Gen 18:1
Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day: Jesus must have really liked Abraham. He kept coming to talk with him personally. Abraham was trying to cool off a bit during the hottest part of the day. The tent would provide at least some shade, and sitting in the door could possibly add a breeze along with the shade.
Gen 18:2
So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground: Abraham knew immediately that these were no mere men. He ran out to them and bowed himself to the ground. You don't do that for just anybody. These three men were Jesus and two angels. We aren't told that they were two angels until later, but they are the two angels that save Lot and destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.
Gen 18:3
and said, "My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant: Abraham calls him Adonai! This "visitor" is Adonai, or God Himself! This can be none other that a pre-incarnate Jesus. Abraham comes from the position of the lesser, asking God to stay.
Gen 18:4
Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: Feet washing was part of the culture. At the door of the tent, there would usually be a bowl for people to wash their feet. Abraham was telling them that he'd wash their feet, and for them to relax under the shade of the trees.
Gen 18:5
And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant." They said, "Do as you have said.": Not only would they be resting in the shade with cleaned feet, Abraham offers to bring them bread.
Gen 18:6
So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, "Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.": Fine meal is fine flour, and the three measures is about 20 quarts of flour. That's a LOT of bread. Certainly more than this small group of people can eat.
Gen 18:7
And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it: You don't just quickly prepare a lamb. It takes hours. Jesus and His two angel companions wait for this enormous meal. You have to wonder what goes through the mind of God while He's just sitting in the shade of a tree waiting for us.
Gen 18:8
So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate: After preparing the food, Abraham takes it to them but doesn't eat with them. Abraham prepared such a kingly meal, but it wasn't for him. He gave God his best.
Gen 18:9
Then they said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" So he said, "Here, in the tent.": Curious how these three knew who Sarah was? It was Jesus and two angels! In asking this rhetorical question, it showed that they knew his family, even though they were strangers.
Gen 18:10
And He said, "I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son." (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.): "And He said" - This is Jesus speaking. "I will certainly return to you according to the time of life" - There are a couple of different interpretations of this portion. It's argued whether it should be translated (loosely) I will return next year or I will return in 9 months. Either one makes sense to me. Sarah was evesdropping on the conversation too.
Gen 18:11
Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing: This means that Sarah had gone through menopause. She had no more eggs.
Gen 18:12
Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?": Sarah was eavesdropping on the conversation, so she didn't make any noise when she laughed. She was incredulous. I know I'd probably react the same way. If, after menopause, anyone told me that my wife would have a baby, I'm sure I'd think they'd lost their mind. It's also possible that she didn't realize it was God Himself too, which would make it understandable why she tried to deny laughing (Gen 18:15).
Gen 18:13
And the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?': I'm sure there's something in it, but I'm not sure why God asked Abraham the question instead of Sarah. It's not like God won't talk to women. He personally visited Hagar when she was fleeing to Egypt (Gen 16:7-13). It may have been to get Abraham to understand that he was speaking with God, but there's no way to know.
Gen 18:14
Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.": When God speaks with His people, we shouldn't think in our minds that He sounds angry. The way God speaks is lovingly, so when we read that Jesus here is asking rhetorical questions, think of Him speaking like a parent to a child.
Gen 18:15
But Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid. And He said, "No, but you did laugh!": And Sarah does as we all do, and lies about what she did. We really shouldn't look down on Sarah for this because we all do it. I'm positive that I'd probably do the same. Think about it. It was just revealed that this was God. That alone would freak me out, so I have no idea how I'd react, but probably like Sarah.
Gen 18:16
Then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on the way: These are the two angels we read about that take Lot out of Sodom before destroying it and Gomorrah (Gen 19:1-29). Abraham goes with the Lord and the two angels for a bit, sending them on their way. I have such mixed emotions about this. I don't think I'd want them to leave!
Gen 18:17
And the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing: LORD here = Jehovah, so we know for a fact that this was God, or Jesus Christ incarnate. We see God here being reluctant to tell Abraham that He was planning to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Why, and why is it recorded here? I believe it's because of the nature of God. He doesn't want to punish the wicked (Eze 33:11). God knew that Abraham was an intercessor, and that Abraham would try to convince God not to destroy them, hence, the hesitation. But we also know that God is love (1Jn 4:8), and love without justice isn't love at all.
Gen 18:18
since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?: Here's the reason why God has for telling Abraham that He's going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. It's because Abraham is going to father a mighty nation under whom, the world will be blessed. It's to be an example of what happens when a nation becomes too degenerate, and completely separated from God.
Gen 18:19
For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.": Sodom and Gomorrah is to be used by Abraham as an example to point to for his children. God is always concerned about children, and we see these decisions consistently being done so we can show the children the ways of the Lord, and the consequences for not following them.
Gen 18:20
And the LORD said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave,: Who was crying out about Sodom and Gomorrah? We don't find the answer here, but there is a hint found in Eze 16:49-50. They did not help the poor and needy, so there were likely people in the cities that were crying out. This is an interesting point to examine because that means God even listens to the ungodly when they cry out against injustice. We will soon find out that there aren't even ten righteous people in the cities, but God still listened to their outcry. We are once again reminded that God is love (1Jn 4:8), and that love requires justice.
Gen 18:21
I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.": God does not like to enact justice and takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. However, when God does bring justice to an evil city, kingdom, country, etc., He makes sure to use it as an example. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah have gone down in history as probably the most well-known consequence of what happens when your nation turns away from God and starts the pursuits of the flesh. When the nation that cultivates an environment of sin starts to reap what they've sewn, the time is ripe for justice. The justice is used again as an example. All throughout history, this has been the pattern. God does not change, and His justice does not cease. There is no question that judgement will come to America for turning our backs on God and Israel.
Gen 18:22
Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD.: The two angels head to Sodom. We'll pick up on their adventure later, but for now, we get to see Abraham in action as an intercessor.
Gen 18:23
And Abraham came near and said, "Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?: This is the question of the millennium! With this question, we can know how God will treat His people in regard to righteousness. We know there is a coming judgement in the Tribulation period, so this question is for us as well. Let us ask, as Abraham asked, "Will God destroy the righteous with the wicked?"
Gen 18:24
Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it?: Haggling always begins with a number the buyer or seller is willing to negotiate on. It's interesting that Abraham begins with 50, because we see his target is certainly lower than that. Normally, the buyer (Abraham in this case) presents an unusually low number, knowing it will have to increase. So maybe Abraham wasn't trying to negotiate, but honestly seeking an answer.
Gen 18:25
Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?": Abraham's point is that if God gives the righteous the same punishment as the wicked, that wouldn't be right. Abraham wants to know if God will do right. This is bold, indeed! I can't imagine having the nerve to ask God these things.
Gen 18:26
So the LORD said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.": We don't know how many people there were in Sodom and Gomorrah, but when the four kings came together (Gen 14:1-13) against Sodom and Gomorrah, the four kings produced an army of 800,000 (https://www.speakingbible.com/jasher/B01C016.htm) people. Although the resisting kings were not able to defeat Chedorlaomer and his coalition, they produced an army they believed would have. So the size of Sodom and Gomorrah had to be considerable, at least 150,000. This is purely a guess but seems reasonable. Abraham was asking for a relatively very small number of righteous. If there were 150,000 inhabitants, Abraham started with 0.0333%. And God says that He will not destroy them if there are 0.0333% righteous people. (Just a side note, but God already knows!) I think He just likes us.
Gen 18:27
Then Abraham answered and said, "Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Abraham acknowledges that He's nothing, and a created being, and that He's speaking to the Creator. But nonetheless, Abraham felt compelled to ask, even the Creator Himself.
Gen 18:28
Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?" So He said, "If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.": Abraham started with 0.0333%, and now drops that number to 0.03%. Doesn't seem like much of a difference, but that is a really small number. And of course, God says that he will not destroy the city if he finds 0.03% of the city righteous.
Gen 18:29
And he spoke to Him yet again and said, "Suppose there should be forty found there?" So He said, "I will not do it for the sake of forty.": Next, Abraham drops the number to 40, or 0.02666%. And God won't do it for that number either.
Gen 18:30
Then he said, "Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?" So He said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there.": And Abraham becomes bolder and asks if God will destroy them if there are 30 righteous people, or 0.02%. And of course, God will not do that either. Are you following the pattern? God will not subject the righteous to the judgement of the wicked! And just like the pattern established here, we can count on the same today, when God brings His judgement in the Tribulation period.
Gen 18:31
And he said, "Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?" So He said, "I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.": This time, Abraham lowers the number to twenty, or 0.0133% of the population. And God still will not destroy the cities if there are that small number found.
Gen 18:32
Then he said, "Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?" And He said, "I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.": Abraham's final number is 10, or 0.0066% of the population. No doubt that Abraham had Lot in mind here. But God will not destroy the city if He finds ten righteous there. It seems to me that we are right back there. There are so few Christians around. I know of two at my current job of 130, and the organization is very conservative. I used to work at Amazon, and I certainly felt alone there. I never met anyone else who was a Christian there. Not one, and I worked there for over six years.
Gen 18:33
So the LORD went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place: Not sure where the pre-incarnate Jesus went, but there are only two angels that we see in Sodom later.
No comments:
Post a Comment