4.2. Abram's Separation from Lot
II. -- ABRAM’S SEPARATION FROM LOT
WE saw in creation a separating process, before a perfecting one: we shall see it again and again in man’s development. Abram separated from Ur, and from Terah, and from Egypt, has further to be separated from Lot also, before he can be perfected; for it is only "after that Lot was separated from him, that the Lord said unto him, Lift up now thine eyes, for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it." The particulars of this separation are fully given; and painful as it is, happy are they in whom it is accomplished.
Abram and Lot, as we have seen, within, represent the spiritual and the upright natural mind respectively, which seem at first so closely united, that for awhile we are scarcely conscious of any distinction or difference between them; so unitedly do they move and act together, like the shell and kernel of a nut, which in its unripe state are scarcely to be distinguished, still less to be separated, but which, in proportion as they ripen, acquire and manifest a distinct separateness. So Lot, our upright natural mind, for a season, takes step for step with the spirit of faith in our advance to good things; but as we proceed we see they are not one, for nature at its best desires and longs for that which faith has given up. From the first God sees they are distinct; for Abram "walks with God," but Lot, (again and again is it noticed,) "walks with Abram." (See Genesis 12:4; Genesis 13:1; Genesis 13:5, &c.) Nevertheless, long after faith perceives the old man to be dead, it yet strives, if possible, to bring the natural mind into unity with itself; toiling that the outward should be as the inward, the natural as the spiritual, for it feels the bond of kindred to this outward man, saying as Abram to Lot, "We are brethren" (Genesis 13:8). (Note: Ambrose, De Abr. l. ii. c. 6, § 28. Origen, Hom. vi. in Gen.) It seeks, therefore, first by grace to take it heavenward; yet the giving of it up may be the real way to greater perfection in the inner man: for the outward man being thus allowed to go his way, the spirit of faith may be freer and have less distraction. So Paul, while praising a single life, and the higher privilege of an entire victory over natural affections and the natural man, writes to the Corinthians, that if they cannot at once restrain those affections, which though lawful are merely natural, they may yield to them (1 Corinthians 7:7-9). What is this but letting Lot, the outward man, have his way, for the greater peace and freedom of the inner man. So the spirit of faith in us, finding this outer man to be, like Lot, though "righteous," yet earthy, gives it its way; and thus gradually learns both to be and to feel itself more distinct and really separated from it; though for stages after this, faith yet sighs over it, and makes more than one effort to save it from the judgments which it brings upon itself. (Note: The inward fulfilment of each particular here is traced at considerable length by Ambrose; De Abr. l. ii. c. 6, § 31.)
Such is the general import of this scene, as wrought within; but the particulars are, for such as can read them in this light, no less instructive. For instance, the ground where this takes place is not in Egypt, but when Abram has come back again to the place whence trial had driven him; for, be it observed, Abram is brought back to that very point from which he had swerved to go down to Egypt, even "to the place where his tent was at the first" (Genesis 13:3). Places figure certain states; indeed, the word "state" simply means a "standing place." (Note: Status, from stare, to stand.) So the soul comes back to the ground it once held, with increased apprehension of its value, after the experiences of Egypt. And here, on the ground of promise, it is that Lot finds an occasion to depart from Abram; here, while the spirit of faith would stand on the promise, the outward man makes some gift the occasion of going his own way. Thus does the advance of our spirit ever bring out and test the old man. None have so proved what the natural man is as those who have come into the light of heavenly things. For heavenly things and places, if they do not excite, at least expose, the flesh. The natural man, which can be quiet in natural things, cannot rest when we approach to what is spiritual; so true is it that what is good for the pure is evil to the impure, so that heaven is hell to some, and darkness and blindness are mercy to those who do not love the light. Thus Abram’s advance brought out what was in Lot; but Lot’s gifts or riches helped to bring about the separation, being not the cause, indeed, but the occasion of strife. Abram and Lot were both rich, although in different ways. "Lot had flocks, and herds, and tents." Abram had these, but was "very rich in silver and in gold" also (Genesis 13:2; Genesis 13:5). The outward man can and does possess much; but the gold and the silver, that is, the higher forms of truth, are not those which he obtains, or even wishes for. (Note: See above, respecting the metals, on chap. 4. Ambrose writes of the different riches of Abram and Lot, De Abr. l. ii. c. 5, § 20 and 24.) The "flocks" lead to the strife. What are these but those animal emotions which, as they belong to Abram or Lot, are under the power either of the spirit of faith or of the outward man; and the thoughts which direct these, and keep them from wandering, are their "herdsmen," who strive together for mastery. (Note: I am almost afraid to speak of this, though saints of old have done so; but the following passage from the comment of Ambrose on this chapter, will prove that the interpretation in the text is at least no novelty: -- De Abr. l. ii. c. 6, § 27.) And faith, not yet possessing, but waiting for, power, yields for a season, receiving in the place of Lot greater revelations of the loving will of God. For "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 thou seest, to thee will I give it. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee" (Genesis 13:14-17). (Note: Ambros. de Abr. l. ii. c. 7, § 37.) And so when we reach this stage, and Lot departs, -- when the spirit of faith is made to feel its difference even from the upright outward mind, -- we find that there are lengths and breadths, toward the north and south, toward the sun-setting, and toward the sun-rising, in directions toward coldness and warmth, toward light and darkness, of which as yet we have not so much as heard; and all this again and again secured by the unfailing "I will." So faith goes on. Having already reached Bethel, it now comes on as far as Hebron. Bethel is "the house of God;" Hebron is "fellowship" (Genesis 13:18). (Note: The import of the name Bethel (bethel [H1008]) is well known. Hebron (chebron [H2275], from chabar [H2266], to be joined together,) means fellowship. Hebron is called Mamre, see Genesis 35:27, meaning vision. See on chap. 18.) Having known worship, faith now apprehends communion. In due time it gets still further, but at present it rests at Hebron.
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Such is this scene within. Its fulfilment in the world without may to some be more intelligible. In this view Abram is the man of faith, who, having already left the ground of nature, after some declension is again escaping from the world. Such men of faith, coming up out of Egypt, have to come back to the very point whence trial had driven them (Genesis 13:4). They "come up" (Genesis 13:1), (Note: In Scripture, going into Egypt is always "going down," and coming out of it is always "coming up." Within the borders of the land also, when the elect goes farther into its interior, it always is "going up." See Genesis 35:1; Joshua 7:2-4. So too from the interior to Jerusalem is "going up." -- 1 Kings 12:27-28; 2 Kings 20:5; 2 Kings 20:8; Matthew 20:18; Mark 10:33. The reason for this lies, first, in the form of the country, and yet more in the spiritual reality of which Canaan and Egypt were formed to be types. Origen goes at great length into this, Hom. xv. in Gen. xlv. ad init.) for Egypt is low ground, and the ground of promise, on which they would again stand, needs some patient climbing if we would possess it. They come, step by step, "from Egypt to the South," then "from the South," then "to Bethel," and so on (Genesis 13:1-3); (Note: Augustine, Annot. in Job, vol. iii. p. 669, refers to the mystic sense of "the South.") for not by a single step can a believer get right when his failure in faith has taken him out of the way. But having reached Bethel, worship begins again: -- "Abram called upon the name of the Lord." In Egypt Abram had no altar, for communion with the world mars communion with the Lord; but as soon as the pilgrimage is renewed, the altar again has its appointed feast and offering. This is a point on which some have much to learn. They hope for communion with the Lord while still in worldliness, as if the Lord’s altar could stand yet in Egypt, and attendance at it be the common privilege of believers and unbelievers; so little difference do they see between Pharaoh’s kingdom and the promised land, between this world and heavenly places. But such things cannot be as yet. Israel may indeed "sigh and cry," even in the house of bondage; but worship and communion belong to higher ground. So when Pharaoh said to Moses, "Go and sacrifice to God in this land," Moses said, "It is not meet to do so; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?" (Exodus 8:26-27). Here is the reason why the elect cannot worship with Egyptians. Because the worship of the Church and world are so opposed, that the one is "an abomination" to the other. Israel slays and sacrifices what Egyptians worship. Israel sees that the ox and lamb must shed their blood. Israel knows why this is, and does not grudge it. Egyptians cannot understand it. The ox is their god. Hence the Church, if bound by the world, ceases to worship, or else, like the unfaithful remnant in Jeremiah’s days, worships as Egyptians do (Jeremiah 44:15-17). But here the man of faith is come to Bethel, "to the place of the altar," and there "he calls upon the Lord." But this high ground has its own trials. Those who, like Lot, until now have walked with men of faith, when they come to this point find reasons for going back; and this, though trying to the elect, is good, for as outward men drop away from us, the Lord more and more reveals Himself.
What Lot is we have already seen. Inwardly, he represents that upright outward mind, which goes some steps with faith towards heavenly things. Outwardly, he represents those in whom this outward mind is the ruling life, whose souls live in religious outward things. Of this class some ever start with men of faith. The Abrams "walk with God;" the Lots "go with Abram" (Genesis 12:4; Genesis 13:1; Genesis 13:5). These last are the men who take right steps because others take them, who make sacrifices because others do so, rather than because a present God calls for such a step or such a sacrifice. Such, sooner or later, will shew what they are, righteous souls, but wholly unable to walk where the men of faith walk, leaving them as soon as they resolutely press on to the best things, and destined to beget a seed, like Moab and Ammon, to be a thorn in the side of the seed of the men of faith. And gift ever helps on this division: to this day "flocks and herds" are an occasion for manifesting the tastes, and thus of separating the inward and spiritual from the righteous outward man; while the cause lies in this, that one seeks heaven, the other is still in measure hankering after this world. Yet the gifts are only the occasion: the cause was this, that one had an eye turned to the plain of Jordan, while the other looked onward into the hills of promise. For we read, that "Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw the plain of Jordan, that it was like the land of Egypt" (Genesis 13:10). In this to him lay its attractiveness. Hence, as soon as the "herds" and "flocks" gave an excuse, he at once separates himself, and goes down Jordan-ward. These "flocks," in this view, are those lower natures, those animal souls, who are ruled and led, some by outward, some by spiritual men, -- for each have their own flocks, -- and the strifes of the herdsmen, who lead these respective flocks, are the occasion for the Lots to leave the Abrams. Oh! what strife has there been about flocks! It is not numbers, nor an abundance of gift, which can make brethren dwell together in unity. Rather will gifts be an occasion for strife; for schism is the growth, not of spiritual poverty, but of spiritual wealth. Hence, at Corinth, where "they lacked no gift," there was strife among the herdsmen, the more because the gifts abounded, while they were "yet carnal." (Compare 1 Corinthians 1:7 with 1 Corinthians 3:1.) And this happens not in Egypt, but as soon as the men of faith seek unflinchingly to go up to the higher ground the Lord has promised them. Lot does not depart from Abram in Egypt. While Christians are in the world, its habits and institutions, and the barriers which these raise between man and man, are enough to preclude strifes between brethren. Besides, the outward man has enough while in the world to satisfy his outward tastes. But when Egypt is left, brethren are thrown together in a way hitherto all unknown. Now comes the test to prove their grace, for few things search us more than collision with our brethren. (Note: So Thomas a Kempis says, "It is no small matter to dwell in a religious community or congregation, to converse therein without complaint, and to persevere therein faithfully unto death." -- Book i. chap. 17.) Then the lack of outward things stirs up the outward man. Well do worldly-minded Christians know this, and wisely do they choose the lower ground, where their natural tastes find more that is in accordance with them; where outward things keep them from coming to themselves, and what they are remains undiscovered by them; where thus their weakness may be mistaken for strength, and circumstances take the place of grace. For, indeed, till we are stript of things around, we little know what spirit dwells in us; so much do the things of time and sense without keep us from discovering what really we are within. Hence, some never know what restless selfish souls they have, until the things which have kept them from themselves are for ever taken from them. Others, who by trials get glimpses of themselves, instead of going on to search out the evil hidden in them, that they may overcome it, seek rather to hide it from themselves and others, and, to do this, continually seek more and more of outward things. But faith is content to learn itself, if it may learn God. It would rather be weak with Him than strong without Him.
Thus, for awhile, is the path of faith more lonely. The true believer is more than ever cast on God. The Lots "choose" according to the sight of their eyes; and so, by degrees, get from communion with the godly to communion with the godless. Unlike souls, sooner or later, must separate. If there be not one spirit, no bond or arrangement can keep men long together. Each is gravitating to his own place by a law which none can gainsay, -- dust to dust, and the spirit to God, who is a spirit. Let us not forget the steps of Lot. First "he saw;" then "he chose;" then "he journeyed from the east," like some before him; then "he pitched towards Sodom;" then "he dwelt there" (Genesis 13:10-12). (Note: In our version, the words miquedem, in Genesis 13:11, which, in Genesis 11:2, are translated "from the east," are here simply translated "east." The LXX. in both places render it apo anatolon. The Vulgate also gives, "ab oriente," which the Douay Version follows, translating, "from the east.") In a word, he walked by sight, then by self-will, then away from the light, then towards the unclean world, at last to make his home in it. This is the path of Lots in every age. And such, though "righteous" and "saved," are only "saved so as by fire" (1 Corinthians 3:15). The separation accomplished, the Lord appears, not to the righteous one who goes towards Sodom, but to him who still abides in the path of faith. To souls left by brethren, the Lord draws near, to tell us that if, by standing on the ground of promise, we lose brethren, we do not lose Him. "The Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes." As if to say, Lot hath of his own will lifted up his eyes: he hath seen what he can from his stand-point. Now lift up thine eyes, and see from my stand-point. "Look from the place where thou art, northward, southward, eastward, westward." Fear not to look whence the cold cometh, and towards the place of heat, towards the light, and towards darkness. As yet little knowest thou of all these. But "all that thou seest, to thee will I give it." And mark the advance in the revelation here. First, the promise respecting the land was, "A land which I will shew thee:" then, when come into the land, the promise ran, "To thy seed will I give it:" now it is, "To thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever." (Compare Genesis 12:1; Genesis 12:7 and Genesis 13:15.) Then follows the exhortation, "Arise, walk through the land," -- learn by experience what it is, -- "in the length of it and in the breadth of it, for I will give it thee."
Such is another stage of faith’s way; and trying as the separation here described is, both in the inward and outward world, it is one we must know, if we would know the best things. Surely he who thus loses brethren or children or lands receives a hundredfold.