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“Where Is The Lamb?” Genesis 22:9-24

Father Abraham

A Sermon Series

“Where Is The Lamb?”

Genesis 22:9-24

John 1:29 “The next day he (John the Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

A Father Who Holds Nothing Back (vv. 9-10)

9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.

(v. 2) “go to the land of Moriah,” – Abraham and Isaac have traveled to a very specific place for what is about to transpire. Moriah is mentioned in 2 Chronicles 3:1 – this would be the place where the temple would be built, and where Jesus would die on the cross. God told them, I want you to go to a very specific place (the eventual place of the cross), to do a very specific act of worship (lay down your son as a way of forgiveness of sin), in a very specific way (laying down his life). All of this points to Jesus.

This foundational act of worship (Abraham offering his one and only son as commanded by God) would take place in the land of Moriah. Then the Temple worship would come to be where animals would be slaughtered in accordance to the law. Then in the fullness of time, the cross would be lifted up where the Son of God would lay down his life, and be slaughtered for the sin of humanity).

Isaac was likely a young man, not a small child. Estimates generally range from his late teens to 37 years old. Common scholarly and traditional views suggest he was roughly 25 to 37 years old, as he was strong enough to carry the wood for the sacrifice up Mount Moriah[1] – more than strong enough to wrestle away from a 100-year-old man. He was not taken by force, Isaac willingly laid down on the alter because his father told him to.

Isaac carried the wood where he would be the sacrifice, the Father carried the knife and the fire and would be the one who kills his own son.[2]

God is not cruel or seeking to strip something away from Abraham,[3]

He is foreshadowing a Savior that is coming,

God is showing how a father will sacrifice his son for the covering of sin.

(v. 1) tells us that this was a test, “God tested Abraham,” – So what is the test? The test is “Can I trust God?” To have faith is to accept certain things about God (truth, love, just, etc.) that is why we have the Bible, so we can get a true picture of who He is, and then to act on His Word. All of the salvation story revolves on how we respond to God’s Word – we are saved by faith.

A Father Whose Heart Is Broken (vv. 11- 14)

11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

Why did God put Abraham through this “test?” Because he has to feel and understand what a substitute means. If there is no understanding of loss, there is no rejoicing in the substitute. Ultimately this is a foreshadowing of how God laid His own Son down, and offered him as a sacrifice for the salvation of the world. He would not stop mid-blow, but instead bring down His full wrath upon his one and only son, the son who he loved.

Salvation means nothing until a person truly understands where they stand before God apart from Christ. What is the value of a substitute if you have never felt the pain of loss. Why turn from sin if you have never understood what that sin cost our heavenly father? God has to get Abraham to the point of realizing his complete loss (of Isaac), and then in that mourning and fear of loss God provides the substitute. Jehovah Jireh, “the Lord will provide.”

Jonathan Edwards in his famous sermon Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God, once said, “The use of this dreadful subject, may be for awakening unconverted people in this congregation. What you have heard is the case of every one of you who are out of Christ. That world of misery, that lake of burning brimstone, is extended abroad under you! There is the dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God! There is Hell’s wide gaping mouth open, and you have nothing to stand upon, nor anything to take hold of! There is nothing between you and Hell but the thin air! It is only the power and mere pleasure of God, which holds you up!”

When we realize that because of our sin, we have lost everything of any value in this world or in the next, we cry out for Jesus. Then, God withholds nothing for those who place their faith in His Son. He lavishes them with forgiveness of sin, spiritual gifts, eternal life, adoption as His children, placing on them a robe, and ring, and sandals on their feet – their poverty of sin is turned to heavenly riches of grace and mercy.

But you cannot understand the power of the father running to us as the prodigal, unless you realize that you have lost everything and your stomach aches to eat what the pigs are eating. Otherwise, the father’s running to you in love, the ring, the coat, and sandals are easily discarded for Satanic substitutes.

(v.14) “So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”” – Jehovah Jireh or “The Lord will see to it.” This description and name is given in the future tense, meaning God will see to and provide in the future a substitute for man’s sin – The Father will see our sinful condition, and provide a substitute so that we may live – so that we will not have to pay the penalty for the sin we have committed. When Isaac asked, “where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, . . .”

“Where is the lamb?”

“How can I be free from my sin?”

“What must I do to be saved?”

Acts 16:25-31 “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. 27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Our Father has seen our need (sin) and has provided a way for you to be saved from your sin. He gave His One and Only Son as a substitute for you.

Isaiah 53:5-6 “. . . he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

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In this account Abraham received a picture of what the Messiah would be like, John 8:56 Jesus is discussing who He is with the religious leaders, “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” But what did Abraham see about Jesus that made him glad?

“When he takes the knife, and stretches forth his hand to slay his son, he is made to realize the intensity of the love of him who spared not his own Son, but gave him up even to death.” Ultimately, Abraham would not have to give his son, but he would understand the love given to him and all other sinners because of the true sacrifice.

“The lamb provided for Isaac’s release, there is a vivid representation of the great principle of the sacrifice of Christ – the principle of substitution (substitutionary atonement). A ransom is found for the doomed and condemned – an acceptable victim in their place.” Abraham would know the feeling of joy and release in that he doesn’t have to give his own son as a sin offering.

“In the reception of Isaac again by Abraham virtually from the dead, and his welcome restoration to his father’s embrace – not, however, without a sacrifice, not without blood – the resurrection of the Son of God, and his return to the bosom of the Father – after undergoing that death which Isaac underwent only in figure – might clearly and strikingly discerned.”[4] What Abraham experienced showed him all that his faith longed to see. Jesus would return to and be embraced by the Father – Abraham understood what that reception would be like.

There is joy in a day of resurrection; Hebrews 11:19 “He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.” With Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, sin and death has been defeated. Death causes us to weep and mourn. Jesus thinking about his friend Lazarus’ tomb and wept. But Abraham through this experience was able to see a day when Jesus would come, and defeat death and there will be a day of resurrection when all things will be made right once more. Joy will come in the morning.

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A Father Who Is Blessed By God (vv. 15-19)

15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore.[5] And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.

(v. 18) This is the first time we have the word “obey” in the Bible – because Abraham obeyed God’s command, etc… Abraham’s obedience was immediate. When he was told to circumcise the males in his camp, “on that very day,” (Gen. 17) he carried out the command. When told to sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering, “he arose early the next morning,” (Gen. 22). He was obedient in that he obeyed quickly. Abraham was going to Mt. Moriah to worship God; Worship is rooted in obedience – you cannot worship God while willfully being disobedient.

(v. 16) We are told why Abraham is being blessed, “because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you . . .” Hebrews again speaks to this passage, Hebrews 6:13-15 “For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” 15 And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise.”

Abraham’s descendants, have already been described as “a great nation,” “as the dust of the earth,” “the stars of the sky” and here God adds, “as the sand that is on the seashore,” Abraham’s faith is rewarded in that many others will also place their faith in Christ – His faith will direct countless others to put their faith in the one true God, and the substitute He provides (His own Son).

(v. 17) “And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies” – Those who put their faith in Jesus don’t have to win the battle over sin; victory over sin and death has already been completed – they simply possess it. The enemy and his city have been defeated. The children of God simply occupy/possess the land already conquered.

James 2:21-24 “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”

Salvation is received (we obtain salvation) by faith alone (not works) – but that faith in God should drive us to obedient actions. Abraham’s faith demanded that he sacrifice Isaac – which his heart was willing to do.[6] There are countless opportunities to express your faith in Christ in your church (we are starting Good News Clubs, young adult ministries, there is group that gathers to pray every Wednesday morning, children’s ministry, student ministry, you can invite people to church or your Sunday School class, Easter is a few weeks away, on and on are opportunities).

If you think of faith the inward, and works as the outward – both have to exist. Faith without works is dead (it’s not real, its pretend, your just religious). Works without faith is exhausting self-righteousness, trying to accomplish the impossible. You don’t even know why you are doing what you are doing – there is no foundation underneath your efforts.

Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. When he received the command to offer his son as a burnt offering he left early the next day, saddled his donkey, cut wood, and went to Mt. Moriah. Faith and Works. Inward and Outward.

James tells us that Abraham “was called a friend of God.” – How does one become a friend of God? 1) They are called by God 2) They repent when they sin and seek to worship God as He has instructed 3) They have faith in His Word 4) They are obedient to His Word 5) Their blessing is the salvation of others – what is important to God is important to them. John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

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[1] John 19:17 “So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.” Isaac is carrying the wood where he will be the burnt offering.

[2] Derek Kidner, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, Genesis (Downers Grove, Illinois; Inter-Varsity Press, 1967) 143.

[3] If this were an idolatrous stripping away for Abraham’s sake, then “Abraham without Isaac is greatly troubling, but Abraham without God is unbearable.”

[4] James Montgomery Boice, An Expositional Commentary, Genesis (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Baker Books, 2002) 698.

[5] Hebrews 11:12 “Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.”

[6] C. H. Mackintosh, Notes on the Pentateuch, Genesis to Deuteronomy (Neptune, New Jersey; Loizeaux Brothers, 1972) 98.

“Moving With God When The Way Seems Twisted” Genesis 21:1-7; 22:1-8

Father Abraham

A Sermon Series

“Moving With God When The Way Seems Twisted”

Genesis 21:1-7; 22:1-8

Introduction

We Can Be Joyful Because God Keeps His Promises (Genesis 21:1-7)

“The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. 2 And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” 7 And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

God has made multiple promises to Abraham and Sarah, going back over a decade— established a covenant centered on three core pillars: numerous descendants (a “great nation”), the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession, and divine blessing for him and all nations through his offspring. But of all promises, Abraham and Sarah would have held the most dear, was the promise of a son (born from their own bodies).

The word laughter is repeated again and again – it is a scene of a family rejoicing in the birth of a child. It is also the joy that comes from believing that God will keep His promise, and then rejoicing in how He is faithful. This older couple has learned many things about God in their 100 year journey: 1) what is means to pursue a calling of God together, 2) to take spiritual shortcuts and sin against others (having a child with Hagar, and lying to the Pharoah),

3) what it means to wait upon the Lord, patience, 4) to have members of their family go away from God and pursue the world – they tried to rescue Lot multiple times, 4) and now to experience God keeping His promises – promises fulfilled. Laughter fills their homes and lives. God took the incident of Sarah laughing at God (“that’s silly, me have a child now that I am old?”), and turned it into a characteristic of their lives, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” When people see this old woman holding this new born child they will laugh (with joy with them) at how God has done this.

This is also a picture of God’s people waiting for the Messiah[2] to arrive, Gen. 12:2 God has promised Abraham, “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” : When we hear the story of Abraham and Sarah finally give birth the promised child our hearts fill with joy because we know that through this lineage will come the Savior of the world – and God has the power to keep his promise (to do the miraculous) and because of His character (proven faithfulness) He will do it. In spite of the lying, the spiritual shortcuts, and all the lacking of faith by this couple – God stayed true to His promise to this couple.

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Isaac’s Birth Explained By Romans 4

Romans 4:18-25 “In hope he (Abraham) believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”

Isaac’s Birth Was Impossible

(v. 19) “when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead,”[3] – When Abraham considered his own body it was impossible for him to have a child – God would have to do a miracle. Ephesians 2:1 “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins” Spiritually, apart from Christ and his salvation, we are dead. Dead people cannot save themselves – they can do nothing. Jesus told Nicodemus, that he would never see the kingdom of God, unless he was born again – to be made alive again (John 3:7).

Abraham’s Faith Grew As He Gave God Glory

(v. 20) “he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God” – God will get the glory for the child’s birth, and whenever people would see this sight of this older couple and this new born child, the joy would be directed to God. Every time before the birth, when Abraham would think “how is this going to happen?” Romans tells us that he would give glory to God, and not look to himself to accomplish this.

When he did that, again, and again, his faith was strengthened. “So long as Abraham had possessed the physical ability to procure a child, the child would have been his child and the glory of engendering it would have been his as well.”[4] When we give God glory for our salvation, accepting that He gave us a spiritual new birth, that He did all that was required for our salvation, that we did nothing – our faith is also strengthened.

Abraham Believed God’s Promise

(v. 21) “fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.” – Abraham believed God’s promise of a son because he was fully convinced that God would it. In John 3:7 in that conversation with Nicodemus Jesus says, “No one can enter into the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and Spirit” (John 3:5). The power of this birth has to come from above, from God. Abraham had no ability to bring this child into the world – God had to do it. Our salvation is from above, you can do nothing to save yourself (you are spiritually dead).

The Birth of Isaac Was Not Just For Abraham and Sarah’s Joy

(v. 23-24) “But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also.” This miracle was not just for the joy of Abraham and Sarah, it was written so that we may believe, so that we may have the righteousness of Christ credited to us because of our faith in Jesus. Isaac’s birth was written so that all who hear it, may place their faith in the God who does the miraculous for the wicked sinner.

We all need the miracle of a new birth. Your salvation is not just for you alone, Jesus commands those who have placed their faith in him to “go and make disciples of all nations.”

The promise given to Abraham to be a blessing to all nations,

is fulfilled in you as you share the gospel to those around you.

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We Can Be Joyful Because God Is Good (Genesis 22:1-10)

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

A burnt offering means, “that which goes up,” “is vaporized,” Its purpose is to be a pleasing odor before the Lord. Whatever animal or bird was used was entirely burned up, including it entrails and legs on the alter by the priest. The offeror first laid his hands upon the head of the animal (Lev. 1:14-17, 6:8-13) so that its acceptance in his place was symbolically assured. Later in the temple the blood of the animal would be thrown against the alter at the door of the tent of meeting. This act of worship makes the worshipper acceptable to God – his sin would be atoned for.[5]

God has appeared to Abraham nine times and God has promised him again and again that he would have a son, and this promised son would hold a critical role in the future. God has promised Abraham that through Isaac he would be blessed, that the whole world would be blessed, that the promised deliverer (of Gen.3) would come through his lineage.

Remember Abraham begged God to accept Ismael as a substitute for the promised son, and God said, “No.” The salvation of the world hinged on Isaac having a family, and then having kids – but how could all those promises come to be if he kills him? Isaac has to die, “offer him there as a burnt offering,” yet God’s promises must be fulfilled – how can these things happen at the same time?[6] Abraham “. . . believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” And again, in Romans 4:21-22 “. . . fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” Abraham did not know how God was going to do both, yet he believed that God would make a way.

3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together.

Abraham has clear direction, but not clear understanding, “So Abraham rose early in the morning.” When you have clear direction from God, even though you may not understand why, or how – you still must move. Abraham had clear instructions (what he was supposed to do), and clear directions (where he was supposed to go) – therefore he has to move forward, even though he may not like the plan, or fully understand the why behind the plan. Delaying is not an option, if he was to remain faithful.

Notice that at the age of well over 100, Abraham saddled his own donkey, Abraham cut the wood needed for the sacrifice, even though he had three young men with him who could have done it – this task fell on his plate of responsibility. For three days Abraham was thinking about what he had to do. He knew it was his responsibility to offer his son as a sacrifice – so he personally took care of all the details.

He is trying to figure out how is this paradox going to be solved – and by the time he gets to the mountain – he has figured it out, “I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” What answer did he come up with? Hebrews 11:19 “He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, . . .” Abraham was expecting a resurrection. He would kill his son, and God would raise him back to life.[7]

Later during Jesus’ ministry, Matthew 16:21-22 “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord!5 This shall never happen to you.” How Can Jesus save the world from their sin, to fulfill the Scriptures of being the Messiah, if they kill him? Jesus tells the disciples, “on the third day I will be raised back to life.” They don’t seem to remember the account of Abraham and Isaac.

7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

From the conversation between Abraham and his son, we see that worship would have been a regular event in their lives. Cutting wood, carrying wood, carrying fire and a knife to a location (even a three-day travel in this valley of shadow of death isn’t strange to Isaac), but this time (of all the previous times) something is missing. Isaac asks, “where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”

Abraham (whose name was changed by God to mean “the father of nations”) responds “God will provide for himself the lamb,” – Normally, you would select from your herd a lamb meeting the proper qualifications (healthy, no deformities, etc.) and slaughter it and lay it on the fire (as a burnt offering). But on this occasion, God would select the offering, he would provide the sacrifice.

Job 1:21 after he had lost his children, put it like this, “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head fand fell on the ground and worshiped. (Abraham is going to worship) 21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Abraham’s role in this life was to obey the word of the Lord, not to stand in judgement of it – trust that God is good, that He is our friend, that He is merciful, kind, and a good Father. He is the Good Shepherd, He is always faithful, — God had given him a son, and God has every right to take the only son that he loved. For this act of worship, God chose Isaac for the sacrifice.

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[2] Genesis 49:10: Predicts a ruler from the tribe of Judah (the scepter shall not depart from Judah). 2 Samuel 7:12-16: God promises David that his descendant will establish an everlasting kingdom. Psalm 2:1-12: Identifies the Messiah as the Son of God, ordained to rule. Psalm 22: Describes the suffering and crucifixion of the Messiah, including phrases like “they pierced my hands and my feet.” Isaiah 7:14: Foretells that the Messiah will be born of a virgin and named Immanuel. Isaiah 9:6-7: Prophesies a child will be born, called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”. Isaiah 11:1-5: Predicts a descendant of Jesse (David’s father) who will rule with the Spirit. Isaiah 53: The “Suffering Servant” passage, detailing the Messiah’s rejection, persecution, and vicarious suffering for sins. Daniel 9:24-27: Prophesies a specific timeline (“seventy sevens”) for the coming and rejection of the Messiah. Micah 5:2: Predicts the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem. Zechariah 9:9: Foretells the Messiah’s humble, public entry into Jerusalem on a donkey.

[3] See also Hebrews 11:12 “. . . him as good as dead,”

[4] James Montgomery Boice, An Expositional Commentary, Genesis, Volume 2 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Baker Books, 1985) 660.

[5] Geoffrey W. Bromiley, The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Volume Four (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988) 268.

[6] “Human reason would simply conclude that either the promise is false or that the command is not from God but from the devil; for it is a manifest contradiction. For if Isaac must be killed, the promise is void; if the promise is valid, it is impossible for this to be a command from God.” (Luther) C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament In Ten Volumes, Volume 1 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdman Publishing Company, 1985) 248.

[7] The burnt offering would be completely consumed by the fire. Abraham believed Isaac would be brought back to life and fully restored from the fire. Jesus ultimately would be resurrected and given a new spiritual body.

“The God Who Rescues the Righteous and Judges the Wicked: Angels Rescue Lot: Part Two” Genesis 19:8-29

Father Abraham

A Sermon Series

“The God Who Rescues the Righteous and Judges the Wicked:

Angels Rescue Lot: Part Two”

Genesis 19:8-29

Introduction

“If I had a brother who had been murdered, what would you think of me if I …daily consorted with the assassin who drove the dagger into my brother’s heart; surely I too must be an accomplice in the crime. Sin murdered Christ; will you be a friend to it? Sin pierced the heart of the Incarnate God; can you love it?” C.H. Spurgeon.[1]

Review

Lot’s Increasing Callousness Toward Sin (vv. 1-3)
Sodom’s Sin (vv. 4-7)

III. Lot Offers An Alternative (vv. 8-11)

8 Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.” 9 But they said, “Stand back!” And they said, “This fellow came to sojourn, and he has become the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them.” Then they pressed hard against the man Lot, and drew near to break the door down. 10 But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them and shut the door. 11 And they struck with blindness the men who were at the entrance of the house, both small and great, so that they wore themselves out groping for the door.

How could Lot offer his daughters to the crowd for them to “do what you like with them?” In order to correct the homosexuality of the act, he offers his daughters that would remove abomination part – but because Lot is so compromised that he has become blind to the violence, and even violence against his daughters. Lot is thinking, “God’s problem is with the homosexuality part of the sin, so he offers his daughters instead of them to solve that problem.”

This is a further step in Lot’s decline. Sin blinds the sinner from the harmful effects of his actions. We come up with crazy solutions to the situations we find ourselves in, because we don’t want to give up certain sins. The person doesn’t care how their actions affect others. This is the ultimate selfish act. Sin draws one into thinking more and more about yourself.

Christ teaches us to look less and less at ourselves and more and more at God. Lot was focused on getting the angels out so that his lifestyle could continue. He wanted to run back to the city gate and continue living as he had. Dawn came. Judgment was about to fall, but Lot hesitated. He was a righteous man in that he believed God. He believed what the angels had told him. But he loved the lifestyle of living in the city, his following God was way off track.

But the angels had to physically take the family’s hands and by force pull them out of the city to safety, saying “flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain!” All who sin will be punished, if they have not turned from sin and fled for safety to the cross of Christ.

If you are a believer living in Sodom, You may have, like Lot, thought he had it far enough away that you could control it, gained considerable recognition in the city. Perhaps you have bartered away your faith, and the world has accepted you as endorsing its lifestyle.

But whenever it comes time to take stand your stand, you will soon discover that the people will turn on you like they did Lot. If you are not taking a stand against the sin and are instead trying to blend in, then you are not winning Sodom, Sodom is winning you.

“so that they wore themselves out groping for the door.” – These men are so focused on trying to bring the men out of the house and they are so consumed with lust for these men that they can’t put together that they are blind, that everyone around them is also blind, and after attempt and attempt they are tired from “groping for the door.” Their sin had blinded them from the presence of God’s representatives in their city, and God blinded them in order to protect the righteous man Lot.

But also, their judgement was coming, God had already stopped and talked with Abram about how their sin was so opposed to His ways, that He came down to observe and see for himself, Genesis 18:20-21 “Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, 21 I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me.”

When we ask “why didn’t they stop groping around,?” “why didn’t they realize everyone around them was also blind?,” and “why didn’t they stop and realize something miraculous was going on?” Their obsession and lust had caused them to lose control of being rational – they are blind to reality because of their sinful focus. This blindness may have been God’s last and final act of grace for this city. God blinded them as one final act of mercy to a city who have sinned gravely.

The men of Sodom are blind to the coming judgement of God, His presence within their city, their being consumed by their sin, and even the final offering of grace from God. What does God have to do to get your attention?

Acts 9 “But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus . . . God in a voice and bright light blinded Paul – he was breathing out murderous threats against the church – God strikes him with blindness and he comes to his senses. . . . v. 17 after Paul had been with Ananias “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19 and taking food, he was strengthened.” Paul came to his senses and became the person God used to share the gospel to the Gentiles.

Later the man who understood spiritual blindness (Paul) wrote in Romans 11:7-10 “What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, 8 as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.” 9 And David says, “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; 10 let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.”

Also in Isaiah 6:8 “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” 9 And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ 10 Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Blindness can cause you to stop and realize you need God,

or it can drive you into further darkness and judgement.

It’s Time to Leave – Judgement Is Here (vv. 12-16)

12 Then the men said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city, bring them out of the place. 13 For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.” 14 So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, “Up! Get out of this place, for the Lord is about to destroy the city.” But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting. 15 As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.” 16 But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.

As the judgment of God is about to fall upon the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah , the angels tell him, “For we are about to destroy this place,” Lot is still trying to figure out how he can hold on, what can he grab and take with him – he can’t take anything with him and survive – so he lingers (he’s consumed with trying to salvage something from his life there). What can I take with me?

He was so caught up in trying to figure this out, “So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.” So by force, the whole family now stands outside the city walls, and are given instructions to flee, don’t linger, don’t look back! There is a wave of destruction that is coming, and you don’t want to get caught up in it.

Still Trying to Hold On (vv. 17-26)

¹⁷ As 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!” ¹⁸ But Lot said to them, “No, my lords, please! ¹⁹ Your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have shown great kindness to me in sparing my life. But I can’t flee to the mountains; this disaster will overtake me, and I’ll die. ²⁰ Look, here is a town near enough to run to, and it is small. Let me flee to it-it is very small, isn’t it? Then my life will be spared.” ²¹ He said to him, “Very well, I will grant this request too; I will not overthrow the town you speak of. ²² But flee there quickly, because I cannot do anything until you reach it.” (That is why the town was called Zoar. ) ²³

It seems incredible that Lot would argue with the angels who were going to destroy the city (even when the lives of his family members were at stake) but instead of going to the mountains as they had suggested Lot wanted to go to a smaller city instead.

He bases his plea on the fact that God has already been gracious in delivering him from Sodom “Your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have shown great kindness to me in sparing my life.” In other words, since God has been good enough to spare his life, he should now also be good enough to allow him to go on sinning. God had been gracious enough to spare his life but then he doubts God’s ability to get him to the mountains. Lot also argues on the basis of the smallness of the place he wanted to go. “Look, here is a town near enough to run to, and it is small. Let me flee to it-it is very small, isn’t it?”

Even as a he is running from the consequences of sin; he is trying to see how he can continue to sin further. So why do the angels let him? God never prevents us from sinning.

By the time Lot reached Zoar, the sun had risen over the land. ²⁴ Then the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah-from the LORD out of the heavens. ²⁵ Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities-and also the vegetation in the land. ²⁶ But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

Our definition for righteous is not sinless perfection, but it is believing on God’s Word. What does He say that a person needs to do, be, what are His instructions – and then to follow them, to take Him at His Word. God specifically said, don’t look back if you want to be saved, “Lot’s wife looked back.” You cannot be saved from God’s judgement if you ignore His instructions on how to be saved?

Does Our Sin Affect our Family?

Lot’s Wife

There doesn’t seem to be any indication that Lot was married before he moved close and eventually into Sodom. So, it is my guess that he married a woman from Sodom. There also does not seem to be any indication that she was a believer in the one true God. She could not seem to tear her herself away from the city. She seems to have lingered behind, looked back, and was overtaken in the destruction.

Lot’s wife was never persuaded by her husband’s faith. I wonder why? Was it because his life so blended into the cities that there was nothing different about him. Fathers, your sins will hurt your family.

Lot’s Daughters

Just like their father they have grown up and learned by their father’s example to only focus on themselves. Sin causes you to not worry about God’s Word, his ways or even the very laws of nature that he has established.

Gen. 30:30-38 describes that when Lot and his daughters had escaped the daughters were concerned that they would not have anyone to marry and have children so they got their father drunk and each in turn had sex with him.

The children went on to become the Moabites and the Ammonites who were enemies of the line of Abraham. The daughters did not see a father who lived out a faith. If you want to raise children that will do awful evil things that you may not even be able to imagine, then say you are a Christian but let your children watch you live everyday as a worldly person.

Lot’s Son-In-Laws

Notice that earlier in the story, it says that “Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom-both young and old-surrounded the house.” Lot’s sons-in-laws would have been apart of this crowd. Lot’s daughters were offered “to the crowd,” they didn’t say anything to this.

Verse 14 says, “So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters. He said, “Hurry and get out of this place, because the LORD is about to destroy the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.”

Why did they think he was joking? Many of the men had just been struck with blindness, and couldn’t they see what was going on. Lot more than likely had never spoke with them about anything regarding God so now when he does, it’s a joke. How could Lot’s daughters have chosen men like this? They followed their father’s example.

Conclusion

Are you trying to live like the world and yet follow the ways of the world? 1 Cor. 3:11-15 says, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹²If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ¹³his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. ¹⁴If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. ¹⁵If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.”

One day the judgment of God will come for all people. For those who live in Sodom (still in their sin), they will be burned up, no further chances. But the Christian who is in Sodom, he will be saved, but it will be as one “escaping through the flames.”

He will have nothing to present to God for all the years of life given to serve and worship Him. Don’t let that be you. Have arm loads, trucks loads, years, of service to present to God, to bring Him glory. This is a year to start, help be apart of the church family that is going to impact our world.

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[1] https://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/w/worldliness.htm

“God’s Covenant and Abraham’s Response” Genesis 15:1-21

Father Abraham

A Sermon Series

“God’s Covenant and Abraham’s Response”

Genesis 15:1-21

Introduction

In Genesis 15 we find a man named Abram, who has just finished rescuing his nephew Lot from being kidnapped by several local kings that had war with eachother. And earlier in Genesis 12:1-3 “Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” If you go and follow the Lord, He will use you to bless the world.

So now since Genesis chapter 12 and chapter 15 some time has passed, and God has approached Abram multiple times. “There were nine successive manifestations of God to Abram, of which this is the fifth.”[1] This is the first time Abram responds back.

God Promises Abram an Heir (vv. 1-6)

(After these things) the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision[2]: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 2 But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.”

God has already promised to make him into a great nation, and now God tells Abram that God is his shield and his reward (which will be great). God is Abram’s protection, and his reward for following Him would be great. The word for reward is the payment to the victor for winning the war (the divided spoils of war).[3] In the battle God will protect him, and when it’s all over there will be a great reward. They would fight together.

Fear of the Past. Abram is potentially fearful because he has just won a war against multiple kings (Genesis 14); he was relatively small in number, defeating a much larger force. His side had divided the spoils of the conflict (including Lot his nephew being returned). Would these losing forces want to retaliate and attack him once he goes back to pitching his tent in the valley? If they choose to do so, God tells Abram, “I am your shield,” When you choose to do the right thing, to step out in faith, and engage the world for the sake of righteousness, God will be your shield.

Abram at the end of the battle in chapter 14 did not receive the spoils of the victory – the other men fighting with him did, but Abram specifically did not because, Genesis 14:22-23 “I have lifted my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’” Abram knew how important it was to protect the reputation of his calling – God said, “I will bless you,” and he didn’t want anyone to ever be able to say that Abram was blessed because of anything else. God would be His reward, nothing is better than that.

The promise is a relationship with God,

the great reward is a continued relationship with God.

And with an heir this relationship could pass from one generation to the next.

Fear of the Future. Another fear, to which God responds, “Fear not,” is that Abram will not have an offspring to inherit the reward from the Lord. How will he be a great nation, and how will his reward be great if it all stops with him? Abraham and Sarai don’t have any children.

In ancient times when a couple don’t have children, they would typically adopt a person to serve as their child to make sure they are taken care of in their old age, the see that they have a proper burial, and that person would then inherit their estate. It would seem that this adopted person was named Eliezer of Damascus.

4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” 5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

God says to Abram, very forcefully, “This man shall not be your heir,” – no, he was going to have a child from his and his wife’s own body. To impress upon him how many children he would have, and to what a great nation his offspring would become, he took him outside and had him look up at the stars, “So shall your offspring be.”

In God’s trying to show how vast the influence Abram’s offspring would be, and how wide of a sweep of God’s purpose for him, he gives Abram three visuals; 1) “The dust of the earth,” Genesis 13:16 2) “stars in the sky,” Gen. 15:4 & 3) “the sand of the seashore,” Gen. 22:17. All three can not be counted – the impact of those who are Abram’s offspring is so vast and so important that it cannot be measured.

(v. 6) “And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” – In response to these promises, Abram puts his faith in God. “This is the first time that this word – aman – appears in the Bible, and it will be used only two more times in Genesis (42:20; 45:26).[4] Abram has already taken actions of faith but here it is highlighted.

In v. 1 and v. 4 both say, “the word of the Lord” came to Abram. This is the first time when this phrase is used, and it’s the first time that faith is defined as believing. Faith is believing the word of the Lord.

If God is talking about having many people be a great nation, why is there a mention of Abram’s righteousness? Abram is man just like any of us. He was told to leave his homeland, so he left (but then he and his family settled). He showed hospitality when God visits with him, and he fought bravely to rescue his nephew, but he lies and deceives Pharoah. He shows us that the best of men are still sinners – they still need to be made right before God (and they are not made right by their actions) if they are to have a relationship with Him.

Here we are introduced to the theological idea of justification – “the act of God by which he credits the righteousness of Christ to the believer and declares him just.”[5] How is Abram made righteous? God counted righteousness to him because he believed what God told him. Justification by faith alone. The plan of redemption for the world begins with a person being made right with God by faith alone.

Abram would go on to have a people that would come from his son Isaac, and there would also be many who would be considered children because they also had faith in God. Romans 4:13 “For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.” Galatians 3:7 “Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.”

If justification (being made right with God) is by faith alone,

why was there a need for a bloodline?

Why the need for an eventual separate nation?

As part of the serpent’s curse in the Garden of Eden, Genesis 3:15 says “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” There are two races of people mentioned, the serpent’s offspring, and Adam & Eve’s offspring. These races would fight and ultimately Adam and Eve’s offspring will strike a death blow to the serpent’s offspring. There would be the race of people who live by faith in God, and the race of people who do not. Those that have faith in God will inherit a promised place where God is present with them.

One other thing before we move to v. 7. Abraham was 75 years old when God first made the promise that Abraham would be made into “a great nation.” Genesis 21:5 tells us that Abraham was 100 years old when Sarah gave birth to Isaac, which means Abraham had to wait 25 years! “Those who believe the promise and hope against barrenness nevertheless must live with the barrenness.”[6] We must wait for God to keep His promise.

God Seals the Covenant with Abram (vv. 7-21)

7 And he said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” 8 But he said[7], “O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?”

Here is another promise from God to Abram, that he will give him the land where he was standing (a promised land). He tells him the reason why he commanded him to leave his homeland of Ur was to give him this land to possess. Abram responds by asking for a guarantee that these things would take place. In ancient times this form of agreement, a guarantee, would often take the form of a covenant. So . . .

9 He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 And he brought him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half. 11 And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

God commanded Abram to get a three-year-old heifer, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtle dove, and pigeon. Everything except for the birds were cut in half – and each half was laid so that a path of carnage was made. And the detail was given that as the day was going on, birds of prey would come and pick at the carcasses, and Abram would drive them away.

A promise has been made by God, Abram is waiting for God’s timing and while he is waiting the birds of prey are trying to drag off the carcasses to eat them. He has to stand guard and be ready for when God appears.

Typically, both parties would make a promise, invoking their individual gods, that if we don’t keep part of the agreement, then may this (carnage) happen to me and then they would walk through the middle of the bodies as part of the covenant ceremony.[8]

12 As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him. 13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. 14 But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 15 As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. 16 And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”

(v. 12) “a deep sleep fell on Abram,” – a deep sleep and the darkness thrown upon Abram, in other words God caused him to go to sleep. The covenant ceremony had begun, and Abram couldn’t move, he was asleep.

God then outlines for the father of this coming nation what was going to happen. God tells Abram of the eventual Egyptian slavery, how judgement would come upon Egypt, and when they leave this servitude, they will have great wealth. But he would not have to go through this time, “you shall go to your fathers in peace,”

Abram and Sarai had to wait 25 years for a child, His children would have to wait 400 years to receive the promised land. Faith involves waiting for God to do what He has promised.

17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, 19 the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites.”

The covenant ceremony continues as the sun had gone and it was dark. In this type of ceremony each side would say what role they will play, rules they will follow, boundary lines they would agree to keep, etc. Promises have been made from God to Abram (a relationship where he would be a shield for him, a child from his and his wife’s own body, offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky, a promised land) – Abram has faith in what God has promised.

Now it is time for the two people making the covenant to walk through the carnage, agreeing that if I don’t keep my part, my promise, then may this happen to me. But God has caused Abram to sleep– he can’t walk through the path of blood.

(v. 17) “a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.” – Later God will lead his people in a pillar of smoke during the day, and pillar of fire at night (Exodus 13:17-14:29). Some commentators say the fire pot represents a purifying furnace, and the torch light, etc. It is difficult to say exactly what each means – but it clearly means that God went through the animals, that He was making a promise to Abram, and then following through the ceremony alone.

But why did God make Abram go to sleep, why not make him walk through the animals? Because God’s plan of redemption involves Him (God) doing all the work, and ultimately salvation comes from Him alone. Our part is to have faith, God provides everything else for us to be made right before Him.

God’s plan for redemption is divinely one-sided.

God promises, God gives, God assures, Man receives.

Later God will gather His people at Mt. Siani and Moses would go up and receive the ten commandments. But as much as God’s people wanted to keep the commandments they could not. Humanity is not capable to keeping the law – we cannot do, in our own effort, what is required. God made Abram go to sleep because he could not keep a promise to God. So God in His grace, said “I will do what is needed to have a relationship with you.” His only requirement of His people is that they trust Him to keep His promises.

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[1] W.H. Griffith Thomas, Genesis, A Devotional Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan; WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1971) 136.

[2] The word for vision (mahazeh) is only used here and in reference to Balaam (Num. 24:4,16).

[3] John E. Hartley, New International Biblical Commentary, Genesis (Peabody, Massachusetts; Hendrickson Publishers, 2000) 155.

[4] Victor P. Hamilton, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, The Book of Genesis Chapters 1-17 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1990) 423.

[5] Daniel L. Akin, General Editor, A Theology for the Church (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman and Holman, 207) 746.

[6] Hartley, 157.

[7] In v. 2 and in v. 8 Abram responds back to God with a question, “But Abram said,” is not a sign of doubting God, but similar to the father in Mark 9:24 “Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” He believes what God is saying, and is asking for more clarification.

[8] “This idea of self-imprecation is reflected in the prospective witness who swears under oath: ‘I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.’ If I prevaricate on the witness stand, then I will have to contend with God.” Hamilton, 430.

“The God Who Rescues the Righteous and Judges the Wicked: Angels Rescue Lot: Part One” Genesis 19:1-7

Father Abraham

A Sermon Series

“The God Who Rescues the Righteous and Judges the Wicked:

Angels Rescue Lot: Part One”

Genesis 19:1-7

Opening

God blessed Abraham and Lot so much that the land could not sustain both men traveling together with their herds. So Abraham allows Lot to choose whatever land he wanted, and Abraham would go in the opposite direction. Genesis 13:12 says “Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. ¹³ Now the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD.” Since the time Lot chose to go close to Sodom, it was already corrupt. It was already known as a place where wicked men lived and they sinned against the Lord.

2 Peter 2:6-9 is explaining how God preserves the righteous while also judging the wicked, “. . . if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked 8 (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment,” These verses tell us that (1) Sodom and Gomorrah was so sinful and corrupt that it demanded the judgement of God, and that (2) Lot was a righteous man. God will judge the ungodly while at the same time save the righteous.

We are going to see that Lot does some things that would cause us to ask, “why does the Bible refer to him as righteous?” It does not mean that he was without sin, or lived a sinless perfect life. Lot is called righteous because of his belief – “like his uncle Abraham, Lot was righteous in the sense of being a believer to whom God credited righteousness by his faith.”[1]

Lot reacts differently to the angels when they arrive in the city than any other person in the city, and he seeks to warn his sons-in-laws of the coming destruction. His heart is moved toward God and he believed that the promised judgement was coming (he left the city).

When Peter says that Lot “was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds” tells us that while he was morally compromised, and materialistic, he did not want anything to do with their “outrageous behavior,” “Unrestrained,” “without moral standards,” Sodom’s sinfulness was so great that it oppressed his troubled his soul.

Everyday when Lot went out among the people of Sodom and Gomorrah their actions tormented his soul. God eventually judges the city with fire from heaven, and he will escape (being the only righteous man in the city), yet, “only as [those] escaping through the flames.”

On His way from heaven to Sodom, God stops and talks with Abraham; informing him of what he was going to do to Sodom and Gomorrah, Genesis 18:20 “Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, 21 I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.” God has judged; against the serpent and his offspring in Gen. 3; the world already through a worldwide flood (Genesis 6); And now he is moved to judgement once again.

What is a righteous man doing in a place

so corrupt that it demands the judgement of God?

“Lot is an illustration of the worldly Christian, half-hearted Christian. He had the knowledge of God and wanted fellowship with Him. But he wanted the world too, and in the end he lost almost everything he valued.”[2] But instead of gradually growing closer to God, he moves in the opposite direction. He enjoyed living like the world and then though the sin bothered him, it wasn’t bad enough for him to do anything about it.

Whatever Lot received from Sodom outweighed his disdain for their abominable acts.

That downward slide always begins with a first step, and for Lot it was when Abraham and Lot were standing on the overlook deciding which direction they would go. In Genesis 13:10 we are told that his first step toward his decline was that he looked toward Sodom. He no longer wanted to live in tents and move around he wanted city life and what he thought Sodom could offer him that God’s plan would not.

God’s plan for his people were for them to live in tents and move around

– Lot wanted to be permanent and live in a city.

The second step in his decline was that he “pitched his tent near Sodom” (Gen. 13:12). Then in today’s text we see him sitting in the city gate and living in a house inside the city. The city gate is where the elders or principal men sat in order to observe and control who comes into the city and to oversee conflicts, make rulings, etc.

In Psalm 1:1-2 we see a progression of a man moving toward sin, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;” Lot was giving counsel to the wicked, he was standing with sinners, and he was sitting at their city gate of those who would scoff at God.

Lot’s Increasing Callousness Toward Sin (vv. 1-3)

“The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth 2 and said, “My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.” They said, “No; we will spend the night in the town square.” 3 But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.”

Lot went to Sodom with the wrong motives – to benefit from its ungodly way of life, not to convert it. How do we know that Lot did not go there to tell them about God? Is there ever a right man and a right motive to go to a city like Sodom (sure)? God called Jonah to go to Ninenveh, preaching a message of impending destruction in order that the city might repent, seek God, and be spared.

But, Lot was not called by God to do that, and he is not known as a man of God; he has done his best to blend in and hide that he was a believer of the one true God. Eventually, when he finally does talk about God and judgement his sons-in-laws thinks he’s joking (Genesis 19:14). Lot’s two daughters are pledged to marry men of Sodom – instead of going to find spouses from among Haran (as Abraham would do for Isaac). Lot wants to be a citizen of Sodom, and that desire has caused him to compromise his values.

When Lot sees the angels, he is quick to get up from his position at the gate and try and get them inside his house and encourages them to leave early in the morning. Lot knows that this is a very evil city and doesn’t want the angels to be harmed (or attempt to be harmed).

Lot is also anxious for his “good thing” to not get messed up. “To attempt to reprove the world’s ways, while we profit by association with it, is vanity; the world will attach very little weight to such reproof and such testimony.”[3] Lot is not going to agree with God’s judgement of fire and brimstone because he is living in a house where the it’s falling. When judgement falls upon Sodom it also falls upon Lot because he is too close. How do we teach God’s ways? Lot is way too close and benefits far too much to even want to discuss judgment and wrong doing.

Sodom’s Sin (vv. 4-7)

4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. 5 And they called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.” 6 Lot went out to the men at the entrance, shut the door after him, 7 and said, “I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly.

Sodom’s sin was sexual perversion, Jude 7 says, “just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.” “To be sure, other sins plagued Sodom as they do every city. But we know of only one episode in history where God singled out a particular sin and destroyed two entire cities because of it.”[4]

The Bible clearly condemns homosexuality both here and in several other places. In the Old Testament it is act that is deserving of death (Lev. 20:13), and cited in the New Testament as being evidence of a cultures’ well-advanced corruption (Rom. 1:26-32).[5] Some would say the sin of Sodom was poor hospitality, not homosexuality – but why would Lot later offer his daughters to the crowd, “do with them as you want,”? if the crowd wanted to see an ID; That makes no sense contextually, but complete sense if the sin were of a sexual nature.

Leviticus 18:22 “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.”

Leviticus 20:13 “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.”

Abomination defined – “Whatever is ritually or ethically loathsome and repugnant to God and men. . . .” “offensive violation of established order,” “foods prohibited as unclean,” “imperfect sacrifices,” “magic and divination,” “sexual irregularities,” “moral and ethical faults,” “reversal of the natural” “idolatrous practices” “idols.”[6] In a biblical sense, an abomination is anything that God finds offensive or repugnant, and the offense is based on his character (not our culture or our opinions). It is an act that God finds offensive because it violates a moral truth based on God’s character.

Genesis 1:31 after he had created the six days of creation, “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” The created order was an extension of God’s character and it was very good. “Now the earth as a result of God’s “Spirit” and animated word is well-ordered, complete, and abounding in life-forms under the watch care of royal humanity.”[7]

In this creation is matchless wisdom (ex. consider the ant). All of creation, and it’s created order point to the character and person of God. Even the wrath of God is revealed through creation, Romans 1:18-20 “ . . . For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made . . .”

Romans 1:26-27 “For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.” Why is homosexuality considered an abomination by God? Because it contradicts his character and His plan for the created order to point people to Him —He is to receive glory and honor from His creation.

Jesus says in, Matthew 19:4 “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” God joins men and women together in marriage for the purpose of giving him glory in the bringing of children into the world, and how they live within their community.

Later, on Mt. Sinai, when God gave the law, it was His Word (like the spoken word of creation “let there be light”) and it was good. The Word of God is good, complete, 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” God’s Word (all of it) is an extension of His character. So, when God says, that a marriage (or relationship) is between a man and woman – to change that is to be an abomination because it violates the character of God. That is not how God has revealed the created order to us.[8]

So as long as I believe the right thing – then I am righteous? Lot, like Abraham believed God’s Word and it was “credited to him as righteousness.” “I can still be involved in a homosexual relationship as long as I believe God’s word?” No, there is also repentance that has to take place. To repent is to turn from sin and agree with God’s Word that it is an abomination. Your mind changes in how you view sin. It once was not that big of a deal, but now your heart is repelled against it.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (you have changed how you view your original sin and have ceased to practice them “as such were some of you”).

1 Timothy 1:8-11 “Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.” The law tells us what is sinful, so that we can repent and cry out for a Savior – who then transforms us.

How would you respond to this comment, “I am a follower of Jesus, but I do not see anything wrong with homosexuality. I do not find it to be offensive or an abomination.”

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[1] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, 2 Peter & Jude (Chicago, Illinois; Moody Publishers, 2005) 90.

[2] James Montgomery Boice, An Expositional Commentary, Genesis, Volume 2 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Baker Books, 2002) 620.

[3] C. H. Mackintosh, Notes on the Pentateuch, Genesis to Deuteronomy (Neptune, New Jersey; Loizeaux Brothers, 1972) 89.

[4] Kenneth O. Gangel & Stephen J. Bramer, Holman Old Testament Commentary, Genesis (Nashville, Tennessee; Holman Publishers, 2002) 167.

[5] Boice, 622. See also Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; 1 Tim. 1:8-10

[6] George Arthur Buttrick, Dictionary Editor, The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, An illustrated Encyclopedia (Nashville, Tennessee; Abingdon Press, 1962) 13.

[7] Kenneth Matthews, The New American Commentary, Genesis 1-11:26 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996) 175.

[8] See also God’s teaching about himself, salvation, and the church as the bride of Christ. The marriage producing children who receive the fundamental teachings of God. This Christian godly family values moves from generation to generation.

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