Sermon - AudioGen 19-21 - Audio
Gen 19-21 Daily Reading
Daily Insights - Please Comment
Chapter 19
v. 1 - These two angels were most likely two of the men that accompanied God while visiting Abraham (chap. 18). They separated from God in order to find 10 righteous men in Sodom.
v. 4 - This verse makes it clear that all the men of the city confronted Lot about his guests. Their refusal to listen to reason and their unanimous insistence on violence as they rushed toward his house confirmed the fate of the city.
v. 8 - Lot is willing to sacrifice his most precious possessions (his daughters) to protect his guests. He was saved from making this sacrifice because the mob refused his daughters confirming the truly evil nature of their intentions.
v. 30-38 - Lot's two daughters chose to take matters into their own hands to continue their father's lineage. Their scheme to resolve a difficult situation was unacceptable to God. Do the ends justify the means? So often we tend to excuse our behavior based on our circumstances. We have to remember that God is in control and will bring out His desired outcomes.
Chapter 20
v. 1ff - Why did Abraham claim Sarah as his sister for a second time? The first time in Chapter 12, he was in danger of losing both his wife and his life. In Chapter 20, the danger was of losing claim to the heir God promised him, since his fathering of a child may have been in question if Sarah had slept with Abimelech.
Chapter 21
v. 1 - Isaac's birth is a fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham.
v. 4 - Isaac is circumcised by Abraham as fulfillment of God's instructions in Chapter 17.
v. 11-13 - While Abraham is reluctant to send Ishmael away, God reassures him that this is for the best. It is likely that Ishmael is about 16 years old at this time.
v. 17-18 - God's intervention saves Hagar and echos the promise given to Abraham in v. 13.
v. 22ff - The treaty is designed to avoid future conflict over the ownership of Abraham's wells.
9 comments:
were the two angels actual men? It's odd to me, I picture angels being glorious. Were they like when someone has done something nice to us and we say "you're such an angel."?
Abraham must have found out what happened. Wasn't he outraged with his daughters that they would do that?
i'm so confused about Abraham. The things he is doing do not seem "pleasing" to God. He sleeps with his daughters, he's married to his "sister" he lies about it. So many questions.
Hi Rececca,
The two angels appeared as men. We see this same kind of instance earlier when Abraham in Genesis 18 shows hospitality to God himself. The writer of Hebrews says, Heb. 13:2 "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby wsome have entertained angels unawares." So while angels can be glorious they can also leave their glory behind for certain missions. Make you think about Jesus Christ and Philippians 2 where we are told that Christ empties himself.
So how did Lot know they were angels or was he just accustomed to taking in strangers?
Hi Anonymous 2:
It is not Abraham's, but Lot's daughters who use their father to get pregnant. We don't know what Lot's response was--but since we are told in the book of 2 Peter that he was a righteous man, we can imagine that he was not happy. (2Pet. 2:7"... and if [God] rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked 2Pet. 2:8 (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, dhe was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard)". The point of the story, however, is not only to give more information on Lot and his daughters but to show us the origins of two of Israel's enemies: Ammon and Moab. Both enemies have a less than auspicious beginning. At the same time there is wonder here. For from Moab comes Ruth who is part of the line of David. From the Ammonites comes one of Solomon’s wives who becomes the mother of Solomon’s successor, Rehoboam.
Good morning Anonymous 2:
On Abraham sleeping with his daughters check out the answer above. It is true that Abraham marries his half sister. While that may be forbidden in our culture (and in later Israelite law), the writer of Genesis doesn't comment on it leaving us to believe that such marriages were not uncommon or looked down on during the time of the patriarchs. We find similar questions in the fact that Isaac marries his cousin.
The issue of Abraham's less than stellar record on several accounts tells us a couple of things. First, the Bible does not white wash people and so hide their short comings. The Bible shows us the need people have for God, even those who are called by him and rescued by him. In a sense that is comforting for all of us. Second, when we read through the account of Abraham there is a recurring theme: When God tells Abraham to do something, he does it. That behavior is very pleasing to God.
Morning Rebecca,
The answer to your questions actually points out the deep failure of Sodom. There should not have been a battle to get the men and use them , rather there should have been a battle for who got to show them hospitality. Hospitality in the middle east is a huge deal. In my short times there total strangers have invited us in for tea and a bit to eat. So it was not a matter of knowing they were angels, but living as a righteous person.
It is helpful in this story to recognize that the sin of Sodom is wide ranging. The Bible tells us that they are guilty of homosexual sin, lack of hospitality, social oppression (Isa 1.10), adultery, lying, abetting criminals (Jeremiah 23.14), arrogance and a lack of concern for the poor (Ezekiel 16.49)
Interesting Thought
As I was trying to find out the similarities between Hagar and Leah I noticed something in particular about Hagar.
Abraham didn't want Hagar to be banished. In fact in 21:11, it says that Abraham was "displeased" with Sarah asking him to cast her and his son out. Now this where it gets interesting...God tells Abraham to do it.
God does show compassion on Hagar once she is cast out, but I'm reminded once again that God's purposes will prevail. Abraham actually wanted to be compassionate to Hagar and Ishmael, but God knew they had to be banished in order for His story to keep its course. God is compassionate, but His story will advance.
Post a Comment