Abraham and Lot Separate - Genesis 13 (Bible lesson for teens)

In Genesis 13, Abraham and Lot part ways due to a disagreement over livestock and land. This event marks a crucial turning point in the life of Abraham. It demonstrates the importance of making decisions with integrity and faith.

This lesson relates to pre-teens and teens and by the end of this lesson, they should have learned about the following:

Dealing with conflict in relationships.
The danger of an earthly perspective.
Trusting God over people or things.

BIBLE READING: Genesis 13

MEMORY VERSE: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” – Proverbs 14:12

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Abraham and Lot Separate pdf – preteen and teen Bible lesson

BIBLE STUDY NOTES FOR TEENS

BACKGROUND TO THE PASSAGE

In Genesis 12, God appears to Abraham and instructs him to leave his family behind and go to a new land. Despite this command, Abraham takes his nephew Lot with him. Abraham likely took Lot with him because of his commitment to familial relationships. The Bible shows in Genesis 11:28 that Lot’s father had passed away, leaving Lot an orphan. It is reasonable to assume that Abram held a sense of responsibility for Lot’s welfare, given Terah (Lot’s Grandfather) was already old.

By Genesis 13, God had blessed them abundantly. Abraham was the head of a large family, which included Lot, his nephew. As they journeyed through Canaan, their herdsmen began to quarrel over pastureland for their flocks. The quarrel became so heated that Abraham and Lot decided to separate to preserve their peace.

Abraham graciously offered Lot the first choice of land, even though it was rightfully his own. He also asked Lot to select a place close to him, as they needed each other’s support and protection from the hostile inhabitants of Canaan.

KEY POINTS

1. OVERCOME CONFLICT THROUGH LOVE – GENESIS 13:8

It’s important to remember that when we’re in the midst of conflict, we’re not usually thinking or behaving logically. We’re reacting out of our emotions, which can lead to poor decisions and further conflict. So before you say something you might regret, or do something you’ll later regret, take a step back and try to calm down.

All relationships have times when there is conflict. This can be with parents, spouses, friends or people at school or church. Conflicts are a part of life. We need to learn to deal with them in a God honouring way.

Abraham and Lot provide a powerful example of handling conflict in relationships. This event demonstrates the importance of humility and grace, which are crucial in resolving disputes. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his own rights and needs for the sake of peace and harmony between himself and Lot. He graciously offered Lot the first choice of land and ultimately allowed Lot to go his own way.

Putting aside our pride and self-interests to prioritise harmony in relationships can be challenging. Abraham set a positive example that we should strive to follow today. We should learn to overcome conflict through love, humility and grace.

When resolving conflicts, we should take a step back and seek out the cause of the conflict. It is important to recognise that an underlying issue is often causing the conflict. For example, Abraham and Lot’s conflict may have shown itself in many ways, but it was caused by their conflicting herdsmen.

2. MAKE A GRACEFUL EXIT – GENESIS 13:9

Abraham and Lot could have sat down and discussed the situation and tried to come to a mutual agreement.

Abraham could have given Lot more land but remained the head of the family.
Lot could have surrendered his herds to Abraham.
The two groups of herdsmen could have worked together to share the land.
They could have sold the excess herds so the land would sustain them.

In Genesis 13, Abraham realised that it was time that he and Lot parted ways and went in their separate directions. This passage teaches us that it’s sometimes better to make a graceful exit when we find ourselves entrenched in conflict or disagreement. We may be unable to come to a mutually-agreed solution, so parting ways can often help us avoid further hurt and pain.

When it comes to our relationships, if we find ourselves in situations where we are constantly tempted to sin, it is vital to make a graceful exit. We must never forget that our relationship with God is the most important of all, and we should not be willing to compromise. The same lesson can be applied to things, hobbies and interests. If we’re in a situation where we’re constantly tempted to sin, it might be time to break off our relationship with those things.

Matthew 6:24 says “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

When Abraham and Lot realised they could not find common ground, they chose to part ways to avoid further conflict. In doing so, both men put their needs aside to preserve peace and harmony.

3. DON’T MAKE CHOICES THROUGH EARTHLY EYES – GENESIS 13:10-11

Abraham offered Lot the first choice of land and direction. Lot chose the best land; the Jordan Valley. He was drawn to it because it was well-watered. His choice was made out of his desires instead of trusting God’s will for his life. This is an essential lesson not to choose with our eyes, but rather trust in the Lord and follow.

Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” We will see this come to pass in the account of Sodom and Gomorrah. This proverb tells us that our own desires can often lead us astray, and we must be careful not to make decisions based on what we see with our eyes. The verse warns us that even if something looks right or appealing to us, it may not be the best choice in the long run. Sadly, we see this all too clearly later in Lot’s life.

It can be easy to be tempted by things that look good to our eyes. We are often drawn to the world’s version of success and happiness, which can lead us astray from God’s plan for our lives. Making decisions with our eyes instead of trusting God can lead us down a path full of destruction and pain. Abraham reminds us to trust the Lord and make decisions with His guidance.

We should ask God to guide our decisions rather than chase after things that look good from the world’s perspective. God has a much bigger and better plan for us than we could ever imagine.

4. DEPENDENCE ON GOD, NOT OTHERS – GENESIS 13:14-16

After Lot chose his land, Abraham moved to the hill country in Canaan. Here, God reaffirmed His covenant with Abraham, promising to make him the father of a great nation.

Abraham knew that whatever decision Lot would make, God would be faithful to His promises. Abraham had complete faith in the Lord, trusting in His divine plan. Abraham chose to put his trust in God rather than relying on the decisions of others.

Today, we are often tempted to rely on others for our safety and security instead of looking to God. We may worry about how other people’s decisions will affect us, whether in our personal lives, school, work, or church. We may feel helpless and vulnerable as governments make new rules that can drastically change our lives without warning.

Abraham and Lot’s story is a powerful reminder that we must put our trust in the Lord, not others or things of this world. No matter what decisions man makes, God will remain faithful to His promises.

CONCLUSION

The story of Abraham and Lot reminds us of the importance of putting our trust in God. It also warns against trusting in our own wisdom over God’s guidance. We should strive for peace in our relationships and resolve conflict in a God honouring way.

Read full notes in the pdf lesson

YOUTH GAMES AND ACTIVITIES FOR Abraham and Lot Separate

THIS OR THAT

Choose one person to be the first caller or “Host”.
The Host should start by asking a question such as “This or That: Would you rather eat cake or ice cream?”
Players should raise their right arm for ‘this’ and their left arm for ‘that’
Allow each player to call out a “this of that’ option.

DECISION MAKING DEBATE

Make two teams.
A Leader will begin by presenting a scenario such as “You have been offered a new high-paying job in the city.”
One team should argue why it’s a good thing and the other team why it’s a bad thing.
When all have finished speaking, talk about why it is important to seek God’s guidance on how best to make decisions.
Repeat this process with more scenarios.

MUSICAL CHAIRS

Set up chairs in a circle and make sure everyone can fit comfortably.
Start playing music and have everyone walk around the circle of chairs. Remove one chair
When the music stops, each person must sit on a chair as quickly as possible.
The person left without a chair is out from the game and one more chair is removed from the circle.
Continue playing this way until there is only one chair remaining. The last person standing wins!

After the game, discuss the bible story of Genesis 13, when Abraham and Lot had to separate their herds due to lack of space for both men’s herds.