ABRAHAM, THE FRIEND OF GOD
LET’ S EAT
Message Preached 3/22/98
Gen 18:1 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre:
and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
Gen 18:2 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,
1. the LORD appeared unto him in the plains
One may suspect that when the Lord comes to
town that there would be grandeur and trumpets and shouting of angels. That may well be
when the Lord returns at the resurrection, but to Abraham the Lord came the way a friend
would. The Lord appeared to Abraham not in grandeur and majesty and as a stranger. Rather
the Lord appeared to Abraham in familiarity and friendship. The Lord came walking up the
driveway to Abraham’s house. It would be exactly like an old friend would come to my
house.
It does not seem that Abraham was specifically
seeking the Lord at this moment. Actually it seems Abraham was only attempting to avoid
the heat of the day. The Lord should be able to walk into our lives this way. He should be
able to walk into our lives whenever he pleases? Friends are allowed to do this. Abraham,
of course, was the friend of God (Jam 2:23).
We have noted again and again how the Lord
would visit Abraham and then Abraham would build an altar and return a visit to the Lord.
We have pointed out that this is how a friendship is established. People must spend time
together to truly become friends. Acquaintances can see each other and wave and speak. But
friends have the right to visit whenever they so desire. This is what we see between
Abraham and the Lord. Abraham’s response to the Lord’s unannounced visit was to
run (Strong’s #7323) or rush toward the Lord. How wonderful the picture of this
nearly one hundred year old man running to greet and welcome the Lord. Some folks, as they
age, have trouble simply getting to church on Sunday. We see that Abraham ran to greet His
Lord.
run
7323 ruwts (roots);
to run (for whatever reason, especially to rush):
This is a sweet picture. An acquaintance can
drop by and we don’t run out to the car to meet them. When a friend comes by that we
enjoy spending time with we have a rush inside and we are happy to see them.
The Lord will sometimes appear to us when we
are simply avoiding the heat of life. We are not fasting or praying or being
“spiritual.” If He is truly our friend, as well as our Lord, then He has access
to our lives any time He desires. Expect the Lord to show up when you least expect Him.
Gen 18:3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight,
pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
Gen 18:4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest
yourselves under the tree:
Gen 18:5 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.
Gen 18:6 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.
Gen 18:7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it
unto a young man; and he hsted to dress it.
Gen 18:8 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.
2. under the tree
Abraham does not bother with “fine
china” though his guest are of the highest honor. Get this. Abraham sits them under a
tree! Amazingly Abraham sits the Lord God Almighty under a tree! I could do this with a
friend, but with the Almighty God?
Abraham takes care of their wash room needs, but there are no eloquent acts of etiquette.
No fine silver was brought out, no fine linen, no expensive dining-room furniture. There
was not crystal glasses. All the elegant additives would have been nice, but they do not
speak of friendship. Usually etiquette speaks of stiffness and visitors. What happened at
Abraham’s house was not stiff. Sitting under a tree with a big piece of fresh cut
steak just off the grill, some bread and butter, and a big drink is friendship.
My wife and I have people to our house from
time to time. Sometimes the silver, china, and crystal are set out. We sit at our very
nice large dinning-room table. All is fit and proper. But when friends come over we never
sit at that large expensive table. We never drink from the crystal, we never eat from the
china, and we do not use the silver. What we do is go into our “living room.” We
sit on the “living room” furniture, put our plates (sometimes paper) on an old
pillow (kept just for that purpose) on our laps. We sit our drinks on the floor. Those in
one of the four recliner seats will kick out the leg rest and we go to work eating and
talking and having relationship. This is the picture I see of the Lord God, His angel
messengers, and Abraham in chapter 18 of Genesis.
Sarah is to be admired here also. Often two
guys will say, “Hey, let’s grill out tonight!” Often the wife is tired, had
other plans, or just wanted to rest. Sarah dove right in. She got busy making bread--no
small task. She never complained.
We can differentiate friends from acquaintances
by how we feed them. If not friends we must sit at the dinning room table with the fine
china and crystal. We are making an impression. Friends set at leisure and enjoy simply
being together. Also, even the wife doesn’t complain when friends drop by and invited
to stay over and eat. With acquaintances the wife will say something like, “I
don’t fell like having company tonight.”
How are we when the Almighty God appears? Do we
kick into King James language when He shows up? Do we change the way we do things to
impress Him? If so, then He is only an acquaintance.
Gen 18:8 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.
3. they did eat
Though Abraham kept it simple, he made it good.
So good that the Lord “did eat.” I heard Mark Hanby preach a message once on
“If the Lord was hungry, would he tell you?.” This was the passage (Gen 18) he
ended that message with. The Lord told Israel that if He were hungry He would not so much
as tell them (Ps 50:12). Would he tell me or you? Could I feed Him? There was a fig tree
once that could not feed the Lord Jesus when He was hungry. People are likened to trees in
the scriptures (Ps 1:3). From a distance we often appear to have something to eat, but
when the Lord comes looking many are barren? There is a tree in the book of Revelation
that does bare twelve manner of fruits and yields fruit every month (Rev 22:2). It’s
leaves even heal nations. I want to be that tree.
Rev 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the
river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her
fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
This was no small task that Abraham pulled off
feeding the Lord. It was expensive. It required a great deal of work and effort. It
required much time. However, during all that time, expense, and effort a relationship was
being developed and experienced.
Sometimes we find that it is too laborious to
develop a relationship with the Lord. We are not willing to foot the expense. We are not
willing to expel the labor and effort. We are often selfish with our time. Thus we miss
developing the relationship we all so desire. The expense of tithes and offerings and alms
are often more than we will bare. The labor and effort required to man a ministry is often
wearisome and we “wear-out” shortly. Today time is the most important commodity.
People will give money before they give time. However, in relationship money is not
important. Time is most important. To develop any relationship, especially with the Lord,
time is the major requirement. The Lord owns the earth and all that is therein. He can
have any and every thing except one thing. The one thing the Lord does not own and cannot
have is our time. Today people have trouble giving their time. Simply getting out of bed
and coming to church for corporate meetings is too demanding. We wonder why the Lord will
not work wonders for us?
Gen 18:9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he
said, Behold, in the tent.
4. Where is Sarah thy wife
Sarah is out of sight but not out of hearing.
Abraham was asked where was his wife. Abraham said “Behold, in the tent” (v. 9).
The Hebrew word translated “behold” is hinneh meaning “lo!”
It’s as though Abraham is somewhat surprised by the question. “Behold she is in
the tent.” Where else would she be? That is her area (if I said “her place”
it would not sound the way I want to sound). Sarah was in her domain! A home may be a
man’s castle, but it is the woman’s domain. Us big strong men don’t want to
think that way, but we know it is true. A husband may build the house, but the wife makes
the home. Where else would Sarah be? Sarah was exactly where she should be. Being where
she should be brought her the blessing she longed for.
behold
2009 hinneh (hin-nay');
lo!:
KJV-- behold, lo, see.
Gen 18:10 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.
5. the time of life
life
2416 chay (khah'-ee);
alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; life (or living thing),
KJV-- age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, life etc.,
Abraham is only a few months from being one
hundred years old. Abraham had lost any desire to procreate. He had no appetite to
experience that act. Abraham's strength in that area had departed. However the Lord said
He would return that strength to Abraham. The Lord called it “time of life.”
There is a time span within our days when we
are capable of procreating life. It is of this time of life the Lord spoke. Abraham would
be made alive again in that area. He would once again have an appetite--a desire--a need.
Sarah is now ninety years of age. Her ability
to conceive had long past. Obviously this was the case in chapter 16 when the situation
with Hagar arose. In chapter 18 obviously this is true “....it ceased to be with
Sarah after the manner of women” (v. 11). The Lord promised saying that He would
return to Abraham a desire for Sarah and Sarah would conceive and have a son.
It was interesting to me as I studied this that
it was to Abraham the “time of life” would be restored. I had always been told
and always thought it was to Sarah the “time of life was restore.” It was to
Abraham.
Gen 18:10 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.
Gen 18:11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be
with Sarah after the manner of women.
Gen 18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old
shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
6. Sarah laughed
Sarah heard the Lord say this to Abraham and
she laughed. Remember Abraham also laughed when he was told of Isaac (17:17). They seemed
to have laughed for the identical reasons. They are not doubting the Lord God Almighty.
They are doubting their selves. Sarah specifically is hung up on their age. If you
remember Abraham did just laugh. He fell on his face and laughed (Gen 17:17).
Abraham’s laughter was much, say we say, healthier that Sarah’s laughter. The
laughter of Abraham was not in doubt toward the Lord. The laughter was in doubt toward
himself and Sarah. It was their ability to pull off the Isaac thing that caused both of
them to laugh.
Gen 18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am
waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
Gen 18:13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall
I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
Gen 18:14 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.
Gen 18:15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay;
but thou didst laugh.
7. I am waxed old
It’s not discussed, but it does not seem
that Sarah had been told by Abraham about the promise of Isaac by the Lord. All this seems
to be new to her as it was once new to Abraham in chapter 17. Had Abraham not told Sarah?
When Sarah heard that she would conceive and Abraham would be the reason she laughed.
Sarah decided that she was too old to enjoy the pleasure of a conjugal relation. Sarah had
to be thinking, “It’s been so long since...... And Abraham....? Come on now
Lord, you don’t mean....! I don’t even want to anymore and Abraham doesn’t
want to either. He hasn’t even come to my tent since.... Besides, we are both two
bags of bones. Our teeth are gone. Our hair has fallen out and you said you are going to
restore the time of life.” And she laughed.
8. Wherefore did Sarah laugh
Sarah may have thought she laughed secretly,
but her laugh was heard. Not only was it heard, it was not appreciated. The Lord still
speaking to Abraham says, “Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety
bear a child, which am old? 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.”
The words are straight and direct. This was not a suggestion. It would in fact be “AT
THE TIME APPOINTED I WILL RETURN UNTO THEE, ACCORDING TO THE TIME OF LIFE, AND SARAH SHALL
HAVE A SON!”
No matter if they desired to or not [they would
but that was irrelevant], no matter if they found each other desirable or not, no matter
if they had teeth or not, they would do this and SARAH, YOU SHALL HAVE A SON! This was a
“no brainer”. They would not even need faith for this one. They would not need
to pray about this one. This was decreed by the Almighty God and it would happen.
“SARAH SHALL HAVE A SON!”
Sarah obviously noted the firmness in the voice
of the Lord. As it should and did, that firmness frightened her. She lied and said,
“I didn’t laugh.” The Lord spoke this time for the first time to Sarah,
“Yes you did laugh”. Nothing more needed to be said.
The Lord does not appreciate our laughing at
our selves. This is especially true when we laugh at ourselves when it concerns something
that He said. When God Almighty makes a decree He expects us to say, Yes Lord,” even
if it is a “no brainer”.
Gen 18:16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom:
and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
Gen 18:17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
9. looked toward Sodom
On His way to Sodom the Lord had stopped by to
see His friend Abraham. That visit completed, the Lord turns His attention upon Sodom. The
Lord and His angels had been looking at Abraham and Sarah. They turned and looked at
Sodom.
looked
8259 shaqaph (shaw-kaf');
properly, to lean out (of a window), i.e. (by implication) gaze
The look was not passing glance. It was
intense as if one leaned out of a window to see all possible. It was a peer, a gaze
(Strong’s #8259). They were gazing at an evil place. Sodom was vile. It was beyond
anything imaginable. We have a word today taken from the name of this city. That word is
sodomy. It means, “1. Anal copulation of one male with another. 2. Anal or oral
copulation with a member of the opposite sex. 3. Copulation with an animal.” We were
told in Genesis 13:13 that “the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the
LORD exceedingly.”
Sodom is mentioned 39 times in the Old
Testament and 9 times in the New Testament. All 48 times it is found in a negative
context. In 18:20 we read a similar comment.
GEN 18:20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is
great, and because their sin is very grievous; (emphesis added)
The apostle Paul deals with the act of
sodomy in the book of Romans. The Lord continues His feelings toward this sin in the New
Testament as He did in the Old Testament.
ROM 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in
their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving
in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over
to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; [KJV]
ROM 1:27 And the men, instead of having normal sex relationships with women, burned with
lust for each other, men doing shameful things with other men and, as a result, getting
paid within their own souls with the penalty they so richly deserved.
28 So it was that when they gave God up and would not even acknowledge him, God gave
them up to doing everything their evil minds could think of. (TLB) (emphasis added)
Sodom has taken on a spiritual
significance. There is spiritual sodomy. The Lord speaks to Ezekiel about calling
Jerusalem Sodom (Eze 16:49). Sodom was a metaphor for Jerusalem (Rev 11:8) before that
religious system was destroyed in A.D. 70.
EZE 16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and
abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand
of the poor and needy.
I understand sin. I know that all have sinned
(Rom 3:23). I have sinned and you have sinned. But when I studied in Genesis 13:13 that
these were sinners exceedingly I had to stop and meditate. “Sinners
exceedingly,” I thought. What does that mean? I looked and there is no other place in
the scriptures were sin is expressed in that manner. Those of Sodom are sinners
exceedingly.
I know of no other act of sin man does that
places its victims in such bondage as does sodomy. There is no such destruction to
humanity like sodomy. Of course a life is destroyed. Minds are defiled and held captive.
Homes are destroyed. Health is destroyed. But other sin does does that to people.
Alcoholism, drug addiction, whoremongers, prostitutes are all sins that place their
victims in bondage. So why does the Lord so express the sin of sodomy in terms like
sinners “exceedingly”?
The horrible aspect of sodomy is that man is
terminated. Men cannot reproduce when they copulate with another man or an animal. Women
cannot reproduce when they have sex with another woman or an animal. Descendants who
should come never come. The command to reproduce and replenish the earth is forsaken. The
devil wins and destroys the seed before the seed has a chance to be born. When one
understands the affects of sodomy upon lives there is clarity as to why the Lord wanted
Abraham to teach his descendants. This is why the Lord made positive that Abraham knew
what was happening to Sodom and Gomorrah.
This is extremely difficult teaching. More
people than one realizes are affected by sodomy. It cannot be taught without offending
people. We have relatives and loved ones in the bondage of sodomy. We must be as
understanding as possible, yet not turn from the truth. We must remain in hope those
captured will one day be set free.
As we have mentioned there is also spiritual sodomy. This was most often spoken concerning
Jerusalem. The prophets and Jesus spoke of Jerusalem as Sodom. John equates Jerusalem to
Sodom in Revelation 11:8.
REV 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great
city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was
crucified.
Both Isaiah and Jeremiah spoke of
Jerusalem as Sodom. Jerusalem and its religion had become a place like Sodom. It was
preacher with preacher. There was no reproduction taking place.
ISA 1:10 Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear
unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.
ISA 3:8 For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their
doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory. [9] The shew of their
countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they
hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.
JER 23:14 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit
adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth
return from his wickedness; they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the
inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
What does spiritual sodomy mean? What
did it mean when Jerusalem was equated with Sodom? Spiritual sodomy is when people
participate in a religious system not interested in the woman--Church. Again the most
horrible fact of sodomy is there are no descendants. It was Pharisee with Pharisee and
Sadducee with Sadducee. They were not populating the earth with the kingdom of God.
Jesus spoke of those cities that rejected Him.
Jerusalem was the mother of those that rejected Him. What happen to Sodom was better than
what would happen to Jerusalem.
MAT 10:14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out
of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
MAT 10:15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom
and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
MAT 11:24 But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the
day of judgment, than for thee.
Lot once looked toward Sodom (13:10), moved
toward Sodom (13:12), and then Lot was in Sodom (14:12). He had taken his family to live
in that vile atmosphere. Here in Genesis 18 Abraham, the Lord, and the Lord’s
destroying angels looked toward Sodom. Then the angels move toward Sodom. In 19:1 the
destroying angels will be in Sodom. The angels are not there to vacation, but to destroy.
10. Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do
As the angels moved toward Sodom the Lord stood
yet with Abraham and said, “Can I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?”
We must approach this knowing that in the mind of God Sodom was already destroyed. If God
is the Alpha and Omega (Rev 1:8) and knows the beginning and the end, then God knew the
outcome of Sodom. It was a done deal. What the Almighty God wanted Abraham and us to know
was that He, the Almighty God, destroyed Sodom.
The Lord discussed that destruction with
Abraham. Friends discuss all events and especially major events with each other. This was
major to Almighty God. Abraham was allowed to input. Some people question why the Lord
discussed this with Abraham. Some say it was because Abraham owned the land and God must
get permission before acting. Abraham does own the land. The Lord owns the earth. Some say
it was to allow the righteous to beg mercy for Sodom. Perhaps, but again this was a done
deal. Why then did the Lord discuss this event prior to its happening with Abraham? I
believe the scriptures tell us.
A. For I know him, that he will command his children
Gen 18:17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
Gen 18:18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the
nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
Gen 18:19 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.
The Lord says, “Shall I hide from
Abraham that thing which I do” (not may do). The Lord answered our question of
why He talked this over with Abraham. “For [or because here is why I must talk
to Abraham about this]. First, “I know him...” Is that not
wonderful! The Lord knew Abraham and how he would teach his children. Amazing! “I
know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall
keep the way of the Lord....” Abraham would teach his children and his household
after him. He would command them to keep the way of the Lord. He would command them that
at all cost to avoid the way of Sodom.
The seed of Abraham command their children to
avoid the way of Sodom. This would be both naturally and spiritually. Will our children
always obey? No, but they have been told.
B. that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him
Gen 18:19 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.
The reason Abraham must teach the wrong of
Sodom was so “the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”
The Lord bringing upon Abraham the promises was dependent upon Abraham commanding his
children.
We consistently talk about how the things we do affect our children. We see that what we
command our children affects their lives and ours. It affects us greatly. If we get the
commands wrong then our promises are hindered, affected, and possibly terminated. Abraham
must get it right to get the promises. Abraham must communicate his knowledge of the ways
of God.
We must command our children according to the
ways of Almighty God. Our promises depend upon that.
Gen 18:22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham
stood yet before the LORD.
Gen 18:23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the
wicked?
Gen 18:24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also
destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
Gen 18:25 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?
Gen 18:26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I
will spare all the place for their sakes.
Gen 18:27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto
the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
Gen 18:28 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.
Gen 18:29 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.
Gen 18:30 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.
Gen 18:31 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.
Gen 18:32 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.
Gen 18:33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and
Abraham returned unto his place.
11. 50, 45, 40, 30, 20, 10
One of the most outstanding characteristics of
great men of God, i.e. Abraham and Moses, was their unmerited compassion for people that
the Lord was justified in destroying. Moses was once told by the Lord that He would
destroy the people in the wilderness and begin all over with Moses (Exo 32:9-14). Moses
stepped up to the Lord and brought the Lord to repentance concerning those people. Moses
must have learned that from Abraham.
Isn’t it amazing how the church today is
hell-bent on destroying “sinners” and especially the sodomites. Today’s
church is willing to believe the Lord will blow up the planet get rid of those exceeding
sinners so us wonderful church goers can walk on streets of gold. What a messed up
doctrine. We think “get em’ Lord” while the friend of God says, “Lord
if there are fifty righteous you would not destroy it would you? How about forty-five?
Forty? Thirty? Twenty? Ten?” Rather than finding reasons to destroy the wicked
Abraham found reasons not to destroy them.
12. Abraham drew near, and said....
What does Abraham have to gain by the sparing
of these Sodomites? They are occupying the land that was given him. It seems Abraham
should have encouraged their destruction. Isn’t it wonderful to know that a person
can obtain a relation with the Lord where we can entreat the Lord’s mercy for others?
We may say that’s nice, but I think the wicked should be destroyed. You may think
that until it is one of your children. Until it is one of your loved ones among the wicked
that will spend eternity in hell many think that way. Remember, Lot was in Sodom. Lot was
Abraham’s nephew. Abraham loved Lot and Lot’s family. If we have fed the Lord
and ministered to the Lord and spent time with the Lord, then we can “draw near”
to the Lord and say, “Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
Peradventure there be fifty righteous....” We can say, “Lord, I know this
person is wicked, but do you remember when they....” We can draw near and ask for
mercy for our loved ones.
13. What can we learn from this lesson that we can apply to our lives today?
A. The Lord will sometimes appear when we least expect Him. We may simply be avoiding
the heat of life when we hear in our spirit the Lord speak. Suddenly there He is moving in
our lives.
B. We can differentiate friends from acquaintances by how we feed them. Friends eat in the
living room or at least in a very comfortable setting. We attempt to impress
acquaintances. They are fed with fine china and silver and fed in the most proper way. How
are we when the Almighty God appears? Do we kick into King James language when He shows
up? Do we change everything to impress Him? If so, then He is only an acquaintance.
C. Expense, effort, and time is required in any meaningful relationship. It was
expensive to feed the Lord. The Lord’s visit took great effort. The visit required
time. Today we are very reluctant to give our finances, give effort, or give our time to
develop the most meaningful relationship we could ever enjoy. That relationship is our
relationship with the Almighty God.
D. The Lord does not appreciate us laughing at our selves when it concerns something that
He has instructed us to accomplish. Abraham laughed at himself and Sarah. Sarah laughed at
herself and Abraham. They could not believe they could have a child. The Lord said they
would have a child. When the Lord decrees He expects us to respond in the affirmative.
E. The sin of sodomy is sin exceedingly before the Lord. The reason is reproduction of
mankind is terminated. The seed is terminated before it has a chance.
F. Almighty God talked to Abraham about Sodom. The reason He spoke with Abraham was
because Abraham would command his children and household after him concerning what
happened to Sodom and why it happened. The Lord will tell us things also if He knows we
will properly teach and command our children properly.
G. Almighty God told Abraham that when Abraham commanded his children and household it
would bring the blessing. The Lord said,”....that the LORD may bring upon Abraham
that which he hath spoken of him. The NIV translation says, “....so that the
LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him." Our promises are
greatly affected by the way we command our households. Commanding the way of the Lord
activates the promises. Not commanding the way of the Lord would delay or terminate the
promises of God for us.
H. Abraham, the friend of God, was able to “draw near” the Lord and ask
for mercy for the wicked Sodomites. If we have spent time with the Lord, fed the Lord, and
fed His ministry, then we too can draw near the Lord. We too can ask His mercy for our
loved ones and expect to receive that mercy as did Abraham.
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