And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle. And the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. And Abram said to Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren (Genesis 13:7-13).
Domestic trials are not easy to bear. Most believers would like to go to heaven without a crook in their lot. I have no doubt that Jacob would have liked to have gone to heaven without the trial he had in the loss of Joseph; I have no doubt that David would have liked to have gone to heaven without the trial he had in the death of Absalom; and I have no doubt that Abraham would have liked to have gone to the better land without this strife breaking out between Lot and him. But it must not be.
The reason why domestic trials happen are - first, for the trial of our faith. Just as the jeweller puts the gold into the crucible, not to destroy the gold, but to separate it from the dross, so trials are intended by God to separate us from all dross. Another reason is to make us long for the better country. When God permits strife to rise in a believing family, it is to show you that this is not our home.
1. Domestic trial
'And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abraham's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle' (verse 7f.). You remember, brethren, how the God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, while he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran; and you remember how he left his country and his father's house, to go into a land which God was to show him. Now, when Abraham came into this land he, no doubt, thought his trials were all over. Like the meandering river winding its way to the ocean he thought that hiss way would now be smooth and easy. He thought he would have no disquietude in his way to heaven; but, ah! when he heard the cry of his servant and the servants of Lot as they strove together, how changed would be his feelings? Now, this quarrel was very sinful. They were both very rich. You are told in the 2nd verse, that 'Abraham was very rich in cattle, in silver and in gold'; and then, verse 3, 'And Lot also, which went with Abram had flock, and herds, and tents'. They had as much of this world's goods as they knew well what to do with. If the one had been rich and the other poor, then there might have been some seeming cause to quarrel. How often is this the case in the world? A family which was once poor gets rich, and often quarrels ensue.
Another thing that made this quarrel sinful was that they were friends. Lot was Abel's broker's son. And they were near relations in the Lord. I suppose Abraham was Lot's spiritual father, and so when he left his father's home, be invited Lot to go with him; and yet they strove together, even though they were brethren. Ah! there is something peculiarly sinful in the strife of those who are related in the Lord. Some of you may think that you will never strive with those whom you have been indebted to in the Lord. It was thus with Paul and the Galatians. At one time they would have plucked out their eyes and given them to him, but they were soon removed unto another gospel, which was yet not another, and they hated him as much as once they had loved him.
Another thing that made this strife sinful was that 'the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelt then in the land'. There is no doubt that this is put in to show its sinfulness. When the Canaanite and the Perizzite saw Abraham every morning building his altar and slaying his lamb, and in the evening assembling his children around his tent door, and 'catechising them', as the original means, there is no doubt they would wonder what sort of people these were; but ah! when they saw the servants' staves raised against one another, they would say, 'Ah, they are just like other men.' It is just the same still; when Christians go to law with Christians, and when you have family quarrels, does not the world say the same? They see you go to a solitary place and there hold mysterious converse with God, and they hear you singing praise to him, and they say, 'Let us watch these people and see what will become of them'; and ah! when they see you strive together - when they hear your high words, what can they think? Ah! this is to sin in the sight of the Canaanite and the Perizzite.
2. The generosity of Abraham
'And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between thee and me, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left' (verses 8, 9). You may read in connection with this the 14th and 15th verses: 'And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward; for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.'
It is quite evident that Abraham was a man of peace; that troth was engraven on his inmost soul - 'As much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men' (Romans 12:18). Thus he did to Lot. I have no doubt but that Lot felt the sinfulness of this strife; therefore Abraham says, 'Let there be no strife, I pray thee.' But then comes the question, Who shall yield? I think it should have been Lot. God had already given the land to Abraham: 'I will give it to thee.' And another reason why Lot should have yielded was, he was the younger of the two, and it was to Abraham Lot owed all he had, and surely it was becoming that the younger should yield to the elder.
And another reason which worldly men would have urged was, that Abraham was the richer of the two. It is said that Abraham 'was rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold'. Just think what such men would have done in like circumstances: God has given me the land, and shall I yield it to you? Where there is might, there is right. I am quite sure this would have been the way worldly men would have acted. But observe how differently Abraham acted: verse 8, 'Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me; if thou will take to the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left'. Abraham yields the choice to Lot.
Brethren, this is what it is to be a Christian, this is what Christ did. Do you remember the command to resist not evil? 'But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also' (Matthew 5:39). Now, many of you do not know the meaning of this; I have been asked its meaning often; now, this is it: Abraham was smitten on the one cheek, and he turned the other also. See also 1 Corinthians 6:7: 'Now therefore, there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law with one another: why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?' You will see an example of the same thing in the 9th chapter and 19th verse, 'For although I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more', etc.
My dear brethren, this is exactly what Abraham did, he suffered himself to be defrauded, he suffered himself to be a servant, that he might gain Lot. This was what Christ did himself. When they smote him on the one cheek he turned the other also. Ah, brethren, you know little of the love of Christ, if this is not in your heart. There is a great mistake, I observe, in our day; people think that to be a Christian, is to have certain doctrines in the head- to be a Calvinist; but, remember, that to be a Christian, is to have Christ in you. Abraham did not say, I will have it, for it is my right to have it. No! but he said, 'Let us separate; if you go to the right hand, I will go to the left', etc. Ah! this is to be a Christian. It is not words that will make a Christian. It is not views that will make a Christian. It is this, and this alone.
3. The choice of Lot
'And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord; like the land of Egypt, as thou comest into Zoar' (verse 10).. And then, verse 13: 'But the men of Sodom were wicked, and sinners before the Lord exceedingly'. It is probable that Abraham and Lot were standing on the high ground near Hebron. It commands a great view, both east and west. When you look to the west, the eye stretches over a large wilderness-land of vast extent, to where the sun sets, in all its glory, in the Mediterranean; and, when you look to the east, you observe the hills of Moab, and the rich plain of Sodom, well watered everywhere. There was no Dead Sea with its pestiferous waters then. So that, when Lot lifted up his eyes and saw the plain, it reminded him of what his father had told him of the garden of the Lord, where our first parents were before that viper sin had entered the world. Then said Lot, that will be my land, and that will be my choice.
Ah! it was rashly done. He judged by the sight of one eye. He had to leave the dwelling and the altar of Abraham. Read the 18th chapter of Genesis, and see what it was to have Abraham's prayers and council; and yet in that rash choice he bade farewell to all. He forgot Abraham's tent, he forgot Abraham's altar, he forgot Abraham's morning and evening prayers. You who have chosen the world in preference to Christ, what is there in it to make up for a believer's prayers? And then he forgot that the men of Sodom were wicked, and sinners before the Lord exceedingly. It appears that he did not go directly in, but he pitched his tent towards Sodom. O what a change! - to the men of Sodom from the tent of Abraham! O what a change from the prayers of Abraham to their swearing! A rash choice, to be repented of.
And there was another thing he did not take into account, that God would destroy Sodom. When he looked on that lovely scene as the sun east its rays over it, and on the beautiful river as it glided past, he thought it was a place well suited for him to dwell in; but ah! he did not know that there was a dark cloud behind - he forgot that Abraham had told him of the flood. Abraham had, no doubt, told him how God had destroyed the world by a flood on account of its wickedness; but yet for all that he pitched his tent toward Sodom.
Ah! are there not many who go from parish to parish, and from country to country? and why? just to better their circumstances, without thinking whether they will be under a faithful ministry or not. Are there none here? - a young man, perhaps, who is leaving his father's house. What are you doing it for? Is it for a well-watered garden, or have you sought an Abraham's tent? And there are some here who are looking for partners for life? Who are you choosing? - are you leaving an Abraham's tent for a well-watered garden? Look well whom you choose. Last of all, are there servants here choosing a place? How do you choose? - is it for more wages? is it the fatness of the valley? or is it for an Abraham's tent? The Lord grant that you may make the right choice. Amen.
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