New Haven Fellowship

A. Abraham and Nahor: A Tale of Two Brothers

1. Abraham had two brothers; Nahor and Haran. Haran died, and left his son Lot who joined up with Abraham for a while. Nahor gets married and settles in a city in Mesopotamia. At the end of Nahor's life, he has 12 children and a number of grandchildren. He has a city named after him in Mesopotamia, he has lands and houses to pass onto his children, and by all accounts has led a prosperous and successful life.

2. At the end of Abrahams life, he owns a tent, a disputed well, and a field to bury himself and his family in. He ultimately has 8 children and a number of grandchildren, but sends them all (except for Isaac) away to live in far-away places.

Abraham's life as a sojourner is the one that is celebrated for faith and accomplishing God’s purpose in his generation. It stands as a powerful witness to all generations of the life, death, resurrection and return of Christ

B.Abraham and Lot: A Tale of Two Caves

Gen. 12:4; Gen.13:11-12

1. While sojourning with Abram, following the call of God on Abram’s life, Lot too prospers and becomes wealthy with livestock. There was strife between Abram’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen, so Abram suggested that they separate and Lot agreed.

2. This was a turning point, in a majorly negative way, for Lot as he begins to trade his life of sojourning for a life of settling: After the destruction of Sodom, Lot and his daughters eventually leave the city of Zoar for fear of living in the city, and live in a cave. This is the last we here of Lot.

3. Meanwhile, Abram continues his sojourning, God continues to prosper him and confirm covenants with Him, and upon Sarah’s death Abram purchases a field with a cave in which to lay her to rest. This cave becomes Abraham’s final resting place and is the first piece of territory owned by Abraham in the promised land.

Collect Promises: Abraham was more interested in God’s promises than his prosperity. Yes, the Lord prospered Him with possessions, but Abraham never let those possessions interfere with God’s call on his life. Think of the weight of stewarding all of those possessions, herds, and herdsmen - and how much easier it would have been just to settle down somewhere.

Don’t Settle: Abraham could have at any time settled and started his own city. But he didn't settle. He didn't build houses. He dwelt in tents because he was looking for an eternal city. Abraham never built his own city, because that would have meant abandoning the search for an eternal city.

Death is Not the End: Abraham could carry His sacrifice to the altar, because He knew that if He was faithful, God will fulfill every promise. Isaac was the vessel through which the promises of God were meant to be manifest, yet Abraham kept his faith not in the promise itself, but in the Promise Keeper, and was tested by the word of God.

Point to the future: Abraham served as a witness to another day. He was a forerunner. Abraham’s life didn’t testify to what God was doing in his generation, it was a testimony to what God was going to do in a future generation. His life was a witness to those who lived in the land that there was another day coming. God, through Abraham, was aligning the peoples of the land to His plans and purposes for the future. God thinks generationally.

The Purchase Price is Death: Abraham lived in the land God promised to give him, but he never possessed it. There's a difference between living in the promise and possessing the promise. Abraham realized that as long as they were still living, they were to be sojourners in the land, but as soon as Sarah died, Abraham realized something had now shifted. It was now time to start laying claim to the promises.