In yesterday's passage a mob gathered outside Lot's house and demanded that he release his two guests to them so they can sexually assault them. As we pick up today, Lot goes outside to try to reason with them and talk them out of it.
"Lot went outside to meet them and said, 'No, my friends. Don't do this wicked thing.'" (Genesis 19:6-7) He tries to defuse the situation by reminding these men that they are his fellow citizens. I am sure Lot actually was friends with some of the people of Sodom. If he wasn't, I don't see how he could have lived and worked among them for years or how he could have become an elected official who sat in the gateway to the city. But I think he is careful to call them "friends" when he makes his appeal to them because he is trying to get through to any common decency they may still possess. No reasonable or decent people come as a mob to the house of a friend and insist he allow you to have sexual access to his guests.
Lot makes an offer to these men that is disturbing on many levels. We are going to take a few minutes to discuss why Lot may have said what he said. "Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don't do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.'" (Genesis 19:8)
As we read this we naturally think, "What did he say?!" Is Lot truly offering his two daughters to this gang knowing they will be sexually assaulted by every man there and likely killed in the process? I've consulted a lot of commentaries about this and done a fair amount of internet searches to try to determine what on earth Lot was thinking.
Some scholars state that in the culture of that day the duty to protect guests in the home far outweighed a person's duty to protect his own family. If the household faced danger, the host was supposed to protect his guests first, even if it cost him his own life or if it cost the lives of his family members. While I can understand the obligation to provide protection to anyone invited to stay in the home, it seems to go against human nature to be willing to sacrifice your loved ones to protect strangers. If I were Lot, and if it were a choice between these two strangers and my two daughters, I'd have thrown the two strangers into the street.
Which brings me to the second theory I found in my research, which is that in those days the lives of men were valued much more than the lives of women, Lot makes a choice that seems logical to him in the era in which he lived. In his day the woman's primary role in life was to bear children and keep the household running. It was believed that men contributed far more to society than women and, since women were usually more plentiful in number than men, women were considered more replaceable. Women had no legal rights of their own. They could not even testify at a trial even if they were the sole witnesses to a crime because the testimony of women was considered worthless.
A third theory is that Lot knows or suspects that his two visitors are not men but angels. If this is the case, then it's somewhat easier to understand that he would feel more obligation to messengers from God than to his own family. On the other hand, if he knows these men are angels, we might expect him to assume they are able to protect themselves. But then, Lot has no experience with angels. He isn't living close to the Lord and we can be pretty certain he's never received an angelic visitation before. He is not in a position to know what angels can or can't do. We have no idea how long it's been since he even talked to the Lord in prayer. I know the Apostle Peter says in the New Testament that Lot was "righteous", but I tend to think this is a case of a person who is saved by the skin of his teeth. Lot does believe in God, but he's like a person who comes to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and then basically does nothing for the kingdom of God. He's like a person who is saved but who never gives a testimony, who rarely if ever attends church, who probably doesn't read the Bible or pray very often, and who doesn't look very different from unbelievers. Lot has drifted far enough away from the Lord to have blended into the society of the city of Sodom. No one gives him a second glance on the street. He's been accepted well enough to hold a public office. As the saying goes, he has one foot in the church and one foot in the world.
And the fourth theory is that Lot makes the offer of his daughters in order to buy time. He knows these men have no interest in his daughters. It's not that the men have no interest in women at all. Most of them are probably married or have had sexual relations with women, so it's not that they are only interested in other men. It's that they have already participated in every sexual experience they can think of and are only interested in something that seems new and exotic, like the two visitors at Lot's house. Their minds are fixated on having these two visitors and nothing else is going to satisfy them. So it could be that Lot makes the offer of his daughters to give himself time to think or to give his visitors and his family time to arm themselves against the mob.
For the first time, the citizens of Sodom treat Lot like an outsider. He is standing between them and what they want. Instead of maintaining the "live and let live" attitude he had in the past, he's telling them no. "'Get out of our way,' they replied. 'This fellow came here as a foreigner, and now he wants to play the judge! We'll treat you worse than them.' They kept bringing pressure on Lot and moved forward to break down the door." (Genesis 19:9) He's playing the judge because he is a judge. That's why he was sitting in the gateway of the city at the beginning of Chapter 19, because this is where judges heard disputes and legal cases in those days. Nobody in Sodom minded that a foreigner was a judge in their city until now. They didn't care what he said or thought until now because he never opposed them before this day. So they are saying in reply to him, "Move out of our way or we'll abuse you even worse than we are going to abuse your guests! Who do you think you are, anyway? You weren't even born here. What right do you have to call us wicked? You aren't qualified to be our judge!"
That's what unbelievers say to believers when we call a sin a sin, isn't it? They say, "You aren't qualified to be our judge!" And in a sense, what they say is true. We don't have the authority to sentence or condemn them for their sin; only God can do that. But we do have sense enough to recognize sin as sin. We do have an obligation to live in such a way that it sets a godly example for everyone around us. We do have a duty to go privately in a loving attitude to a friend or family member and say, "I'm concerned about you. You're hurting yourself with these things. I love you and I'm worried about the path you're on. How can I help you?"
Lot has apparently never done any of these things. His life has not been a testimony of his faith or an example of godly living. He has not led anyone to faith in the Lord during his time in Sodom. He's blended in with the crowd until now, so naturally his fellow citizens are offended and outraged when all of a sudden he tells them they're sinners. They are sinners, but Lot has lost any opportunity he ever had to have his opinion valued by these men. He hasn't lived in front of them in the way a believer ought to live, so understandably they don't take his words to heart when he tells them that what they want to do is wicked. Instead their reaction is, "Who do you think you are? You aren't the judge of us!" This is why we who are believers have to be so careful about our conduct in this world. No one is going to take anything we say about the Lord to heart if we don't appear to be living close to Him ourselves. Instead, if we voice our concerns, their reaction is going to be, "Who do you think you are? What do you know about godly living? You don't look any different than the rest of us."
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Saturday, December 14, 2019
In The Beginning. Day 80, Two Angels Visit Lot in Sodom/The Men Of Sodom Try To Attack Them
In Chapter 18 Abraham had three visitors at his house. Two of these visitors were angels and one of them was the Lord. While the Lord investigates the outcry that has gone up against Sodom and Gomorrah, the two angels end up staying in the home of Abraham's nephew Lot in Sodom.
"The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city." (Genesis 19:1a) We don't want to miss the significance of where these angels meet Lot. Men who sat in the gateway of a city were civic leaders and judges. Lot is not indulging in the sins of his fellow citizens, according to the Apostle Peter (2 Peter 2:7-8) but he has integrated into the society enough to become an elected official. He was an outsider at first, having come all the way from Ur of the Chaldees, but he has compromised his faith to the point that the people of Sodom can hardly tell any difference between him and themselves. This is probably why he hasn't led anyone to the Lord during all the years he's lived there. Abraham asked the Lord to spare the city if He could find ten righteous people there, but the Lord won't find ten righteous people there, and not even Lot's own family members are living close to the Lord. Nothing has been accomplished spiritually by Lot while he's lived in Sodom; the opposite is actually true. Lot's own faith has suffered. We will see in tomorrow's passage that his family doesn't appear to be saved. He hasn't set a godly enough example that any of his friends and neighbors have come to believe in the Lord through his actions or his testimony. Honestly, if the Apostle Peter hadn't stated that Lot was a righteous man who was vexed by the sin around him, I wouldn't suspect him of being a godly man at all.
Lot displays the same type of hospitality as his uncle Abraham. "When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. 'My lords,' he said, 'please turn aside to your servant's house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning.'" (Genesis 19:1b-2a) In a time when people wore sandals, feet got pretty dusty. It was customary to offer visitors the opportunity to wash their feet before they came into the house. I find it interesting that Lot almost seems to be trying to hurry them on their way the next morning. He suggests that they should leave "early in the morning". I don't know whether he has any inkling that these men are angels, but he knows that strangers don't always fare too well in Sodom, so it's not safe for them to linger there long.
At first the two men reject his offer. I am not sure why. Perhaps because, as angels, they don't need the protection of his house. Or perhaps they are just giving him more of an opportunity to extend hospitality and become concerned for them, because they are going to need to be able to get him to listen to them, and it will be easier for them to get him to listen to them if he feels interested in their welfare. "'No,' they answered, 'we will spend the night in the square.' But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate." (Genesis 19:2b-3) I think Lot was quite alarmed when he heard their intention of sleeping in the square. He knows no one will survive a night in the square without being robbed, physically or sexually assaulted, or killed.
I'm surprised that no commentary I've ever consulted about this passage has made any mention of the fact that they ate unleavened bread. Lot didn't use yeast because he's trying to put a quick meal in front of the men and he doesn't have time to let the dough rise, but I can't help noticing the similarity between this meal and the Passover meal that the children of Israel ate on the night before the exodus. Lot is about to make his own exodus, though he doesn't know it yet.
Something very shocking happens next. What happens next demonstrates to us the utter breakdown of law and order in Sodom. It demonstrates a total lack of morals and an absence of any respect for human life and personal dignity. "Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom---both young and old---surrounded the house. They called to Lot, 'Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.'" (Genesis 19:4-5) This sounds like something out of a horror movie. A mob has formed outside the house. This mob includes every man of the city. There's not a male of Sodom who is old enough to be considered a man who is not presently standing outside Lot's house demanding he push the two visitors outside so they can assault them. I can't think of any way to put their request other than how the Bible intends for us to take it: all the men of Sodom are demanding to be allowed to gang rape Lot's visitors. If Lot does not release the visitors to them, they intend to take them by force. If they are allowed to do what they want with the visitors, it would result in the death of the visitors if they were mere human beings.
We have no idea whether the men of Sodom know the visitors are angels. I tend to doubt it. To them they are probably just foreigners and strangers, which makes them more attractive because they are different and new. In their minds, being from out of town makes the visitors fair game. Because they are not citizens of Sodom and because they have remained in town after sundown, in the minds of these men they have forfeited their right to safe passage. It could even be that they think Lot is having sexual relations with the visitors. After all, that's what they themselves would do with anyone staying in their houses. People with evil intentions often project their own wicked thoughts onto others, so they might be thinking, "Why should Lot have all the fun? Why is he keeping these interesting strangers to himself? He needs to let us in on this."
In tomorrow's passage we find Lot trying to reason with the men of Sodom, but they will not listen. They will try to beat the door down and the angels will have to supernaturally prevent the men from doing harm to Lot or to anyone else in the house. Then they will inform Lot of the impending destruction of the city.
"The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city." (Genesis 19:1a) We don't want to miss the significance of where these angels meet Lot. Men who sat in the gateway of a city were civic leaders and judges. Lot is not indulging in the sins of his fellow citizens, according to the Apostle Peter (2 Peter 2:7-8) but he has integrated into the society enough to become an elected official. He was an outsider at first, having come all the way from Ur of the Chaldees, but he has compromised his faith to the point that the people of Sodom can hardly tell any difference between him and themselves. This is probably why he hasn't led anyone to the Lord during all the years he's lived there. Abraham asked the Lord to spare the city if He could find ten righteous people there, but the Lord won't find ten righteous people there, and not even Lot's own family members are living close to the Lord. Nothing has been accomplished spiritually by Lot while he's lived in Sodom; the opposite is actually true. Lot's own faith has suffered. We will see in tomorrow's passage that his family doesn't appear to be saved. He hasn't set a godly enough example that any of his friends and neighbors have come to believe in the Lord through his actions or his testimony. Honestly, if the Apostle Peter hadn't stated that Lot was a righteous man who was vexed by the sin around him, I wouldn't suspect him of being a godly man at all.
Lot displays the same type of hospitality as his uncle Abraham. "When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. 'My lords,' he said, 'please turn aside to your servant's house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning.'" (Genesis 19:1b-2a) In a time when people wore sandals, feet got pretty dusty. It was customary to offer visitors the opportunity to wash their feet before they came into the house. I find it interesting that Lot almost seems to be trying to hurry them on their way the next morning. He suggests that they should leave "early in the morning". I don't know whether he has any inkling that these men are angels, but he knows that strangers don't always fare too well in Sodom, so it's not safe for them to linger there long.
At first the two men reject his offer. I am not sure why. Perhaps because, as angels, they don't need the protection of his house. Or perhaps they are just giving him more of an opportunity to extend hospitality and become concerned for them, because they are going to need to be able to get him to listen to them, and it will be easier for them to get him to listen to them if he feels interested in their welfare. "'No,' they answered, 'we will spend the night in the square.' But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate." (Genesis 19:2b-3) I think Lot was quite alarmed when he heard their intention of sleeping in the square. He knows no one will survive a night in the square without being robbed, physically or sexually assaulted, or killed.
I'm surprised that no commentary I've ever consulted about this passage has made any mention of the fact that they ate unleavened bread. Lot didn't use yeast because he's trying to put a quick meal in front of the men and he doesn't have time to let the dough rise, but I can't help noticing the similarity between this meal and the Passover meal that the children of Israel ate on the night before the exodus. Lot is about to make his own exodus, though he doesn't know it yet.
Something very shocking happens next. What happens next demonstrates to us the utter breakdown of law and order in Sodom. It demonstrates a total lack of morals and an absence of any respect for human life and personal dignity. "Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom---both young and old---surrounded the house. They called to Lot, 'Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.'" (Genesis 19:4-5) This sounds like something out of a horror movie. A mob has formed outside the house. This mob includes every man of the city. There's not a male of Sodom who is old enough to be considered a man who is not presently standing outside Lot's house demanding he push the two visitors outside so they can assault them. I can't think of any way to put their request other than how the Bible intends for us to take it: all the men of Sodom are demanding to be allowed to gang rape Lot's visitors. If Lot does not release the visitors to them, they intend to take them by force. If they are allowed to do what they want with the visitors, it would result in the death of the visitors if they were mere human beings.
We have no idea whether the men of Sodom know the visitors are angels. I tend to doubt it. To them they are probably just foreigners and strangers, which makes them more attractive because they are different and new. In their minds, being from out of town makes the visitors fair game. Because they are not citizens of Sodom and because they have remained in town after sundown, in the minds of these men they have forfeited their right to safe passage. It could even be that they think Lot is having sexual relations with the visitors. After all, that's what they themselves would do with anyone staying in their houses. People with evil intentions often project their own wicked thoughts onto others, so they might be thinking, "Why should Lot have all the fun? Why is he keeping these interesting strangers to himself? He needs to let us in on this."
In tomorrow's passage we find Lot trying to reason with the men of Sodom, but they will not listen. They will try to beat the door down and the angels will have to supernaturally prevent the men from doing harm to Lot or to anyone else in the house. Then they will inform Lot of the impending destruction of the city.
Friday, December 13, 2019
In The Beginning. Day 79, Why Did God Destroy Sodom And Gomorrah?
Before we proceed on to the next chapter in which the Lord rains down burning sulfur on the city of Sodom and its sister city Gomorrah, we need to stop and talk about why God found it necessary to do this.
We will be taking a look at what the Bible says about the sins of Sodom. The Bible doesn't provide us with a full, detailed account of its citizens' sins, just as He didn't provide us with a list of the sins of the world's citizens prior to the great flood. But there are clues here and there throughout the Scriptures that give us some idea of a few of the things for which the Lord judged the people of that city.
In yesterday's passage we learned that such an outcry had gone up to God's ears regarding the actions of the people of Sodom that He came down in person to observe these things before bringing judgment. In the Bible, whenever the word "outcry" is used, it concerns very serious sins against God or grievous crimes against humanity. Where there is an outcry it means there are people who are oppressed, mistreated, and suffering. Something about the actions of the citizens of Sodom was causing suffering to those around them. It could be that the neighboring areas were subject to the king of Sodom and that he levied extremely heavy and unfair taxes on them. It could be that he allowed his soldiers to do search and seizure operations where they took whatever they wanted from people who owed taxes. They may have forced debtors into harsh slavery or they may have engaged in human trafficking. The Bible does not say, but if their crimes against humanity were so severe that He had to destroy the city and its occupants, then it's probably safe for us to imagine the very worst. Just think about some of the worst stories you've ever heard on the news about cruelty, fraud, murder, theft, sex crimes...you name it and I bet it was going on in Sodom. Our modern society didn't invent any of these things. We might have more sophisticated ways of going about some of these things, but crimes like this have been taking place almost since the beginning of man's sojourn on earth.
The Lord mentioned Sodom and Gomorrah when giving the law to the nation of Israel in Deuteronomy 29:25-26. While impressing upon the people the importance of not mixing with the pagan tribes of Canaan, He warns them that co-mingling with these people will lead them into idolatry. And if they fall into idolatry He will destroy their land just as He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and then it would be said of Israel: "It is because this people abandoned the covenant of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, the covenant He made with them when He brought them out of Egypt. They went off and worshiped other gods and bowed down to them, gods they did not know, gods He had not given them." Since the Lord uses the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in this dire warning, it's likely that the citizens of those towns bowed down to false gods. Since the Lord will be unable to find even ten righteous people when He goes down to Sodom, we know for certain that the people there were not worshiping Him. And since man tends to want to worship something, if he does not worship his Creator he will usually fall into some sort of idolatry or even worship himself, in a sense, by making himself the lord of his own life.
In Deuteronomy 32 the Lord compares those of Israel who have gone astray from Him to the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah. He says that prosperity has made them "fat" and that they have "kicked against Him". Imagine you own a farm animal that has become fat and healthy because of the excellent care you've given it. But then imagine this animal decides it doesn't need you and that it doesn't have to listen to you. We can see how ridiculous this is, because the animal wouldn't have food and shelter and safety if not for its owner, yet when its owner tries to care for it or work with it, it kicks him. This is what the Lord is saying about the people from within the nation of Israel who decided they didn't need Him anymore. This is what He is saying about the people of the prosperous cities of Sodom and Gomorrah who decided they didn't have to be faithful to Him. Prosperity can be far more dangerous than persecution, for persecution often makes a person draw closer to the Lord for help, but prosperity can cause a person to begin having less and less communication with the Lord. I think perhaps the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were so comfortable and prosperous that they felt no need of the Lord in their lives. They completely forgot or ignored the fact that they'd have nothing if not for Him.
In the days of the prophet Isaiah, when so many of the people had fallen into idolatry, the Lord warned them repeatedly that the downfall of their nation was coming if they did not turn back to Him. In sharing the Lord's warning with his people, the prophet Isaiah compared them to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Isaiah makes some very harsh but true accusations against those who have abandoned the Lord, telling them their offerings and sacrifices make the Lord sick because they are only bringing them for show, and comparing these wayward people to prostitutes and murderers. He says the judges are accepting bribes to pervert justice and he says no compassion is being shown to widows and orphans. You can read this entire passage in Isaiah 1, where the Lord brings His indictments against the nation. Their sins have become so great that He does not even call the nation by its name or by the names of its tribes, but He refers to the nation as Sodom and Gomorrah: "Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!" (Isaiah 1:10) From this we can assume that perversions of justice also went on in Sodom and Gomorrah, and that the people there had no compassion for the needy, and that sexual exploitation was rampant, and that they were violent and murderous.
The Lord tells His people, through the prophet Isaiah, that they should be ashamed of their sins and repent of them. But instead He finds people who enjoy openly flaunting their sins. He compares their attitude to the attitudes of the sinners of Sodom and Gomorrah: "The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves." (Isaiah 3:9) When a human being becomes aware that he has done something wrong, usually the first instinct is to want to hide the sin. Generally speaking, we don't want to be caught. We don't want to face consequences. The person who is walking in step with the Lord will feel compelled to confess the sin to Him in order to experience the relief of forgiveness. The person who does not love the Lord may feel little to no guilt for their sin, but they still usually want to hide it so that their fellow man doesn't take them to task for it. Then there are those who want to rub their sins in the faces of others. There are those who delight in doing wrong and enjoy stirring up the emotions of others by openly bragging about their sins. This is why the Lord says people of this nature "parade their sin". Whatever the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were doing, they felt no shame about it. Instead they gloried in it. They put it on display for the whole world to see.
When comparing the sins of Israel in Isaiah's day to the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, the Lord lists several things in Isaiah 3 that the people were doing. These are: a failure of the nation's leaders to lead, the youth running wild and causing trouble, the religious leaders not setting a godly example, the women being so wealthy and so decked out in jewels that they look down on those who are not as fortunate, and the men not being "men" by standing up to fight for what is right.
In Isaiah 13 the Lord speaks of the eventual overthrow of Babylon and He compares that kingdom to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah when He says that the people of Babylon are arrogant and haughty and prideful. So we see that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah thought they were a very big deal and that they were better than others and that they were so great they didn't even have to obey their Maker. The Lord despises an attitude like this, and the Bible warns us that He "opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble". (Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6-7, 1 Peter 5:5)
In Jeremiah 23 the Lord compares the wickedness of Israel to that of Sodom, saying that the religious leaders are not leading the flock and that people are forsaking the holy covenant of marriage and are indulging in sexual sins. He points out that there are false prophets in the land leading people into idolatry instead of leading them away from it. By this we can guess that in Sodom there was a great deal of sexual immorality and idolatry.
In Ezekiel 16 the Lord compares Israel to Sodom and calls Israel a prostitute because she has forsaken Him in favor of other gods. He says she "lies down" with other gods. Again we see that one of the sins of Sodom was idolatry. Also the Lord compares the women of Israel to the women of Sodom who were "arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy". (Ezekiel 16:49) We tend to think of females as being soft-hearted and compassionate, but the women of Sodom felt nothing for those around them who were in need. Instead they rejoiced in their own prosperity and couldn't have cared less if someone was hungry or cold.
Jude, the brother of the Lord Jesus, said that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah "gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion". (Jude 1:7a) We are going to see that for ourselves when we get into Chapter 19, and the passage concerning this may seem shocking and crude to us, but I won't apologize for it because I think the Lord intends for us to be shocked. I think what almost happens at Lot's house, and the complete breakdown of morals and the lawlessness that it represents, is included in the Bible so we can understand that there is literally nothing the people of Sodom wouldn't do.
From the passages we've studied today, we still don't have a complete picture of all the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah. It could be that they were so terrible that we'd find a detailed list of them very offensive to read or imagine. But we know this: they had rejected the living God in favor of bowing down to idols, they were lawless and violent, there was no sexual act they found repulsive, they oppressed their fellow man, and they had no compassion or concern for anyone but themselves. I think such an outcry went up against them because they were creating a living hell for the people around them. The Lord had to take action. He could not allow these things to continue.
We will be taking a look at what the Bible says about the sins of Sodom. The Bible doesn't provide us with a full, detailed account of its citizens' sins, just as He didn't provide us with a list of the sins of the world's citizens prior to the great flood. But there are clues here and there throughout the Scriptures that give us some idea of a few of the things for which the Lord judged the people of that city.
In yesterday's passage we learned that such an outcry had gone up to God's ears regarding the actions of the people of Sodom that He came down in person to observe these things before bringing judgment. In the Bible, whenever the word "outcry" is used, it concerns very serious sins against God or grievous crimes against humanity. Where there is an outcry it means there are people who are oppressed, mistreated, and suffering. Something about the actions of the citizens of Sodom was causing suffering to those around them. It could be that the neighboring areas were subject to the king of Sodom and that he levied extremely heavy and unfair taxes on them. It could be that he allowed his soldiers to do search and seizure operations where they took whatever they wanted from people who owed taxes. They may have forced debtors into harsh slavery or they may have engaged in human trafficking. The Bible does not say, but if their crimes against humanity were so severe that He had to destroy the city and its occupants, then it's probably safe for us to imagine the very worst. Just think about some of the worst stories you've ever heard on the news about cruelty, fraud, murder, theft, sex crimes...you name it and I bet it was going on in Sodom. Our modern society didn't invent any of these things. We might have more sophisticated ways of going about some of these things, but crimes like this have been taking place almost since the beginning of man's sojourn on earth.
The Lord mentioned Sodom and Gomorrah when giving the law to the nation of Israel in Deuteronomy 29:25-26. While impressing upon the people the importance of not mixing with the pagan tribes of Canaan, He warns them that co-mingling with these people will lead them into idolatry. And if they fall into idolatry He will destroy their land just as He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and then it would be said of Israel: "It is because this people abandoned the covenant of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, the covenant He made with them when He brought them out of Egypt. They went off and worshiped other gods and bowed down to them, gods they did not know, gods He had not given them." Since the Lord uses the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in this dire warning, it's likely that the citizens of those towns bowed down to false gods. Since the Lord will be unable to find even ten righteous people when He goes down to Sodom, we know for certain that the people there were not worshiping Him. And since man tends to want to worship something, if he does not worship his Creator he will usually fall into some sort of idolatry or even worship himself, in a sense, by making himself the lord of his own life.
In Deuteronomy 32 the Lord compares those of Israel who have gone astray from Him to the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah. He says that prosperity has made them "fat" and that they have "kicked against Him". Imagine you own a farm animal that has become fat and healthy because of the excellent care you've given it. But then imagine this animal decides it doesn't need you and that it doesn't have to listen to you. We can see how ridiculous this is, because the animal wouldn't have food and shelter and safety if not for its owner, yet when its owner tries to care for it or work with it, it kicks him. This is what the Lord is saying about the people from within the nation of Israel who decided they didn't need Him anymore. This is what He is saying about the people of the prosperous cities of Sodom and Gomorrah who decided they didn't have to be faithful to Him. Prosperity can be far more dangerous than persecution, for persecution often makes a person draw closer to the Lord for help, but prosperity can cause a person to begin having less and less communication with the Lord. I think perhaps the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were so comfortable and prosperous that they felt no need of the Lord in their lives. They completely forgot or ignored the fact that they'd have nothing if not for Him.
In the days of the prophet Isaiah, when so many of the people had fallen into idolatry, the Lord warned them repeatedly that the downfall of their nation was coming if they did not turn back to Him. In sharing the Lord's warning with his people, the prophet Isaiah compared them to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Isaiah makes some very harsh but true accusations against those who have abandoned the Lord, telling them their offerings and sacrifices make the Lord sick because they are only bringing them for show, and comparing these wayward people to prostitutes and murderers. He says the judges are accepting bribes to pervert justice and he says no compassion is being shown to widows and orphans. You can read this entire passage in Isaiah 1, where the Lord brings His indictments against the nation. Their sins have become so great that He does not even call the nation by its name or by the names of its tribes, but He refers to the nation as Sodom and Gomorrah: "Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!" (Isaiah 1:10) From this we can assume that perversions of justice also went on in Sodom and Gomorrah, and that the people there had no compassion for the needy, and that sexual exploitation was rampant, and that they were violent and murderous.
The Lord tells His people, through the prophet Isaiah, that they should be ashamed of their sins and repent of them. But instead He finds people who enjoy openly flaunting their sins. He compares their attitude to the attitudes of the sinners of Sodom and Gomorrah: "The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves." (Isaiah 3:9) When a human being becomes aware that he has done something wrong, usually the first instinct is to want to hide the sin. Generally speaking, we don't want to be caught. We don't want to face consequences. The person who is walking in step with the Lord will feel compelled to confess the sin to Him in order to experience the relief of forgiveness. The person who does not love the Lord may feel little to no guilt for their sin, but they still usually want to hide it so that their fellow man doesn't take them to task for it. Then there are those who want to rub their sins in the faces of others. There are those who delight in doing wrong and enjoy stirring up the emotions of others by openly bragging about their sins. This is why the Lord says people of this nature "parade their sin". Whatever the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were doing, they felt no shame about it. Instead they gloried in it. They put it on display for the whole world to see.
When comparing the sins of Israel in Isaiah's day to the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, the Lord lists several things in Isaiah 3 that the people were doing. These are: a failure of the nation's leaders to lead, the youth running wild and causing trouble, the religious leaders not setting a godly example, the women being so wealthy and so decked out in jewels that they look down on those who are not as fortunate, and the men not being "men" by standing up to fight for what is right.
In Isaiah 13 the Lord speaks of the eventual overthrow of Babylon and He compares that kingdom to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah when He says that the people of Babylon are arrogant and haughty and prideful. So we see that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah thought they were a very big deal and that they were better than others and that they were so great they didn't even have to obey their Maker. The Lord despises an attitude like this, and the Bible warns us that He "opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble". (Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6-7, 1 Peter 5:5)
In Jeremiah 23 the Lord compares the wickedness of Israel to that of Sodom, saying that the religious leaders are not leading the flock and that people are forsaking the holy covenant of marriage and are indulging in sexual sins. He points out that there are false prophets in the land leading people into idolatry instead of leading them away from it. By this we can guess that in Sodom there was a great deal of sexual immorality and idolatry.
In Ezekiel 16 the Lord compares Israel to Sodom and calls Israel a prostitute because she has forsaken Him in favor of other gods. He says she "lies down" with other gods. Again we see that one of the sins of Sodom was idolatry. Also the Lord compares the women of Israel to the women of Sodom who were "arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy". (Ezekiel 16:49) We tend to think of females as being soft-hearted and compassionate, but the women of Sodom felt nothing for those around them who were in need. Instead they rejoiced in their own prosperity and couldn't have cared less if someone was hungry or cold.
Jude, the brother of the Lord Jesus, said that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah "gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion". (Jude 1:7a) We are going to see that for ourselves when we get into Chapter 19, and the passage concerning this may seem shocking and crude to us, but I won't apologize for it because I think the Lord intends for us to be shocked. I think what almost happens at Lot's house, and the complete breakdown of morals and the lawlessness that it represents, is included in the Bible so we can understand that there is literally nothing the people of Sodom wouldn't do.
From the passages we've studied today, we still don't have a complete picture of all the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah. It could be that they were so terrible that we'd find a detailed list of them very offensive to read or imagine. But we know this: they had rejected the living God in favor of bowing down to idols, they were lawless and violent, there was no sexual act they found repulsive, they oppressed their fellow man, and they had no compassion or concern for anyone but themselves. I think such an outcry went up against them because they were creating a living hell for the people around them. The Lord had to take action. He could not allow these things to continue.
Thursday, December 12, 2019
In The Beginning. Day 78, Abraham Pleads For Any Believers In The Wicked City
Abraham is troubled by the news that the Lord has come down in person due to the outcry over the wickedness in Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham knows this means the judgment is going to be severe. The Lord is making certain no one can ever accuse Him of not thoroughly investigating the situation from every angle before He takes action.
Abraham's nephew Lot and his family live in Sodom. Naturally he's concerned for his relatives. But he's also concerned for any other believers who may be living within Sodom or its sister city Gomorrah. He's afraid that, when judgment falls, the righteous will suffer along with the wicked.
This next verse tells us something very interesting which backs up the theory that one of the three visitors is the Lord Himself. "The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord." (Genesis 18:22) When we arrive at Chapter 19, we find that only two of them show up at Lot's house in Sodom. This indicates that in our passage today, two of the men (who are clearly identified as angels in the next chapter) continue on down the road while the third man (the Lord) remains behind for a time to speak with Abraham. Where did the Lord go after speaking with Abraham? The Bible doesn't tell us, but we can assume He went on to view the things taking place in Sodom and Gomorrah. Just because He does not interact personally with Lot doesn't mean He didn't go to the city as He said He would. I believe He tasked the two angels with persuading Lot to leave Sodom while He observed all the evidence that was necessary to condemn the two cities to destruction. We know He must have gone to Sodom and Gomorrah because in His conversation with Abraham He will speak of whether or not He "finds" righteous people in Sodom.
Abraham is going to appeal to the court for leniency. He's going to ask the Judge to spare the city of Sodom if enough righteous people are found there. "Then Abraham approached Him and said: 'Will You sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will You really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing---to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?'" (Genesis 18:23-25) I don't think Abraham is being impertinent when he says, "Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?" I think he's acting as defense attorney in the Lord's court, so to speak. He's interceding on behalf of anyone who serves the Lord in Sodom so that they won't suffer the same fate as the wicked. I think he's saying something like, "Lord, I know You are good. I know You are righteous. It's not in Your character to sweep away the good people along with the bad people."
"The Lord said, 'If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.'" (Genesis 18:26) This is a good sign. Abraham feels bold enough to continue making his plea for leniency. "Then Abraham spoke up again: 'Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, what if the number of the righteous is less than fifty? Will You destroy the whole city for lack of five people?'" (Genesis 18:27-28a) Abraham is courageous but he's also respectful when speaking with the Lord. He acknowledges God's holiness and his own unworthiness.
"'If I find forty-five there,' He said, 'I will not destroy it.'" (Genesis 18:28b) The Lord is being patient with Abraham and this encourages him to go on. "Once again he spoke to Him, 'What if only forty are found there?' He said, 'For the sake of forty I will not do it.'" (Genesis 18:29)
Abraham doesn't want to keep pushing his luck, but lives are at stake here, so he continues. "Then he said, 'May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?' He answered, 'I will not do it if I find thirty there.' Abraham said, 'Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?' He said, 'For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.'" (Genesis 18:30-31)
The Lord is so merciful. He would have spared a large number of very wicked people simply because a few righteous people lived in their midst. This should encourage us whenever we feel like we are in the minority as believers. Though our nation seems to be moving further and further away from the Lord and away from the principles of the Bible, the Lord very well may spare our nation from disaster or collapse simply because He has people here who hold fast to Him. We must keep standing strong in faith. In addition, we must do what Abraham did: intercede with the Lord. We should pray for the Lord to protect our nation for the sake of those who believe in Him.
Abraham bargains once more with the Lord. "Then he said, 'May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?' He answered, 'For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.' When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home." (Genesis 18:32-33) Abraham surely must have thought there would be at least ten righteous people in the city. We will learn in Chapter 19 that Lot has a wife and two unmarried daughters and that there are two young men who are engaged to his daughters. Abraham likely assumes these six people are faithful to the Lord. I think he believes that during Lot's time in Sodom he must have led other people to the Lord. But Abraham and Lot have probably been out of touch with each other for a while, because we are going to find Lot quite reluctant to leave the city and we are going to find that his family is not as committed to the Lord as Abraham assumes they are. None of them has led anyone else to the Lord and they are not walking very closely with the Lord themselves. The Lord isn't going to find ten righteous people in Sodom.
But, for Abraham's sake, He is willing to rescue Lot and his family before destroying the city. This should encourage us to keep praying for our loved ones who don't know the Lord or who aren't living as close to the Lord as they should be. Who knows what great miracle He will perform in their lives just because we were faithful about praying for them? Who knows how many dangers He will rescue them from because we interceded with Him on their behalf? The Lord is going to rescue Lot (who has become too worldly during his years in Sodom) not so much for Lot's sake but for Abraham's sake. Do you know someone who needs rescuing from the clutches of sin and bad decisions? Keep appealing to the Lord on their behalf.
Abraham's nephew Lot and his family live in Sodom. Naturally he's concerned for his relatives. But he's also concerned for any other believers who may be living within Sodom or its sister city Gomorrah. He's afraid that, when judgment falls, the righteous will suffer along with the wicked.
This next verse tells us something very interesting which backs up the theory that one of the three visitors is the Lord Himself. "The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord." (Genesis 18:22) When we arrive at Chapter 19, we find that only two of them show up at Lot's house in Sodom. This indicates that in our passage today, two of the men (who are clearly identified as angels in the next chapter) continue on down the road while the third man (the Lord) remains behind for a time to speak with Abraham. Where did the Lord go after speaking with Abraham? The Bible doesn't tell us, but we can assume He went on to view the things taking place in Sodom and Gomorrah. Just because He does not interact personally with Lot doesn't mean He didn't go to the city as He said He would. I believe He tasked the two angels with persuading Lot to leave Sodom while He observed all the evidence that was necessary to condemn the two cities to destruction. We know He must have gone to Sodom and Gomorrah because in His conversation with Abraham He will speak of whether or not He "finds" righteous people in Sodom.
Abraham is going to appeal to the court for leniency. He's going to ask the Judge to spare the city of Sodom if enough righteous people are found there. "Then Abraham approached Him and said: 'Will You sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will You really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing---to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?'" (Genesis 18:23-25) I don't think Abraham is being impertinent when he says, "Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?" I think he's acting as defense attorney in the Lord's court, so to speak. He's interceding on behalf of anyone who serves the Lord in Sodom so that they won't suffer the same fate as the wicked. I think he's saying something like, "Lord, I know You are good. I know You are righteous. It's not in Your character to sweep away the good people along with the bad people."
"The Lord said, 'If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.'" (Genesis 18:26) This is a good sign. Abraham feels bold enough to continue making his plea for leniency. "Then Abraham spoke up again: 'Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, what if the number of the righteous is less than fifty? Will You destroy the whole city for lack of five people?'" (Genesis 18:27-28a) Abraham is courageous but he's also respectful when speaking with the Lord. He acknowledges God's holiness and his own unworthiness.
"'If I find forty-five there,' He said, 'I will not destroy it.'" (Genesis 18:28b) The Lord is being patient with Abraham and this encourages him to go on. "Once again he spoke to Him, 'What if only forty are found there?' He said, 'For the sake of forty I will not do it.'" (Genesis 18:29)
Abraham doesn't want to keep pushing his luck, but lives are at stake here, so he continues. "Then he said, 'May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?' He answered, 'I will not do it if I find thirty there.' Abraham said, 'Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?' He said, 'For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.'" (Genesis 18:30-31)
The Lord is so merciful. He would have spared a large number of very wicked people simply because a few righteous people lived in their midst. This should encourage us whenever we feel like we are in the minority as believers. Though our nation seems to be moving further and further away from the Lord and away from the principles of the Bible, the Lord very well may spare our nation from disaster or collapse simply because He has people here who hold fast to Him. We must keep standing strong in faith. In addition, we must do what Abraham did: intercede with the Lord. We should pray for the Lord to protect our nation for the sake of those who believe in Him.
Abraham bargains once more with the Lord. "Then he said, 'May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?' He answered, 'For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.' When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home." (Genesis 18:32-33) Abraham surely must have thought there would be at least ten righteous people in the city. We will learn in Chapter 19 that Lot has a wife and two unmarried daughters and that there are two young men who are engaged to his daughters. Abraham likely assumes these six people are faithful to the Lord. I think he believes that during Lot's time in Sodom he must have led other people to the Lord. But Abraham and Lot have probably been out of touch with each other for a while, because we are going to find Lot quite reluctant to leave the city and we are going to find that his family is not as committed to the Lord as Abraham assumes they are. None of them has led anyone else to the Lord and they are not walking very closely with the Lord themselves. The Lord isn't going to find ten righteous people in Sodom.
But, for Abraham's sake, He is willing to rescue Lot and his family before destroying the city. This should encourage us to keep praying for our loved ones who don't know the Lord or who aren't living as close to the Lord as they should be. Who knows what great miracle He will perform in their lives just because we were faithful about praying for them? Who knows how many dangers He will rescue them from because we interceded with Him on their behalf? The Lord is going to rescue Lot (who has become too worldly during his years in Sodom) not so much for Lot's sake but for Abraham's sake. Do you know someone who needs rescuing from the clutches of sin and bad decisions? Keep appealing to the Lord on their behalf.
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
In The Beginning. Day 77, The Lord Tells Abraham About An Approaching Disaster
The three supernatural visitors who appeared in the form of men---two angels and a third personn who is probably the pre-incarnate Christ---have just finished spending the afternoon eating in the shade of a tree at Abraham's house. They gave him good news about the promised son who will arrive by this time next year. As they depart, they give him some bad news.
"When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way." (Genesis 18:16) Their purpose in passing through Abraham's territory wasn't only to give him a reminder of God's promise of a son. They have business to attend to in the region of Sodom and Gomorrah.
As Abraham walks along the road with them to see them partway to their destination, the Lord decides He must let Abraham in on what's about to happen next. It's going to affect Abraham's nephew Lot who lives in Sodom. This means Abraham has a vested interest in what's going to take place, and the Lord doesn't feel comfortable keeping it a secret from him. "Then the Lord said, 'Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what He has promised him.'" (Genesis 18:17-19) The Lord hates to hide this thing from Abraham because Abraham belongs to the Lord. Abraham isn't perfect but he loves the Lord. We've already seen him make mistakes and we're going to see him making more mistakes. But his heart is devoted to the Lord. He may mess up from time to time, but he has never even considered turning away from the Lord. Because of his faith, the Lord feels an obligation to take him into His confidence.
Isn't this a beautiful thing? The Lord wants to communicate with man and to allow man in on many of His thoughts and plans. The Lord doesn't always tell us everything we want to know about the future, but He's faithful to tell us what we need to know. I think one reason He doesn't tell us everything we want to know is because we wouldn't understand it if He did. Some things only make sense to humans while they're happening or in hindsight. Another reason I think He doesn't always tell us what we want to know is because it would frighten us. There are things that have happened in my life that would have scared me to death if I'd known about them beforehand, yet when the situation actually came to pass, God's grace was sufficient just as He promised it would be. (2 Corinthians 12:9) It was for the best that I didn't have to worry about these things ahead of time. He gives us sufficient grace each day to successfully come through the things of that day. (Matthew 6:25-34) Another reason He doesn't always tell us too much ahead of time may be because good news would make us so excited that we might become impatient and get out of step with Him. We might move ahead of Him and try to take things into our own hands before the right time. I believe it's the heart's desire of our Creator to let us in on what He's doing, but He can only do so when we are capable of understanding and handling the news in the proper way.
I picture the men coming to a sudden halt in the dusty roadway and turning to face Abraham to deliver this news: "Then the Lord said, 'The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached Me. If not, I will know.'" (Genesis 18:20-21) They don't specifically state that the twin cities will be destroyed for their wickedness, but when we get to Abraham's reply we can clearly see that he knows it. The Lord doesn't come down in person to take stock of a situation unless He intends to take any action that is necessary to deal with the problem.
There are several times in the Scriptures when the word translated as "outcry" is used, and each time this word is used to describe things that are especially heinous. The instances of this word's use include instances of cruelty against humanity, an absolute lack of compassion, turning a blind eye to the poor and needy, and various acts of brutality and depravity. Abraham knows how serious the problem is when the Lord informs him there has been a great outcry against the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Why must the Lord go down in person to view this situation before He brings judgment? We saw Him doing this same thing earlier in Genesis when He came down to see what was taking place at the tower of Babel. I don't believe for one minute that He isn't completely aware of every single thing that happens on the earth. I think He could easily remain seated on His throne in heaven to observe the crimes of man and to pass judgment on them. But if He comes in person before bringing a harsh judgment that causes death and destruction, He can never be accused of not fully investigating the accusations that have been made.
The cries of believers have gone up to Him in prayer in regard to the evil things done in Sodom and Gomorrah. People who have been oppressed in various ways by the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah have made an outcry about their mistreatment. People have been asking the Lord to do something about the wickedness in the region. He's going to do something about it, but first He's going to examine all the evidence in person. No one who faces the judgment coming against Sodom and Gomorrah will ever be able to accuse Him of accepting hearsay against them. No one can claim He isn't a righteous judge who thoughtfully considers all the evidence before making His ruling. I believe there have been occasions throughout history (and that there will be more occasions like this) when the judgment the Lord must pass is so harsh that He comes in person to assess the situation. He does this not because He doesn't already know how bad things are, but because the intensity of the judgment requires it. The sentence He must pass is going to be so great that He must make a personal visit beforehand.
Abraham knows the Lord wouldn't come in person if He wasn't about to do something very serious. No doubt he too is aware of the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah. He's heard a lot of things himself. He knows that the people living near those cities, and that the people who have to have dealings with those cities, have asked the Lord time and again why He hasn't already judged the wickedness. Abraham is aware of what's about to happen, but he's concerned for the safety of anyone in those cities who might believe on the Lord, such as his nephew Lot. In tomorrow's passage we find him interceding for believers by asking the Lord, "Will You sweep away the righteous with the wicked?"
"When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way." (Genesis 18:16) Their purpose in passing through Abraham's territory wasn't only to give him a reminder of God's promise of a son. They have business to attend to in the region of Sodom and Gomorrah.
As Abraham walks along the road with them to see them partway to their destination, the Lord decides He must let Abraham in on what's about to happen next. It's going to affect Abraham's nephew Lot who lives in Sodom. This means Abraham has a vested interest in what's going to take place, and the Lord doesn't feel comfortable keeping it a secret from him. "Then the Lord said, 'Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what He has promised him.'" (Genesis 18:17-19) The Lord hates to hide this thing from Abraham because Abraham belongs to the Lord. Abraham isn't perfect but he loves the Lord. We've already seen him make mistakes and we're going to see him making more mistakes. But his heart is devoted to the Lord. He may mess up from time to time, but he has never even considered turning away from the Lord. Because of his faith, the Lord feels an obligation to take him into His confidence.
Isn't this a beautiful thing? The Lord wants to communicate with man and to allow man in on many of His thoughts and plans. The Lord doesn't always tell us everything we want to know about the future, but He's faithful to tell us what we need to know. I think one reason He doesn't tell us everything we want to know is because we wouldn't understand it if He did. Some things only make sense to humans while they're happening or in hindsight. Another reason I think He doesn't always tell us what we want to know is because it would frighten us. There are things that have happened in my life that would have scared me to death if I'd known about them beforehand, yet when the situation actually came to pass, God's grace was sufficient just as He promised it would be. (2 Corinthians 12:9) It was for the best that I didn't have to worry about these things ahead of time. He gives us sufficient grace each day to successfully come through the things of that day. (Matthew 6:25-34) Another reason He doesn't always tell us too much ahead of time may be because good news would make us so excited that we might become impatient and get out of step with Him. We might move ahead of Him and try to take things into our own hands before the right time. I believe it's the heart's desire of our Creator to let us in on what He's doing, but He can only do so when we are capable of understanding and handling the news in the proper way.
I picture the men coming to a sudden halt in the dusty roadway and turning to face Abraham to deliver this news: "Then the Lord said, 'The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached Me. If not, I will know.'" (Genesis 18:20-21) They don't specifically state that the twin cities will be destroyed for their wickedness, but when we get to Abraham's reply we can clearly see that he knows it. The Lord doesn't come down in person to take stock of a situation unless He intends to take any action that is necessary to deal with the problem.
There are several times in the Scriptures when the word translated as "outcry" is used, and each time this word is used to describe things that are especially heinous. The instances of this word's use include instances of cruelty against humanity, an absolute lack of compassion, turning a blind eye to the poor and needy, and various acts of brutality and depravity. Abraham knows how serious the problem is when the Lord informs him there has been a great outcry against the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Why must the Lord go down in person to view this situation before He brings judgment? We saw Him doing this same thing earlier in Genesis when He came down to see what was taking place at the tower of Babel. I don't believe for one minute that He isn't completely aware of every single thing that happens on the earth. I think He could easily remain seated on His throne in heaven to observe the crimes of man and to pass judgment on them. But if He comes in person before bringing a harsh judgment that causes death and destruction, He can never be accused of not fully investigating the accusations that have been made.
The cries of believers have gone up to Him in prayer in regard to the evil things done in Sodom and Gomorrah. People who have been oppressed in various ways by the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah have made an outcry about their mistreatment. People have been asking the Lord to do something about the wickedness in the region. He's going to do something about it, but first He's going to examine all the evidence in person. No one who faces the judgment coming against Sodom and Gomorrah will ever be able to accuse Him of accepting hearsay against them. No one can claim He isn't a righteous judge who thoughtfully considers all the evidence before making His ruling. I believe there have been occasions throughout history (and that there will be more occasions like this) when the judgment the Lord must pass is so harsh that He comes in person to assess the situation. He does this not because He doesn't already know how bad things are, but because the intensity of the judgment requires it. The sentence He must pass is going to be so great that He must make a personal visit beforehand.
Abraham knows the Lord wouldn't come in person if He wasn't about to do something very serious. No doubt he too is aware of the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah. He's heard a lot of things himself. He knows that the people living near those cities, and that the people who have to have dealings with those cities, have asked the Lord time and again why He hasn't already judged the wickedness. Abraham is aware of what's about to happen, but he's concerned for the safety of anyone in those cities who might believe on the Lord, such as his nephew Lot. In tomorrow's passage we find him interceding for believers by asking the Lord, "Will You sweep away the righteous with the wicked?"
Monday, December 9, 2019
In The Beginning. Day 76, Three Visitors
Abraham receives three unexpected visitors in today's passage.
"The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground." (Genesis 18:1-2) It's not clear whether Abraham immediately recognizes this as a visit from the Lord or not, but as was the custom of the day, he hurries toward them to be a good host.
It's also unclear from the original text in the following verses whether Abraham is addressing the leader of the group of three as "lord" (in the same way we might respectfully call a man "sir" in our day) or whether he means "Lord" (which would indicate he's aware one of these men is the pre-incarnate Christ). The NIV translation renders it as "lord", but has a notation that it could also be translated as "Lord". "He said, 'If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way---now that you have come to your servant.'"(Genesis 18:3-5a)
In Abraham's day, it was considered an honor to be able to refresh weary travelers, so although his hospitality may seem a bit over the top in our time when we have to be wary of "stranger danger", Abraham's behavior is typical of a man of his day. The men agree to his suggestion. "'Very well,' they answered, 'do as you say.'" (Genesis 18:5b)
"So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. 'Quick,' he said, 'get three seahs of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.' Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree." (Genesis 18:6-8) He stays nearby, like a server in a restaurant or like a servant in the dining hall of a great mansion, in case his guests need anything.
They finish their meal and ask a question to which they already know the answer. "'Where is your wife Sarah?' they asked him." (Genesis 18:9a) I think they ask this question for at least a couple of reasons. One, it reveals to Abraham (in case he doesn't already know) that this is a visitation from the Lord. Abraham hasn't brought his wife out of the tent to introduce her to them. He hasn't been standing there chatting about her and about their life together. Yet they know he has a wife and they know her name. Second, Sarah is within earshot of them and will hear the mention of her name. This will draw her to the doorway of the tent.
Abraham answers them. "'There, in the tent,' he said. Then one of them said, 'I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.'" (Genesis 18:9b-10a) I believe that the one who speaks is the one often referred to in the Old Testament as "the angel of the Lord": an appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ, otherwise known as a "Christophany". You will recall that earlier in Genesis the slave girl Hagar was met by "the angel of the Lord" and that she recognized Him as the Lord and gave Him worship as the Lord.
This visit must be taking place quite soon after Abraham's conversation with the Lord in Chapter 17. In Chapter 17 the Lord promised Abraham that Sarah would have a son "by this time next year". Sarah won't realize she is pregnant until Chapter 21, so the events of Chapter 17 and Chapter 18 must have taken place very close to each other. "Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, 'After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?'" (Genesis 18:10b-12) Abraham laughed in Chapter 17 when the Lord promised him a son by Sarah, but his laugh was one of delight and of receiving news that seemed almost too good to be true. Sarah's reaction is generally accepted to be one of scorn. I believe this is how the text is intended to be read, and in my mind I can almost hear her make a disrespectful snort before she says in her thoughts, "Now that my husband is an old man, and now that I am past the age of menopause, I'm going to at last obtain my heart's desire of a son? I don't think so!"
I don't feel we should be too critical of Sarah. In many ways, she has dealt with far more than Abraham has due to her barrenness. During all the fertile years of her marriage, month after month she was disappointed that a child was not on the way. All that time, she saw other women who were pregnant, and other women with babies in their arms, and other women holding small children by the hand. You know that in the back of her mind she was thinking, "Why not me? Why am I passed over by the Lord while these women are blessed?" She endured far more pitying looks than Abraham ever did, for in their culture a woman without a child wasn't considered much of a woman at all. Men were respected for other things besides being a father, such as for their character and their hard work at their occupations. But if a woman had no children, people tended to think she had nothing much to show for her life.
Imagine how often Sarah was excluded from the social gatherings (the "mom" groups) of the women in her community. When she was younger, she didn't fit in with the busy moms of small children. Now that she's older, she doesn't fit in with the proud grandmas either. Imagine all the whispering that went on behind her back, with some ladies merely feeling sorry for her but with others speculating that the Lord must be displeased with her due to some sort of sin in her life. A woman in her day could easily end up homeless and destitute if she had no grown son to take care of her after her husband died, so in some ways having a son was a matter of life and death. Sarah is going to be ninety years old before she bears a child, and assuming she married in her late to mid teens as women of her era did, we can calculate that she's had seventy to seventy-five years to develop the attitude she has on the day she lurks in the tent doorway. It must have seemed like a cruel joke to hear the visitor proclaiming she will have a son in her arms by this time next year. She thought he was making fun of her because she's been made fun of so many times in the past by so many other people.
Remember, Sarah didn't laugh out loud or voice her thoughts out loud, so you can picture how shocked she is when the speaker reveals he is aware of her reaction. "Then the Lord said to Abraham, 'Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?' Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.'" (Genesis 18:13-14)
Overcome with fright, Sarah tells a lie. "Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, 'I did not laugh.' But he said, 'Yes, you did laugh.'" (Genesis 18:15) For some reason I think we want to read His words as if they were spoken in an accusatory tone, but I really don't believe this is the way they were spoken. The Lord wants Sarah, and all of us, to come clean with Him. We need to be honest with Him and honest with ourselves. Sarah doesn't have the faith at this point in her life to believe that she can ever bear a child. She knows how a woman's body works. She knows that her fertile years are far behind her and that, even when she still had the physical signs of a fertile body, something was wrong. Something didn't allow conception to take place in her body. The Lord wants her to admit to herself and to Him: "I hear what You're saying but I just don't have what it takes to believe You. I've been disappointed too many times. I would love to believe You, but I don't dare let myself believe such a thing could be true. I think one more disappointment will kill me."
I'm reminded of the father of a demon-possessed boy who asked Jesus to help him and then said, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24) That father knew Jesus had done great things for others, or so he had heard. He wanted to believe Jesus would do great things for him, and in a way he did believe it, but in another way he didn't. I can relate to this so much! I can believe that the Lord is fully able to do a great thing for me, yet at the same time doubt that He will. I can believe He will do great things for others while doubting He will do great things for me. He knows we think like this and He wants us to admit it so He can help us. I think when the Lord says to Sarah, "Yes, you did laugh," He's not putting her down or accusing her of anything. I think He's asking her to acknowledge her doubts and be willing to take a leap of faith. That's what the father of the sick boy did in Mark 9: he admitted his doubts and asked the Lord to help him with them. We can't heal ourselves of our doubts, so the best thing we can do is admit to ourselves and the Lord that we have them and ask Him to relieve us of these doubts.
"The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground." (Genesis 18:1-2) It's not clear whether Abraham immediately recognizes this as a visit from the Lord or not, but as was the custom of the day, he hurries toward them to be a good host.
It's also unclear from the original text in the following verses whether Abraham is addressing the leader of the group of three as "lord" (in the same way we might respectfully call a man "sir" in our day) or whether he means "Lord" (which would indicate he's aware one of these men is the pre-incarnate Christ). The NIV translation renders it as "lord", but has a notation that it could also be translated as "Lord". "He said, 'If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way---now that you have come to your servant.'"(Genesis 18:3-5a)
In Abraham's day, it was considered an honor to be able to refresh weary travelers, so although his hospitality may seem a bit over the top in our time when we have to be wary of "stranger danger", Abraham's behavior is typical of a man of his day. The men agree to his suggestion. "'Very well,' they answered, 'do as you say.'" (Genesis 18:5b)
"So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. 'Quick,' he said, 'get three seahs of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.' Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree." (Genesis 18:6-8) He stays nearby, like a server in a restaurant or like a servant in the dining hall of a great mansion, in case his guests need anything.
They finish their meal and ask a question to which they already know the answer. "'Where is your wife Sarah?' they asked him." (Genesis 18:9a) I think they ask this question for at least a couple of reasons. One, it reveals to Abraham (in case he doesn't already know) that this is a visitation from the Lord. Abraham hasn't brought his wife out of the tent to introduce her to them. He hasn't been standing there chatting about her and about their life together. Yet they know he has a wife and they know her name. Second, Sarah is within earshot of them and will hear the mention of her name. This will draw her to the doorway of the tent.
Abraham answers them. "'There, in the tent,' he said. Then one of them said, 'I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.'" (Genesis 18:9b-10a) I believe that the one who speaks is the one often referred to in the Old Testament as "the angel of the Lord": an appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ, otherwise known as a "Christophany". You will recall that earlier in Genesis the slave girl Hagar was met by "the angel of the Lord" and that she recognized Him as the Lord and gave Him worship as the Lord.
This visit must be taking place quite soon after Abraham's conversation with the Lord in Chapter 17. In Chapter 17 the Lord promised Abraham that Sarah would have a son "by this time next year". Sarah won't realize she is pregnant until Chapter 21, so the events of Chapter 17 and Chapter 18 must have taken place very close to each other. "Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, 'After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?'" (Genesis 18:10b-12) Abraham laughed in Chapter 17 when the Lord promised him a son by Sarah, but his laugh was one of delight and of receiving news that seemed almost too good to be true. Sarah's reaction is generally accepted to be one of scorn. I believe this is how the text is intended to be read, and in my mind I can almost hear her make a disrespectful snort before she says in her thoughts, "Now that my husband is an old man, and now that I am past the age of menopause, I'm going to at last obtain my heart's desire of a son? I don't think so!"
I don't feel we should be too critical of Sarah. In many ways, she has dealt with far more than Abraham has due to her barrenness. During all the fertile years of her marriage, month after month she was disappointed that a child was not on the way. All that time, she saw other women who were pregnant, and other women with babies in their arms, and other women holding small children by the hand. You know that in the back of her mind she was thinking, "Why not me? Why am I passed over by the Lord while these women are blessed?" She endured far more pitying looks than Abraham ever did, for in their culture a woman without a child wasn't considered much of a woman at all. Men were respected for other things besides being a father, such as for their character and their hard work at their occupations. But if a woman had no children, people tended to think she had nothing much to show for her life.
Imagine how often Sarah was excluded from the social gatherings (the "mom" groups) of the women in her community. When she was younger, she didn't fit in with the busy moms of small children. Now that she's older, she doesn't fit in with the proud grandmas either. Imagine all the whispering that went on behind her back, with some ladies merely feeling sorry for her but with others speculating that the Lord must be displeased with her due to some sort of sin in her life. A woman in her day could easily end up homeless and destitute if she had no grown son to take care of her after her husband died, so in some ways having a son was a matter of life and death. Sarah is going to be ninety years old before she bears a child, and assuming she married in her late to mid teens as women of her era did, we can calculate that she's had seventy to seventy-five years to develop the attitude she has on the day she lurks in the tent doorway. It must have seemed like a cruel joke to hear the visitor proclaiming she will have a son in her arms by this time next year. She thought he was making fun of her because she's been made fun of so many times in the past by so many other people.
Remember, Sarah didn't laugh out loud or voice her thoughts out loud, so you can picture how shocked she is when the speaker reveals he is aware of her reaction. "Then the Lord said to Abraham, 'Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?' Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.'" (Genesis 18:13-14)
Overcome with fright, Sarah tells a lie. "Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, 'I did not laugh.' But he said, 'Yes, you did laugh.'" (Genesis 18:15) For some reason I think we want to read His words as if they were spoken in an accusatory tone, but I really don't believe this is the way they were spoken. The Lord wants Sarah, and all of us, to come clean with Him. We need to be honest with Him and honest with ourselves. Sarah doesn't have the faith at this point in her life to believe that she can ever bear a child. She knows how a woman's body works. She knows that her fertile years are far behind her and that, even when she still had the physical signs of a fertile body, something was wrong. Something didn't allow conception to take place in her body. The Lord wants her to admit to herself and to Him: "I hear what You're saying but I just don't have what it takes to believe You. I've been disappointed too many times. I would love to believe You, but I don't dare let myself believe such a thing could be true. I think one more disappointment will kill me."
I'm reminded of the father of a demon-possessed boy who asked Jesus to help him and then said, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24) That father knew Jesus had done great things for others, or so he had heard. He wanted to believe Jesus would do great things for him, and in a way he did believe it, but in another way he didn't. I can relate to this so much! I can believe that the Lord is fully able to do a great thing for me, yet at the same time doubt that He will. I can believe He will do great things for others while doubting He will do great things for me. He knows we think like this and He wants us to admit it so He can help us. I think when the Lord says to Sarah, "Yes, you did laugh," He's not putting her down or accusing her of anything. I think He's asking her to acknowledge her doubts and be willing to take a leap of faith. That's what the father of the sick boy did in Mark 9: he admitted his doubts and asked the Lord to help him with them. We can't heal ourselves of our doubts, so the best thing we can do is admit to ourselves and the Lord that we have them and ask Him to relieve us of these doubts.
Sunday, December 8, 2019
In The Beginning. Day 75, Abraham Laughs With Delight
In yesterday's passage the Lord made it very clear to Abraham that the promised son would be born to him by his wife Sarah. Upon hearing this news at different times, both Abraham and Sarah will laugh. Abraham's laugh is one of delight.
"Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, 'Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?'" (Genesis 17:17) I don't get the feeling that Abraham is scoffing at the idea. Sarah will scoff at the idea, but when I read Abraham's words the impression I get is that he is hearing news that seems almost too good to be true. Has anyone ever told you something so good that you can't help repeating what they just said to you? For example, maybe a doctor told you the biopsy came back normal. You might laugh with relief and say, "So it was normal?" Or maybe you were offered a job you really wanted and when you received the phone call that you had the job, you said, "I got the job?" There's something so human and so relatable about Abraham falling to his knees in thankfulness while laughing and repeating the news he just heard.
As delightful as this news is, Abraham is worried about the child he fathered outside of the Lord's will by taking the Egyptian slave Hagar as his second wife. It's natural he would be concerned about the son he already has. "And Abraham said to God, 'If only Ishmael might live under Your blessing!'" (Genesis 17:18) Abraham was eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born, and in Chapter 17 we are told that Abraham is now ninety-nine, so Ishmael is thirteen by the time the Lord has this encounter with Abraham. Of course Abraham cares about his thirteen-year-old son. Of course he wants the Lord to bless Ishmael as well as the promised son who has not yet arrived. He may be afraid that the Lord will ignore Ishmael since he is not the son of the promise. God won't fail to bless Ishmael, but He reminds Abraham that there is a difference between the two sons and a difference between their destinies.
"Then God said, 'Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you; I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.' When He had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him." (Genesis 17:19-22) The name "Isaac" means "he laughs" or "he will rejoice". This is further proof that Abraham's laugh was not one of scorn but one of delight. This promised son will make Abraham laugh and rejoice in his old age.
In yesterday's passage the Lord gave Abraham a specific sign that must be performed on all the males of his family line and all the male servants and slaves of his household. It is to be a sign of the covenant between them and God, and a daily reminder that their trust is to be in the Lord and not in the flesh (faith and not works, in other words). Abraham sets about performing this sign immediately. "On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, and his son Ishmael was thirteen; Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on that very day. And every male in Abraham's household, including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him." (Genesis 17:23-27)
Every male of his household shares in the covenant, the blessings, and the promises---whether they are related to Abraham by birth or whether they were the sons of his servants or whether they were purchased from foreign traders. A believer in the household sanctifies the household, and we don't know whether anyone else in Abraham's home had the kind of faith he did, but the Lord intends to bless them all because of their association with Abraham. Maybe you are the only believer in your household. That's a tough position to be in; I've been there myself. But don't be discouraged. God hears the prayers you make on behalf of your loved ones, just as He heard the prayers of Abraham on behalf of his loved ones. For example, if the wife is the only believer in her home, her very presence brings blessings upon the occupants of the home as she sets an example of godly living. If only the husband is a believer, his presence and authority in the home brings the protection of God into the home. If only a child has come to faith in Christ, that child is going to have a great influence on his parents as they observe his faith and manner of living---and the Lord is most certainly going to hear the faithful prayers of a child.
So don't be discouraged. If you're the only person in your home who is striving to honor the Lord, keep on keeping on. Keep your focus on the Lord and be consistent in prayer for your loved ones. As the Apostle James, the brother of the Lord Jesus, said: "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." (James 5:16b)
"Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, 'Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?'" (Genesis 17:17) I don't get the feeling that Abraham is scoffing at the idea. Sarah will scoff at the idea, but when I read Abraham's words the impression I get is that he is hearing news that seems almost too good to be true. Has anyone ever told you something so good that you can't help repeating what they just said to you? For example, maybe a doctor told you the biopsy came back normal. You might laugh with relief and say, "So it was normal?" Or maybe you were offered a job you really wanted and when you received the phone call that you had the job, you said, "I got the job?" There's something so human and so relatable about Abraham falling to his knees in thankfulness while laughing and repeating the news he just heard.
As delightful as this news is, Abraham is worried about the child he fathered outside of the Lord's will by taking the Egyptian slave Hagar as his second wife. It's natural he would be concerned about the son he already has. "And Abraham said to God, 'If only Ishmael might live under Your blessing!'" (Genesis 17:18) Abraham was eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born, and in Chapter 17 we are told that Abraham is now ninety-nine, so Ishmael is thirteen by the time the Lord has this encounter with Abraham. Of course Abraham cares about his thirteen-year-old son. Of course he wants the Lord to bless Ishmael as well as the promised son who has not yet arrived. He may be afraid that the Lord will ignore Ishmael since he is not the son of the promise. God won't fail to bless Ishmael, but He reminds Abraham that there is a difference between the two sons and a difference between their destinies.
"Then God said, 'Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you; I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.' When He had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him." (Genesis 17:19-22) The name "Isaac" means "he laughs" or "he will rejoice". This is further proof that Abraham's laugh was not one of scorn but one of delight. This promised son will make Abraham laugh and rejoice in his old age.
In yesterday's passage the Lord gave Abraham a specific sign that must be performed on all the males of his family line and all the male servants and slaves of his household. It is to be a sign of the covenant between them and God, and a daily reminder that their trust is to be in the Lord and not in the flesh (faith and not works, in other words). Abraham sets about performing this sign immediately. "On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, and his son Ishmael was thirteen; Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on that very day. And every male in Abraham's household, including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him." (Genesis 17:23-27)
Every male of his household shares in the covenant, the blessings, and the promises---whether they are related to Abraham by birth or whether they were the sons of his servants or whether they were purchased from foreign traders. A believer in the household sanctifies the household, and we don't know whether anyone else in Abraham's home had the kind of faith he did, but the Lord intends to bless them all because of their association with Abraham. Maybe you are the only believer in your household. That's a tough position to be in; I've been there myself. But don't be discouraged. God hears the prayers you make on behalf of your loved ones, just as He heard the prayers of Abraham on behalf of his loved ones. For example, if the wife is the only believer in her home, her very presence brings blessings upon the occupants of the home as she sets an example of godly living. If only the husband is a believer, his presence and authority in the home brings the protection of God into the home. If only a child has come to faith in Christ, that child is going to have a great influence on his parents as they observe his faith and manner of living---and the Lord is most certainly going to hear the faithful prayers of a child.
So don't be discouraged. If you're the only person in your home who is striving to honor the Lord, keep on keeping on. Keep your focus on the Lord and be consistent in prayer for your loved ones. As the Apostle James, the brother of the Lord Jesus, said: "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." (James 5:16b)
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