Genesis Chapter 24: The Servant's Obedience Paves the Path of the Future

Abraham was old. God had blessed him in all things, so he was pretty well off.

Abraham called to his oldest servant. His servants were like family. They were treated like family, and most of them were loyal to him. The oldest servant was his most trusted friend.

He made him promise to not see Isaac marry someone from any of the tribes of the Canaanites, in whose land they lived. Instead, he was to go back to his home country and find a wife from one of the families of his kin.

"What if the woman I choose won't come?"

"Then you will be cleared from this oath, but if this is the case, I never want you to take my son there again."

The servant took all that Abraham had and put it on ten camels, and travelled to the city of Nahor in Mesopotamia. He had no idea where to look or who to talk to.

He prayed to God that the first woman that offered him a drink, and not only him, but his camels, too, would be the one.

God answered his prayer.

The first woman who came was Abraham's great niece. She was the daughter of the son of his brother, Nahor.

He gave her bracelets for her kindness and asked if her father had room for him as a guest. She confirmed and then told him who she was and who her father was.

At this point, he dropped to his knees and praised God for answering his prayers.

When Rebekah's brother, Laban, saw her, and she told him where she got the bracelets and about the servant, Laban immediately prepared a meal and invited him to stay there.

The servant refused to eat until he told the family why he had come.

Then he said, "I need to know what I should do at this point. Will she come with me, or not? It is up to you." He gave them all gifts from the belongings of Abraham on the camels.

The next morning, he told them he must return to his master with Rebekah. They begged him to let her stay a few more days, but he was insistent that he had to return.

They said, "We will let HER decide."

Rebekah agreed to go with the servant.

They blessed Rebekah and sent her on her way.

As they were nearing home, Isaac met them in a field during his morning meditation.

The servant told him everything, and he took Rebekah into his mother's tent and they lived happily ever after...sort of.

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When you pray to God, He listens.

The servant was doing what his master told him to do, which is what God told him to do.

The servant was obedient. He completely depended on God throughout this journey, and God led him to the right place, because of his obedience.

Obedience paves the path of the future.

Genesis chapter 23: Preventing Manipulation and Assumption

Sarah died in Hebron. Abraham wept.

He stood up in front of the sons of Heth because he was living in their land. He asked them if they would part with a piece of property that he could use to bury her in.

The men told Abraham that they had great respect for him, and that they were saddened by his loss and had sympathy. They told him that he was a mighty Prince in their eyes, and he could have any part of the land he needed to do what he had to do.

Abraham asked that one of the men, named Ephron, would give him the cave of Machpelah, and he would pay him whatever Ephron asked.

Ephron said that there was no need to pay him anything. He could have the land to do with what he wanted.

Abraham didn't want to argue about it, but he was insistent that he pay for the land. So he said, "okay, if you will give me the land, I will give you money."

Ephron said the land was worth about 400 shekels. One Israeli New shekel is worth 27 cents right now. That means the field was worth about $108. "What difference does $108 make between us as friends?" Ephron asked.

Abraham gave him the money. From that day forward, it became a cemetery for his family.

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Abraham was not about to have the sons of Heth give him anything without payment for it. Furthermore, he insured that when he paid for it there were witnesses to the transaction. Back then they didn't give receipts.

Abraham never took anything he didn't pay for. This was because he never wanted to owe anyone anything, or have them come back and use their charity as a means of applying guilt in order to compromise his decision making when it concerned his family.

The only one who was going to control him in any way was God. The only one he would answer to was God. And only God could provide for him what he needed. He would only obtain what God had enabled him to earn.

Even if it was a place to bury his dead.

The Ultimate Sacrifice

Read Genesis 22

In Genesis, Chapter 22, it says that God wanted to test Abraham in verse 1.

In verse 2, God told him to offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering, and where to go to do it. So, he packed up, got his son, and headed there.

There was no arguing with God. There was no lamenting and begging. He simply obeyed.

In verse 4, they came to a place that was near the site. You can see that he must have also taken his servants with him for support. He told them to stay where they were, because he and the boy had business to attend to, and he went the rest of the way alone with Isaac.

But, here is the kicker: In verse 5, he told them to stay with the ass that was carrying their supplies, and that he and the boy would go, and return when their business was finished.

You could say that it didn't even dawn on him that the boy would not be with him when he returned.

Abraham made Isaac carry the wood in verse 6. Just like Jesus carried the cross that he was to be sacrificed on. There was no argument. The boy was obedient, just like Jesus was.

Isaac was smart. He could see they had all the makings of an offering to God, but he didn't see the animal that was to be sacrificed. So, he finally let curiosity get the better of him and asked about it, in verse 7.

Abraham, like the dutiful servant of God he was, said, (in verse 8) "God will provide." You could say that he heard was God was telling him to do, he knew what he had to do, but not once did he believe that God would let Isaac fall to harm. After all, God made a promise.

In verses 9 and 10, Abraham prepares Isaac and is just about to stab the knife into him to slay him for the sacrifice when, in verse 11 God stops him.

In verse 12, God explains why. Abraham was obedient, even to the point of killing his own son in order to obey the word of God.

In all the other verses, God told Abraham that because he was so obedient, that his seed would bless all the earth. Many years later, Jesus was born, a descendent of Abraham, and through the blood of HIS sacrifice, the whole earth is blessed!

After that, Abraham went to Beersheba to live. A messenger came bringing tidings from his brother, Nahor, and told of the family that Nahor had. Later, Isaac would marry Nahor's grandaughter, Rebekah.

On a personal note, how many of you would find it easy to lay your own life down for the Lord? How many of you, those of you who say you would, would find it harder to lay down the life of your child? Abraham was truly heroic in his obedience!

Israel and Palestine

Read Genesis 21:22-34

22 And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:
23 Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.
24 And Abraham said, I will swear.
25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.
26 And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.
27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.
28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
29 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
30 And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
31 Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them.
32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
33 And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.
34 And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days.

King Abimelech feared Abraham's God. He knew His power.

So, for insurance, he took his captain with him and went to have a talk with Abraham, to make sure that peace between them is secured.

Abraham agreed to the treaty, but had a problem with a well he had dug that the King's servants had violently taken away from them. Abimelech didn't know anything about it. Abraham decided to be the bigger man and give Abimelech seven ewe lambs in payment for the well, that it could provide his people with needed water. He called the place where the well was dug "Beersheba", in honor of the agreement they had reached concerning it.

They lived in the land of the Philistines. Later, many years later, that area came to be known as part of Israel. The Palestinian people are descended from the Philistines. There is still much unrest in Israel between them.

Tamarisks are a common tree found in that area today. Some translations say it was a tamarisk tree that he planted, not a grove. No one knows for sure, but it seems likely, given the environment today.

Sanctification

Read Genesis 21:14-21

14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.
19 And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.
20 And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.
21 And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.

The word "sanctify", according to the Mirriam Webster's Dictionary, means "to set apart to a sacred purpose or to religious use : CONSECRATE"

According to the New Testament, when you are saved, your closest loved ones are "sanctified" with you. This does not mean they are saved, too, however. It just means that God is paying them special attention, giving them more conviction, drawing them more strongly, and using them to fulfill His purpose, for good or bad. They still have free will to contend with.

What does that have to do with today's lesson, you ask?

Abraham had already been told that Ishmael would become a great nation. (He was "sanctified", because he was Abraham's son.) So, he did what God told him to do. He believed God at His word, which is why he was chosen to begin with.

Hagar left with her son and wondered in the wilderness of Beersheba.

Beersheba has an interesting history. Even in it's present state, it is an interesting subject. Click Here to learn more

The land was dry and barren. There was no water or food to be had for miles. There were only desert shrubs and hot sand and rocks.

The water was gone. They had no food. Without divine intervention, they would die. Hagar did not want to see her son die, so she laid him down under a shrub to protect him from the sun, and walked away.

But, God already had a plan. He had already sanctified Ishmael, so He was not going to let Ishmael die.

She cried, not knowing what to do. But, it was not her voice that God heard. Ishmael, too, was crying. Verse 17 said, " And God heard the voice of the lad".

When you are "sanctified", God hears your voice, as He hears one of His own children, saved or not. When you pray for someone, you are sanctifying them in the name of Jesus, and that is why praying for others is so important.

1 Timothy 4:5 speaks of two ways that sanctification occurs: The Word of God, and prayer. This is why it is so important to pray for your children and your loved ones.

God told Hagar what He told Abraham, that Ishmael would become a great nation. Then, He gave her water to drink.

This tells us that those whom God sanctifies, He provides for until their purpose is fulfilled.

Hagar arranged, in due time, for her son to marry an Egyptian woman. All of Ishmael's descendents are more Egyptian than Hebrew because of this, and it has served as a thorn in Israel's side even until today.

But, God has a plan. We must always remember that even the enemy of Israel is sanctified. To pray for the peace of Israel and Jerusalem is to pray that Muslims around the world turn to Jesus for salvation.

Good Intentions

Read Genesis 21:9-13

9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.
12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.

Ishmael was making fun and mocking Isaac on his day of celebration. Maybe, because he was the first born, he thought he was better than Isaac. Or, maybe he was just jealous and insecure about his relation with his father. Or, maybe it was learned behavior, copying what his mother did. The reason is not given in the Bible.

The important thing is that Sarah saw him, and heard him, and it made her angry.

So much so, that she demanded that Hagar, the Egyptian servant, and her son, Ishmael both be cast out from the tribe, swearing defiantly that he should not have any part of the inheritance that Abraham leaves his children.

This distressed Abraham, because Ishmael, like Isaac, was his son. He loved his son, no matter what, and no matter who his mother was. He was his blood, just as Isaac was. But, Hagar was not his wife, or the love of his life. In fact, he was so grieved by this, he turned to God in prayer.

We could all learn from this.

When our problems overwhelm us, and we are unsure what to do about it, the first thing we should do is go to God in prayer.

God told Abraham to lift up his head, and not grieve over Ishmael. He told him to do what Sarah has said, because Ishmael was not the seed of His promise. HOWEVER, because Ishmael was Abraham's son, he still obtained the blessing of being so, and God would make him a great nation because of it.

There was no need to grieve.

Ishmael was a good intention, but not the right answer to Abraham's problem, previously. Isaac was the answer.

Sometimes we make decisions with good intentions that are not the correct answer to our problems. This does not stop those intentions from being blessed by God to grow - and whether they will become a problem in the future, or not, depends on the over-all plan of God.

As we shall see, Ishmael DID become a great nation, and the sibling rivalry is present even today between Israel and the Arab nations around it. Ishmael's descendants are the founders of modern day Islam. It is, then, understandable why the Muslims hate the Jews.

Jesus has made a way for even the descendants of Ishmael to come into God's Kingdom, if only they would get to know and follow Jesus. It is not for us to hate them, but to pray for them, and to forgive them, and to teach them lovingly about their Christian heritage, and invite them to once again be part of the family that Abraham was forced to have to banish, though he did not want to.

We must praise God that today, many of them have chosen to come back into the family willingly and with their whole heart. Dr Michael Youseff is one such Christian who has converted from Islam, and his ministry has made waves and converted many more as a result.

Goodness of God

Read Genesis 21:1-8

31 And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.
4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.
5 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.
6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
7 And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.
8 And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.

When God says something is going to happen, you can take Him at His Word.

What God says MUST come to pass, because God is truth. (Ezekiel 12:25).

God told Abraham he would have a son through Sarah. And, just because they were old, and Sarah laughed, they would not keep God's Word from happening.

Abraham was 100 years old. By this time, Ishmael, would have been around 14 years old.

God had made an old lady, past her time, to have a child.

My grandmother had a child about the same time as her oldest daughter had her second child, my mother. It was well past her time to have children, and odd that my grandma would be a sister to a tiny baby. My mother and her aunt were raised together like close sisters. It was a miracle, and my aunt was called the "after baby".

Isaac, too, was an "After baby". When Isaac was weaned, it was cause for a great celebration. He was growing strong, and would survive. And, I know his mother was as proud and loving toward him as my grandma was toward my aunt.

And, God was GREAT!

When Abraham and Sarah celebrated, it wasn't just a celebration of love for their son. It was a dedication of their son to God, and it was a testament to His goodness and faithfulness toward them.

Fear is a Liar

Read Genesis 20

Abraham took his household to Gerar, where Abimelech was king.

To everyone who asked, he told them that Sarah was his sister, because she was beautiful, and he was afraid the men of the area would kill him to get to her otherwise.

Fear makes you do stupid things.

It was stupid, because it gave King Abimelech an open invitation to take her without fighting for her. And, take her, he did.

Abraham didn't know, when he got there, what kind of man Abimelech was. He could have been dangerous, for all he knew. So, once again, he took matters into his own hands and tried to fix something that wasn't broken before it was. He did something God didn't approve of because he thought it would protect them all. He told a half-truth in order to deceive the strangers.

Thankfully, Abimelech was God fearing enough to hear when God was speaking to him.

God told Abimelech, "If you touch her, you die."

Simple enough. And, scary enough that Abimelech pleaded for mercy. "I am innocent! I have done nothing wrong! He lied to me! How was I supposed to know the truth?"

God calmed him down and told him, "I understand that. That is why I have not allowed you to touch her yet. And, that is why you are still alive. But, if you don't give her back to him, I will kill you and all of your household. Abraham is my prophet. Give her back, and he will pray and you will live."

God had come to Abimelech in a dream with all of this. So, when he woke up the next morning, he called in all of his household and told them what he had dreamed, and they were very worried about it all.

Abimelech then called Abraham to him. He asked Abraham, "What have I ever done that made you so afraid that you couldn't be truthful toward me? Why do you fear me so badly that you would set me up for destruction when I have done NOTHING to harm you in any way, or your household?"

Abraham explained that he thought that the people before him were not god-fearing people, and that alone was cause for concern.

"And, besides, I didn't REALLY lie! She IS my half-sister!"

Abimelech paid Abraham with cattle, servants and gave Sarah back to him, and even gave him a thousand pieces of silver. He basically made him rich. Not only that, but he also gave Abraham permission to hang out in any part of his kingdom without being bothered or afraid. Abraham had his protection from there on out.

Abimelech probably felt like that if God thought enough of Abraham to protect him that way, he needed to make sure that God wasn't mad at him any longer, and that Abraham prayed for his forgiveness, even though he was acting in the integrity of his heart.

Besides, his whole family had been made barren and childless until this matter could be settled.

Abimelech had good reason to be angry with Abraham, and good reason to be afraid. Abraham's lie could have cost him his kingdom and his life, and any chance of having prodigy to inherit what was his!

So, when you tell a lie because YOU want to be protected, especially if you are a child of God, you need to think about the consequences your lie will have on others who are innocent.

God protected Abraham, and brought Abraham's mistake to light before any real harm could be done, but that didn't mean He excused it or condoned it. Abraham would now have to live with this attack on his own integrity for the rest of his life. Even today, we know Abraham as a liar who God used and loved.

If Fear can't make you lie, it will lie to you.

Mistakes

Read Genesis 19:30-38

30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.
31 And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:
32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
37 And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.
38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.

After all that, Lot was still afraid. So, instead of staying where he was supposed to stay, he decided to take matters into his own hands and go up into the mountains, after all.

The problem with this is that God had not made provision for Lot to be where he was when he got there. And, since Lot took matters into his own hands, his daughters decided to take matters into their own hands, as well.

They felt that Lot's seed would die with him when he died, if they didn't have children.

So, they got their father so drunk that he had no idea what he was doing, and he committed incest with both of them.

They had children who's descendents became the Moabites and the Ammonites.

These people had their purpose in the plan of God for the future. We will see as we go further into the Word of God through our studies.

When you become afraid, even after the Lord has saved you, and you decide to be fickle in your decision making, you should be prepared to wreap a harvest among a crop of thorns and rocks. Life is not going to be easy, and your actions could birth hardship for those you love in the future - as we will soon see.

But, there is no mistake you can make that God can't use for His glory if you are His child!

My Prayer for You

Read Genesis 19:27-29

27 And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD:
28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.
29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.

Here it is! Lot was not saved because he was righteous in God's eyes.

After all, Lot CHOSE to live in the squallor of those cities, amongst the evil that surrounded him.

He was saved from destruction because Abraham had asked to have him spared.

God knew Abraham's heart. And, when God has a good relationship with you, He will protect not only YOU, but those who mean the most to you.

When God sets you aside for service, He not only sets YOU aside, but all those who are closest to you.

Please remember to pray for those in your circle. Remind God that, just as He wants to protect you, you want others protected as well!

God will listen with His heart, as He asks you to do, also!

Abraham had no idea if Lot was saved. He saw the destruction. For all he knew, Lot could be among the destruction.

But, God heard. God knew. And, so did Lot. He was alive! And all because Abraham had faith, loved God, and prayed!

Don't Look Back

Read Genesis 19:23-26

23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.
24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

When God says something will happen, it happens.

God said He would take care of you.

God said He would protect you.

God said He would deliver you.

And, God said, He would hear your prayers.

But, when God tells you to move in your life, you should never, EVER, look back!

When you look back, you will find yourself stuck right where you are. You can't move forward if you are looking back. You might as well just turn into a pillar of salt that erodes over time to become a pile of minerals to look at. You have no use, and you ARE no use looking back!

It's okay to reflect on how far you've come, but you should never be concerned with what you left behind! Doing so only holds you back. Being held back puts you in danger of the same destruction your past has faced.

Protector

Read Genesis 19:12-22

12 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:
13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.
14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:
19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:
20 Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.
21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.
22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

The visitors gave Lot instructions to go and get the rest of his family who are in the city and leave. They told Lot that the city was about to be destroyed, so he had to act fast.

We have been told that the time is short, that the earth will one day be destroyed, that Jesus is coming back one day, and that we must go and tell others and warn them, so that they can be safe from all of the harm that is coming when God's judgment finally comes down.

When Lot went out to do what the angels told him to do, his sons-in-law laughed at him and dismissed him as being a crazy old man. They ignored him.

Sound familiar?

Time was shorter, still. The next morning, they could wait no longer. The angels told Lot to take his wife and two daughters that he had with him and leave immediately!

But, Lot didn't immediately take action. He knew and heard what the angels were saying, but in his mind, he must have rationalized that there was still time.

Don't we all do that?

Praise God for His mercy! The angels took Lot and his family and dragged them outside of the city. They had no chance to pack or anything. It was time.

When you are sanctified, set apart to be a part of God's family, God will take action when you don't! You may not have all you could have had, had you taken action when warned, but at least you will be safe!

They told Lot and his family to run for their lives and not look back. They were told to flee to the mountains.

But, Lot was afraid of the mountains, so he petitioned the strangers to let them go to Zoar, a small city on the plains, instead.

The Angel of the Lord agreed not to destroy that small little city, for Lot's sake.

But, Lot needed to go NOW, because he could not enact his destruction until Lot was safe.

Sometimes, when you are ripped out of the life you once knew as "normal", it is not because you have done something bad, or that God is punishing you. It could be that God needs to get you out of there so He can work to punish and destroy anyone who stands against Him. Sometimes, what seems like God's wrath in your life is actually God's protection of you.

How many times in life have you looked back at your past, only to say, "I am so glad God brought me out of all that! It was hard, but I am so glad to be here today, and not there!"

The God Who Fights For Me

Read Genesis 19:1-11

1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.
3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:
5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.
6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,
7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.
8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.
9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.
10 But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.
11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

When you are in a city, a town, or a home where others who are there do not know the Lord, it is your duty to maintain your relationship with him - in spite of all that is going on around you.

When the men showed up at the gates of Sodom, Lot knew they were strangers who had never been there before.

As has already been discussed in previous lessons, hospitality is of the utmost importance, even when the culture around you is inhospitable.

Lot invited them into his home, offering them food and comfort during their visit, asking nothing in return.

They turned him down at first, but he was not easy to say no to. He kept trying to talk them into it, so they finally gave in and went to Lot's home with him.

It was a good thing they did!

Before they even had the chance to get comfortable enough to go to bed, all the people of the city came to Lot's door demanding to see the visitors.

The angels of the Lord were very fine specimens of creatures that had caught the eye of all those around them as they went into Lot's home. The people of the city wanted to rape and violate them, as was their regular practice and lifestyle. They wanted to defile the men with homosexual acts that were horrifying!

Lot went outside to fend them off, being someone who was familiar with the territory and the people around him. He thought he could reason with them.

But, when Lot could not reason with them to get them to go away, he was faced with a choice: protect his family, or protect the men of God.

Obviously, God should ALWAYS come first, even before your family! If you follow God, God will take care of your family!

Lot offered the vile men of the city his two virgin daughters. They could do whatever they had to do, if they would just leave the visitors alone!

The men of the city declined the offer, accusing Lot of judging them. After all, he did not agree with them. He was against their actions. Therefore, he thought he was better than they were and was judgmental and offensive.

Sound familiar?

Because of their accusation against Lot, they threatened to do worse to Lot if he didn't let them have the visitors!

You must remember that God does not need your protection. He only wants to know if you will stand up for him when the time comes. Lot stood up for the men of God, even offering to relinquish the safety of his family for their sakes.

They pulled him into the house and smote the crowd with blindness to protect Lot and his family.

It took a lot of courage to do what Lot did. Lot stood up for the visitors until it nearly cost him his life! And God stepped in to save him!

Somebody's Praying for Me

Read Genesis 18:17-33
17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
28 Peradventure there shall lack five 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.
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.
30 And he said unto him, Oh let not 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.
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.
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.
33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

When someone is struggling with sin, it is our job as Christians to intervene on their behalf. Abraham was, in his own way, intervening on behalf of all those in the cities that were to be destroyed.

He knew his nephew, Lot was there with his family and his household. He didn't wish to see them destroyed. So, he pressed the matter as far as he could press it with the Angels of the Lord.

The Lord never said He was going to destroy the cities. It was something that was understood. If you do not follow the commandments of the Lord, destruction is inevitable.

Abraham might very well have saved the two cities by his reasoning with the Lord, had there been more than ten righteous men therein.

Never mind the disagreements or struggles you have had with them. The important thing is that they have the chance to turn around. They cannot do that if they are destroyed!

When our families and friends drift to the wayside, it is our duty to pray for them, to intervene on their behalf.

We must reason with the Lord for their souls, for their lives. He hears. He listens. He wants nothing more than for His children to be happy. But, He will not tolerate sin forever.

There is nothing more destitute in this life than someone who is not prayed for!

I Know You Will

Read Genesis 18:9-18
9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

They confirmed with Abraham that Sarah was going to have a son, and Sarah heard it. She thought it was funny, because it was preposterous to think that someone as old as herself and Abraham could have a child together.

When they confronted her about her laughing, she thought she may have offended them, so she denied it. It was not good to offend the strangers, because it would have been inhospitable. You don't bring people into your home to ridicule them. That would be rude!

But, that is not what they were concerned about. They were concerned that she doubted their words. A woman who follows God should believe and know that nothing is impossible with God!

Sarah was going to have a son with-in the next year, and it was hard to believe. Anyone would have had trouble believing such a statement!

So, when God tells you that you are not a failure, even though you are 62-years-old and have been a failure all of your life, and that you will succeed, then you should be like Colonel Sanders, who was 62-years-old when he established Kentucky Fried Chicken for the first time. He was broke and in debt when he did that.

Colonel Sanders died at the age of 90 with a net worth of $3.5 Million. His establishment is still making money for his family today, among millions of other people that it supports around the world.

That is faith in action!

It's not about failure. It's about moving forward, in spite of it. If you keep moving forward with the faith and fortitude to do good with even what little bit God gives you, grasping any opportunity that is consistent with God's will along your way, you will be successful!

Abraham and Sarah may not have believed, but they still did the thing that was necessary to have the child. Maybe it was in pleasure, not intent, but it did the job, none-the-less.

Angels Among Us

Read Genesis 18:1-8

1 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.
6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.
7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.
8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

Three strangers appeared out of nowhere at the door of the tent that Abraham was resting in from the heat. Abraham prostrated himself before them and begged them to stay for supper.

They agreed. So, Abraham ran to delegate tasks to his household, including Sarah, to make the strangers welcome.

It was custom, in those days, to treat all strangers with the utmost hospitality and celebration, because one never knew if they might be angels.

Hebrews 13:2

“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”

Today, people don't treat strangers the way they used to treat them. They are ruled by their fear, even though the Word of God says "Do not fear" 365 times in the Bible.

What would happen if we did not have that fear when we met strangers today? The world would be a much more welcome and joyous place!

How many times have we met strangers that have become like family as the years progressed.

We must remember to let go of our fear when we meet strangers on our journey through our day. By doing so, we are more blessed often-times than if we do not. Nothing happens on God's green earth without a reason. That stranger came to meet you because God sent them, angel or not. Treat them with respect and love, as Jesus did, even in the face of adversity!

Because you never know, they may be the answer to your prayers!

God of the Impossible

Read Genesis 17

God changed Abram's name to Abraham, meaning "Father of many nations", promising him that he would be.

He told Abraham that kings and nations would come out of him.

God said He would God to all of his seed after him.

God told Abraham that He did HIS part of the covenant, and now it was time for Abraham to do his part. He commanded that all male children in his house be circumcised as a token of the covenant.

By "in his house", he meant EVERYONE, including servants and slaves bought with his money to be a part of the family.

God changed Sarai's name to Sarah and promised the same of her.

Abraham laughed at this. It was preposterous to think that someone so old could bear a child at their age! He prayed that Ishmael might be God's blessing.

God told Abraham that, indeed, Ishmael would also be blessed. He would father twelve princes, but that he was NOT part of the covenant. Isaac, who would be born of Sarah, was the bearer of the covenant. It would be out of Isaac that all the promises be fulfilled.

Abraham was 99 years old when he took 13-year-old Ishmael and all of his house to circumcise them, as God had commanded.

When God makes a promise, it may seem too preposterous to believe Him. But, nothing is impossible for God, and what God says will always come to pass. We must have faith and believe, in spite of however impossible it may seem to us or others. Our faith is counted for righteousness, just as was Abram's in Genesis 15:6:

“And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.”

For the Good

Read Genesis 16

It was the custom, in those days, that if the wife could not bear children, she would give her handmaiden to her husband to bear the child she wanted for her.

Abram was a just and fair man, and he had a lot of heart. He wanted to please his wife. So, he did what his wife asked him to do.

Hagar conceived and was pregnant. When she got pregnant, she taunted Sarai with the fact that it was SHE who was pregnant, and not Sarai. Sarai was not fit to give Abram the heir he wanted.

This hurt and angered Sarai. So she went to Abram and told him.

Abram told Sarai that it was her decision to give him Hagar to conceive. Hagar belonged to her. If she was not acting right, it was up to her to straighten the matter out. Sarai was his true love. He would stand by her decision.

Sarai lashed back at Hagar. She was firm and very harsh, until, finally, Hagar ran away.

But, she didn't get far. An Angel stopped her and told her to go back and be submissive to Sarai. He promised that her child would father many people. He would be a fighter, like his mother, in the face of all his brethren.

Abram was 86 years old when his oldest son, Ishmael, was born.

Sometimes our decisions have consequences that we find hard to live with. We must take responsibility for those type of decisions, grab the bull by the horns, so to speak, and move forward.

Our boundaries that we create because of them may cause friction in our relationships with others, but - in the end - we are better off if we accept the consequences and let God work out the details.

We must remember that our main responsibility is to trust God, to wait on Him to keep His promises, and to try to not make decisions that only belong to Him.

If we do, we must realize also that God already knows the future. He knew what we would do, and He has already made a plan for that as well.

Romans 8:28

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

God's Got a Plan

Read Genesis 15

God told Abram that he had no need of anything. That he should not fear anything. That He, God, would take care of him and give him all he needed.

Abram did not doubt, but he did wonder, "What's the point? After I am gone, I have no one to leave it to. My heir is Eliezer of Damascus, the steward of my house."

The custom in those days was that the person in charge of the estate before the death of a man was the one who inherited all the man had, if there were no blood heir to leave it to. Today, we call it our "executor", and we have "wills" to tell those who are in charge how to execute the property after the death of the owner.

God promised Abram that he would have an heir of his own seed, or blood-line.

Abram asked for a contract. God gave it to him.

To learn more about this "contract", read these links:

Cutting Animals in Half & Walking Between Them
and Genesis 15:10-12 meaning

With this promise comes God's warning of the future. He told Abram what would happen to his descendents. The information seems forboding, but the end of the journey that God foretells has so much promise!

We must remember that our own lives are a journey with God. Not every day is going to be peaches and cream, but if we stay on the path and keep Jesus in the forefront of our visions and thoughts, we will be joyous and grateful in the end!

Street Preaching

Recently, while scrolling through Facebook, I came across a post from someone who was angry about the preachers who were at the fair inviting people to come to know Jesus, and telling them that as long as they continue not focus on God, they will always focus on men. While I understand the revulsion some feel to preachers who touch a sore spot in people's emotions and convictions, preaching out in the streets and in public places, I have to say this:

If a preacher just preached to the choir, he'd never be heard by those who need to hear him.

Expecting preachers to just keep their preaching at church is like telling someone who is giving you a warning about an impending disaster to go into their basement and say it, and hope someone comes in to hear it. That's not how it works.

God told preachers to go out into the world.

I'm sorry if it hurts your feelings or makes you angry to hear the truth, but if the preacher doesn't preach it out loud where people who need to hear it can hear it, on the streets, or in any other public place, where the needy are, then they are not doing what God told them to do. They are hiding their light under a bushel.

And, by "needy" I am referring to anyone who needs to hear the truth!

Granted, I do believe that some preachers take it too far, or do it in such a way that it repels those who are needing what he is preaching about, and that is something they need to work on. Love is the answer. You can catch more flies with honey.

But, to tell him to go sit down and shut up and stay inside the church building ain't going to happen if he is a preacher of God.

Originally, I posted this on MY timeline, not as a comment on the post I was inspired to write this about, because it is something I personally believe to be true, and I don't wish to start an argument or offend the person by diluting their own timeline or Facebook page with my own thoughts on the matter; but, I figured I should share this here at God Inspires as well.

If someone doesn't like this, scroll on. It's the truth, according to the Word of God.

Romans Chapter 10

14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

But, at the same time, we also need to remember the next verse, so as not to take it out of context:

15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!