Genesis 13
Abram had a tent and an altar. The tent tells us that he was a stranger looking for that city which had a foundation built by God. The altar was to worship the true God. We who believe on the Lord Jesus are also strangers here; our home is in heaven. And we have the Lord Jesus as our sacrifice and altar.
When there was very little food in Canaan, Abram went down to Egypt and took Lot. I suppose Abram forgot that God could feed him in Canaan. Yet God blessed Abram and Lot as He had promised. He gave them many cows, sheep, camels and servants. When they came back to Canaan they had so many cattle that there was not enough grass for them. One day Abram’s servants found a nice place of grass for his cattle, but when Lot’s servants brought his cattle there, they fought over it. Abram was sorry, for he saw there was trouble between God’s people.
They should love each other. So Abram told Lot that since they were brothers there should be no quarrel and he might choose; if he wished to take the part on the left for his cattle, then Abram would take that on the right; or if Lot chose the right, then he would go to the left. This was Abram’s kindness, for he was an old man. Lot should have said, “No, you choose first, please.” But Lot did not say that; he looked at all the plain of the river Jordon—plenty of water and grass, like Egypt. So Lot chose the part with the grass and pitched his tent toward the very bad city, Sodom.
After Lot was gone, the Lord spoke to Abram, “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 forever.” Then the Lord told Abram to walk through the land, the full length and breadth of it, to see how large and good it was. Then Abram moved his tent to the plain of Mamre, and again built his altar, unto the Lord.