January 13 (Tivet 17) ~ Genesis 13

Tivet is the Biblical month.

(Happy Birthday Sheryl)

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S - Scripture: Genesis 13:1-18

And Abram went up (to go up, ascend, climb) out of Egypt ... to the Negev ... from the Negev to Bethel where he had been in the beginning ... Abram called on the name of the LORD ... Then Abram dwelt in the plain of Mamre, in Hebron and built there an altar unto the LORD ... Genesis 13:1a, 13b, 4b, 18

O - Observations:

1) He had to ascend out of Egypt and go to the Negev. Egypt in it's most basic and root word has a meaning of being "bond, confined". In the next scene you see Lot and Abram separating and splitting their possessions which they had been blessed with. After all that the LORD comes and blesses Abram with a promise of land and finally we see Abram settling down again in Hebron with his family and building an altar to worship the LORD. Hebron in it's basic meaning is "to be joined or coupled together in fellowship". Both Egypt and Hebron give the meaning of binding, but one is confining and one is coupling. One is the idea of someone else binding you and the other is a freewill desire to be "bound" or joined together with another.

A - Application for me:

Before Abram could come freely the the house of God (Beth-el) v.3, he, Abram, had to shake off anything that was binding him. He had to come up out of Egypt, which usually typifies or we spiritualize to be "the world" ... His first stop though was the Negev meaning "parched".

[[A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.]] O God, thou [art] my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is ... Psalms 63:1

We must thirst for Him, to come out of the world and long for Him. Then once Abram came out he had to make further distinctions and separations. Are we not called to live peculiar, distinct lives?

Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth [is] mine ... (Exodus 19:5)

For thou [art] an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that [are] upon the earth. (Deut. 14:2)

But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (I Peter 2:9)

Abram had to set apart his family from Lots. Lot chose "greener pastures" so it seemed because he looked with the physical eye and Abram got the "leftovers", but truly it was not just leftovers ~ this was the Land of Promise ... the Promised Land ... and the LORD met Abram there and had fellowship with Him there and gave him all he could see ...

P - Prayer:

LORD, Help us to come out of Egypt and into your Promised Land. Abram did it as well as the Children of Israel after 400 years of slavery followed by 40 years in the wildnerness ... we need to leave behind those things which bind and constrict us to be free to worship You. Show us the many promises you have before us and the things You freely give us. Thank you for Your gift of salvation and Your son Yeshua HaMashiach. Thank You that the land You promised to Abram as an inheritance will one day be for those who join with You in fellowship. You will restore all things and there will be a New Jerusalem, a new heaven and a new earth ... Come LORD Jesus, Come!