KIDS OF THE KINGDOM // LESSON 9
Abraham and Lot /// Sodom and Gomorrah
1. CONFLICT WITH ABRAHAM AND LOT
- When Abraham started his trek from Ur to Cannan, his wife (Sarah) and his nephew (Lot) went with him.
- It seems that Abraham’s obedience may have been partial obedience at first.
- For one thing, Abraham brought his father and his nephew with him— the Lord called Abram “out of your country, from your family” (Genesis 12:1)
- Secondly, Abraham stopped and dwelt in Haran.
- When we choose to disobey God, there are consequences that happen.
- When God tells us to do something, it is wisest that we do exactly as He says. He knows how to lead us– we simply need to trust Him!
- When Abraham and Lot arrived in Canaan, they both had lots of possessions, livestock, and herdsmen.
- Even though there was lots of new land, it couldn't support them together!
- Abraham’s shepherds and Lot’s shepherds began to argue with each other.
- If Abraham would have been fully obedient to God and not taken his nephew Lot, this issue wouldn't have happened!
- Thankfully, God never leaves us and makes a way forward for us (even when we choose our own way).
2. ABRAHAM AND LOT DIVIDE UP LAND
- Abraham heard about this issue between the shepherds, and he knew it was not God’s heart for there to be arguing! He suggested they split up and live on separate land
- Abraham even gave Lot the choice of which side to take! That’s crazy– God gave the land to Abraham, but he decided to let Lot have the first choice. This was super generous of Abraham!
- When we are generous with others, it shows that we trust God to care for us.
- Lot chose based on what he could see with his eyes– he didn't take the time to ask God what He thought. Lot chose what looked like the best part of the land, leaving Abraham with what looked like the worse end of the deal.
- Lot left Abraham and pitched tents near a city called Sodom– this city was super evil.
- Once Lot was gone, God spoke to Abraham alone
- Genesis 13:14 Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.”
- This promise of land included the land Lot had just moved into! Even though Abraham was super generous, God reminded Abraham that the land Lot took was promised him.
- God told Abraham to explore this promise with Him by walking the Land!
- God loves for us to explore His promises in faith, even when we can't see them yet! God’s Word is full of promises from God. Be on the lookout for promises as you read through your Bible!
- After the argument, Abraham’s selfless generosity, Lot’s selfish decision of land and his move, and Abraham’s conversation with God, Abraham builds another altar.
- He knows that no matter what is going on in his circumstances, the best thing to do is worship God and lift Him high above everything else.
3. ABRAHAM AND LOT IN THEIR NEW LAND
- Lot and his family begin to settle down and meet their neighbors, including those who live in the evil Sodom far away.
- Eventually, Lot and his family moved out of tents and into the city closer
- He might've been bothered by Sodom’s behavior at first, but you become like the people you’re around!
- Wise people have told me “Show me your friends, and I'll show you your future”.
- It’s so important who you choose to talk to and spend your time with.
- Lot eventually became a leader in Sodom, and his 2 daughters got engaged to men that were from Sodom.
- While Lot was busy in Sodom, Abraham was on his land trusting God and obeying His instruction.
- He lived in tents and went from place to place as God told him
- Wherever he went, he built altars and offered sacrifices to God
- When Abraham was 99 years old, God appeared to him again and reminded Him of his promise to make Abraham and his family a great nation and give them the land!
4. ABRAHAM PRAYS FOR LOT
- One day, Abraham was sitting by the door of his tent and when three men he had never seen before came to visit him!
- He welcomed them, got water for them to wash their feet, and made food for them. They sat under a shade tree and talked to Abraham.
- The Bible tells us that these men were visitors from heaven– 2 angels, and the Lord Himself! Talk about an awesome group to eat with!
- When they got up to leave, the Lord told Abraham that He had come to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of how sinful they were.
- The two angels started making their way toward Sodom.
- Immediately, Abraham’s heart jumped– his cousin, Lot, was in that city!!
- Even though Lot had made some poor decisions, Abraham still cared for him so much.
- Lot started asking the Lord if he would spare the city for a certain number of righteous people– Abraham started with, went to? Every time, God said he would save the city if that many people believed in Him
- God is really eager to show mercy and compassion to people!
5. GOD JUDGES SODOM AND GOMORRAH // CITY STREET
- Lot was sitting at the gate in the city when the two angels (who were just with Abraham) showed up in Sodom.
- They were angels of God, but they looked like ordinary men. Lot welcomed them in and asked them to stay the night.
- Before they all went to bed, a group of evil men surrounded the house, began shouting, and demanded to have inappropriate physical relationships with the angels!
- God’s Word tells us not to have physical relationships with people we aren't married to. Were these men married to the angels? Of course not! God would never want 2 men or 2 women to be married to each other– that’s not His design!
- When Lot refused to send his visitors out, the angry men tried to break down the door to get inside the house! Lot tried to go outside and compromise with them, but the angry men weren't having it.
- The angels rescued Lot from being attacked by the crowd by pulling him back inside. Suddenly, the two angels caused the wicked men to be struck blind so they couldn't see the door.
- The angels told Lot that God sent them to destroy the wicked city of Sodom.
- The angels got Lot to warn everyone in the household, but when Lot tried to warn the men his daughters were going to marry, they mocked him and didn't believe him.
- Sounds kinda like a Noah’s Ark situation all over again… let’s see if the people choose God or try to do life without God.
- Quick pro tip: there simply is no life without God
6. GOD JUDGES SODOM AND GOMORRAH // CITY STREET
- Early the next morning, the angels took Lot, his wife, and their 2 daughters by the hand and led them out of the city.
- The angels gave Lot’s family clear instructions: Gen 19 says “Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished… “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!”
- This chapter tells us that Lot hesitated instead of being fully confident in God– this seems to be Lot’s normal with God, and it sure does keep Lot from experiencing God’s best!
- His wife, on the other hand, was even less trusting than Lot was! She must have been thinking about her life in the city and the things she was leaving behind. Instead of obeying the angel’s words, Lot’s wife looked back as they were running out of the city– just like they said, she turned into a pillar of salt.
- Many people don’t take Godly instruction seriously, but there are true consequences if we don’t live by His Word!
- When God directs us to do something, we must look forward to the hope of becoming more like Jesus instead of looking back on what used to be.
- The next day, Abraham (who was safe in his land) woke up early and saw the black smoke from what used to be the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He knew that God agreed that if there were righteous people in the city, He wouldn't destroy it— this let Abraham know that there weren't even righteous ones in the land
- Following God may have felt so lonely for him, but he focused on God instead of focusing on the world.
- Thankfully, God cared a lot about Abraham’s heart and took care of his cousin, Lot, and their family.
- Is there anything in your life that God is trying to call you out of and into something better? Maybe He’s trying to teach you to stop leaving people out, talking harshly to your family, wasting your time on things that aren't good for you, or not taking good care of your schoolwork.
- What would it look like for you to run away from the old and run into the new that God has for you?
- Give God your yes and ask Him to help you grow in these areas!
We are including Sara's notes for complete transparency for parents.
