7/7 Reading (Genesis 13-15; Luke 5)

Genesis 13: Abraham leaves Egypt to return to Canaan. In this chapter Lot and Abraham split up because there was not enough land for their animals and other things. There was mention to Zoar, Sodom, and Gomorrah for the first time. I’m really trying to focus on the story of Abraham so I can better understand it. I hear a lot about Abraham, but I honestly don’t know a lot about him.

Genesis 14: Abraham rescues Lot. I was immediately confused by this chapter because of all of the kings. I need a visual or something written out, so here goes:

Group A: King Amraphel of Shinar, King Arioch of Ellasar, King Chedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim (Kings of the East)

Group B: King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). (Kings from Canaan)

The four kings of Group A fought the five kings of Group B. What confused me is that the Kings of Group A first fought people from other places and then fought the Kings of Group B. Then, for some reason, the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, fled. Not too sure why this happened. I’m assuming it was because they were getting slaughtered. I like how this chapter ends. Abraham, clearly angry with the King of Sodom because Lot was taken, pretty much tells the king to go away. Then he makes sure to share with the men who helped get back Lot.

Genesis 15: Abraham asking God for reassurances that he will be ok and questioning why he still had no children. He sacrificed several animals to God and then had a dream about the Israelites many centuries in the future (time of Moses?). Chapter ends with God explaining to Abraham how his descendants would be given the land where they were already.

Luke 5: Chapter is about more of Jesus’ efforts to help and heal people. He helps Simon Peter with fishing. He heals a leper. He forgives sins and heals a paralyzed man. The notes for this part indicate that this reflects the prevailing thought at the time that illness is because of your sins. I’ve read a lot about the history of science and always found how our understanding of medicine changed to be very interesting. He is also recruiting people (Simon Peter).