GENESIS 16-19: DAY 30 JOURNEY THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
January 30, 2023
GENESIS 16-19
DAY 30 JOURNEY THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
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Focus Verses For Today: Genesis 18:13-14; 19:16-17
Today, we continue our journey through the book of Genesis. Our journey continues with Abram and his promise of a child. Through both the families of Abraham and Lot, we look at faith and the results when we fail to complete trust in the Lord and follow His direction.
Before we begin our journey today pray for God’s understanding of Genesis 16-19. Read Genesis 16-19. Pray and reflect on what is happening.
Genesis 16-19: Abram and Sarai were both old – Sarai well past childbearing years at the age of 76 – and failed to trust in the Lord to provide them with a child, instead taking matters into their own hands through the use of Hagar. Abram had a son by Hagar, Ishmael (God Hears), the father of all the Arab nations. God reaffirms His covenant with Abram and seals it with the requirement of circumcision. God also changes the name of Abram to Abraham. Abram means “exalted father”. Abram was considered a pagan name. Abraham means “father of many.” Sarai’s name was changed to Sarah. Both names mean princess. Sarah laughs at the angels’ promise that she will have a child within a year. The angels then were sent to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for being totally consumed by sin. The angels had to deal with a mob of men who came to Lot’s house to rape them. The two angels told Lot to gather his family to leave Sodom and Gomorrah because the Lord was about to destroy it. Abraham begs the Lord to spare the city. Only Lot and his family willing to leave and not look back were spared from the city’s destruction. Lot’s daughters show the influence of growing up in a city where God’s law is not honored.
The first of two focus verses for today is Genesis 18:13-14:
13Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ 14Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” (NIV)
Sarah doubted the Lord. She did not believe He could overcome all the obstacles in her path to having a child. Sarah is thinking she is 89 years old. She is thinking she is beyond childbearing years. Sarah doubted and placed limitations on the Lord’s ability. How do you view the Lord? Do you place limits on His relationship with you? What are the characteristics of the God you worship? Look at your daily life. Does it reflect the Lord or have you taken a vacation from living your life for Him through Him?
The second focus verse for today is Genesis 19:16-17:
16When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them. 17As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!” (NIV)
This is a sad, very sad, story. The story that is often overlooked when it is taught, is the struggle Lot had with sin. Lot chose to live in a land of foreigners. He chose to get close to sin. What was Lot thinking? Did he believe he could handle Satan? The angels had to grab Lot and his wife by the hand and lead them away from Sodom and Gomorrah. Their hearts were still there; yet the Lord showed mercy? Choosing to cozy up to sin cost Lot everything that was truly precious. His wife was turned into a pillar of salt because her love of sin was more important than her love for the Lord and her family. What happened to Lot’s daughters? Lot lost all his personal possessions. Lot lost it all. Possibly the saddest of all that occurred through this dalliance with sin: two nights of drunken incest with his two daughters resulted in the birth of two sons, the older daughter’s son was named Moab, father of the Moabites. The younger daughter’s son was named Ben-Ammi, the father of the Ammonites The Moabites and Ammonites are historic enemies of Israel. Have you made a place for a sin to inhabit your life?
Godspeace!
