Lot – de – dah!

The city of Sodom becomes very unruly. God decided to destroy its evilness, which requires taking down the entire city. Two angels are sent to warn Lot so he can leave and be saved. This is only done because of his relationship to Abraham.

The scene is sad, pathetic and humorous. The two male angels are in Lot’s house when the men of the city demanding that Lot send them out surround the house. He says no, but offers his two engaged, daughters instead, stating that the town’s people were free to do what ever they wanted to them.

The town’s men get angry and begin to attach Lot. The angels pull him back through the door and slam it shut. All are safe for the night. In the morning, Lot is told to go to the hills because Sodom is going to be destroyed. He argues with the men and asks to go someplace else. They allow this. Lot’s family is instructed not to look back as they leave. Mama Lot just can’t help herself, and as she turns back, is turned to a pillar of salt.

It seems to me that Lot was not one to make decisions on his own. He was comfortable being ‘brought along’. He stayed in a place of danger and wrongdoing; not to help or make a difference, but because it was comfortable. His wealth and success was given to him because he was related to Abraham. It may have been the only reason he is even mentioned in the Bible. The lesson? I’m not sure. Perhaps it is to make those who are blessed aware of those they are ‘brining along’; and a warning to those who allow themselves to be ‘brought’.

 Genesis 18 + 19

Lot – di – dee

The Story of Lot – part 1

Lot is the nephew of Abraham. It appears that any good fortune he received was because of his relationship with Abraham. Abraham takes Lot with him as he started out on his journey to God’s promised land. Lot’s wealth increases as Abrahams does. In fact, it increases so much that it becomes impossible for them to live side by side.

Abraham tells Lot that in order to stop the strife between the two families, they need to separate. Abraham allows Lot to choose where he wants to settle. Lot takes the land that is lush and green and just happens to be next to a city called Sodom.

There arises a battle between 5 kings. As a result, Lot and his family is taken captive. Uncle Abraham hears of this, he gathers his own men and head out to rescue his nephew. The mission is successful and Lot is returned to his home.

 Genesis 13 + 14

The Sacrifice – The Test

The Sacrifice, The Test

Abraham – part 5

1.God tested Abraham, and He said to him, “Abraham,” and he said, “Here I am.”  2. And He said, “Please take your son, your only one, whom you love, yea, Isaac, and go away to the land of Moriah and bring him up there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains, of which I will tell you.”  3. And Abraham arose early in the morning, and he saddled his donkey, and he took his two young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for a burnt offering, and he arose and went to the place of which God had told him.         Genesis 22:1-3

Abraham does all that God has said, as he raised the knife over his bond son, God says stop! He then provides a lamb to be sacrificed.  This test tested Abraham’s willingness to obey and trust. Abraham passed both tests.

Isaac was not a child in this story, he was a young man. It’s Isaac’s willingness to obey and trust his father that get’s my attention. It’s apparent that Abraham and Sarah had learned to trust God and obey prior to Isaac’s birth. They became Isaac’s example for living the same way. Abraham and Sarah had to learn the lesson through trials and tests; Isaac learned to trust and obey by the life examples of his parents.

As Isaac and Abraham are making their way up the hill, Isaac asked a great question; “Where is the lamb?” Abraham responds: “God will provide for himself a lamb for the burnt offering.” Abraham had learned the lesson that God doesn’t need us to help Him out, “God will provide for himself a lamb…” Abraham was no long the guy who went along with his wife’s plan to help God. He was confident that God is able to supply what He needs to get the job done.

Laughter, that’s the ticket!

The Visitors

Abraham – part 4

It’s been twenty-five years since God made His first promise to Abraham. Abraham has become a wealthy man, but still there is no son besides Ismael. Abraham and Sarah are visited by three strangers. During the visit, one of them says that within a year Abraham will have a son. This makes Sarah laugh out loud. Sarah is 90 and Abraham is 99. They have been waiting for 25 years. Sarah even tried a plan of her own. There is no baby.

There are a few theory’s why Sarah laughed. One is that she was being sarcastic. One is that it was out of her unbelief. If you have every waited and waited for something to happen; and during that waiting time you had done everything you could think of to make it happen;  and is after all your waiting, someone says, with great confidence that it is really going to happen and happen soon – you have a tendency to throw your hands in the air, laugh and say, “If it’s going to happen, then God will have to make it happen.” That kind of laughter comes from total surrender.

Surrender is what God desires.  Sarah gave birth within that next year. Isaac entered the world. He was a 25 year promise. He was a lesson in obedience and trust. He was the beginning of a great nation.

A Servant Girl on the Run

The Story of Hagar

Abraham – part 3

Hagar is the servant girl who is carrying Abraham’s baby. When she discovers that this plan has worked, she begins treating Sarah disrespectfully; a typical reaction for a young person who has succeeded in accomplishing a task that her elder could not. Sarah repays Hagar’s disrespect with bitterness and resentment. The poor treatment from Sarah is more than Hagar can handle and she leaves. Apparently, things were bad enough to make an unmarried, pregnant, servant girl who is living in a foreign land to set out on her own.

Along the way, Hagar stops for water. At the well a ‘visitor’ meets her and says:

“Return to your mistress, and allow yourself to be afflicted under her hands. I will greatly multiply your seed, and it will not be counted for abundance. Behold, you will conceive and bear a son, and you shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard your affliction.”  Genesis 16:7-11

Hagar obeys. She returns to Sarah and serves her honorably. She gives birth to a son. Abraham names him Ishmael and he becomes the father of a great nation. He is the father of the Arab nation.

A Plan of Her Own

The Story of  Sarah

Abraham – part 2

Sarah was Abraham’s only wife. Sarah was unable to have children. God had promised Abraham that he would be the Father of a nation. Babies need to come from somewhere. Sarah was a planner and a doer; great traits until they get in the way of trusting God.

Sarah came up with a great plan; she would allow one of her young servant girls to get pregnant by Abraham, that would fix this problem. This was not an unusual act, this type of thing happened all the time.  The problem with Sarah doing this in this particular situation, was that God didn’t need her help; if He had needed her help, He would have told her what to do.

The plan works, a baby is on the way. Now the trouble begins!

The Story of Abraham

The Story of Abraham – Part 1

And the Lord said to Abram, 1.”Go forth from your land and from your birthplace and from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you.  2. And I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will aggrandize your name, and [you shall] be a blessing.  3. And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you.”                Genesis 12:1-3

Abraham is a very important figure in the Old Testament. God chose him to be the established beginning of Israel.  God told Abraham to “Go” without telling him where he was going. Abraham obeyed.  Abraham took his wife Sarah and his nephew Lot and began this journey.

There are so many stories and lessons hidden within Abraham’s journey; but there are two central themes; obedience and trust.  God said “Go” and Abraham obeyed. God said, “I will make you a Father of many…”; it took 25 years for that promise to come true. It’s within those 25 years that Abraham learns to trust.

Genesis 12 – 25 covers Abraham’s life. Within those chapters are the stories of Sarah, Hagar, Lot, Isaac, some angels, a few kings, a pharaoh or two. As in any good Sunday School Class, we’ll cover just the basics.

Genesis 12 – 25