Genesis 20

In Chapter 20, we see once more, after twenty-five years, Abraham would commit the same mistake of not trusting God absolutely for himself and for his beautiful wife Sarah’s lives. Note that Sarah was still attractive at ninety years old! What a special divine blessing and favor upon her! In a trip to Gerar, Abraham would not dare to declare Sarah as his wife. He would be cowardly saying that she is his sister, thus letting the king Abimelech take Sarah. But God intervened sovereignly and miraculously such that Sarah was spared.

What a merciful gracious God Abraham and Sarah served! So do we. Praise Our Lord God forevermore!

Genesis 19

In Chapter 19, God has sent his angels to rescue Lot and his family before destroying the city of Sodom. The wicked immoral men of this sinful city wanted to attack and sexually abuse these God-sent angels. Lot resisted them even offering them his two virgin daughters instead! They refused and tried to force their way. The angels then took action protecting Lot and his family and struck the wicked sexual perverts with blindness. (V 1-11)

The angels said to Lot that he must get his whole family out of the place because the Lord would destroy it. Lot’s sons-in-law would not believe him. Finally, only Lot, his wife, and his two daughters were mercifully dragged out by the angels. They were commanded to escape to the mountains for their lives and not look behind them. Lot pleaded to go to the town of Zoar instead. This request was graciously granted to him. (V 12-22)

Sodom and Gomorrah were burned down by the Lord. Lot’s wife looked back and she turned into a pillar of salt! What a tragic consequence for disobeying the voice of the Lord! (V 23-26)

From his place, Abraham could behold the terrible smoke coming up from Sodom and Gomorrah. God remembered Abraham. (V 27-29)

Lot, being afraid of living in Zoar, went up with his two daughters to stay in a cave in the mountains. In this isolated and lonely state, incestual relations between the drunk Lot and his two daughters would bear Moab and Ben-ammi, father of the Moabites and Ammonites respectively. (V 30-38)

What a tragic end for Lot and his family! The Moabites and Ammonites would become enemies of Israel in later times... However, what a most merciful and gracious Sovereign Lord God do we see! He would choose an individual good Moabite lady (Ruth) to be in the Messiah's lineage!
May the Lord have mercy upon us all! May we always walk in true obedience to God at all times!

Genesis 16, 17, 18

In Chapter 16, we see that when Abram was about eighty five and Sarai seventy five years old, they were shaken in their faith in God and His promise to them as the parents of many nations. They devised a human plan to produce a son. So was Ishmael conceived in the flesh through their maid Hagar. This would create terrible family conflicts and miseries (V 1-9).

Nevertheless, the gracious Lord God would pour out His grace and Ismael would survive and become the father of a multitude of descendants, the Arab nations. (V 10-16)

In Chapter 17, we see how God is so faithful even though His children failed Him so lamentably. He kept His promise and covenant with Abram however long it takes. Abram had to trust God for the birth of the promised son Isaac for another fourteen years, from eighty six to a hundred years old. Sarai would be ninety years old when she would give birth to Isaac. Both Abram and Sarai would be given new meaningful names of Abraham (Father of nations) and Sarah (Mother of nations) respectively.

God also established the rite of circumcision of all males in Abraham's household and his descendants as the physical sign of the covenant between Him and Abraham.

In Chapter 18 V 1-15, we see God appearing again to Abraham and Sarah one year before the birth of the promised son Isaac and confirmed the promise and covenant once more.

O how faithful is God! how great is He! Nothing is too hard for Him. Nothing is impossible to Him. All things are possible to Him. We must trust Him totally, never doubting Him and never should we try to accomplish God's will and promise to us through our own ways and efforts in the flesh (like Abram and Sarai did bringing about Ismael instead of Isaac, the promised one from God. Read Galatians 4:21-31 too). We need to be patient and persevering faithfully in waiting upon the Lord, no matter the circumstances and length of time. God knows best. He has the perfect plan and timing to accomplish His wonders and miracles in and through our lives surrendered to Him. Let's always trust and obey Our God most faithfully no matter what, where, and when. Amen.

In Genesis 18:16-33, the Lord first shared with His chosen child Abraham about His imminent judgment upon the sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (V 16-22). 

Abraham pleaded to Yahweh on behalf of the sinful cities. He was most probably very concerned about his nephew Lot and his family who had settled in Sodom.

Nevertheless, the level of depravity was so deep that not even ten people were found righteous in Sodom! Imminent divine judgment and destruction of the depraved cities was unavoidable now! (V 23-33)

Genesis 14-15

In Chapter 14, we see how Man's sinfulness continue to manifest itself since the Fall of Man and even after the Great Flood. People fight and sin against each other. (V 1-11). Lot and his family who lived in the war zone of Sodom got captured too (V12).

When Abram heard about it, will he forsake his nephew now? No, he will come and rescue him and his family and possessions! What a great heart! How bold and courageous was Abram now, in amazing contrast to his time in Egypt during the famine. How great faith he now demonstrates before all his family, relatives, servants, and the enemies! God honored him and gave him the victory in this rescue mission (V 13-16).

Abram will keep his integrity even after the victory. He would not compromise his character now. He tithed unto the priestly king Melchizedek (a figure of Christ Jesus) (V 17-20). He maintained his good testimony before the king of Sodom by manifesting his trust and gratitude towards the Lord God Himself, not to any human king (V 21-24).

In Chapter 15, God promised Abram a son and many descendants (V 1-7).
The Lord cut an unconditional covenant with Abram (V 8-21).
Even if Abram would be unfaithful or fail somehow on his side, God would still be faithful to this extraordinary covenant that would eventually bring about the virgin birth of the Messiah Jesus Christ centuries later.