Genesis 12-14

Wow, so now my homework is to read chapters 11 to 50 in 2 weeks.  That's a bit crazy, but we'll see how it goes...  I guess it's not impossible, just a lot more reading than I'm used too (sadly?).

Abram gets called by God to leave.  This was apparently not common since most people live where they grow up and stay in their communities and don't venture far off.  Yes, I guess Abram is already in a bit of a different situation since he has already moved with his dad Terah.  However, this still doesn't change the fact that what he was being called to was uncommon to say the least.

God chooses Abram and is going to make him into a great nation and will bless him.  It is through Abram that God will bless the whole world.  We don't read of any hint of disobedience or questioning.  Abram simply follows what the Lord tells him and goes.  Lot goes with him and they take their possessions (animals, servants, etc).

Why did God choose Abram?  Why didn't he choose someone else?  Was Abram a good guy or something?  We read nothing of this and we actually learn later about some shady things that Abram does do.  He isn't the best of dudes.  However, to his credit, he does obey and simply goes as the Lord instructs him.  So why does he choose him?  I don't know.  God does what he does and he obviously had a plan.  At the very least, I don't think there was anything special about Abram that caused God to pick him.

We then read about some trouble arising.  There is a famine, and for people of those days, this was quite a hardship.  With a famine, how would they grow food to feed themselves?  So, they decide to go down to Egypt to live there.  In Egypt, Abram does something that is far from upright, he tells everyone that Sarai is his sister and asks her to do the same.  He fears for his own life, thinking they would kill him in order to take his beautiful wife from him.  They do take Sarai, thinking her to be Abram's sister and give Abram many gifts for the sake of Sarai.  However, God sends plagues and it is found out that she really is his wife.  So, upset about this whole situation, they return his wife and send them away.

Moving on, we learn that Abram and Lot's wealth has grown a lot.  It is so much that it is hard for them to live in the same place together.  As a result, they decide to separate so that they don't run into more problems.  Lot settles in Sodom and Abram moves on to live in Canaan.  Though Abram seems to be on the right path, Lot is in for trouble.  Lot originally got first pick of where to live, and he chose Sodom because the land was well watered.  However, we read "Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord".  This will only spell trouble for him later on.

A large war breaks out in the land and 4 kings go up against 5 kings.  As a result of the battle, the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah flee and the enemy chases them and takes the lands and the things in the lands as possessions.  This includes Lot and all that he owns.  One escapes to tell Abram of this and he embarks to save Lot.  With only 318 trained men of his own, he manages to save Lot along with his possessions.

It is here that we read of a notable (albeit brief) character, Melchizedek.  Melchizidek is both a priest and a king, which makes him quite unique.  He is special because he is referred to in the New Testament with respect to Jesus.  We read in the book of Hebrews how Jesus is a priest after the order of Melchizedek.

In any case, we read about how Abram gives to Melchizedek 10%.  Why does he do this?  Apparently, he doesn't want anything to think that he was made rich by Sodom or the spoils.  Instead, he prospers because God makes him to prosper.  This is probably where most get the idea to tithe 10%.  I remember later hearing of a teaching on this refuting the 10% tithe.  With reference to 2 Corinthians 8-9, we are to be cheerful givers and to give generously.  So, instead of a 10% tithe (though, 10% isn't necessarily a bad thing), we should focus on being a cheerful giver and giving generously.