Week 31, Day 5: My sister
Today’s Reading: Genesis 20:1-20
Some thoughts from the reading…
Chapter 20 is one of those accounts where it just doesn’t make sense what Abraham does. Abraham moves to the area of the Negev (southern Palestine) and once again tells people that Sarah is his sister. I understand his reasoning but God has already promised him to be a shield to him, Gen 15:1. So why this fear that the people will kill him and take his wife? What I take from this chapter is that everyone has struggles. Abraham had this fear of people seeing Sarah and killing him to get her. He did not trust that God would keep these things from happening. Abraham had already had a similar thing happen in Egypt but again he is coming into a new area where he does not know if they fear God. You can imagine how intimidating it would be to come to an area and not know anything about the people and here you have a very beautiful wife. So I can understand the fear but not his actions. But I think that when you put it into the perspective that we each have fears or things that we struggle with it could make more sense. Perhaps this fear was Abraham’s shortcoming that he had to overcome in the future. He had to learn to trust that God would not leave him exposed to harm and unprotected.
Let us remember this when we find areas of our lives where we struggle with uncertainty or fear. God is greater than anything in this life and even if the enemy takes our life, we must hold to doing what is right in God’s sight. They can harm the body but cannot harm the soul as long as we are true to God, Matt 10:28.
Week 31, Day 3: The Lord visits Abraham
Today’s Reading: Genesis 18:1-33
Some thoughts from the reading…
Abraham is visited by three men. We are not told anything about what they looked like or whether it was Abraham’s custom to greet all passerbies in the manner he did with these. It is interesting to consider how Abraham knew he was speaking with the Lord.
The Lord tells Abraham that when He returns this time next year Sarah will have a child. Sarah was “advanced in age” and “past childbearing”. But the Lord would now give Abraham the promised child and has told him the time is at hand. All these years of waiting are coming to an end.
I want to focus most of this post by looking at the discourse regarding Sodom and Gomorrah. After the three visited Abraham they turn and went toward Sodom. They tell Abraham that the sin of these cities “is exceedingly grave”. They are going to see if the people have done entirely according to “its outcry, which has come to Me.” This sounds similar to when God told Cain that the voice of Abel’s blood cries out to Him from the ground, Gen 4:10. The sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was grave and it cried out to God. It is interesting to consider this concept of how the Lord knows what has occurred.
Today there are some who try to say that the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was that they were not hospitable. They say this to avoid admitting that the sin of Sodom involved homosexuality. Homosexuality was not their only sin but it reflected their depraved mind and actions, Ezek 16:46-50, Jude 1:7. No matter what some may claim was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah, it is obvious to see what these men found when they went into Sodom. They were going to “see if they have done entirely according to its outcry”. They were going to investigate and see what the city was like. What did they find? Look for yourself when we read tomorrow from chapter 19. What actions did they find? It is not hard to see what sin the people of Sodom exhibited very boldly and openly. Yes, homosexuality was not their only sin but it refllected the way these cities had degenerated and crept into ungodliness and sinfulness.
I also find the asking of Abraham for mercy very interesting. Abraham pleaded with the Lord for Him not to destroy the righteous with the wicked. He then begins to respectfully entreat the Lord to see how few righteous were needed in order for the city to be spared. I want to emphasize how respectful Abraham was during this dialogue. Abraham always showed piety in the way he acted toward the Lord. He had washed their feet when they first turned aside to his tent, he gave them a generous meal (a tender, choice calf), walked with them to send them off, and now speaks in a respectful way to ask regarding the city of Sodom.
The main reason I find this dialogue intriguing is when you think about how corrupt the world is today and specifically how corrupt the USA has become in its morals. Abortion, fornication, adultery, homosexuality, divorce, murder, etc are rampant. We live in a perverse generation who are bold and unashamed in committing their sin. How many righteous must be present to keep this nation from destruction? God raises up nations and brings them down, Jer 18:5-10. How long will God be patient with this nation? I have often wondered this question. When you consider that only 10 righteous people in the city of Sodom would have spared the city from destruction it really drives home the thought that the righteous are the salt of the earth. It is impressive how little salt it takes to make a difference in a meal. Though we may be few, we can make a BIG difference when we are godly people. Let us be the salt of the earth and try to make as much difference as we can in the lives of those around us. Also, remember that God does not ever forget you. Even if you are surrounded by such wickedness, God will not forget nor abandon you. He will remember your righteous deeds and faithful service to Him.
Week 31, Day 2: Circumcision
Today’s Reading: Genesis 17:1-27
Some thoughts from the reading…
God changes Abram’s name to Abraham, meaning “father of a multitude”. Sarai’s name is also changed to Sarah. Abraham is now 99 years old and Sarah is 90. God tells Abraham that he will have a child with Sarah. Abraham laughs in his heart thinking about how old they are. But God tells him that he will have a child with Sarah and name him Isaac, meaning “he laughs”. Abraham had now been waiting at least 13 years to receive the son promised to him (he was promised a son in chapter 15, in chapter 16 we are told Abraham is 86 and now he is 99). You can understand why Abraham would laugh in his heart, to think that such an elderly man could have a son with an elderly woman. But with God all things are possible. This should be a reminder to us that God can do the impossible and that we should never loose heart, God will always keep his promises, even if we have to wait longer than we would prefer before we see them fulfilled.
Abraham is told to circumcise all in his household as a sign of the covenant with God. We are told that Abraham did this that same day. I believe the quick obedience of Abraham is an indication that Abraham believed what God told him. We are told by Paul in Rom 4:20-21 that Abraham did not waver in unbelief regarding God’s promise. I believe we can see from Abraham’s quick response to the command to circumcise himself and his household his committment to God and his acceptance that God would do as he told him.
One last note. It was pointed out to me one time what significance Abraham’s name had. We don’t usually have a meaning behind the names we have or give to our children. We just like how the name sounds and select to name our child such because of that. Often in the OT we see a child named something and the meaning of the name given. Often their names had significance and a message behind it. Abraham meant father of a multitude. Here is a 99 year old man with one son by a maid who is given this name. Can you imagine when Abraham met someone and told them his name, I can see them asking him how many children he had. One. But another is coming! This would probably seem very odd to those who would come across Abraham. The father of a multitude with one child and claiming that he will have another at 99. Again, no matter what the situation looks like to man, all things are possible with God. Do we believe this. Do we believe that God hears our prayers and will answer them. Pray believing and we will receive. God can cure the sick and God can aid us, comfort us and give us peace. Let us keep in mind that although the way may seem hard or impossible, God is able. We walk by faith not by sight. Faith in God, not in the things we see or what man thinks are possible.
Week 31, Day 1: Hagar conceives
Today’s Reading: Genesis 16:1-15
Some thoughts from the reading…
I appologize for not having done the post yesterday. So there will be two posts today.
Poor Sarai. She has been unable to bare any children for so long. In an act of desperation she talks Abram into taking her maid for a wife. Abram does so and Hagar conceives a child. But everything is not well. Hagar despises Sarai after she is able to conceive. It appears to me that Hagar now wants to be more highly regarded than Sarai since she has conceived a child for Abram. It is seen several times in the scriptures that multiple wives would try to out do each other and gain the love and approval of their husband by bearing more children to him than the other wife. I believe here we have another situation such as that. But instead of being able to rise above Sarai and gain more favor from Abram, Sarai is given permission to treat her how she deems fit – harshly.
This situation makes me think of what happens when man decides he is going to “take things into his own hands” and chooses some course of action that disregards God’s instruction. How many times do we come across a situation where a person appears to have good intentions but they have decided to do something that is clearly so unwise. When man makes these hasty decisions or decides to compromise his morals to try and gain something, the result is often catastrophy. Sarai took things into her own hands and ended up causing a big mess of things. I would hope that we could learn from such examples that God’s way is always the best way and we need to trust that God will take care of things, wait upon the Lord.
Ishmael, Hagar’s son, was born when Abram was 86 years old. Abram had now been in Canaan for 10 years. Ishmael’s descendants would indeed be too many to count. The area of nothern Arabia would become home to nomadic tribes who were descendants of Ishmael. Later we will see Joseph sold to a band of Ishmaelites (Gen 37:25-28). Ishmael was to be a “wild donkey of a man” and everyone’s hand would be against him. It is interesting that many Arabs today claim to be descendants of Ishmael. Many adherants of Islam claim a connection to Abraham through Ishmael. Islamic tradition claims that Abram built a house with Ishmael, the Kaaba, in Mecca. This is now a shrine that many Muslims make a pilgrimage to see. I find this interesting because of the statement that everyone’s hand will be against Ishmael and his against theirs and to see the conflict between those who claim to be descendants of Ishmael and those around them. Interesting.
Week 30, Day 5: The Covenant with Abram
Today’s Reading: Genesis 15:1-21
Some thoughts from the reading…
God speaks to Abram and promises to reward him greatly. Abram asks how God will reward him since he has no heir to inherit the things he owns. God promises him an heir from his own body. He will have a son who would inherit his possessions. God tells Abram to count the stars if he can, thus his descendants shall be numerous and uncountable. Abram believes God. This sounds simple enough but put yourself in the shoes of Abram. You are beginning to approach 100 and the Lord tells you that you will have a child, hard to believe it is possible. I wonder how much Abram knew of God. We often are so blessed to have scripture to look back on and gain strength from for our faith. Abram did not have those past accounts of God’s faithfulness to count on. And yet Abram had great faith and believed what God told him.
God tells Abram he will also inherit the land and possess it. Abram ask how he can know he will possess the land. God tells him to get two animals and bring them. God is telling him that He will enter into a covenant with Abram to do as He has promised. Cutting the animals in half and passing between the two pieces was apparently the method they used to enter into a covenant. After Abram cuts the animals in half he waits. After it is dark a flaming torch passes between the halves of the animals. Thus God entered into a covenant with Abram to give his descendants the land.
Great is God’s faithfulness. He did what He promised to Abram and delivered the land to Abram’s descendants.
Week 30, Day 4: War of the kings
Today’s Reading: Genesis 14:1-24
Some thoughts from the reading…
Chapter 14 tells us about a war between certain kings who had been serving King Chedorlaomer but then rebelled against him and his allies. The battle involved 9 kings total. Keep in mind that the kings of this day usually would have been rulers over a city and a small area nearby. After this battle Lot is taken captive and carried away. Abram goes to rescue his nephew. This account indicates to us the level to which Abram has been blessed by God. He is able to take with him 318 men who were born in his house. That is a lot of servants under one man’s household. God has blessed Abram greatly.
Abram attacks at night the four kings who have taken Lot captive. Abram is victorious and returns back with all the goods and people. It is noteworthy to see that Abram does not keep anything except what the young men have eaten a share for his allies, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, and the tenth portion which he gave to the priest Melchizedek. But Abram keeps nothing for himself lest someone would say that the king of Sodom made him rich. That is an interesting thing to be concerned about. Abram wanted no one to be able to say that a man had made him rich. Rather it would be clear to all that God was with him and blessed him with all these things.
Do we make sure that folks know where our blessings come from? God has been so good to us, let us make sure to give Him the thanks when talking to others about what we have or enjoy in life.
We also have a passing mention to the king of Salem, Melchizedek. Melchizedek is a priest of God Most High. Abram gave him one tenth of all the spoils from the battle. Melchizedek blesses Abram and blesses God who delivered Abram’s enemies into his hand. Melchizedek is a person we know little about and in the OT is only mentioned later in Psalm 110:4. Melchizedek is one of those examples that God had priests among the heathen nations. What he did or what he said is unknown. But we have some more information given about him in the book of Hebrews. In the book of Hebrews it is mentioned that Jesus was a priest after the order of Melchizedek because Jesus is a perpetual priest. Jesus was not of the Levitical priesthood but rather came from a different tribe, from the tribe of Judah. Jesus belonged to a higher priesthood than the Levitical priesthood because of what happened here in Gen 14. Abram paid tithes to Melchizedek. Levi was still in the loins of Abram at this time and therefore Levi paid tithes to this priest. Also Melchizedek blessed Abram. The greater blesses the lesser. Therefore the priesthood of Melchizedek is greater than the priesthood of Levi. Jesus being of the priesthood of Melchizedek is therefore of a higher, greater priesthood. It is interesting how this comes up in the NT to emphasize that Jesus is of a higher and better priesthood, see Hebrews 7.
Week 30, Day 3: The split
Today’s Reading: Genesis 13:1-18
Some thoughts from the reading…
Abram and Lot return to the land of Canaan from Egypt. We are told that Abram was very rich in livestock, gold and silver. The Lord has been blessing him richly already. Remember though that Sarai is barren and so they do not have any children yet. Lot also has much livestock and here enters the trouble. They both have so much that the land cannot sustain both of them while they live together. Their herdsmen are stepping on each other and it begins to cause strife. So they split up. Abram shows his goodness by offering Lot his pick of the land. Wherever Lot goes Abram will go elsewhere. This is very selfless of Abram.
After the split God tells Abram that all he sees will be given to his descendants. Again, this is told to Abram while he has no children and is well over 75 years old. Even in that time children were typically born well before this age. Think of the faith that was required of Abram. That while being told these promises to not doubt but believe God will do just as He says. Abram may not have yet understood how it would all happen but he believed God would cause it to be.
Week 30, Day 2: The journey to Canaan
Today’s Reading: Genesis 12:1-20
Some thoughts from the reading…
Many things happen here in chapter 12. Abram’s father had started to journey to Canaan but had settled in Haran, ch 11:21-32. God now tells Abram to journey to a “land I will show you”. Abram is now 75 years old and is told to leave his country, his relatives and his father’s house to a place that will be shown to him. You can understand how this would take faith. Leaving all you know behind, going where you’re led and believing that God will give him what is promised.
We see that Abram is godly by the way he sets up altars to God in various places. But we also see the bad side of Abram. In Egypt, Abram fears for his life and thus lies about Sarai being his wife. This shows the fact that Abram was a man with faults just like anyone else. What is interesting is to see that Abram did not learn from this encounter because he does a similar thing later in chapter 20.
Sarai must have been very beautiful to gain the attention of Pharoah and to then be chosen by him for a wife. Abram must have realized that her beauty could be a problem and feared the unknown response from these unfamiliar people. Remember that David had Uriah killed to gain his wife. However, it is still hard to see how a man would be willing to sit by while his wife is taken by another man as his wife.
God is looking out for Abram and causes Pharoah to realize there is a problem and correct it.
This situation should reinforce to us that although we are faced with the unknown and unfamiliar, we need to trust that God will take care of us, come what may. Do not let a situation cause you to abandon your dedication to doing what is right and good.
Note that Abram is a descendant of Shem, 11:10. Chapter 9:26-27 told us of the dominance Shem was to have and how Canaan will be his servant. Down the road we will see the descendants of Shem (Israel) taking and subjecting the descendants of Canaan to be their servants.
Week 30, Day 1: The Tower of Babel
Today’s Reading: Genesis 11:1-32
Some thoughts from the reading…
After the flood the people traveled east to a plain in the land of Shinar. This is the area where the empire Babylon will arise later (modern Iraq area), Dan 1:2. Here they decide to build a tower whose top will reach into heaven. They wanted to make a name for themselves. It is strange to me to consider why they wanted to do this. Some have suggested that the tower was intended to be some kind of safe haven in the event of another flood (the people used tar for mortar which might have made the structure water tight). This doesn’t make since though since God had made the covenant never to destroy all of mankind with a flood again. Whatever was the reason behind their actions they set about making what sounds like a massive tower (its top would reach into heaven). God “came down” to see what the sons of men were doing. This is an interesting image to consider. The aspect of God checking up on man and “coming” to see what they were doing. What He finds does not please Him. They would be able to accomplish much if left in this state. So God confused their language and thus they were scattered. This accomplished the purpose of God when He had told Noah to go out, be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth. Confusing their language would cause them to be scattered over the earth and fill the earth. But the confusing of the languages also seems to accomplish keeping man from being too boastful. The goals for building the tower seem to be man centered and selfish. Making a name for themselves and reaching to heaven all sounds very boastful things.
The other thing that stood out to me from the text is that when God saw what was happening with the tower He said, “come, let Us go down…” The use of us here reminds me of Gen 1:26 when God said, “let Us make man in our image”. Who is the “Us”? Is God just having a conversation with other heavenly beings? I believe here we have a reference to a conversation among the trinity. I am not sure that this can be proven beyond the shadow of a doubt but it seems likely.
Note that as the genealogies are mentioned in this chapter how the length of man’s life is quickly changing. He is no longer living as long. It is a mystery to consider why this would be. Did something about the flood change things so that man was not able to live as long? Obviously something changed because very quickly man’s lif span is shortened. Also, I think that it is funny to consider how much stock we put in our medical advances and yet the average life span is 78 or so. And here we picture people back then as know nothing shepherds and yet their life span was for a period of time so much longer. Their age length is an interesting thing to consider but no real answer to what caused the change in man’s lifespan can be found.
This chapter concludes with an introduction to Abram and Sarai. Very key figures who we will soon find out more about.