The Knowledge of Men and God

 Abraham's 'Safe' Lying Policy Abraham had a lying policy. We see it in Egypt and now we see it in Genesis 20 when Abraham goes through Gerar. Gerar was a nation whose king was Abimelech. It seems that the nation wasn’t all that good. Though Abraham’s fears came from unbelief in God, they must have had some grounds in the morality of the nation. Abraham’s policy was as follows: [Gen 20:13 NKJV] – 13 "And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said to her, 'This [is] your kindness that you should do for me: in every place, wherever we go, say of me, "He [is] my brother." ' " Sarah was a beautiful woman and Abraham knew that. And to make sure people wouldn’t kill him for his wife he lied about her. They would say she was her sister.  Technically this was true: [Gen 20:12 NKJV] – 12 "But indeed [she is] truly my sister. She [is] the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she becam...

 Destroyer of Sodom Sodom, Gomorrah and the cities around it were to be destroyed for their wickedness.  God was judging the issue and now the time for destruction had come. But we must accurately see the context of this terrifying judgment here. It says that: [Gen 19:23-25 NKJV] 23 The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar. 24 Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens. 25 So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. Deuteronomy says that the entire plain turned into brimstone, salt and burning while nothing can be sowed there. Lot’s own wife who looked back to Sodom with desire to it turned into a pillar of salt. And when Abraham went out of his tent in the morning the sight is simply solemn: [Gen 19:27-28 NKJV] 27 And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD. 28 Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, an...

 Hurry, Lot! The time for the destruction of Sodom had come.  Lot was to go out of the city with his family. But he lingered. He loved his possessions a lot and had some relatives who did not want to go with him. In a way he was bound to Sodom, even though he hated the culture. The angels who were with him to bring him out however wanted  to instill a different spirit in him. They emphasized that he should hurry and not even look back. Every cord to that city had to be broken, even if it was hard. No hesitation should be displayed, but there should have been a full confidence in God and the prioritizing of following His warnings and commandments.  His overly strong love for his possessions which is revealed in his lingering and the fact he chose to live here as seen in Genesis 13 had to be fought against. And his family had to do the same thing. The judgment was coming soon and knowing Lot’s weakness they told him to hurry in multiple instances: [Gen 19:15-22 NKJV] 1...

 God did not Leave Lot God’s mercy often shines the brightest in His judgments. Sodom is not an exception. It is true, Sodom was to be destroyed by fire. Abraham had bargained with God so that if there would even be 10 righteous people within that entire city, then the whole city would be spared. But there were not even 10 righteous people found. God could have simply destroyed the whole city, but Lot the– nephew of Abraham – was still in there.  Now Lot had some good qualities. He showed great generosity and self-sacrifice by inviting those strangers to his home in Genesis 19 and defending them against the Sodomite gang. He also believed and the people in Sodom at least saw something of Lot’s faith since they felt like they were constantly being judged by him. He was not popular because of it. Yet, at the same time, Lot had quite a weak character. He did not take his faith seriously enough for people to know he wasn’t joking when he said God would judge the city. He offered h...

Lingering Lot  Sodom was about to be destroyed and Lot was still inside the city with his family.  But the angels told him to go, even after his sons in law thought he was joking: [Gen 19:12-15 NKJV] 12 Then the men said to Lot, "Have you anyone else here? Son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city--take [them] out of this place! 13 "For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it." 14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, "Get up, get out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city!" But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking. 15 When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, "Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city." At this point Lot should have been determined to leave. He had...

 Unserious Lot When Sodom was destroyed Lot and his family were saved. Lot had invited the two angels who were sent to his home and this saved his life.  But Lot had made many mistakes. Abraham had given him the choice for which land to live in when they split. Lot chose the richest land without any regard for Abraham or the society he would get himself into. But what kind of life did he live in Sodom? We know he was still a believer and God had mercy on him. But he had some serious flaws. This is visible in Genesis 19 where he wanted to save his sons in law who were born in Sodom. [Gen 19:12-14 NKJV] 12 Then the men said to Lot, "Have you anyone else here? Son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city--take [them] out of this place! 13 "For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it." 14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had mar...

 Sodom: Gang of Beasts Sodom is known as a prime example of wickedness. It was destroyed by God Himself with fire from heaven. The Old and New Testament themselves often use Sodom as an example for the end of the wicked. In Scripture we get a little insight into what the people in Sodom were like in Genesis 19. We will analyze what the end-road of wickedness looks like where people are basically ripe for destruction. It is this spirit we want to avoid. Now it is human psychology. Naturally, without God’s Spirit, we would be quite similar.  We all have somewhat of a Sodomite inside, in whatever way it may express itself. But this was unbridled and in quite an abominable form. In Genesis 19 two angels show up in Sodom to investigate the city and see if it was really that bad to be destroyed. No one seems to know these were angels. Abraham thought they were weary travelers earlier and Lot thought these were men who were in danger since it was almost night.  These angels seem...

 Hospitality in Sodom Sodom was doomed. Three men had come to Abraham's doorstep and though he didn’t realise it at first, two of these were angels and one of them was God Himself.  Because of Abraham’s liberal hospitality he had the chance to talk with God about Sodom and successfully pray for mercy. If 10 righteous people were found within Sodom the city would be spared, including Lot, Abraham’s nephew. But there weren’t even 10 righteous people. And yet, Lot would be saved. Hospitality would again be the means through which God would show mercy just as with Abraham. It was the hospitality of Lot that brought him in a saving contact with the two angels who now went to Sodom. Abraham did not at first know that the men he took into his house were angels. So it is now with Lot. Hebrews talks about this: [Heb 13:2 NKJV] 2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so [doing] some have unwittingly entertained angels. We read in Genesis: [Gen 19:1-3 NKJV] 1 Now the two angels ca...

 Lot Fears Lot chose to live in the wicked cities that God had overthrown because he wanted possessions.  But everything was destroyed by God’s judgment in fire. Sodom had been consumed.  Had it not been for Lot’s righteous inclination, the faith of Abraham and God’s boundless mercy and compassion he would have been destroyed with them. But he was saved, even if he was weak, with his daughters.  Earlier he was told to go into the mountains, but he feared the mountains. [Gen 19:17-22 NKJV] 17 So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed." 18 Then Lot said to them, "Please, no, my lords! 19 "Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die. 20 "See now, this c...

 Bargaining with God Abraham was a friend of God, but he also feared God and had great respect for Him. He kept His law and taught his household to go in the ways of the Lord. But when God told Abraham that He was going to investigate Sodom, where his nephew Lot was, and judge it, Abraham responded to God. He was very bold towards God. [Gen 18:22-25 NKJV] 22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD. 23 And Abraham came near and said, "Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24 "Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare [it] for the fifty righteous that were in it? 25 "Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Respect towards God in prayer does not exclude boldness or even a kind of b...