January 8th: Genesis 18:16-19:38; Matthew 6:25-7:14; Psalm 8:1-9; Proverbs 2:6-15

Day 8.

We are reading: Genesis 18:16-19:38; Matthew 6:25-7:14; Psalm 8:1-9; Proverbs 2:6-15

Genesis 18:16-19:38
Abraham Pleads for Sodom
16-18
When the men (aka Gods representatives or God Himself) go to leave they look towards Sodom and talk about how they are not going to hide their plans from Abraham because they've chosen him. He is going to have a big role in nations after him.

I find it neat to think about how this applies to us.
John 15:14-15
"You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."

1 Corinthians 6:3 "Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!"

It's hard to imagine it but as Gods children we have been given great responsibility like Abraham. We have also been given great privileges to go with it. We are let in on Gods plans.

Verse 19 says "For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just”

The great commission- given to the disciples but also to all believers:
Matthew 28:19-20
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

:) It's a good thing that along with great responsibility comes great privileges!

It's also neat that in the great commission we are told God is with us always- the difference the death of Jesus has made for us... contrasted against Genesis 18 where it says in verse 33 that when God is done talking to Abraham He leaves.

Yet another great privilege we have!

Speaking of God being with us contrasted to Abraham... Verse 20-22 stood out to me in this regard! I know I've been taking note in the last few blogs of the times where it says God "went down" to look at what the men of the city were doing with the tower of Babel... or how when God is done talking with Abraham he "goes up".
There is a distinction from the garden where God walks among men, we see a separation in the way Gods presence is talked about... but now we see a verse where God says he will "go down" to Sodom and see if the actions of the people match up with "the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”

It's a strange verse because we know God is everywhere. To imagine Him not knowing something or having to check in doesn't sound right (which is why it is important to use scripture to interpret scripture).

The scripture that comes to my mind on this:
Psalm 33:18
"But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love"

Psalm 34:15
"The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry;"

and finally ~Proverbs 15:3
"The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good."

I think, with that in mind, the most logical way to look at this verse is that the prayers of people reach him before anything else! What do you think? I find it pretty encouraging to look at it that way.

Another thought is that this was said in front of Abraham. I wonder if it was said FOR Abraham's sake. Was this was meant to provoke him or get him thinking?! He has family there! LOT! He knew the realities of Sodom, he knows what God will find! And we see that he does respond:
“Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?" And Abraham starts off with talking about how God would not kill righteous people--- and what if 50 of them were in Sodom? He says that he knows God wouldn't treat "the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

God says He will spare Sodom for 50 people. I wonder if God is prepping Abraham to be the father of nations and teaching his children & household in "the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just."

It almost seems like practice or a chance for Abraham to get his feet wet in this matter.

In verse 27 he knows he is being BOLD to be talking to God about how to do things. He wasn't commanding God but he also knows God doesn't need any teaching. After all- Abraham recognizes who he is in comparison to his creator:
"I am nothing but dust and ashes"

In verses 28-32 Abraham keeps pleading for God to save the city if a certain number of people are found. He does a countdown of sorts at 50, then 45, 40, 30, 20, 10. God responses that “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”

It gets you thinking that Abraham had some serious doubts about how many righteous people were in Sodom if he shrinks it down to 10.

Genesis 19
1-3
The scene shifts to Lot. When Lot sees two Angels he bows his face to the ground. This comment makes people suspect that the three men that visited Abraham were really Jesus and two angels. Also verse 22 of Chapter 18 talks about how the men leave towards Sodom yet Abraham remains before the LORD. We see that Lot does have the respect towards God and his messengers that Abraham has. Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. This is usually a sign of political importance or clout.

Lot wants to give them hospitality just like Abraham did with them. He tells them to come to his house and he wants to wash their feet too! (Like Abraham!)

The Angels say they will stay there in the city and I wonder if Lot is afraid of them seeing what goes on there. He insists "strongly" that they come with him to his house. Just like with Abraham, Lot prepares them a meal and even making them bread is mentioned. Abraham used the finest flour and we see Lot makes them bread "without yeast". Yeast in the bible - especially in the Old Testament, represented SIN which was why there were rules when it came to the passover rituals and how they were to make sure their was "no yeast" in the bread. Jesus uses bread to symbolize his body, yet He did not sin.

4-5 It seems that even his home is no shelter for the Angels because the exact same night every single man in town, both young and old come to the house wanting to have a giant orgy and have sex with them. No wonder Lot insisted strongly that they didn't stay at the city.

6-8 Lot trys to protect the Angels. He closes the door behind him. He tells them that their actions would be wicked, but we see that Lot himself is far too mixed with a really corrupt town. Not only does he call them "friends" but he offers his two virgin daughters to be violated sexually and raped or whatever they want to do with them. This is the extreme he is willing to go to keep the angels under his protection. He obviously has a lot of regard for the Angels. I wonder if he thought the Angels could protect his daughters? Or if he thought the men were so corrupt he had to use an extreme offer just to show the men just how important it was that they didn't touch the visiting Angels. Since his daughters were both virgins in a town that was so corrupt - Lot probably went to great lengths to teach them some restraint. Undoubtedly the people of the town would find it so counter cultural that Lots daughters were virgins, and if he went to great lengths to keep them pure, why would he all of a sudden give them up to these very aroused and twisted guys. Maybe this was a question he wanted them to think about!

But in verse 9 we see that they are not thinking straight! And which guys who are bent on evil and turned on will think through things? They tell him to get out of the way and even take a knock at him for not being one of them. All of his years and "status" that he may have had in the city don't change the fact that he is not really respected and his differences don't impress the people but annoy them. They accuse Lot of trying to "Judge" them. Ever heard that expression "don't judge me?" They use that card as well as threatening Lot that they are going to do worse to Him then they do to Lots visitors. WOW.
It also says "They kept bringing pressure on Lot and moved forward to break down the door."

10-13 The angels intervene and pull Lot into the house, shut the door and then strike all the men outside with blindness so they can't find the door. The angels tell Lot they are going to destroy the city because of the outcry to God against the city, and tells Lot to get all his family out!

14-22 Lot trys to get his future sons in laws out (they are engaged to his daughters) but they think it is a joke. Time has almost run out and the angels tell Lot to just take his wife and daughters out right away. Lot hesitates, but the angels grab them all by the hands and lead them out safely "for the LORD was merciful to them." Lot is told to flee to the mountains and that they shouldn't look back or stop till they get their, but Lot doesn't want to go to the mountains, he finds it too hard to lose the whole city and wants to go to a small town near by. I'm not sure if he doesn't want to go to the mountain because he is not used to country living or it is too unfamiliar or he just thinks he wont be able to get there in time. The angels agree with his suggestion and let him go to the town instead.

23-29 In the morning (when Lot arrived in the small town safely) God rains down burning sulfur destroying everything. It then says that Lots wife didn't obey the command not to look back so she turned to a pillar of salt. Abraham takes note of the catastrophe and realize God has saved him and Lot and Lots family.

Lot and His Daughters
30-38 We see Lot who has lost his wife because of her attachment to the city worried about staying in that town. The angels asked him to go the mountains knowing it would be hard for them to detach and probably wanting to spare Lots wife knowing she would turn around. So now Lot takes his daughters to the mountains. He doesn't want to be in the town anymore. He finally decides he wants separation. Too bad his daughters are already affected.

He had not set a very good example for his daughters when he was willing to let the men of the town rape them and now his daughters don't see how awful it is to get their dad drunk and sleep with him when he is drunk and out of it- so out of it that he doesn't remember sleeping with either of them. They are worried about being alone. They go from city life to living in a cave with no men around but their dad. They care about the customs of the world. They were engaged, now their men are gone, and the idea of dying alone is looked at as a cancer or disease by the daughters, probably an idea they got from their city. So they get pregnant by their dad. Each of their offspring lead towards more of Israels enemies: The Ammonites from one daughter and the Moabites from the other.

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As we move onto Matthew I am looking at it through what has just happened to Lot and Abraham. God did show so much love and protection to Lot and his family. Taking them by the hands. Keeping them safe. Blinding the men of the city. Even Abraham looking down at Sodom, seeing the smoke rise and knowing that He and Lot and their families are taken care of.

Matthew 6:25-7:14
25-32
Tells us not to worry about life. Not food or clothes. He points to the animals and how their food is provided for. Also, he points to the plants and how even the most glorious kings can't compare with the colors of the plants God makes.

He talks about how we are more valuable to Him then the animals and plants and how worrying does nothing productive at all... so STOP IT! Don't be of little faith. God knows your needs. Don't chase down what the world that doesn't know God chases after.

Take care of God's things and He will take care of you. Do what is right and you will get so much more!

Life has enough trouble, so do your best to let go of the stress.

Matthew 7
1-5 Judge the right way. Focus on fixing your own issues before you try and help someone else with theirs. Make sure you are consistent with the standards you expect others to uphold and the ones you make yourself uphold. You can't help others if you are a mess.

6 Be careful how you invest your time and resources. Not everyone will appreciate or benefit from your help.

7-11 Be willing to ask for help from God and seek His help. Things wont come to you if you are not willing to come to God and ask. You have to make an effort to find what you are looking for. You need to take a risk if you expect doors to open for you. God gives good gifts to His kids.

12 A summary of everything written in the law & with the prophets: treat others the way you want to be treated.

13 Gods path is not the obvious one that everyone takes. Most people are headed for destruction. It's hard to find the truth and the right way in this life.

This makes me think of C.S. Lewis who painted a picture of a road with a ditch on each side... Evil often comes in sets of two. The narrow road is between the two extremes that distort truth. If God says "self control" then one ditch will be marked "Prohibition" and the other "over indulgence".
If God says "be careful with what you eat" one ditch will say "anorexia" and one will say "gluttony".
If God says "sex is good in marriage" one ditch will say "sex is evil" and the other will say "sex doesn't need rules, do it whenever, with whoever, no restraints!"

Psalm 8:1-9
1-2 Gods name is amazing to those of us on earth.
But glorious in heaven also.
God uses the praises of children and infants to defeat His enemies.
3-4 looking at all of his creation can make us feel small. Yet He does care for man.
5-8 Made lower the angels are people. Yet we will be judging them. God has put us in charge of all the works of his hands.
9 God is majestic indeed!

Proverbs 2:6-15
6 Wisdom, knowledge and understanding come right from God.
7-8 Success is from him. He protects those who do what is right and are faithful to him.
9-15 Through God and obeying him, we get discernment, wisdom, knowledge, understanding and discretion. Which will be good to us, directing us and keeping us in the right frame of mind. Unlike the wicked who have not stayed on the narrow road.