Speaker 1: Previously on the Chosen People. Abram and Lot were exhausted
Speaker 1: after overseeing the grueling Sir John's south through the notoriously
Speaker 1: treacherous desert called the Negev. A devastating famine had swept
Speaker 1: through the land. It compelled their band of expatriates to
Speaker 1: carry their wealth on the backs of donkeys and their
Speaker 1: treasures on the humps of camels, until they were eventually
Speaker 1: forced to enter the Lions and Vipers territory on the
Speaker 1: long barren desert road to Egypt.
Speaker 2: Abram, Abram, what did I tell you?
Speaker 3: No, don't look over, but listen carefully.
Speaker 2: That's the fifth time I've got them staring today.
Speaker 3: That's all right. If I tell them she's my wife,
Speaker 3: they'll kill me. But if I tell them she's my sister,
Speaker 3: they'll probably spare me.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 2: Not to mention, we'd probably benefit from any potential suitors
Speaker 2: Sarah might have.
Speaker 5: Abram, you would tell a half truth and deny me
Speaker 5: the protection of my husband. Lie to spare yourself and
Speaker 5: ship me off to an Egyptian warlord.
Speaker 6: Abral, who is Sah to you?
Speaker 3: I beg forgiveness. Sarah is my wife, just as your
Speaker 3: spies have surely told you the gossip. It's true. I
Speaker 3: was afraid of what would happen to me if a
Speaker 3: man desired my wife.
Speaker 1: Abram felt rebuked by Pharaoh's words, by God's words, and
Speaker 1: knew that, despite his assuredness that he was doing what
Speaker 1: he thought was right, he never should have left the
Speaker 1: land he had been promised. His mistakes had almost cost
Speaker 1: him and Sarah their integrity and their lives.
Speaker 3: I love you, Abroom, and I always will. You've always
Speaker 3: been a bit of a brother to me, and you're
Speaker 3: everything an older brother should be.
Speaker 2: Your sense of duty and loyalty are unmatched.
Speaker 3: And I look back on my.
Speaker 2: Life, I want to feel like I did something of significance,
Speaker 2: that I achieved something that no one else has done before.
Speaker 7: In times of plenty, peace and conflict intersect, and two
Speaker 7: kinsmen face a choice that will echo through the ages. Sello,
Speaker 7: my friends, from here in the Holy Land of Israel,
Speaker 7: Amya l Exstein with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews,
Speaker 7: and welcome to the Chosen People. Each day we'll hear
Speaker 7: a dramatic story inspired by the Bible, stories filled with
Speaker 7: timeless lessons of faith, love, and the meaning of life
Speaker 7: through Israel's story. We'll find this truth. We are all
Speaker 7: chosen for something great. Remember to follow this podcast on
Speaker 7: whatever platform you're listening to. This way, you'll never miss
Speaker 7: an episode, and we'll also be discovered by more people
Speaker 7: looking for messages of hope and faith In the vast
Speaker 7: space of podcasting. These small steps actually make a huge difference.
Speaker 7: So thank you, thank you, thank you, as we say
Speaker 7: in Hebrew todarabah, for making our mission possible. Let's begin.
Speaker 7: Imagine a vast expanse of sand and sky, stretching as
Speaker 7: far as that I can see.
Speaker 3: Now.
Speaker 7: Picture two men, not just any men, but pioneers of
Speaker 7: a promise, standing at the crossroads of destiny. Abraham and Lote.
Speaker 7: Two names, two paths, one God. As we journey into
Speaker 7: this story inspired by Genesis thirteen, let us ask ourselves
Speaker 7: what does it mean to choose? How do we navigate
Speaker 7: the landscape of our lives? Is it by sight? Or
Speaker 7: is it by faith?
Speaker 1: Lot pinched the bridge of his nose, a futile attempt
Speaker 1: to stave off the headache that had been building since
Speaker 1: they left Egypt. His men's constant grumbling had become a
Speaker 1: persistent drone amplified by the slow, tortuous pace of their
Speaker 1: journey through the desert. So large had he and Abram's
Speaker 1: caravans become that they were forced to move through the
Speaker 1: miserable wilderness in stages. He guessed that even a tortoise
Speaker 1: could have outpaced them. And if they had thought resources
Speaker 1: were scarce during the famine and then again in the desert,
Speaker 1: returning to Canaan was nothing but a disappointment. Lot was
Speaker 1: shaken by their experience in Egypt. Being rebuked by Pharaoh
Speaker 1: bruised his ego, and now they were forced to return
Speaker 1: to the place between Bethel and Aye where they had
Speaker 1: first settled in Canaan. They were not exactly welcomed back
Speaker 1: with open arms from their neighbors. The Canaanites and Perizites
Speaker 1: had barely survived the famine in their region. If they
Speaker 1: had been indifferent to Abram and Lot's people before the famine,
Speaker 1: they had turned down like hostile at their return. It
Speaker 1: certainly didn't help that their numbers had tripled, straining the
Speaker 1: resources of the land past their limit. The hill country
Speaker 1: had already been limited in its ability to provide the flocks.
Speaker 1: As Lot surveyed the expanse, he realized how much famine
Speaker 1: had devastated the already limited region. Lot then considered the riches.
Speaker 1: Their camp was laden with silver and gold from the Egyptians,
Speaker 1: gifts that would have been Serai's dowry. Abram considered them
Speaker 1: bitter reminders of his deceit, but Lot refused to assign
Speaker 1: such sentiments to the fortune that had made him a
Speaker 1: very rich man. Their accumulated wealth made them easy targets
Speaker 1: for raids from their aggressive neighbors, so everyone was on
Speaker 1: edge between being on their guard for any threat and
Speaker 1: squabbling over watering holes and grazing pastures. Especially Lot Lots
Speaker 1: camp buzzed with unrest. His herdsman, wearied and wary, approached
Speaker 1: him with grievances.
Speaker 8: So you say, master, at least as a fourth tom.
Speaker 8: We've caught one of Abram's shepherds, and in our guts
Speaker 8: away from the graveing lane, right right.
Speaker 4: Right, So ten ten times master, and there's not enough
Speaker 4: to go around as it is. As Abram's men are
Speaker 4: getting greedy. They think they're more important than us.
Speaker 9: Lot. You see, it's just as I was telling you
Speaker 9: this morning, your uncle overreacts his high opinion of himself.
Speaker 9: Trickles down to his men. He may be content to
Speaker 9: rot here and feel guilty about what happened in Egypt,
Speaker 9: but in the meantime he will drive our resources into
Speaker 9: the ground.
Speaker 1: Lot's headache flared as his wife continued her criticism relentless.
Speaker 1: She never understood their hasty departure from each other and
Speaker 1: resented Sarah's now with drawn demeanor. Edith's constant meddling felt
Speaker 1: like a thorn in Lot's side.
Speaker 9: And I'll tell you another thing, Lot, I suspect our
Speaker 9: flocks have intermingled in these tight quarters. Boy, weren't you
Speaker 9: just saying that to your father as you came to
Speaker 9: our tent. Tell me, Shepherd, how have you been tracking
Speaker 9: what is ours?
Speaker 8: Well, lady, we're doing all. We came to protect the flocks,
Speaker 8: but our men has spread thin. Taking on watches outside
Speaker 8: and inside the camp. We're watching for more of them,
Speaker 8: Just Abram, Sheppers. We've fend it off a couple of
Speaker 8: ravesas last few days. The clown's men from the hill
Speaker 8: country know that we've got silver and gold.
Speaker 2: We can't afford our wealth to just walk off. Listen,
Speaker 2: do what you can to maintain the defenses at camp,
Speaker 2: and I'll have a talk with Abram about his men.
Speaker 9: Maintain the defenses. Shouldn't we strengthen them? You wouldn't want
Speaker 9: something terrible to befall me or our daughters.
Speaker 3: Would you.
Speaker 2: That's enough, Edith, I said, I'll take care of it
Speaker 2: all right.
Speaker 3: I know how to take.
Speaker 2: Care of this family. Thank you for the report. Men,
Speaker 2: I'll send Abram straight away. Report back to me tomorrow.
Speaker 2: You're dismissed.
Speaker 1: Lot rubbed his temples. The headache had at last settled in.
Speaker 1: His wife saunted off once the two shepherds filed out
Speaker 1: of their tent. He wasn't sure how Abram would respond
Speaker 1: to these allegations, or even what resolution they could come to.
Speaker 1: They would likely need to move on from this area
Speaker 1: before they were in all out war with the neighboring clans,
Speaker 1: But then that didn't solve the problem of their two
Speaker 1: caravans living side by side. They were sure to deplete
Speaker 1: any area they settled within months, if not weeks. The
Speaker 1: old Abram, the Abram Lot had known all his life,
Speaker 1: would have a solution. But with this new Abram, who
Speaker 1: followed a god Lot did not fully understand. With this Abram,
Speaker 1: Lot was not so sure of what he would do.
Speaker 1: Lot was eager to step into this legacy Abram spoke about,
Speaker 1: and when their path had led to such fortune in Egypt,
Speaker 1: he could not have been more pleased with that turn
Speaker 1: of events, though it was not the original plan. Abram
Speaker 1: had relayed from his god. As for Lot, he wanted
Speaker 1: to believe and could believe in a god who could
Speaker 1: make him so rich. But they seemed to have come
Speaker 1: up against an obstacle here. He just hoped Abram would
Speaker 1: be in the right frame of mind to help him
Speaker 1: solve it. Lot approached Abram where he kneeled at the
Speaker 1: altar he had built the last time they settled in
Speaker 1: this land. Lot made sure to announce his presence with
Speaker 1: the scuff of his feet against the dusty Groundhem.
Speaker 2: Uncle, Yes, dear nephew, I had a madder I wished
Speaker 2: to discuss with you.
Speaker 1: Abram stood and remained silent. Lot took this as his
Speaker 1: cue to speak.
Speaker 2: First, my herdsmen, they're added again Abram, complaining that your
Speaker 2: heart's been are depriving my animals of water and grazing land.
Speaker 3: Has it come to blows this time?
Speaker 2: Not yet, but give it time and it will, I mean,
Speaker 2: come on, we care for it.
Speaker 3: To have our men fighting each other.
Speaker 2: We've got enemies all around us. This is a disaster
Speaker 2: waiting to happen, Abram, a total disaster.
Speaker 3: Yes, we must find a way to deal with these clans,
Speaker 3: deal with them, deal with them. Perhaps we can move
Speaker 3: about and how.
Speaker 2: We can't match them if they raise an army, Abram,
Speaker 2: A truce, please, A truce isn't going to happen unless
Speaker 2: they get something out of it.
Speaker 3: Maybe we need to think of some sort of alliance.
Speaker 2: You know, my daughters will be of age soon if
Speaker 2: you get my drift lot.
Speaker 3: We've seen how these clans treat their people. They sanction
Speaker 3: such cruelty in their warfare, and the worship of their
Speaker 3: vengeful gods involves human socri and other unsavory acts. I'm
Speaker 3: not so sure we should compromise our ways.
Speaker 2: Our ways?
Speaker 3: What ways, Abram? What are you talking about? To assimilate
Speaker 3: into their culture.
Speaker 2: This god you're following, he's got no written TEGs, no priests, nothing.
Speaker 3: We are following the god who led us here, and.
Speaker 2: We're just out here making it up as we go along.
Speaker 2: I mean, what are we even doing here, Abram?
Speaker 3: As we obey and follow him, I'm beginning to feel
Speaker 3: back the layers of this god. He's still a mystery
Speaker 3: to me, but I know these tribal gods bring out
Speaker 3: the worst in people. Are the god I'm following brings
Speaker 3: out the best. I can't bind myself to them, Lot,
Speaker 3: But what are we supposed to do?
Speaker 2: Our men are at each other's throats, Abram, and we
Speaker 2: can't agree on anything.
Speaker 3: It's like a bad fever. Dreams are high. It seems
Speaker 3: that their quarrels to settle every other day, and our
Speaker 3: herds are only getting thinner. The land never fully recovered
Speaker 3: from the famine. It cannot sustain us both, not for
Speaker 3: much longer anyway. What are you suggesting we must separate?
Speaker 4: Separate?
Speaker 2: What are you talking about separate with?
Speaker 4: What about the.
Speaker 10: Legacy of our families?
Speaker 2: We left everything behind, our homes, our friends, our land,
Speaker 2: and now you're telling me we're just gonna split up
Speaker 2: just like that.
Speaker 3: It's not so easy, Lot. I asked you to come
Speaker 3: with me because you've always been more of a brother
Speaker 3: than a nephew. With nahor hundreds of miles away looking
Speaker 3: after our father's legacy. You and Sara are the only
Speaker 3: family I have left. But we cannot live in strife
Speaker 3: like this, Look look at what is before.
Speaker 1: You closed the gap between himself and Lot, clapping a
Speaker 1: hand on his shoulder as he turned him to see
Speaker 1: the sweeping vista his raised altar sight offered. The Jordan
Speaker 1: River cut through the circular plain before them, generously watering
Speaker 1: the lands on either side of its mighty banks. The
Speaker 1: Jordan flowed into the Salt Sea, and often the distance
Speaker 1: almost due south, they could just make out the shape
Speaker 1: of the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah on the horizon.
Speaker 1: So fertile was the river valley that it reminded Abram
Speaker 1: of their time in Egypt along the Nile. It even
Speaker 1: stirred memories of a story passed down through their family history,
Speaker 1: of a lush, forgotten garden that had disappeared at the
Speaker 1: beginning of time. Abram watched as Lot turned to look
Speaker 1: over their shoulders to the east toward the Great Sea.
Speaker 1: They could not see it because of the rocky foothills
Speaker 1: that eventually gave way to mountains. The terrain was dry
Speaker 1: and cracked, and what resources were to be had were
Speaker 1: hoarded by walled cities and untold numbers of foreign enemies.
Speaker 1: Lot turned back to the rich plain, and Abram watched
Speaker 1: his hungry eyes take it all in, presumably calculating the
Speaker 1: productivity of the land that would now be unburdened from
Speaker 1: having to share it with Abram. Lot seemed irritable when
Speaker 1: he first confronted Abram, but all discomfort appeared to be
Speaker 1: gone now, as Lot had turned positively ravenous taking in
Speaker 1: the land before him. Abram knew in his heart what
Speaker 1: Lot's decision would be before he even asked the question,
Speaker 1: But he asked, regardless, what do you think?
Speaker 3: The whole land is before us? But I will let
Speaker 3: you decide which way will you go?
Speaker 2: You you would let me choose me?
Speaker 3: I would. If you go to the left, I will
Speaker 3: go to the right. If you go to the right,
Speaker 3: EYE will go to the left.
Speaker 1: It was an effort for Lot to tear his gaze
Speaker 1: from the more favorable river plain and to look at
Speaker 1: Abram in genuine surprise. Though his mind had been made
Speaker 1: up long before this inevitable conversation, Abram still felt the
Speaker 1: weight the decision would surely bring. In his time praying
Speaker 1: and waiting to hear from his God by the altar,
Speaker 1: this idea of separation had been stirred.
Speaker 6: Up in his mind.
Speaker 1: Abram couldn't help but wonder if this was another test
Speaker 1: he had not trusted his God when the famine struck
Speaker 1: the land, leading to disastrous results. He was still navigating
Speaker 1: the damage that had caused Serai and was rebuilding her trust.
Speaker 1: Abram felt more alone than he had in years. Second
Speaker 1: only to Serai, his relationship with Lot was the most
Speaker 1: dear to him, but he was feeling the strain of
Speaker 1: quarreling between their people and feared that it would undo them.
Speaker 1: Abram had prayed to his God about how to bring
Speaker 1: this up with Lot, and to his surprise, Lot suddenly
Speaker 1: appeared before him. It seemed time to present him with
Speaker 1: this decision and see what he would choose. Abram had
Speaker 1: resolved to trust that his God would provide for him
Speaker 1: and his people, regardless of which direction Lot decided to go.
Speaker 1: To his credit, Lot stuffed down his gluttonous expression and
Speaker 1: turned to face Abram again.
Speaker 3: Ah, but we would be a part just like that.
Speaker 3: You will always be my family, Lot. I will abide
Speaker 3: by your decision. My God has promised me a great nation,
Speaker 3: and I hope you will still be a part of it.
Speaker 3: No matter where you settle your tents and urds.
Speaker 2: You honor me by allowing me to take the land
Speaker 2: of my choosing uncle.
Speaker 3: Really you do, since you've offered it to me.
Speaker 2: I'll take the Jordan place for my family, and that's
Speaker 2: the direction.
Speaker 3: Will go so close to Sodom. Are you sure? I think?
Speaker 2: I think the proximity of the city would prove useful
Speaker 2: to me.
Speaker 3: Yeah, useful, very well. Then I will consider the other
Speaker 3: directions the go in peace, Lot, my brother, my friend.
Speaker 1: The two shared an embrace. Abram watched Lot leave, heart aching,
Speaker 1: but resolved. Just before Lot receded from view, Abram shouted
Speaker 1: back to him Lot. Lot turned worry wrinkled the top
Speaker 1: of his brow had Abram reconsidered. Abram's face shrunk with
Speaker 1: loving concern.
Speaker 3: Be careful near those cities. I fear the influence of
Speaker 3: their culture is more dangerous than their spears.
Speaker 1: Lot waved his hand casually with a dismissive tone. He
Speaker 1: shouted back to his uncle.
Speaker 2: Mind is a lot vaults of integrity, Ingram, you know
Speaker 2: this farewell.
Speaker 1: Ha Lot's departure was a surprising weight off Abram's chest.
Speaker 1: It was one less voice competing against the small whispers
Speaker 1: of the god. He desperately tried to hear. Soon after
Speaker 1: their agreement had been struck, Lot did precisely as he
Speaker 1: had said. He moved his caravan east to follow the
Speaker 1: Euphrates River until they finally reached and settled outside Sodom.
Speaker 1: The quarreling had ceased among his men in the absence
Speaker 1: of Lot's men, but there were still dangers from the
Speaker 1: neighboring clans, and the land could not support them for
Speaker 1: much longer. Abram continued to go to the altar he
Speaker 1: had built and waited each day to hear from God.
Speaker 1: It was on one of these mornings the same familiar
Speaker 1: stillness permeated the hill upon which Abram was sitting. Knowing
Speaker 1: what to expect this time, but still struggling to keep
Speaker 1: his head heartbeat steady, Abram bowed his head and braced
Speaker 1: himself for the booming voice and all consuming presents.
Speaker 6: Abram, look around you behold the land, not only the east,
Speaker 6: but also the north, south and west. As I told
Speaker 6: you before, this is the land I will give to
Speaker 6: you and your offspring, and it will be yours forever.
Speaker 3: Yes, my God, I remember what you told me.
Speaker 6: Do you believe it?
Speaker 4: Though?
Speaker 6: I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth.
Speaker 6: If there was ever anyone who could count up all
Speaker 6: the dust of the earth, and there is not, then
Speaker 6: your offspring could also be counted.
Speaker 1: Abram again fell to steadiness and assuredness come over him.
Speaker 1: He felt comforted by his God's words, and they pushed
Speaker 1: back his doubts and fears at an uncertain future.
Speaker 6: You are to get up and walk around this land.
Speaker 6: I will show you where to go, and what's more,
Speaker 6: I will give it to you. You will need not
Speaker 6: take it. I would provide you with everything you need.
Speaker 1: Abram, heartened and empowered by the words of his God,
Speaker 1: did exactly as he was told. He traveled south until
Speaker 1: he reached the city of Hebrew, where he was surprised
Speaker 1: to find that they were met by hospitality and great
Speaker 1: kindness from an emirate chief named Mamory. An alliance was
Speaker 1: formed between their two great families, and Abram knew this
Speaker 1: to be a sign that his God was protecting him
Speaker 1: and giving him success in the promised land of Canaan.
Speaker 7: Wow, what a story. I have to say. This chapter
Speaker 7: in Genesis hit me in a way that I didn't expect.
Speaker 7: The drama, the choices Abram and Loots herdsmen were at
Speaker 7: each other's throats. This land of plenty, which had made
Speaker 7: both Abram and Looked very wealthy, could no longer support
Speaker 7: both men's flocks and herds. So Abram the Peacemaker offered
Speaker 7: Loath the first choice.
Speaker 10: Of the land.
Speaker 7: If you go to the left, then I'll go to
Speaker 7: the right. Looked, and he saw a lush Jordan valley
Speaker 7: as enticing as the forbidden tree. And he chose what
Speaker 7: looked good and seemed prosperous. But here's the twist. Low
Speaker 7: pitched his tents near Sadome, a city already and famous
Speaker 7: first wickedness. Just like louts choice, the superficial allure of
Speaker 7: wealth and beauty can blind us to the dangers that
Speaker 7: lurk beneath. Abram, on the other hand, settled in Canaan,
Speaker 7: trusting God with the outcome. This radical faith and trusting
Speaker 7: God's unseen promise set Abram upon. After the two men separated,
Speaker 7: God's promise to his chosen people was reaffirmed when he
Speaker 7: told Abraham, lift up your eyes from where you are
Speaker 7: and look north and south, and east and west. All
Speaker 7: the land that you see I will give to you
Speaker 7: and to your offspring forever. I will make your offspring
Speaker 7: like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone
Speaker 7: could count the dust, then your off spring could be counted.
Speaker 7: Let's talk about that really interesting phase, dust of the earth.
Speaker 7: You see, God wasn't just making a poetic metaphor. He
Speaker 7: was declaring a truth about the future of the Jewish people.
Speaker 7: The dust, scattered and innumerable represent us, the Jewish people,
Speaker 7: chosen and cherished, spread across the globe, but still part
Speaker 7: of a singular destiny. You see, our history, rich with
Speaker 7: trials and triumphs, is like the d often stepped upon, disregarded,
Speaker 7: but ever present and unyielding. It's been asked if the
Speaker 7: success of the Jewish people is a result of our
Speaker 7: history of suffering or despite it. You see, our ancestors
Speaker 7: faced unimaginable hardships, from slavery in Egypt to persecutions and progroms,
Speaker 7: to the horrors of the Holocaust. But through every trial,
Speaker 7: in each tragedy, we have risen. Jewish tradition teaches that
Speaker 7: suffering refines the soul. It brings us actually closer to God,
Speaker 7: whereby Joseph B. Salivachik, known as the rev speaks of suffering,
Speaker 7: not just as a test, but as a chance for juva,
Speaker 7: for repentance, for a return to God. To see this,
Speaker 7: we only need to look at Olim, immigrants to Israel,
Speaker 7: who have arrived in the Holy Land from the four
Speaker 7: courts of the Earth with nothing but hope and faith.
Speaker 7: In the early days of the modern state of Israel,
Speaker 7: and even before Israel won its independence, waves of Jews
Speaker 7: came from Europe and Arab lands, escaping persecution and seeking
Speaker 7: a new beginning. They arrived with little more than the
Speaker 7: clothing on their backs. These early pioneers slept in tents
Speaker 7: and worked the rocky soil. They faced hunger, disease, and
Speaker 7: the constant threat of attack. Yet they sang songs of joy,
Speaker 7: for they were in the Promised Land, and that was
Speaker 7: enough for them. Their suffering shaped them, and their resilience
Speaker 7: to find them. They built homes, farms, and schools. They
Speaker 7: built a nation. Their story is Abraham's story and our story,
Speaker 7: a testament to the promise that we are like the
Speaker 7: dust of the earth, countless and enduring. Is the story
Speaker 7: of our people. This leads us to another word found
Speaker 7: in this text, the Hebrew word negev, which literally means
Speaker 7: dry lands. Or desert. It conjures images of arid landscapes, scarcity,
Speaker 7: a wasteland as far as the eye can see, and
Speaker 7: it historically contrasts with the Jordan Valley, where Loot chose
Speaker 7: to dwell somewhere lush and green that promised immediate sustenance
Speaker 7: and wealth. But Loot's choice came with a caveat the
Speaker 7: location's proximity to the wicked cities of Sidom and Gemarah.
Speaker 7: Lots eyes focused on the here and then now, and
Speaker 7: we look back at history and we see that reaching
Speaker 7: for what's immediately enticing has gotten humanity and trouble since
Speaker 7: the beginning of creation. We've seen it time and time
Speaker 7: again in the Bible stories, which we've already studied. Just
Speaker 7: as Adam and Eve saw the fruit and reach for it,
Speaker 7: Lout saw the lush plains near Sadom they were enticing,
Speaker 7: so reached for them. As Genesis thirteen eleven tells us,
Speaker 7: so Lut chose for himself the whole plan of Jordan
Speaker 7: and set out towards the east. The two men parted company,
Speaker 7: but the great Jewish commentator Rashi reads verse eleven this
Speaker 7: way that Lot set out from the east. Rashi notes
Speaker 7: that the Hebrew word for east headim is similar to
Speaker 7: the word admon, which means originator. And so you have Kedim,
Speaker 7: which is east, and kudmon, which is originator, and originator
Speaker 7: as an the originator of the world God. That's what
Speaker 7: it means. So you can read that verse in its
Speaker 7: original Hebrew in a very different way. Read it this
Speaker 7: way with the Hebrew word kudmon meeting originator, and Lot's
Speaker 7: words are stunning. This is what it says. I don't
Speaker 7: want Abram and I don't want his God.
Speaker 10: Huh.
Speaker 7: That is a very different meaning. Low to not only
Speaker 7: chose immediacy for the rich and lush earth. He chose
Speaker 7: not to follow God, a god of faith. But Abram
Speaker 7: chose differently. He chose the opposite. He chose the path
Speaker 7: Adam and even look should have chosen. Abram chose to
Speaker 7: trust in the unseen. So what does this reveal about Abram? Well,
Speaker 7: I think it reveals everything. It reveals his trust, his humility,
Speaker 7: his belief in the God who keeps his promises. And
Speaker 7: what does it inspire in us? In me? It inspires
Speaker 7: that same trust, that same dependence the God who never fails.
Speaker 7: Lot's choice speaks to the allure of the visible, the tangible,
Speaker 7: the now. That's the story of humanity. Isn't it that
Speaker 7: we're too often drawn to what looks good on the surface,
Speaker 7: even when danger is not far off. We choose the
Speaker 7: fertile plains, even if it means pitching our tents near Sadom.
Speaker 7: We choose to go the opposite way of faith because
Speaker 7: it just looks easier. But Abram, our man of faith,
Speaker 7: our forefather of faith, made a different choice, a difficult choice,
Speaker 7: but the faithful correct choice, and that is what we
Speaker 7: can learn from him. Abram looked at the negative, the desert,
Speaker 7: the place of apparent scarcity, and he trusted. He trusted
Speaker 7: in God's provision, in God's plan, and in God's unseen promise.
Speaker 7: Abram's journey, faith and trust in God's promises are threads
Speaker 7: in the grand narrative that continues throughout the story of
Speaker 7: the Chosen People and on into the Christian Bible. To
Speaker 7: speak more on that is our dear friend, Bishop Paul Deneer.
Speaker 10: Thank you ya elle. You know when I look at
Speaker 10: this Genesis chapter thirteen, the first thing that moves my
Speaker 10: own heart is the faithfulness and the generosity of our
Speaker 10: Covenant God, especially in the life of Abraham. And I've
Speaker 10: already referenced that New Testament or Christian scripture of the
Speaker 10: Book of Hebrews chapter eleven, where it says that Abraham
Speaker 10: pursued a city whose builder and maker is God. Consequently,
Speaker 10: God prospered Abraham. Where there was an altar, there was
Speaker 10: a blessing. And Abraham's hands were filled with silver and gold.
Speaker 10: In his fields were filled with herds and flocks and
Speaker 10: tents and servants. But not only was Abraham bless not
Speaker 10: only was he surrounded and saturated by the good things
Speaker 10: of God, but so was his nephew Lot. Now why
Speaker 10: was Lots so prosperous? He too had silver and gold
Speaker 10: and tents and servants and herds. And why was it
Speaker 10: because he enjoyed some consequential conversation with the covenant God. No,
Speaker 10: it's simply that he walked with the covenant man who
Speaker 10: conversed intimately with the covenant God. Well, I'm pretty sure
Speaker 10: I'm talking to people right now, and you know there's
Speaker 10: probably there's somebody sleeping on your couch that's being blessed,
Speaker 10: not because they're walking with God, but because you are.
Speaker 10: They have food to eat because you allow them to
Speaker 10: sit at your table. Again, it's not because they are
Speaker 10: intimate with God, but they're actually living off the blessing
Speaker 10: that you've provided for them. That's what's happening here with
Speaker 10: Abraham and Lot. But do you know, if you don't
Speaker 10: know what to do with a blessing, and if you
Speaker 10: forget where the blessing comes from, it can ruin your life.
Speaker 10: Bible says, not only did Abraham have servants, but also
Speaker 10: Lot did, and the blessing became so expansive, so extraordinary,
Speaker 10: and prosperity was so full in their lives that the
Speaker 10: servants of both Abraham and Lot begin to quarrel and
Speaker 10: to argue about land and wells and all the blessing.
Speaker 10: And finally Abraham said, no, we're not doing this. We're
Speaker 10: not arguing between us. We're blessed and we love each
Speaker 10: other and we are family. So I want you, nephew,
Speaker 10: to look over all the territory, the terrain, the blessing,
Speaker 10: the land, and you choose that piece of property that
Speaker 10: speaks to you, and I'll take whatever is left. Because
Speaker 10: the land is not my source. It's the God of
Speaker 10: the land who is my source. And the Bible says
Speaker 10: that Lot did look. They found a piece of property.
Speaker 10: Later we would know it as Sodom and Gomorrah, But
Speaker 10: when he saw it, he thought it looked something like
Speaker 10: the garden of Eden. The Bible says that when Lot left,
Speaker 10: God spoke to Abraham. Some of us are one departure
Speaker 10: away from the most consequent conversations of our lives with God.
Speaker 10: Once Lot was gone, the situation begins to change more.
Speaker 10: Sometimes the Isaac can't come because Lot is sleeping in
Speaker 10: his room. But once Lot was gone, God says, now
Speaker 10: I want you to look to your north, southeast, and west,
Speaker 10: and if your eyes can behold it, it is yours.
Speaker 10: And Abraham did look, and something started changing in his relationship,
Speaker 10: not only with God, but with the land itself. And
Speaker 10: he yet built another altar and worshiped God. I'm praying
Speaker 10: for you right now. I'm praying for the relationships of
Speaker 10: your life. It's good to love, it's wonderful to love.
Speaker 10: We're called to love. But we can't allow anyone to
Speaker 10: come between us and our relationship with God. Sometimes a
Speaker 10: lot can come between us and our next our covenant conversation,
Speaker 10: even with an isaac, even with the land that God
Speaker 10: wants us to have the blessing He's assigned to us.
Speaker 10: And I'm praying now that you're able to move specifically
Speaker 10: and perfectly in that conversation of promise that God has
Speaker 10: for you.
Speaker 7: Abraham's story encourages us to trust God's timing and provision,
Speaker 7: even when it means walking away from what looks good
Speaker 7: in our fast paced, results driven world. Abram's faith teaches
Speaker 7: us to look beyond the immediate, to trust in God's provision,
Speaker 7: and to seek His kingdom first when faced with difficult decisions.
Speaker 7: Let's trust in God's promise and provision. Let's seek God's
Speaker 7: kingdom is righteousness. Let's choose God. Let me conclude with
Speaker 7: a blessing to you directly from the Bible. May the
Speaker 7: Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make
Speaker 7: his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
Speaker 7: May the Lord turn his face to you.
Speaker 3: And give you peace.
Speaker 7: As we say in Hebrew, yevareh hashen vi schmeerchra ya
Speaker 7: heir hashempanavele ye Sir hashempanave Shalom, My friends live not
Speaker 7: as a people of fear, but as a people of hope,
Speaker 7: guided by the light of the one who delivered us
Speaker 7: from bondage and promises to deliver us once again.
Speaker 1: Amen. You can listen to The Chosen People with You
Speaker 1: isl Exstein add free by downloading and subscribing to the
Speaker 1: pray dot Com app today. This Pray dog comproduction is
Speaker 1: only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents.
Speaker 1: Steve Katina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are
Speaker 1: the executive producers of The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein,
Speaker 1: edited by Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are
Speaker 1: voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan,
Speaker 1: Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc and the opening prayer is voiced
Speaker 1: by John Moore. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by
Speaker 1: Bree Rosalie and Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier,
Speaker 1: Robin van Ettin, kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team
Speaker 1: at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You can hear
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