Read: Genesis 18-19
Chapter
18
Several
things happen in this chapter.
·
The Lord appears to Abraham [most likely in a
vision] who instantly recognizes Him and the two angels with Him. Abraham then
extends hospitality to them with a sumptuous meal and washing their feet. 1The root of this
practice appears to be found in the hospitality customs of ancient
civilizations, especially where sandals were the chief footwear. A host would
provide water for guests to wash their feet, provide a servant to wash the feet
of the guests or even serve the guests by washing their feet. 1Wikipedia
·
9-15 The men inquire as to the whereabouts of
Sarah; she is well past the age of childbearing; is given a prophecy of the
birth of a son. Once again the Lord reaffirms His promise of a son to Abraham.
·
Sarah laughs [heb. Tsachaq…pronounced Tsawk-khak]
which means to make fun of or mock. This begins a dialog with the Lord with Him
confronts her and she denies laughing. [a lesson to learn is never to laugh or
scorn what the Lord declares.
·
16-33 the focus turns to Sodom’s doom and
Abraham’s plea of intercession for the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. This,
of course, sets a principle of intercession on behalf of unbelievers rather
than scorning them. We must remember someone interceded on our behalf…we ought
to do the same. I’ve interceded for many years on behalf on another, some I’m
still interceding. We never know when they will turn to the Lord. Every time a
person’s name crosses my mind I pray for them. We don’t know their heart; it’s
our obligation to pray for them no matter how long it takes no matter what
trials they are facing…pray! I prayed for a client for 5 years before she
called to say she’d been saved. I’m still praying (over 40 years) for 2 of my
children to be saved and for a friend for over 15 years. Throughout the years
I’ve seen God’s hands upon them numerous times. I would not wish hell upon
anyone!
Sodom
was one of five “cities of the plains”. It location has been identified
northeast of the Dead Sea in a fertile area. Gomorrah was the second city
destroyed when the angels visited Lot and his family and is believed to have
been located to the south of the Dead Sea. The ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah are
theorized, by some, to be at the bottom of the Dead Sea (Salt Sea) as the
result of the expanding shoreline over the years.
Chapter
19
The angels continued their journey to Sodom
and Gomorrah with two mandates.
1. To
deliver Lot and his family from the impending destruction.
2. To
bring down destruction upon the inhabitants of the perverse cities.
The
Lord himself is no longer mentioned, but only the two angels who upon entering
Sodom are greeted by Lot who entreats them to come to his house for safety and
hospitality.
All
does not go well
Sodom and Gomorrah are
notorious for their sexual perverseness, particularly same sexual atrocities
and immediately the angels are accosted by perverse citizens. [Remember, just
because “everyone is doing it” does not mean “everybody is doing it” or just
because human government affords it does not make it right in God’s sight]. Today
nations globally are being challenged with sexual perversion advocates to
approve their perverse lifestyles that they might continue without adverse
consequences. The church is faced with either compromising their position and
allowing the behavior or holding to biblical standards and risk being labeled
as a hate group.
Recall
if you will, Dt.27:11-26 when Moses pronounced the sins with curses upon Mt.
Gerizim and the people agreed?
Recall
how the people confirmed with “amen” that is they came into agreement with God.
Recall, if you will, how that no explanation of the curse was given.
Recall
also how that every sin carries with it its own set of consequences and how
that Gal. 6:7-8 likewise declares the sower shall reap what he sows?
Recall
as well that many desire “to have their cake and eat it too”? They desire to
continue their perverse lifestyle without the curse or consequences. This is
prersicely what the church faces today.
It is not popular to compare
today’s church with the 7 churches of Revelation and yet there is more truth
than one desires to admit. We live in a fallen sin filled world; this is not
the Promised Land no matter how much we desire it to be so! It is but our
temporary abode whilst we are sojourning through it, and we must keep our lamps
trimmed to maintain our light in the lost world. That is not easy. Lot’s futile
attempt to defuse the situation magnifies the situation. They were not to be
satisfied with Lot’s daughters but demanded the angels [not understanding who
they were]. Despite Lot’s pleading the angels saw their gross wickedness and
smote them with blindness!
Lot made his home in a
wicked land, so perverse was it that God destroyed it. Now, not only has a
miracle occurred [a miracle may also be an act of blindness in the stead of
healing] but the angels are accelerating their timeline and requiring Lot to
gather his family and few possessions to leave immediately which includes his
wife and two daughters. His two sons-in-law mocked him and stayed behind, their
livelihood being valued more than a “feeble” warning [some simply never will
care for the things of the Spirit]. That’s why later Lot’s two daughters got
him drunk and lay with Lot and bore his children/grandchildren.
They were warned not to look
back toward Sodom. It testified to the condition of her heart as depicted when
Lot’s wife who looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt.
1Peter
1:4-7 “To
an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved
in heaven for you. 5who are kept by the power of God through faith
unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6Wherein ye
greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness
through manifold temptations, 7that the trail of your faith, being
much more than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be
found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”
Even as Lot was warned so
also is the church admonished not to look back or turn back to the sinful
lifestyle from whence they were delivered. That is why the NT is replete with
admonitions for the church to discipline one another, not just the pastors and
leadership, but every member is charged with being their “brother’s keeper”.
See: 1Cor.5:1-13; col.3:1-15; 1
Thess.4:3-7; Jude 1-25. I fully understand the letters were primarily written
to the pastors, However, it behooves the leadership to train the laity in such
matters, leaving the most serious to leadership.
Incest
Gen.19:30-38: Lot’s
daughters could not wait for the Lord to bring them new husbands [they were
freed from marriage vows through the deaths of their husbands, so they made
their father drunk with wine, lay with him, became pregnant and bore Moab
(progeny of a father) and Benammi (son of my people), the father of the
children of Ammon.
What
was seemingly an innocent and noble desire to continue their father’s seed
nevertheless was evil in God’s sight Dt. 27:22. Such an atrocity produced the
Ammonites as mortal enemies of Israel while the Moabites were polytheists. Thus
each bore its own curse/consequences for incest. Quite often a seemingly act of
noble cause will have its roots deep in sin producing its own brand of curse.
Faith
Building Practice and Review
1.
For what reason did the angels go to Sodom?
2.
From reading Scripture there seems to be a
prominent theme against sexual sins of any sort. Explain.
3.
How many cities of the plains were there?
4.
Which cities were destroyed?
5.
Why was Lot’s wife destroyed?
6.
Study the lesson well. Now elaborate on any
lessons you’ve gleaned.
7.
Do you agree or disagree that every believer
ought to “be their brother’s keeper”?
Knowing
God
A brief [not complete, add
to the list] synopsis of the persona of God:
·
Love
·
Gracious
·
Merciful
·
Righteous
·
Longsuffering
·
Gentle
·
Faithful
·
Compassionate
·
Forgiving
·
Friend
The ultimate goal of Bible study is to
know God and not to merely memorize Bible trivia. As you study, identify the
attributes of God. For instance: make a note when you read of God extending His
forgiveness or compassion, and remember how He has done the same for you
No comments:
Post a Comment