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#27. "Saved; yet so as by fire" (Gen. 13: 5-18).
pp. 70 - 74
"And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their
substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. And there was strife. . . ."
The "substance", literally "that which is gathered together", was partly accumulated
during the sojourn in Egypt and partly during the halt at Haran (Gen. 12: 5 and 16). The
LXX translates the word by ta huparchonta, and a very apposite occurrence will be that
of Heb 10: 34, "Ye. . . . took joyfully the spoiling of your goods (ta huparchonta),
knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance
(huparxis)." "Goods" cling to Lot in this history. They originate the cleavage, and they
are mentioned pointedly in chapter 14::--
"And they took all the goods of Sodom. . . . And they took Lot, Abram's brother's
son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods. . . . and he brought back all the goods. . . .
his brother Lot, and his goods. . . and the king of Sodom said unto Abram, `Give me the
persons and take the goods to thyself'."
These goods, or this substance, seem to have no spiritual character or tendency.
Immediately following the record of strife are the words, "And the Canaanite and
Perizzite dwelled in the land". Abram's conscience was still tender. The rebuke given
him by the heathen king was yet vivid in his memory. And the strife between himself
and Lot would be no good testimony to the Lord their God. He was beginning to desire
to "adorn" the doctrine. Therefore it was that Abram, to whom the land had been given
by God, stand aside and exhibits that meekness of spirit which should ever accompany
the possession of the heavenly gift. To Lot Abram gives the right of choice. When all
things are ours in God, we can well be generous with those of small faith.
Lot was not rebuked apparently by Abram's forebearance, or, if he was, the
well-watered plains of Sodom proved too strong a temptation for him. It is a curiously
mixed description that Scripture gives. It was well-watered everywhere, yet the words,
"before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah", are inserted between the beginning
and the end of the description, "even as the garden of the Lord". Its Eden-like
appearance was superficial, for the Lord never walked there in the cool of the day. It was
furthermore "like to the land of Egypt as thou comest to Zoar". It was a reminder to Lot
of that which Abram would fain forget. So it came about that the choice was made, the
two separated. "Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of
the plain (or among the cities of the plain) and pitched his tent toward Sodom." "Where
your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
The Companion Bible draws attention to the six downward steps of Lot's course.
1. "Strife" (7), 2. "beheld" (10), 3. "chose" (11), 4. "pitched toward" (12),
5. "dwelt in" (45: 12), 6. "sat in its gate" (19: 1).