Genesis
Chapter 18
Before Destruction
... God Visits
... the Righteous
... God Visits
... the Righteous
v.1
"And the LORD
v.3
v.6
v.16
v.17
v.18
v.20
"grievous"
[H3513]
Something is very wrong in Sodom and Gomorrah.
The sounds coming out of these places are not normal.
Perhaps they are very vexing sounds of misery ... the sounds of extremely dark places ... so deeply burdened with sin ... they have become void of the knowledge and love of God
...and are now only able to experience the pain and suffering that accompanies the final stages of man's deadly spiritual disease
... called "sin."
While men build towers to achieve powers ... in reality ... they are spiraling downward on the wide road that leads to destruction.
The only direction they are going is backwards ... de-volving
...such is the nature of sin
... It is an increasingly eroding process ... that ends in personal death
... as well as the death of a civilization.
v.22
v.23
v.26
appeared unto him
[Abraham]
in the plains
of Mamre:
of Mamre:
and he sat
in the tent door
in the tent door
in the heat
of the day; ..."
of the day; ..."
"Mamre"
[H4471]
= place of nourishment
[H4471]
= place of nourishment
= for "strength".. vigour
Abraham was sitting in a place of "strength" in the plains of "Mamre"
... positioned in spiritual ... as well as physical ... strength.
It was not his own strength that had brought him to Mamre.
... It was all God's doing ... for we are told in Hebrews 11:8 ... that Abraham was a man of faith
... He had been thoroughly nourished by the Word of God.
Therefore ... we can also assume that it was not uncommon for Abraham to commune with God in his tent ... in the heat of the day.
... HOWEVER ... there was something very different about this particular "visit" with the Lord ... on this particular day.
... positioned in spiritual ... as well as physical ... strength.
It was not his own strength that had brought him to Mamre.
... It was all God's doing ... for we are told in Hebrews 11:8 ... that Abraham was a man of faith
... He had been thoroughly nourished by the Word of God.
Therefore ... we can also assume that it was not uncommon for Abraham to commune with God in his tent ... in the heat of the day.
... HOWEVER ... there was something very different about this particular "visit" with the Lord ... on this particular day.
v.2
"And he
lift up his eyes
lift up his eyes
and
looked,
and, lo,
looked,
and, lo,
three men
stood by him:
stood by him:
and
when he saw them,
when he saw them,
he ran
to meet them
to meet them
from the tent door,
and
bowed himself
bowed himself
toward the ground, ..."
Interesting ... Abraham is visited by "three" men ... reminding us of the Godhead
...then bowing and referring to this Visitor(s) addressing (T)Him as, "My Lord."
Interesting ... Abraham is visited by "three" men ... reminding us of the Godhead
...then bowing and referring to this Visitor(s) addressing (T)Him as, "My Lord."
v.3
"And said, My Lord,
if now I have found
favour in thy sight,
pass not away,
I pray thee,
from thy servant:
v.4
Let a little water,
I pray you,
I pray you,
be fetched,
and
wash your feet,
wash your feet,
and
rest yourselves
rest yourselves
under the tree:
v.5
v.5
And
I will fetch
I will fetch
a 'morsel of bread',
and
comfort ye
your hearts;
comfort ye
your hearts;
after that
ye shall pass on:
ye shall pass on:
for therefore
are ye come
are ye come
to your servant.
And they said,
So do, as thou
hast said."
hast said."
Abraham is definitely being blessed by this visit.
... He begs his Lord to ... please stay ... offers to provide Him with some water to wash His feet ... inviting Him to rest under his tree
... offering to bring a little bit of bread ... so they can find comfort and be refreshed from their journey.
... He begs his Lord to ... please stay ... offers to provide Him with some water to wash His feet ... inviting Him to rest under his tree
... offering to bring a little bit of bread ... so they can find comfort and be refreshed from their journey.
But ... then ... Abraham's next remark reveals some presumption
... He presumes that the entire purpose of their visit is to find comfort and refreshment
...or... is Abraham actually ... very politely asking them if there could be more to this visit?
... a visit that already holds a very unusual blessing.
... He presumes that the entire purpose of their visit is to find comfort and refreshment
...or... is Abraham actually ... very politely asking them if there could be more to this visit?
... a visit that already holds a very unusual blessing.
If these visitors have more on their mind at this point ... they aren't telling.
... So Abraham just continues serving them ... content with being blessed with their company and their willingness to stay.
In any case ... Abraham's "morsel of bread" ... suddenly turns into a huge banquet
...perhaps another maneuver to enjoy their presence and fellowship a little longer.
... So Abraham just continues serving them ... content with being blessed with their company and their willingness to stay.
In any case ... Abraham's "morsel of bread" ... suddenly turns into a huge banquet
...perhaps another maneuver to enjoy their presence and fellowship a little longer.
v.6
And
Abraham hastened
Abraham hastened
into the tent
unto Sarah,
unto Sarah,
and said,
Make ready quickly
three measures
of fine meal,
of fine meal,
knead it,
and make cakes
upon the hearth.
v.7
v.7
And
Abraham ran
unto the herd,
Abraham ran
unto the herd,
and
fetcht a calf
fetcht a calf
tender and good,
and
gave it unto
a young man;
gave it unto
a young man;
and
he hasted to dress it.
v.8
he hasted to dress it.
v.8
And
he took butter,
and milk,
he took butter,
and milk,
and
the calf
which he had dressed,
the calf
which he had dressed,
and
set it before them;
set it before them;
and
he stood by them
he stood by them
under the tree,
and
they did eat."
they did eat."
Abraham has just spent a lot of time and effort to make his Visitors/Lord welcome in his home.
... Will he be rewarded with some vital information now?
... We will see.
* * * * *
God Informs
... Righteous Servants
... Will he be rewarded with some vital information now?
... We will see.
* * * * *
God Informs
... Righteous Servants
v.16
And
the men rose up
from thence,
and
the men rose up
from thence,
and
looked toward Sodom,
and
Abraham
went with them
Abraham
went with them
to bring them
on the way.
on the way.
When the men/"his Lord" rose up to head toward Sodom ... Abraham walked with them.
Abraham proved to be a worthy servant.
Apparently his joy in serving his Lord ... gave him the privilege of walking with them.
Apparently his joy in serving his Lord ... gave him the privilege of walking with them.
Maybe Abraham thought he was showing them the way
... but if this "Visitor" is ... Who we think He is ... They surely could have found Sodom on their own
... In fact ... when the men "rose up"... they were already looking "toward Sodom."
... but if this "Visitor" is ... Who we think He is ... They surely could have found Sodom on their own
... In fact ... when the men "rose up"... they were already looking "toward Sodom."
v.17
And
the LORD said,
the LORD said,
Shall I hide from Abraham
that thing
which I do;
which I do;
The Lord considers whether to reveal His plans to Abraham ... or to hide this information from him.
In making this consideration ... the Lord takes a close look at the character of Abraham
... and reviews all of the plans He has made for Him:
... and reviews all of the plans He has made for Him:
v.18
Seeing that Abraham
shall surely become
a great
and
mighty nation,
and
mighty nation,
and
all the nations
of the earth
all the nations
of the earth
shall be
blessed in him?
blessed in him?
(1)..The Lord has big plans for Abraham
... He intends that all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him.
... He intends that all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him.
These plans seem to be a directly linked
... determining factor
... regarding the type of information the Lord will entrust to Abraham.
v.19
... determining factor
... regarding the type of information the Lord will entrust to Abraham.
v.19
For I know him,
that he will command
his children
and
his household
after him,
after him,
and
they shall keep
the way of the LORD,
to do justice
and
judgment;
and
judgment;
that the LORD
may bring
upon Abraham
may bring
upon Abraham
that which
he hath spoken
of him.
he hath spoken
of him.
"justice"
[H6666]
[H6666]
= right
= morally virtuous
[H6663]
[H6663]
= just
= clear .. cleanse
"judgment"
[H4941]
[H4941]
= right in legal sense
= lawful
= proper
[H8199]
[H8199]
= judge .. legal
.. right and wrong
.. right and wrong
(2)..The Lord already knows everything about Abraham.
He knows that Abraham will make certain his family keeps the "way"... Word of the Lord
...and that they will do what is ..."justice" and "judgment"... according to the will of the Lord.
... Abraham will be faithful in commanding ... and instructing his family
... so they will do what is morally clean ... right
... proper ... and lawful before God.
He knows that Abraham will make certain his family keeps the "way"... Word of the Lord
...and that they will do what is ..."justice" and "judgment"... according to the will of the Lord.
... Abraham will be faithful in commanding ... and instructing his family
... so they will do what is morally clean ... right
... proper ... and lawful before God.
God is thee Preeminent God ... His hallmark is to reveal to His servants ... the events that will take place in the future.
He does not give this important information to everyone.
... only to the servants He can trust to obey His will
... servants like the Apostle John ... who was called to share end time information with the other trustworthy servants of God:
... servants like the Apostle John ... who was called to share end time information with the other trustworthy servants of God:
The Revelation
of
Jesus Christ,
of
Jesus Christ,
which God gave
unto him,
unto him,
to shew
unto his servants
unto his servants
things
which must
which must
shortly
come to pass;
come to pass;
and
he sent and signified it
he sent and signified it
by
his angel
his angel
unto
his servant John:
his servant John:
-Rev.1:1
Now I tell you
before it come,
that,
when it is
come to pass,
come to pass,
ye may believe
that I am he.
-John 13:19
God Warns
... the Righteous
... of Wrath
... to Come
... the Righteous
... of Wrath
... to Come
And
the LORD said,
the LORD said,
Because
the cry of
Sodom
the cry of
Sodom
and
Gomorrah
is great,
Gomorrah
is great,
and because
their sin
is very grievous;
is very grievous;
"Cry"
[H2201]
[H2201]
= outcry .. clamour
"grievous"
[H3513]
= heavy .. burdensome
Something is very wrong in Sodom and Gomorrah.
The sounds coming out of these places are not normal.
Perhaps they are very vexing sounds of misery ... the sounds of extremely dark places ... so deeply burdened with sin ... they have become void of the knowledge and love of God
...and are now only able to experience the pain and suffering that accompanies the final stages of man's deadly spiritual disease
... called "sin."
While men build towers to achieve powers ... in reality ... they are spiraling downward on the wide road that leads to destruction.
The only direction they are going is backwards ... de-volving
...such is the nature of sin
... It is an increasingly eroding process ... that ends in personal death
... as well as the death of a civilization.
At this point ... a loving God must step in to stop the cancer of sin from totally destroying all He has created ... and intended to use ... to bless mankind.
v.21
I will go down now,
and see
and see
whether they
have done altogether
have done altogether
according to
the cry of it,
the cry of it,
which is come unto me;
and
if not, I will know.
if not, I will know.
The Lord confirms the reason for His visit.
God has come to evaluate the situation
... and ... in doing so
...has chosen Abraham to be a witness for humanity.
God has come to evaluate the situation
... and ... in doing so
...has chosen Abraham to be a witness for humanity.
God Willing
... to Extend Mercy
... to Extend Mercy
... on Behalf
... of the Righteous
... of the Righteous
v.22
And the men
turned their faces
from thence,
and
from thence,
and
went toward Sodom:
but
Abraham stood yet
Abraham stood yet
before the LORD.
Here is a mystery ... How can the "men"/"Lord" go toward Sodom and yet the "Lord" remain behind with Abraham?"
Here is a mystery ... How can the "men"/"Lord" go toward Sodom and yet the "Lord" remain behind with Abraham?"
Simple answer ... God can do anything ... He certainly is able to be in many places at the same time.
v.23
And
Abraham drew near,
Abraham drew near,
and said,
Wilt thou also
destroy the righteous
destroy the righteous
with the wicked?
The Spirit of God stayed with Abraham ... knowing he was being called to be an advocate for the righteous
.. and ..
for the purpose of establishing the fact that
... it is not in God's nature
... to pour out His wrath on the righteous
..or..
include them in the punishment of the wicked.
.. and ..
for the purpose of establishing the fact that
... it is not in God's nature
... to pour out His wrath on the righteous
..or..
include them in the punishment of the wicked.
Abraham begins to bargain with the Lord:
v.24
Peradventure
there be fifty righteous
within the city:
wilt thou also destroy
and
not spare the place
not spare the place
for the fifty righteous
that are therein?
v.25
v.25
That be far from thee
to do after this manner,
to slay the righteous
with the wicked:
and
that the righteous
that the righteous
should be as the wicked,
that be far from thee:
Shall not the Judge
of all the earth
do right?
God is clearly using Abraham's discourse to establish the workings of God's heart for the record
... validating His great mercy and perfect justice.
... validating His great mercy and perfect justice.
Abraham is a man of faith ... he has walked with God ... he has experienced God's personal involvement in his own life.
He knows that God is consistent with His own Word and nature
... Therefore ... Abraham has confidence in knowing that it is "far from thee"
... totally outside of God's nature
...to include the righteous with the wicked
... when He pours out His wrath.
... Therefore ... Abraham has confidence in knowing that it is "far from thee"
... totally outside of God's nature
...to include the righteous with the wicked
... when He pours out His wrath.
So Abraham continues to bargain for the lives of the righteous ... to the point of exhaustion:
v.26
And
the LORD said,
the LORD said,
If I find in Sodom
fifty righteous
within the city,
then I will spare
all the place
for their sakes.
v.27
v.27
And
Abraham answered
and said,
Abraham answered
and said,
Behold now,
I have taken upon me
to speak unto the Lord,
which am but
dust and ashes:
v.28
v.28
Peradventure
there shall lack five
of the fifty righteous:
of the fifty righteous:
wilt thou destroy
all the city
for lack of five?
And he said,
If I find there
forty and five,
I will not destroy it.
v.29
v.29
And he spake
unto him yet again,
and said,
Peradventure
there shall be forty
found there.
And he said,
I will not do it
for forty's sake.
v.30
v.30
And he said unto him,
Oh let not
the Lord be angry,
the Lord be angry,
and I will speak:
Peradventure
there shall thirty
be found there.
And he said,
I will not do it,
if I find thirty there.
v.31
v.31
And he said, Behold now,
I have taken upon me
to speak unto the Lord:
Peradventure
there shall be twenty
found there.
And he said,
I will not destroy it
for twenty's sake.
v.32
v.32
And he said,
Oh let not
the Lord be angry,
and I will speak
yet but this once:
Peradventure
ten shall be
found there.
And he said,
I will not destroy it
for ten's sake.
v.33
v.33
And the LORD
went his way,
went his way,
as soon as
he had left communing
with Abraham:
and Abraham
returned unto his place.
... HOWEVER ... while the Lord could not find ten righteous
... And symbolically ... God's limit had been reached.
... And symbolically ... God's limit had been reached.
... NEVERTHELESS ... God remained consistent with His Word and nature
... and did not pour out His wrath on even three righteous.
... and did not pour out His wrath on even three righteous.
... BUT ... instead
... REMOVED them
... BEFORE destruction.
... REMOVED them
... BEFORE destruction.
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