Lone Guardian

Lone Guardian

Genesis 19: Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. ² And he said, “Here now, my lords, please turn in to your servant’s house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.”

And they said, “No, but we will spend the night in the open square.”

³ But he insisted strongly; so they turned in to him and entered his house. Then he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.

 

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After leaving Abraham and Sarah, the angels arrived at Sodom. Lot was there in the gate to the city. He recognized the angels as being special. He insisted that they stay with him. He, just like Abraham, wanted to serve the angels by washing their feet.

 

My Observations:

• Lot took it upon himself to guard the city of Sodom, turning away innocent people.
• Lot did not partake in the ways of Sodom, but his family was not with him in his beliefs.
• The angels could easily protect themselves, but went with Lot to his house.

 

Lot was raised by Haran, Abram’s father. He heard the stories of Seth and Noah. He believed in the LORD’s ways, but chose poorly when he went to Sodom. He may have realized this choice was poor and tried to make up for it by guarding the city by himself.

 

When the angels appeared, he recognized them as beings from GOD. He knew he had to do something to protect them, thinking they needed protection. The angels were going to stay in the town square, but were convinced to stay in Lot’s house. I believe that angels are not omniscient, so they only had the information revealed to them by GOD.

 

They knew about Lot and his family as informed by GOD. They were sent on a mission to destroy Sodom. Lot brought the angels in his home, thinking he was going to send them on their way in the morning.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think Lot was sitting at the gate of the city?
• Have you ever been in a situation where you were the only one who believed in GOD’s ways?
• If you are the only believer in JESUS as your LORD and Savior in your area, what would you do?

Righteous Criteria

Righteous Criteria

Genesis 18: 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?”

²⁶ So the Lord said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.”

²⁷ Then Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: ²⁸ Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?”

So He said, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.”

²⁹ And he spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose there should be forty found there?”

So He said, “I will not do it for the sake of forty.”

³⁰ Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?”

So He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

³¹ And he said, “Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?”

So He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.”

³² Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?”

And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.” ³³ So the Lord went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.

 

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Abraham recognized that the LORD was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah from the cryptic words given by GOD. He was told by GOD that there was a great outcry against Sodom and Gomorra and their sin is very grave. Abraham knew GOD had come to destroy the city, so he began using his bargaining talents that he probably learned while acquiring his wealth.

 

My Observations:

• Abraham started with a very low number, thinking it would be ridiculous to destroy a city if fifty righteous people lived there.
• Abraham suddenly recognized that all of his numbers were too high when it came to finding righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah.
• GOD’s criteria for righteousness does not match human criteria.

 

Being born with a sin nature makes it hard to see GOD as HE really is. HE hold the criteria for what is righteous and what is not. HE gave Sodom and Gomorrah plenty of time to turn to HIM, but they refused and now HE was going to destroy it.

 

He allowed Abraham to try to bargain with HIM, attempting to convince HIM to not destroy the city.  GOD probably allowed this to show Abraham how far humans would fall and that HE holds the criteria for what is righteous. Abraham was probably concerned about Lot and his family. So he bargained feverishly to no avail.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD allow Abraham to bargain with HIM?
• Have you ever tried to bargain with GOD, trying to convince HIM to give you something?
• Will you align with GOD versus trying to bargain with HIM today?

Given a Peek into the Plan

 

Given a Peek into the Plan

Genesis 18: ¹⁶ Then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on the way. ¹⁷ And the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, ¹⁸ since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? ¹⁹ For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.” ²⁰ And the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, ²¹ I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”

 

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JESUS and the angels had another reason for showing up. While they told Abraham and Sarah, they would miraculously have a child, they also came to judge Sodom and Gomorrah.

 

My Observations:

• GOD did not have to tell Abraham about the plan, but informed him, possibly as a warning to everyone.
• GOD gave Abraham directions on how to act by telling him to “keep the way of the LORD.”
• GOD made sure the future of Abraham’s children would continue if they did “righteousness and justice.”

 

GOD allowed people to freely sin, possibly showing grace that humans would question. HE does not mention the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in these words, but later Abraham knew that’s what was going to happen. GOD’s grace for sin seems strange to those who want to see HIM apply HIS judgement, but what’s missing in this blind view is maybe GOD is showing you, the reader, grace to give you time to turn to HIM.

 

The people in Sodom and Gomorrah had sinned enough. GOD’s ways are not our ways, so HE allowed the sin to reach a certain point, then HE said to Abraham, HE was going to put an end to it. This group of people were intelligent enough to create the human’s version of the Garden of Eden. Wells watered the plants so there was plenty.

 

But where there was plenty, there was sin. They had done everything without following GOD or listening to HIM. Eventually they had reached a level of depravity that was so great, GOD had to put an end to it. GOD intervened and included Abraham in on the plan.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think GOD waits to intervene when we sin?
• Are you busy questioning why GOD does things the way HE does without seeing if HE is giving you grace?
• Are you willing to surrender your thoughts, ways and actions to GOD, so JESUS can be LORD of your life today?

Switched Focus

Switched Focus

Genesis 18: ⁹ Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?”

 

So he said, “Here, in the tent.”

 

¹⁰ And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.”

 

(Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.) ¹¹ Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. ¹² Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

 

¹³ And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ ¹⁴ Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”

 

¹⁵ But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid.

And He said, “No, but you did laugh!”

 

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Up to this point everything was about Abraham. GOD spoke to him directly and told him to leave his father’s house and go to a place where I will show you. Abraham immediately obeyed. GOD then spoke to Abraham a few more times. But this time was different. JESUS and the angels asked together, “Where is Sarah your wife/”

 

My Observations:

• Sarah had faith to go with Abraham to a place GOD told him to go, but she was not told by GOD.
• Sarah had faith to maintain the cattle and the property while Abraham went to rescue Lot and Sodom’s stuff.
• Sarah’s laughter was filled with mixed emotions possibly because up to this point it had been all about Abraham.

 

“Where is Sarah your wife” seems to be a question to Abraham that she should have been present at the dinner. GOD knew where she was physically. But why isn’t she here? Over the years, Abraham may have expressed “his” relationship with GOD, but did not express hers. Abraham had left out the most important component to the promise, namely his wife.

 

Sarah laughed inside herself when she overheard the news for herself. BUT GOD heard the laughter. I believe HE wasn’t scolding her when HE said “No, but you did laugh!”, rather HE was bringing her into the spotlight by speaking to both Abraham and Sarah. The focus was no longer only on Abraham, but on both of them. GOD would return "at the appointed time."

 

Challenge

• Why did GOD ask Abraham about Sarah’s laughter when providing this conversation to Moses?
• Have you ever felt left out of the promises of GOD while HE uses other people?
• Can you believe that GOD sees you and has a special part of HIS plan specifically for you?