 And Reu lived after he fathered Serug 207 years and had other sons and daughters.22 When Serug had lived 30 years, he fathered Nahor. 23 And Serug lived after he fathered Nahor 200 years and had other sons and daughters.24 When Nahor had lived 29 years, he fathered Terah. 25 And Nahor lived after he fathered Terah 119 years and had other sons and daughters.

26 When Terah had lived 70 years, he fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

                                                                    – Genesis 11:10-26

GENESIS 11 GENERATIONS FROM SHEM TO ABRAM

In the following account, we see the lineage from Shem to Abram. I already touched on the descendants of Shem as the blessed ones that led to Christ’s birth in Genesis 10. But in this chapter, let us zoom in to the ages that each of them died. This reveals something about how the lifespan got shorter and shorter. From Shem up until Eber, they lived around four hundred to five hundred years old, but there was a change in the length of years lived from Peleg who only reached 239 years of life. Then another shift happened with Serug to Nahor from 230 to 148.  Terah lived 205 and Abram 175 years.

What could have been the reason for the lifespan of man to decrease through the years? In Genesis 6:3 many people who read this verse thinks it is about man’s life span being shortened by God. But, if you take the context of the whole chapter, it was actually how long God was giving man to repent before he brought about the flood. We hear some people live up to over 130 years even at this age. God’s patience is evident in the length of days he gives us to repent and live the life he planned for us to live.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think God used sinful people to be Jesus’ ancestry?