DBG - January 6 - Genesis 17-19

In this chapter we see God begin to move in fulfilling His promises of an heir to Abram and establishing him as the father of many nations.

vs. 1 – Thirteen years have passed since the birth of Ishmael.

vs. 5 – God changes his name from Abram, meaning “high or exalted father”, to Abraham, meaning “father of a multitude”.

vs. 6 – This is the first promise or prophecy that there will be kings in Israel, which will be fulfilled 800 years later with the anointing of Saul.

vs. 7 – The covenant with Abraham is “everlasting”.  God is not finished with His chosen people of Israel.

vs. 9-14 – The physical sign of the covenant is circumcision.  Just in case someone does not understand what that entails, I will quote the definition of the verb from Websters 1828 Dictionary: “To cut off the prepuce or foreskin of males; a ceremony or rite in the Jewish and Mohammedan religions.”

vs. 15 – God changes her name from Sarai, meaning “my princess”, to Sarah, meaning “princess”.  John Gill says of this new name “because she was princess over all the princes and people that should come of her, as well as be the mother and princess of all female believers, who are called her daughters, I Peter 3:6.”

vs. 16 – It is through Sarah’s son that the true fulfillment of the covenant will come.

vs. 17 – Even with the longer lifespans of the time, 100 and 90 were far too advanced in age to expect a child.

vs. 19 – Isaac means “laughter”.

vs. 20 – God will still bless Ishmael and he will be the father of many peoples.

vs. 21 – God starts the countdown that Isaac will be born in a year’s time.

vs. 23-27 – Abraham’s faith sprung to action and he obeyed the command of God to circumcise his household as sign of their faith in God’s promises.

This chapter contains further confirmation of God’s covenant with Abraham and foretells the coming destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

vs. 1 – This is a separate occasion after the events of the previous chapter, likely three months later.

vs. 2 – Note that the Lord appears to Abraham, as stately clearly in vs. 1.  But it is three men that appear to him.  It is tempting to say that is an appearance of the Trinity again, but as we read further it seems clear that this is the Preincarnate Christ and two angels.

vs. 3-8 – Great emphasis is placed on hospitality in the world of the Bible.  Here is a great example for the command in Hebrews 13:2 – “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”

vs. 6 – The unit of measure here is called a seah, which is roughly 9 quarts in dry measure.  Three of these would end up being around 20 pounds of flour.

vs. 7 – I remind you that there was no good way to preserve meat in those days.  Killing a clad mean that you intended to eat it all.  The amount of meat and bread is quite a feast, through which Abraham is honoring his guests.

vs. 10 – The time had come for the fulfillment of the promise and in nine months Sarah would have a son.

vs. 12 – Sarah overhears and laughs within herself at the ridiculousness of the promise.

vs. 13 – Christ knew what Sarah said internally and did not speak aloud.  This is evidence of His omniscience.

vs. 15 – So many times our initial reaction to God’s promises is unbelief.  I am thankful that He is gracious enough to give us time to faith to set in.

vs. 17-21 – The true mission that Abraham’s visitors were engaged in was the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah. 

vs. 23-44 – Abraham bargains with God concerning the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Doubtless Abraham’s intentions are to save Lot from being caught up in the destruction.  God promises to not destroy the cities if 50 righteous people were in them.  This is lowered to 45, then to 40, then to 30, then to 20, and finally to 10.  Abraham ceases his bargaining at 10, likely assuming that Lot and his family would account for that many.

This chapter tells of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the awful fate of Lot.

vs. 1 – The two angels that accompanied Christ in the previous chapter arrive alone at Sodom.

vs. 1 – The gate of a city was a place where business was transacted and governmental affairs were settled.  The later Greeks and Romans did such that things in the marketplace or forum, but for the world of the Old Testament it was the gate into the city.  That Lot was there says that not only did he swell there but that he was integrated into the affairs of the city.

vs. 1-3 – We may note that Lot’s treatment of the angels largely mirrors that of Abraham’s in the previous chapter.  He is well aware of who they are.

vs. 4-5 – Sodom and Gomorrah were utterly wicked places filled with utterly wicked people.  Their names have become synonymous with the vilest of sins.  The chief illustration of their depravity here is the attempt to seize and rape the visitors in Lot’s house.  Some today have tried to downplay their sexual sins, sometimes appealing to Ezekiel 16:49-50 to say their chief crime was being inhospitable and uncourteous.  In truth, these places were so wicked and perverse that they could have been doomed for any number of sins.  The fact that homosexuality is highlighted shows how far down the moral decline of Romans 1:18-32 that they had fallen.  See also https://answersingenesis.org/contradictions-in-the-bible/what-was-primary-sin-sodom-gomorrah/

vs. 8 – Lot’s desperation to save his visitors leads him to an awful choice to offer his daughters to satiate the wicked desires of the people.

vs. 9 – The mob would not be stopped and turned in violence on Lot.

vs. 10-11 – The intervention of the angels saves Lot and his family for this night.

vs. 14 – Lot’s daughters and sons-in-law would not heed the warning of their father.  At this point they were too entangled in the immorality of the place.

vs. 15-16 – Abraham had asked God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah if only 10 righteous were found.  Only 4 are brought out of the city before judgment fell, and even these were poisoned by their stay there.  Lot was the closest thing to a righteous man there, and he had to practically be dragged out of the city.

vs. 17-22 – Lot bargains with the angels to not have to completely flee from his new home.  He desires to remain in the village of Zoar and not the mountain in the wilderness he was told to go to.  He is still trying to hold onto righteousness and worldliness at the same time.

vs. 24 – It is interesting to note that there are two Lords here.   Another hint at the Trinity.

vs. 24-25 – There is likely a mix of natural and supernatural forces at play in the destruction of Sodom and its neighbors.  There are many deposits in the region of highly combustible materials such as oil, natural gas, sulphur, and asphalt.  Some have suggested that God used meteors and earthquakes.  None of this is to downplay the supernatural character of the events, which were timed so as to allow Lot to leave the area.  God often uses natural means in a supernatural fashion to accomplish His will.

vs. 26 – Lot’s wife looked back desiring her old life in Sodom.  God either turned her into a salt pillar or debris from the destruction covered her in salt.  There are many salt structures like this in the area, and some have been identified over the years as the one that was Lot’s wife.

vs. 30 – After seeing the fury of God’s judgment, Lot changes his mind about staying in Zoar and hides in a mountain cave.

vs. 31-36 – Even after losing his wife, his prestige, and his wealth, Lot had still not hit rock bottom.  His devious daughters had not doubt been influenced by the morals of Sodom.  Their sick plan was to preserve their father’s legacy, and their own wellbeing, by bearing children through incest.  Lot was not a willing participant but was tricked into it through drunkenness.

vs. 37 – Moab means “of my father”.  The Moabites are most famous for being the people of Ruth and dwelt on the east of the Dead Sea.

vs. 38 – Benammi means “son of my people”.  The Ammonites dwelt north of Moab and were a constant pain to Israel.

The contrast between Abraham and Lot is glaring.  Lot chose a direction in chapter 13 that led to his destruction and shame.  Abraham, however, was blessed by God and would son have the promised heir in Isaac.  For us, Lot is a warning and Abraham is a model.

Our hymn for today is a practically forgotten text by Baptist pastor John Needham (?-1786).  It can be titled either “When Sodom’s Rich But Guilty Plains” from its first line or “Shall Not the Judge of All the Earth” from its third.  It is a wonderful recital of the destruction of Sodom and God’s righteous justice in it.

When Sodom’s rich but guilty plains
To wrath divine were doomed,
Abr’am the patriarch interposed
And thus his plea assumed.

“Shall good and bad together fall
And undistinguished lie?
Far be this ever from the God
That rules above the sky.

"Shall not the judge of all the earth
Whom righteous acts delight;
Shall not the spring whence justice flows
Do ever what is right?"

Thus did the holy patriarch plead
When zeal, with pity warm;
And saw with joy just Lot preserved
From the sulfurous storm.

Let God in wrath destroy a land,
Or drown in floods a world;
Guilty they were and did deserve
In ruin to be hurled.

What tho’ the faint sometimes may smart
Beneath a heavier rod?
He that inflicts the blow is still
A just and righteous God.

The ways of Heaven, dark as they seem,
Are not without their light;
The last, that brightest day of truth
Will show that all is right.