Promises Made, Pilgrimage Kept (Genesis 22:20-23:20)

We don’t believe politicians’ promises, but we vote for them anyway. It may surprise you to learn that research over the last 50 years has found that, on average, U.S. presidents have kept 67% of their promises. Presidential promise keeping has gone as high as 80% and never below 50% since 1912.^[1]) Still, we’re not satisfied. We usually give our presidents just 100 days to get things done. For some reason, 100 days is always a key marker for an administration, at which point there is a flurry of news reporting on whether they made good on all those campaign speeches. Did they do what they promised they would do after we so generously gave them an entire 14 weeks to do it?

God made astounding promises to Abraham. We find ourselves not 100 days into this man’s story, but more than 100 years! We expect to see some progress made on those more-decendants-than-the-stars-in-the-sky, and owning-all-the-land-of-Canaan promises made so long ago. Instead, we see a different picture. We see Sarah dead, having only delivered one baby. We see Abraham shelling out just to have a place to bury her. Taking stock of all of this, we’re reminded Hebrews:

Hebrews 11:39 – 39 All these [believers like Abraham] were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised.

Wait a minute! I thought God kept His promises? Is this all just an empty hope? When we face the hardest parts of life, what does it mean to hold on to our beliefs? Let’s see what Abraham has to teach us about the Christian faith when it seems like God has forgotten His promises.

Genesis 22:20-23 – 20 Now after these things Abraham was told, “Milcah also has borne sons to your brother Nahor: 21 Uz his firstborn, his brother Buz, Kemuel the father of Aram, 22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 23 And Bethuel fathered Rebekah. Milcah bore these eight to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

We learn that Abraham kept in touch with his Mesopotamian family. God had called him out and they left, but they still had some contact. We’re told about his nephews and niece because this is where Isaac is going to get his wife. You probably noticed one name in the group – Rebekah.

Let’s consider the real-life emotion they might have felt. The extended family had become quite large: Twelve sons and probably many daughters, though Moses only mentions one. Abraham would need to write an update of his own. What would he have to say? The great man of faith, the great friend of God, the “father of nations,” had one kid. Well, two, but we don’t talk about Bruno…

There’s a scene in Nora Ephron’s beloved movie Julie & Julia, where Julia Child receives word that her newlywed sister is pregnant. Julia had longed for a baby but was unable. And so, Julia breaks down in heart-broken tears and says, “I’m so happy.” She was, but it was a hard piece of news to receive. There was an ache inside. Abraham and Sarah were real people who felt things.

There’s something else here for us. Sharp-eyed Bible commentators have noticed that we see 12 sons born to this other family – 8 from the wife, 4 from the concubine. The same thing will happen with Jacob. 12 tribes from 12 sons. 8 born from the wives, 4 from the concubines. Ishmael, we’re told, would also produce 12 sons and 12 tribes.^[2])

There is always a counterfeit alternative to the work of God. It will culminate in the final Antichrist. But along the way, there is so often this sort of mirror option where it looks like the real thing, but is a God-rejecting, man-centered alternative. John tells us to watch out for these counterfeits, these antichrists, many of which are in the world today and even work to infiltrate the church.^[3])

One more thing: We find another subtle reminder about God’s plan for marriage. God doesn’t call everyone to be married, most but not all. For those who are being led to marriage, Genesis again presents the idea that God has a specific person prepared and in mind for you. Eve was made for Adam. Rebekah was the one the Lord had in mind for Isaac. If you’re single, choose to let the Lord lead you to the person He has had in mind for you from before the foundation of the earth.

Hearing that, perhaps you might think, “Well, I’m already married and I didn’t really seek the Lord, so what does that mean for me? Maybe I should get divorced and find the ‘right’ person.” No, that isn’t what the Lord says to do.

1 Corinthians 7:10-11 – To the married I give this command—not I, but the Lord—a wife is not to leave her husband. 11…and a husband is not to divorce his wife.

If you’re being called into marriage, there is some Rebekah for you fellows, some Isaac for you ladies. The Lord knows and will lead you to them. Trust Him and follow him.

Genesis 23:1-2 – Now Sarah lived 127 years; these were all the years of her life. 2 Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.

When Sarah died, Isaac was 37. Abraham was 137 and would live another 38 years. As Sarah passes on into eternity, we readers are left outside the tent while Abraham goes in to mourn her.

It gives us a moment to think about their life together – the many things they had been through. As we read through these chapters, the focus is mostly on Abraham, but Sarah was beside him. She was also faithful. She made her mistakes, but she loved the Lord and walked with Him and grew in her faith, just like God intends for each of us.

When I mentioned Isaac and Rebekah, maybe you thought, “Well, that doesn’t apply to me.” Maybe you got married before you were a believer or just didn’t consult the Lord with that decision. That happens. It happened to Abram and Sarai! They weren’t believers. They had some real marriage problems along the way. But look what God did: He turned them into Abraham and Sarah. People full of love for each other, full of fruitfulness, and grace and a long companionship. They show us what kind of beauty God can bring from ashes. They show us how God can overcome our weaknesses and mistakes and redeem our relationships.

The New Testament tells us that Abraham had some understanding of the resurrection. And he had some understanding of the future city, whose builder and maker is God. So, Abraham believed that he and his family were going to live forever in heaven. And yet, we see him mourn when his wife departed. Grief is a normal, Godly part of life, but we are not to grieve like they who have no hope. The passing of a loved one should not derail our lives because we know death is not the end. We will see our saved loved ones again and all will be made right forever. We comfort ourselves and each other with that certain hope, but, in the meantime, death remains a painful reality.

Why do Christians have to die? If death is defeated at the cross, shouldn’t we be exempt? One practical answer is because we still live in a fallen world, in decaying bodies, impacted by sin. Glorification is coming, but it is not yet. God leaves us here to endure mortality so that we can join with Him in saving other people. But, just as God transforms our lives when we are born again, He also transforms our deaths. Death no longer has any sting. It becomes a passage, rather than a pit. In some small sense, death for the Christian is like retiring, rather than being fired. It is the process by which we are delivered into eternity. Paul goes as far as saying death is now profitable to us.^[4])

Sarah was no longer with Abraham, but he knew she wasn’t gone. She was alive and he would go to her one day. Meanwhile, there was a problem. He had nowhere to place her body.

Genesis 23:3-4 – 3 When Abraham got up from beside his dead wife, he spoke to the Hethites: 4 “I am an alien residing among you. Give me burial property among you so that I can bury my dead.”,

On the human level, this would’ve been a very hard day for Abraham. He has to deal with the remains of his precious wife. His God has promised that the whole land really belongs to him, and yet, he doesn’t possess even enough to dig a grave or put a bone box.

I probably would’ve thrown up my hands and said, “Lord, what gives?” But Abraham didn’t. In fact, we see the resilient strength of his faith in his request to the Hethites. Commentators point out that Abraham didn’t make any plan to bring his wife’s remains back to his homeland – Ur of the Chaldees. No, Canaan was his home and would be his resting place. Hebrew scholars also point out that when he says, “burial property,” the word is “the possession.”^[5]) He still believed it belonged to him, just as God had said, it was just being occupied by these Hethites at the moment.

Abraham’s faith was focused on the future. The future city. The future life. The future fulfillment. That future focus gave him peace. He could navigate this painful situation with patience and meekness, even though he was having to pay for something that already belonged to him!

Genesis 24:5-6 – 5 The Hethites replied to Abraham, 6 “Listen to us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in our finest burial place. None of us will withhold from you his burial place for burying your dead.”

This whole scene is very formal. There’s no way for us to know whether these Hethites were good guys or not. Some think they were taking advantage of Abraham, some think they we truly being generous. Either way, what they’re saying here is, “We don’t really want to sell you any of our land (that’s what Abraham is asking for, by the way, not just a donation), but your family bones can crash in our tombs, if you want.” If these guys are more on the sleazy side, it’s possible they’re thinking, “This guy is wealthy and powerful, but he’s moving around all the time. Sometimes he’s down in Philistine country, sometimes he’s here, sometimes he’s there. Maybe we let him put a bone box or two in one of our tombs and then after awhile we can get rid of it.” Maybe they really did like him and were being deferential. Either way, they didn’t really want to part with their land.

What is clear is that the presence of God was evident in Abraham’s life. When they looked at him, they said, “God is with that family.” That’s still what God wants to do in our lives, by the way.

Genesis 24:7-9 – 7 Then Abraham rose and bowed down to the Hethites, the people of the land. 8 He said to them, “If you are willing for me to bury my dead, listen to me and ask Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf 9 to give me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him; it is at the end of his field. Let him give it to me in your presence, for the full price, as burial property.”

We don’t barter in our culture. Jerry Seinfeld was once asked why there’s no haggling in our country. He said, “I guess we like to think we’ve progressed beyond a knife fight for a citrus drink.”^[6]) But in Abraham’s time, haggling was the name of the game. He knew the spot, he had scouted this cave. Linguists let us know it was a primo double-cave,^[7]) which, as far as caves go, is cool. Now he just had to do this dance with the owner. But we notice this: Even when it comes to a burial place, Abraham wants to remain separate. He lives this strange life of being in the world but not of the world. He’s a blessing to those around him but he keeps himself devoted to God. In this transaction, Abraham is gracious. He’s patient. He’s not demanding. Even though he’s fabulously wealthy and has a lot of influence, he behaves meekly and courteously.

W.H. Griffith Thomas writes, “Religion is not intended to decrease but to increase natural politeness, gentlemanliness, and courtesy. Indeed, courtesy is one of the truest marks of a genuine believer.”^[8])

Genesis 24:10-11 – 10 Ephron was sitting among the Hethites. So in the hearing of all the Hethites who came to the gate of his city, Ephron the Hethite answered Abraham: 11 “No, my lord. Listen to me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the sight of my people. Bury your dead.”

They’re talking a lot about giving, but this is a business transaction. The term used is also translated, “I’ll grant you the land,” or, “I’ll sell you the land.” And Ephron knows he’s got a decent payday coming because Abraham is in a tight spot – he needs a burial cave – and he’s already said he’ll pay “full price.” And, notice what Ephron has done: He includes the field with the cave. Abraham hadn’t really wanted the field, but Ephron wants to parcel them together.

Genesis 24:12-16 – 12 Abraham bowed down to the people of the land 13 and said to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, “Listen to me, if you please. Let me pay the price of the field. Accept it from me, and let me bury my dead there.” 14 Ephron answered Abraham and said to him, 15 “My lord, listen to me. Land worth four hundred shekels of silver—what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.” 16 Abraham agreed with Ephron, and Abraham weighed out to Ephron the silver that he had agreed to in the hearing of the Hethites: four hundred standard shekels of silver.

How much money was this? Some think it was an insane asking price. The truth is, we just don’t know. Estimates of how much this is range from a few hundred dollars to over a hundred thousand dollars. In the time of Moses, this would be equivalent to eight healthy, adult, male slaves.^[9])

Rather than debate the bill, we should examine the behavior of Abraham. In the midst of his heart-ache, he’s strengthened by God to be patient, to endure the frustrations of living in this unfair world. He’s humble and not handicapped by an obsession with money. He lives on a different level.

Genesis 23:17-20 – 17 So Ephron’s field at Machpelah near Mamre—the field with its cave and all the trees anywhere within the boundaries of the field—became 18 Abraham’s possession in the sight of all the Hethites who came to the gate of his city. 19 After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field at Machpelah near Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20 The field with its cave passed from the Hethites to Abraham as burial property.

Once again we see the presence of trees in Abraham’s story. We’ve seen him living by oaks and planting a tamarisk. It is a symbol reminding us of the long-term, abundant work God intended to do in the lives of His people in that specific land. It’s a picture of how God establishes and makes us strong and gives us strength to withstand winds and storms. It demonstrates how, by His grace, we grow and expand are are able to branch out into new areas of fruitfulness – how God develops us to be useful and beautiful and firm, giving help and shade to those nearby. How God faithfully discharges His responsibility to give us light and water that we might become all He wants us to be. That even in death our lives are a declaration of life and our eternal hope. That we are leaving this life but one day we’ll be back to receive everything that was promised in full. And that His promise is worth the trouble, worth the price, worth the patient endurance of our mortal lives.

The suffering of this present time is not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. Like the creation all around, we eagerly wait with anticipation for God’s sons and daughters to be revealed in immortal perfection, redeemed into glorious freedom, receiving all God has promised, with not one good thing missing from the inheritance He’s decided to share with us.^[10])

After all God had promised Abraham, it looked like he only had one kid and one field, good only for burying corpses. How could Abraham square this with his actual experience? It’s not that he didn’t care. Remember, when God had earlier made those promises, Abraham had said, “Ok, how can I know that I will possess it?” God’s assurance to him at the time was, “I’m God and I promise.” And from there Abraham’s faith grew, not because he got deeds to the land, but because he knew more of God as he walked with Him. The closer he got with the Lord, the more Abraham was able to understand the extent of what God was promising. And he came to the realization that he didn’t want to be the Hethites now, he wanted to be God’s child in eternity. And so he was content to wait – to live as a pilgrim in a tent – because he knew God’s ultimate fulfillment was on the other side of death. Not only on the other side. After all, the Jews did receive the land, it’s still theirs, God will have a physical Kingdom with a throne in Jerusalem for 1,000 years. And, already, God has made good on the promise to give Abraham countless descendants. What was a mom, a dad and one kid is today 6.9 million Jews living in the land, with another 6 million in the USA,^[11]) and a countless number sustained for the last 4,000 years. But Abraham knew the best was yet to come.

In Hebrews we’re told Abraham did not receive what was promised in his mortal life. But here’s what what we find when we read both verse 39 and 40:

Hebrews 11:39-40 – 39 All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.

Abraham knew the promise was perfect and that it wasn’t just for a dusty field or two in 2,000 B.C. It was something greater, something eternal, something this life cannot match. When the days were hard, when he dealt with death and seeing unbelievers around him seemingly prosper, Abraham didn’t despair. We see him more devoted than ever to the truth God had told him: That the promise is coming, that what we really want is not found in this world, but the next, and that we can secure our lives on that hope which will not disappoint us, because God has proved His power, He has proved His love for us, death has been beaten, we will be delivered into glory. We’ve received these promises, and they will be kept in full. Not 50%, not 67%. 100%. All the way, beyond what we can ask or imagine, our God will not fail.

Fair Water Friends (Genesis 21:22-34)

Jeff Bezos turned heads last November when he spent $78 million on a 14 acre estate in Maui.^[1]) Locals are nervous about his presence. One said, “It’s hard to know what Bezos’ intentions are this early on,” whether he will be a benefit or a burden on the surrounding community.

14 acres is pretty measly compared to Mark Zuckerberg’s footprint on Kauai. He recently bought another 600 acres there, bringing his total acreage on the Island to 1,300.^[2])

But billionaire Larry Ellison (co-founder of Oracle) has them both beat for bragging rights. Since 2012 he has owned 98% of Lanai, the Hawaiian island west of Maui – 87,000 acres.^[3]) His goal is to transform it into a “utopia.” His wealth and Hawaiian project has led to Ellison “advis[ing] many [US] presidents…over the past 39 years on the strategic direction of our country.”^[4])

It sounds a little like our text tonight. Abimelech, the Philistine king, shows up at Abraham’s front door for a meeting. He wants to work out an arrangement with this pilgrim. But it’s not just the flocks and herds and household operation that Abimelech has noticed. Something much more significant caught his eye – the presence of God in the life of this strange old man.

If you are a Christian, you have been scattered where and when you are by God on purpose. He places us so that we can shine like lights in the dark. Have you been to that “Field of Light” place in Paso Robles? Christians are God’s light show, bringing truth and beauty to a world in the dark. As we live, we’re to do so peaceably and quietly, not being dependent on others Paul says.^[5]) But, while living quiet lives, God plans to use you to show the unbelievers around you how glorious He is.

The problem is that it’s very easy for us to be distracted or deflected off that mission. These stories in the Bible are given to us as trail markers to guide us in our life of faith. As we walk with the Lord, not only is He able to bless us with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus, but our lives light up, shining brighter and brighter, drawing the attention of nonbelievers around us.

Abraham’s meeting with Abimelech and their conflict resolution gives us a great example to apply to our own day-to-day living as people whose desire is to glorify God and draw others to Him.

Genesis 21:22 – 22 At that time Abimelech, accompanied by Phicol the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do.

A lot was going on in Abraham’s life. Hagar and Ishmael had just been expelled from the house. He had a new baby at home. There were constant and continual needs of the many flocks and herds.

God wants to use you, whether you’re terribly busy or terribly unoccupied. How He wants to use you is His business, ours is to be willing to serve in whatever capacity He desires. This opportunity wasn’t Abraham’s idea. It just dropped in his lap, but he was ready to be God’s man in the room.

Abimelech represents the unbelievers you cross paths with in daily life. He’s fascinating to watch because he’s so many different things at once. He’s a little slippery in the way he acts, but he’s also courteous and respectful. He wants to hold the upper hand in his dealings with Abraham, but he also wants to be at peace with him. He’s interested in this relationship Abraham has with God, but he also wants to intimidate Abraham as they talk. This is not just a friendly pop-in. You don’t bring the commander of your army if you’re just “in the neighborhood” and hoping for a cup of tea.

What Abimelech says is significant: “God is with you in everything you do.” Abimelech had been watching. He kept tabs on what was going on in Abraham’s life and the conclusion he came to was, “Something is different. There is a spiritual vitality that can only be explained by the supernatural presence of God.” Now, Abraham wasn’t a miracle worker. Abraham’s life wasn’t free from problems. And it wasn’t as if Abraham was the only wealthy herdsman in the area. But this man’s life was like a light in the dark because a real and holy God was present with Him.

In our dispensation, the power of God is not known through flocks or herds or conquering land, but through the good works God has called us to join Him in. His power and presence are known through the way we love others. They’re known through the way we avoid sin. They’re known through our unity with fellow Christians and through our suffering with Christ and through His working in our weakness.^[6]) Faithful Christian living produces an effective Christian witness.

Though delivered by the lips of a pagan, what a beautiful reminder it is that God is with us in everything we do. He is never too tired, never held back late at the office, never checked out, never disinterested. He not only cares about every aspect of your life, but He wants to support and infuse every aspect of His life with His grace and peace and power and joy.

Genesis 21:23 – 23 Swear to me by God here and now, that you will not break an agreement with me or with my children and descendants. As I have been loyal to you, so you will be loyal to me and to the country where you are a resident alien.”

Abimelech turns up the pressure. He demands that Abraham sign on the dotted line “here and now,” and he adds the subtle detail that, “You’re a resident alien, after all, living here because I let you.” It was a reminder to Abraham that, as far as Abimelech was concerned, Abraham had no claim to rights or property in that region.

But what was actually true? The truth was all of this land belonged to Abraham because God said so. You and I may be trod upon by the world, but this is the greater truth: Because we are in Christ, we will one day rule and reign with the true King of all the world.

Notice that Abimelech did not ask Abraham to come to his temple or appeal to his gods. He knew they didn’t answer calls. It’s important that we show the world that our God really speaks, really hears, and really moves. It’s not that we make things up, but our God really is different from any other because He is real and all the rest come from the imagination of man. Isaiah 45 talks again and again about how the Lord is God and there is no other – that He proves Himself. That He is a Savior. That He establishes. That He strengthens and directs and calls us by name.

Sadly, in some territories of Christianity, it’s fashionable to suggest God’s truth can’t really be known, or that the best He can do is leave us broken. If that is Who God is, why would unbelievers come to Him?

Abimelech asks Abraham to show him “hesed.” It means to deal gently and kindly. One commentator defines it this way: “A voluntary commitment by a stronger party to meet the needs of a weaker party.”^[7]) This is what God has done to us and now sends us to go and do likewise.

Genesis 21:24 – 24 And Abraham said, “I swear it.”

When King Jesus came to Abraham’s tent, we saw Abraham get all worked up. He was hustling around, making sure everything was just right. It’s interesting to see how peaceful he is in this scene, when a powerful heathen king shows up with his general and starts talking about how he’s worried they might have conflict in the future and that, after all, Abraham has no real right to be there anyway. But Abraham isn’t shaking in his sandals. He’s not wringing his hands. He’s at peace because he knows that his stability and security come from the Lord, not some Philistine.

He also shows us that it’s ok for us to have dealings with nonbelievers. He enters into a binding agreement with them. Now, he doesn’t compromise in order to do so, but there wasn’t anything wrong with this covenant they were making. It was a good thing to have a peace accord. As Christians, we’re commanded to be peacemakers. James says that we are to cultivate peace.^[8])

Genesis 21:25 – 25 But Abraham complained to Abimelech because of the well that Abimelech’s servants had seized.

Ah, now that they were covenanted together, there was a problem. You see, some of Abimelech’s servants had come and violently seized a well that Abraham dug some time before. Now, this is interesting. Because, up till this point, Abraham had been willing to graciously accept that offense and not make an issue of it. He didn’t bring a case to Abimelech’s palace. He didn’t organize a counter-strike against these thieves. He was gracious and willing to be wronged.

But now they’re in this hesed relationship of loyalty and kindness. And so, this issue needed to be dealt with. Because the whole agreement is about how these people were going to treat each other, so Abraham has to say, “By the way, you are already in violation of this contract.”

Now, Abraham did not try to solve this problem in a vengeful way. He didn’t demand the servants be drawn and quartered. Where it says he “complained” there (or your version may say “rebuked”) can mean to “determine what is right.”^[9]) Derek Kidner shares that the verb suggests that Abraham had to bring this issue up several times.^[10]) It seems Abimelech really wasn’t wanting to deal with this at first. But this needed to be dealt with. Not because Abraham was unwilling to be wronged, but because it was now a barrier in his relationship with Abimelech.

So, sometimes God asks us to be wronged and not retaliate or even bring it up. But, sometimes we’re going to have to graciously engage in conflict resolution. When we’re standing up for something, it should be for justice and for peace, not just an easier experience for ourselves.

Genesis 21:26 – 26 And Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, nor had I heard of it until today.”

Effectively, Abimelech blames Abraham. Did he know about this well issue? Maybe, maybe not. But, true to human form, he didn’t want to take responsibility.

When we’re preaching the Gospel, people have to be told that they’re in the wrong. They’re guilty of sin before God. But that guilt shouldn’t make us hate them. The whole point is that we want them to be brought into fellowship with our Savior and with us. But, for that to happen, they will have to take responsibility and own up to their sin and be willing to come to the table to make peace.

Genesis 21:27 – 27 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant.

They cut a covenant, much like God had with Abraham in chapter 15. Even though Abimelech was the one that came wanting a deal, Abraham was willing to finance the peace. So, throughout, we see him carrying himself with grace and patience and a willingness to do what needs doing so people could live together harmoniously.

Genesis 21:28-30 – 28 Abraham separated seven ewe lambs from the flock. 29 And Abimelech said to Abraham, “Why have you separated these seven ewe lambs?” 30 He replied, “You are to accept the seven ewe lambs from me so that this act will serve as my witness that I dug this well.”

Abraham added a clause of his own to the contract and he had to explain his methods to Abimelech. God has ways of doing business. He has means and methods that He wants us to use in our work and our relationships. They won’t always make sense to unbelievers.

This covenant, like others, had to be sealed in blood. We’re reminded that we were once pagan Philistine thieves, who carried on in ignorance and iniquity. But a Lamb was slain so that we could have peace with God, if we’re willing to agree to His terms of covenant.

Abraham’s addition to this agreement highlights the fact that he dug the well in question. The Bible isn’t against the idea of personal property. There are some who suggest that since Jesus told the rich young ruler that he should sell all his belongings, therefore Jesus doesn’t want you to own anything. That’s not consistent interpretation. Jesus might want you to sell all you have. But, until He directs you to do that, the Bible isn’t anti-personal property. God loves to give us things that we can then use to serve Him and glorify Him and bless others. Someone owned a fully furnished upper room that Jesus got to have His last supper in. Someone owned the donkey our Lord would borrow to ride into Jerusalem. Lydia, the seller of purple, was able to use her home for the furtherance of the Gospel. Abraham’s wells were used to slake the thirst of many weary creatures.

Even then, the New Testament does not teach that your belongings are only given to you to be used for others. Paul owned a cloak that he wanted for himself. Peter told Ananias and Sapphira their land and their money was their possession to be used at their disposal. If you want a distilled teaching on the Biblical perspective on Christian private property, read 1 Timothy 6:17-19.

Genesis 21:31 – 31 Therefore that place was called Beer-sheba, because it was there that the two of them swore an oath.

The name means “well of the oath” or “well of seven.”^[11]) Beersheba would later become part of Simeon’s tribal inheritance and would be the southernmost part of Israel’s land. They’d use it as a saying, “From Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south.”

Genesis 21:32 – 32 After they had made a covenant at Beer-sheba, Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, left and returned to the land of the Philistines.

Abimelech was interested in Abraham and his God. He wanted to have a connection and, hopefully, get a proximity blessing. But, sadly, that’s where his interest stopped. Abimelech didn’t inquire as to how he might get to know this God. He didn’t ask to become part of Abraham’s house. To do so would’ve required him to renounce his throne and bow down himself.

Of course, that is what is necessary if we are to come into the house of the Lord, our God. We must renounce all claims to the throne. We’re just pretenders, anyway! We must bow our hearts before Him and acknowledge that He is King of all, including our own lives.

Genesis 21:33 – 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.

Planting a tree signals several things. First, it suggests Abraham assumed he’d be there quite a while. It also assumes that he’d have the water necessary to keep a tree alive. There’s something else here, though. Abimelech wanted Abraham to get the message that he was an outsider, that he was not one of them, that he was there because they felt like letting him be there. Fair enough. But, despite his outsider status, we see Abraham cultivating and developing. He’s planting trees and digging wells. He’s raising flocks and ranging herds. And even though we know that Abraham did not consider this his home, he made it his business to benefit and enrich the world around him. What were the Philistines doing in this text? Thieving, strong-arming, intimidating. But God’s family was producing. God’s family was fruitful. And as they went about their pilgrim business, they worshiped God and called on His name. They reminded themselves of His everlasting faithfulness, His never-ending power. And the presence of God in their lives shone like light in the dark.

Genesis 21:34 – 34 And Abraham lived as an alien in the land of the Philistines for many days.

What does it mean to live as an alien? It’s an important question because we’re told, outright, that we are strangers and pilgrims to this world. To live as an alien means we seek for the coming city, the New Jerusalem, because we have no enduring city here. It means to abstain from sinful desires, which will cause unbelievers to glorify God. It means to do the will of God, even if that means being wronged for His sake.^[12]) That sort of life not only makes the world sit up and notice, but makes us a blessing to our communities.

Larry Ellison wants to create a utopia on his little island. His plan is to change the world’s food supply, health systems, and global transportation. How’s he doing a decade into the effort? Well, he’s built a lot on his acreage, and he’s employing a lot of people. But as for the wider world, all we’ve got is a $3,000/night spa you can visit, where staff will “track guests’ sleep quality, nutrition and blood flow.”

God wants to revolutionize this world and He’s got a great plan to do it: You! You’re the ambassador He has put in place so you can meet some Abimelech. As one commentator noted, Christians should live in such a way that, if we were removed from our community, it would be a tragedy. We are pilgrims, not stirring up conflict, but bringing peace, truth, hope, and a testimony of God’s powerful presence in the lives of His people, to the praise of the glory of His grace.

The Boys (Genesis 21:1-21)

The odds of a person becoming a hall-of-famer in a given sport are astronomically low. The NCAA calculates that only 0.08% of high school players go on to have a professional career. Of the few to actually play at the NFL or MLB level, just 1% will be inducted to the hall of fame.

No one would’ve bet on Kurt Warner becoming a hall-of-famer. The LA Times wrote: “He had been cut by the Green Bay Packers, stocked shelves in an Iowa grocery store, starred in the Arena Football League, and played in NFL Europe. When St. Louis Rams quarterback Trent Green suffered a knee injury late in the 1999 preseason, the then 28-year-old Warner was tabbed to start.”

Kurt went on to deliver the Rams first super bowl win. Nine years later, Kurt led the Cardinals to the Super Bowl. Terry Bradshaw interviewed Kurt and said, ”You’re not going to like this, but you’re the third oldest quarterback to ever play in the Super Bowl. How does that make you feel?” Kurt replied: “Everybody’s going to be tired of hearing this, but I never get tired of saying it. There’s one reason that I’m standing up on this stage today: That’s because of my Lord up above. I’ve got to say thanks to Jesus; you knew I was going to do it, but I’ve got to do it.”

Kurt Warner was making plays, but he knows where his help comes from. He’s quoted as saying, “I believe that the Lord has a plan for each of us that’s better than anything we can imagine, even if that plan isn’t obvious to us at every stage. He prepared me for this over a long period of time – in lower-profile locker rooms and the grocery store and in Europe, through all the personal tragedies and in spite of the people who doubted me along the way.”

It reminds me of Abraham, the unlikely hall-of-faither. He was a husband, a father, a pilgrim, a rancher, a warrior, a business man, and a friend of God. Now, decades after the promise first came, after such a long walk through a strange land, Abraham receives the son God wanted him to have.

The theme of this passage is how God is faithful to do His work. It’s not our doing. Our part is to participate in His supernatural work, even when it seems impossible. We’re not to rush Him, we’re not to try to overrule Him, we’re not to try to keep editorial control over what He wants to do. When we do those things, division and damage is the result. When God works, glory is the result. But, there’s an elephant in the room. Looming over the wonderful blessing of this new baby is the irreconcilable consequences of Abraham’s previous decision to try to do God’s work for Him.

Genesis 21:1 – The Lord came to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised.

God is faithful. Put your name there: The Lord came to YOU as He had said, and the Lord did for YOU what He had promised. He is coming and He will not fail in any of His promises. We don’t have to coax Him to pay us attention or get involved.

One translation puts it this way: “The Lord singled out Sarah.” You and I have been singled out for particular good works that the Lord wants to partner in with us. The way we discover them is by hearing from God and paying close attention to His leading and instruction.

Genesis 21:2 – 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time God had told him.

This is a great example of how God does supernatural work through our every-day lives. It was impossible for Abraham and Sarah to have a child. And, yet, the Lord accomplished it. But, the work was done through the “ordinary” circumstances of life and family.

Why did He wait so long, since (after all) we’re talking about the drama of redemption? Why wait and give Abraham so many chances to derail the whole thing through fear or doubt or missteps? Well, first of all, God is not bound to time the way we are. But also, the Bible shows us that He loves the reveal Himself. He loves to prove who He is and how good He is and how He is able when no one else is able – that He is God and there is no other.

Genesis 21:3-4 – 3 Abraham named his son who was born to him—the one Sarah bore to him—Isaac. 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God had commanded him.

Abraham was not perfect. In fact, the very last passage told the story of how he almost fouled everything up. But from here on, he’s turned a page. We see in Him a willingness and an obedience and a faith that outshines what we’ve seen before. He is quick to obey what God had asked him to do in both naming and circumcising his new baby boy. And, of course, we see that God’s promise of a son was truly and literally fulfilled. This is how God fulfills prophecy: Actually. Not mystically or just spiritually, but just as He did here, with a real, live, bouncing baby boy.

Genesis 21:5 – 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

Sarah was 90, by the way. Henry Morris points out that what God did for them was not just a one-time burst of help. We see this depicted in movies, sometimes. The heroes muster enough power to open the gateway for one brief instant, but then they’re weakened for a time. No, Abraham and Sarah (it seems) we’re dramatically rejuvenated. Abraham didn’t just father 1 son, he went on to father 6 more. Sarah wasn’t just able to carry and deliver a baby, but then to nurse him as well.

After 100 years, Abraham was embarking on the most important work of his life. The herding, the trading, the delta-force rescue ops, the building of a household were significant, but this was the most important thing. This was the primary calling God had given them. What’s your calling?

Genesis 21:6 – 6 Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears will laugh with me.”,

God is such a Redeemer! Sarah’s earlier laugh had been one of scorn and disbelief. We remember that awkward lunch that the Lord had had with them when she laughed at His promise. But God brings beauty from ashes. Our failures are not too much for Him. He loves us so much that He looks down on the squalor of our hearts and says, “I can work with that.” And that personal work is meant to be put on public display. “Everyone who hears.” This was a story that needed to be told. Yes, it was immensely personal and private in some ways, but God wants to take His personal work in your life and use it as a testimony of His grace and power.

Now, linguistically, it’s possible that Sarah is saying, “Everyone who hears will laugh at me.” We imagine that most people would rejoice with her and just be so excited for them, but is that always your experience? Sometimes, people scoff at how God is working in our lives or how He is leading us. But, even if people were laughing at her, Sarah didn’t care. She was full of the joy of the Lord.

Genesis 21:7 – 7 She also said, “Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne a son for him in his old age.”

There’s an outward focus in her song of praise. She’s thinking about the Lord and her husband and her children and grandchildren. God was removing self-centeredness from her heart. That is always part of what the Lord wants to do in us. The more I am alive to self, the less I am alive to the Spirit.

Genesis 21:8 – 8 The child grew and was weaned, and Abraham held a great feast on the day Isaac was weaned.

This would’ve been an interesting party, because it had a bunch of Philistines as guests! Abraham is still living among them. It drives home the idea that God’s desire is to use your life to preach to the unbelievers around you. We’re meant to be salt and light in a rotten and dark world. God says, “Yes, go to the Philistines and be different. Be set apart. Show them how great My power is and how great My love is and how faithful I am.”

Genesis 21:9-10 – 9 But Sarah saw the son mocking—the one Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham. 10 So she said to Abraham, “Drive out this slave with her son, for the son of this slave will not be a coheir with my son Isaac!”

If we read Hebrew, we’d see that Moses keeps using forms of this word for laughing. Sarah is laughing, those who hear will laugh, Isaac name means laughter, and here this word for mocking is connected with that word, too. Scholars say Ishmael was “Isaac-ing” Isaac.

Maybe you’ve heard it said that the Hebrew indicates that Ishmael molested Isaac. That seems to go farther than the language and context suggest. But, if Ishmael was just joking around, why does Sarah react so harshly?

Linguists tell us that mocking here can mean ‘insulting’ or ‘making sport of.’ So we have this little toddler (2 or 3 years old) and his older brother who’s 16 or 17, cruelly making sport of him. Maybe even getting in his face and saying, “You think you’re gonna be in charge? We’ll see about that!”

Paul helps us understand a little more about what was going on here. In Galatians he uses Ishmael and Isaac as an analogy for us about our life with Christ, and he says that Ishamel persecuted Isaac. A term that means to drive away or to aggressively chase, like a hunter pursuing a catch.

So, now Sarah’s reaction seems more reasonable. If Ishmael was trying to drive out Isaac, then he must be driven out. This is not a case of “boys will be boys.” No, it’s more like when Adam was driven out of Eden and when Cain was driven from society – a consequence of willful sin.

Genesis 21:11- 11 This was very distressing to Abraham because of his son.

Abraham loved Ishmael. There was a lot of bad blood between Hagar and Sarah, but this was his boy. He had even floated Ishmael as heir to God a few chapters ago. “If only Ishmael were acceptable to You!” And we’ll see that God also cared about Hagar and Ishmael as people.

But now, things had come to a head as they did earlier with Lot. Abraham had people in tow who were not compatible with what God was going to do. And it broke Abraham’s heart.

Genesis 21:12-13 – 12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about the boy and about your slave. Whatever Sarah says to you, listen to her, because your offspring will be traced through Isaac, 13 and I will also make a nation of the slave’s son because he is your offspring.”

God was going to gracious to all the parties involved, but first there needed to be this painful work of excising the son of the flesh. This family could not continue the way things were.

Genesis 21:14 – 14 Early in the morning Abraham got up, took bread and a waterskin, put them on Hagar’s shoulders, and sent her and the boy away. She left and wandered in the Wilderness of Beer-sheba.

That’s it? No donkey or wagon or proper supplies? Some bread and a single skin of water? This seems terribly uncompassionate. There are a variety of suggestions why they were sent out with so little. One commentator thinks Abraham gave them so little on purpose so that they would be forced to stay nearby and he could, perhaps, continue to look after them. Archaeologists have also found a legal code from roughly that time called the Lipit-Ishtar Law Code which forbade a slave and her offspring from receiving any part of the inheritance, so maybe it was a legal thing. Or maybe it was a providential way that God was leading, since He did want to do a work in Hagar and Ishamel’s lives, too.

Whatever it was, we can see that – many long decades after – Ishamel still had affection for his father. Nearly 75 years after this day, Ishmael will return and meet up with Isaac to bury Abraham. I think that says something about Ishmael’s love for his dad and how he felt about him.

For his part, Abraham was quick to obey. We see such a heart of obedience here, even when it hurts to do it. He rose early. He did just as he was commanded and in so doing, he trusts the Lord.

Genesis 21:15-16 – 15 When the water in the skin was gone, she left the boy under one of the bushes 16 and went and sat at a distance, about a bowshot away, for she said, “I can’t bear to watch the boy die!” While she sat at a distance, she wept loudly.

This is a terrible scene. Perhaps Hagar had thought, “Well, I went out on my own when I was pregnant and found a spring of water, we’ll be ok.” But not this time. They are about to die from thirsts and exposure. But then God shows Himself.

Geneis 21:17 – 17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What’s wrong, Hagar? Don’t be afraid, for God has heard the boy crying from the place where he is.

What’s wrong? That’s sort of a rude question, isn’t it? Not when we consider the whole of Hagar’s story. She had already met with God, face to face! And He had told her that she would have many offspring and that Ishmael had a future ahead. And yet, in her time of need, Hagar didn’t call out to “The God Who sees,” “the God who hears.” She gave up.

Now, if God was with them all along and had these plans for them, why allow any of this suffering? Why bring them to death’s door in the desert? Their suffering was not caused by God, God saved them from it. The world is the way it is because of human sin. Hagar and Ishmael were out in that wilderness because of sin. God was not responsible for their suffering. The opposite is true! He’s took it on Himself to rescue them!

Genesis 21:18-19 – 18 Get up, help the boy up, and grasp his hand, for I will make him a great nation.” 19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well. So she went and filled the waterskin and gave the boy a drink.

Living by faith is a hands-on kind of life. God has individual plans for our lives and our families, and they always include us getting up and grasping the hands of the weak and afflicted people around us. We’re to deliver Living Water to those who are about to die of spiritual thirst.

What was this well doing in the wilderness? Who dug it? We don’t know. Someone did. Maybe you feel like your spiritual efforts are like digging a well in the wilderness – something that seems totally pointless and makes no difference. But God doesn’t waste anything He leads us to do.

Genesis 21:20-21 – 20 God was with the boy, and he grew; he settled in the wilderness and became an archer. 21 He settled in the Wilderness of Paran, and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

We think of Ishmael as a villain, but it’s interesting to read here that God was with him. Will we see Ishmael in heaven? I don’t know. But we have to marvel at the gracious, loving faithfulness our God shows to the most undeserving people.

Ishmael didn’t become a shepherd, he became a hunter and he made his home in the wilderness, rather than the fruitful land of promise.

This brings us to how Paul wants us to think about this story. He talks about how Ishamel is like a Christian trying to live by the Law – we would call it legalism. Isaac represents living in the Spirit. Paul lays this out in Galatians 4 and he says we need to drive out the son of the flesh – drive out legalism from our relationship with Christ.

In Genesis 13 we saw that Abraham and Lot could not co-exist together. It’s a picture of how the life of faith cannot co-exist with lust and materialism. Now, we swing to the other side and find that we cannot coexist with legalism. A legalistic mentality will do on a spiritual level what Ishmael does. It’s not a shepherd, it’s a hunter, and it’s hunting the work of the Spirit! It persecutes and it seeks to supplant the true work of God’s grace. It’s always looking to snipe some prey and keep you settled in the wilderness, rather than in the bountiful blessings of grace. We’ve got to drive it out.

“Brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave but of the free woman. For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Instead, let’s continue in faith and be people who grow the way Abraham did, enjoying the awesome, transforming work of God along the way.

The Lost City (Genesis 19:1-38)

Before us this evening is one of the most squalid stories in all the Bible. This is the kind of movie you walk out of. And yet, here it is. Why do we need to know about this infamous night? Well, God considers it necessary and profitable and instructive, that we might be trained in righteousness.

Based on what we know about Lot this passage should stop us dead in our tracks. Because the Bible tells us that Lot was a righteous man. He wanted to do what was right. That is driven home by the many parallels Genesis gives us between Abraham and Lot. Moses goes to great lengths to connect them. Think about it: Both are shown sitting in the entrance of where they lived. Both had business dealings with the locals near them. Both go out to receive their guests. Both offer them washing and rest. Both prepare a feast. Both recognized the evil of the culture. But there is a profound and obvious difference between the outcomes of theses two men. Abraham goes on to be the father of faith, while Lot presides over a horrifying night of ruin and failure.

We need to know what happened here, because we find ourselves in a culture very much like the one Lot was in. And if he, a “righteous” man can fail so terribly, saved as through fire, then we need to pay attention. This story is not persevered just to churn our stomachs or make us think, “I’m so much better than Lot.” It’s to caution us and help us ask the far more important question: What can I do to avoid becoming like Lot?

Lot is a display of what can happen to a person who loves the things of this world. As always, the lesson being given comes down to the heart. While both Abraham and Lot were believers, Lot’s belief did not change his life. It did not motivate his decisions. Abraham’s belief did. Lot had no interest in discovering God’s way for his life or his family – he went his own way. Lot lived close to Abraham – just a few hours walk. But even though Lot was close, we find that he was way off course.

There’s a rule of thumb in aviation called the 1 in 60 rule. It states that if you fly at just 1° off course, then every 60 miles you fly, you’ll be 1 mile astray from your target. “In 1979 a passenger jet…left New Zealand for a sightseeing trip to Antarctica and back. Unknown to the pilots, however, there was a 2 degree error in their flight coordinates. This placed the aircraft 28 miles to the east of where the pilots thought they were.” The flight was going fine until they struck Mount Erebus, which was now in their flight path. All 257 passengers were killed in a completely avoidable tragedy.

Lot had gone down to see the sights of the plain of Zoar. And now he found himself right in the middle of a completely avoidable tragedy.

Genesis 19:1-3 – The two angels entered Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in Sodom’s gateway. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them. He bowed with his face to the ground 2 and said, “My lords, turn aside to your servant’s house, wash your feet, and spend the night. Then you can get up early and go on your way.” “No,” they said. “We would rather spend the night in the square.” 3 But he urged them so strongly that they followed him and went into his house. He prepared a feast and baked unleavened bread for them, and they ate.

Lot’s story is about giving in to the seduction of the world. Bible teachers love to point out the progression Genesis gives us: First Lot looked on this area from afar and was enamored of it. Then he pitched his tent toward Sodom. Then he was living in the city. Finally, he’s found here sitting in the city gate – the place where justice and business would be decided. It seems Lot was something like a city councilman. So, Sodom was not just a city to Lot, it was his city. He had found great success there, on the human level. But, he had no meaningful influence over those around him. He was no Daniel, shining as a beacon of righteousness and through whose witness the heart of Nebuchadnezzar was turned to God. Instead we see Lot giving up more and more to the world and its culture. He has abandoned his tent. He has arranged for his daughters to marry two local boys. All his business, his time, and his efforts, his affections are all attached to this city.

And yet, we see a flicker of righteousness, ever so small in this man’s heart. He is concerned for these two travelers who have come through the gate. He knows they aren’t safe and he wants to help them and then send them on their way – early. We can sense his double-mindedness. He does care about the welfare of these two fellows, but he also wants them to get going so that they don’t find out just how sleazy his beloved town really is. He doesn’t honestly warn them of the danger.

Genesis 19:4-5 – 4 Before they went to bed, the men of the city of Sodom, both young and old, the whole population, surrounded the house. 5 They called out to Lot and said, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Send them out to us so we can have sex with them!”

For years, it seemed like Lot could have it all. He had his belief, insignificant though it was to his daily life, but he also had the luxuries of Sodom. Sure, he didn’t like what they did, but that didn’t really have anything to do with him. Except that it did! He thought he was able to walk this tightrope, trying to keep dual-citizenship in the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world, but tentacles of perversion and greed had slithered around his heart and infected him.

Jesus was very clear:

Matthew 6:24 – 24 “No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Lot faced a reckoning that night. But he had lived his life in such a way that, when the moment came, he was powerless to stand. He had no spiritual strength. He had no answers, no foothold.

The demand of the Sodomites is shocking, but it shouldn’t be surprising. This is what sin does. It enslaves us and rots us. This is how it effects hearts and people and civilizations. Human history is full of this kind of depravity and we should not try to sanitize sin in our thinking.

Genesis 19:6-8 – Lot went out to them at the entrance and shut the door behind him. He said, “Don’t do this evil, my brothers. Look, I’ve got two daughters who haven’t been intimate with a man. I’ll bring them out to you, and you can do whatever you want to them. However, don’t do anything to these men, because they have come under the protection of my roof.”

There are a lot of bad dads in the Bible, but Lot’s got a good chance at the title. Notice again his double-mindedness. We can see the flicker of righteousness, but his love for the world has completely short-circuited his mindset. It took courage to go out and talk to this mob. He preaches to them, maybe for the very first time, about the fact that they’re doing evil. But then, we see that his fix for the situation is, “Go ahead and rape my daughters. That way we all get what we want!”

In New Testament terms, we would call Lot “carnal.” We use the term “carnal Christian.” It means a person who is saved, yet lives life indulging the flesh. Carnal Christians do not function properly. They’re life looks like a house made with crooked measurements. There’s great inconsistency in how they behave. Clearly, in Sodom there was nothing off-limits when it came to sexuality. But we see that Lot’s daughters were virgins, while betrothed to be married. It seems that Lot drew a line and told his daughters, “It is wrong for you to have sex before you’re married.” And yet, in the same breath, he’s ready to sign off on gang rape! How can there be such a disconnect? It’s because apart from surrender to God there is no firm foundation for morality. Everything is relative as sin pollutes.

One writer points out that the angels did not act right away. They’re there to rescue Lot, but first he must choose which kingdom he really wants to be a part of.

Genesis 19:9-11 – 9 “Get out of the way!” they said, adding, “This one came here as an alien, but he’s acting like a judge! Now we’ll do more harm to you than to them.” They put pressure on Lot and came up to break down the door. 10 But the angels reached out, brought Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. 11 They struck the men who were at the entrance of the house, both young and old, with blindness so that they were unable to find the entrance.

Lot was not an influence of the people of Sodom, he was a nuisance. We live in a terribly sinful culture. It is a given that we’ll interact with the world around us. But the purpose of our Christian life is not only to have personal beliefs, but to be salt and light. We’re to make disciples. We’re to be proclaimers of truth and agents of grace. We’re to live in such a way that people are drawn to our kingdom, rather than us becoming entangled in theirs.

When the moment of testing came, Lot had no power. He reminds me of Steve Rogers before he took all his steroids in Captain America. On some level, he wanted to stand up to evil, but he was so weak and so contaminated, there was nothing he could do. Again, compare him to Daniel. We know what an impact Daniel had. Then we remember that Daniel was around 17 years old when his book begins! The difference was he was devoted to righteousness, and what a difference it made.

Notice the Sodomites’ attitude toward Lot. They don’t care about him. They’ve tolerated him for a little while, but we see now what they really think. The Bible is speaking frankly here. Look at what they’re threatening to do to him. That is the heart of our enemy. He’s a destroyer. When temptation comes along, we need to be honest about what’s really being offered, what the end result really is.

Meanwhile, the Lord comes to us and says, “I want to be your Shepherd. I want to shelter you and guide you and fill you and help you. I want to transform you only for good. I want to enrich you in ways you cannot even imagine.”

The world wants to harm you. It’s ready to break down the door to destroy your life and your family. Meanwhile, Jesus stands at the door of hearts and knocks, waiting to be invited in so that He might have a loving, personal relationship with those who desire to know Him and follow Him.

Genesis 19:12-14 – 12 Then the angels said to Lot, “Do you have anyone else here: a son-in-law, your sons and daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of this place, 13 for we are about to destroy this place because the outcry against its people is so great before the Lord, that the Lord has sent us to destroy it.” 14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were going to marry his daughters. “Get up,” he said. “Get out of this place, for the Lord is about to destroy the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.

The angels did not have a manifest with specific names on it. It reminds us of the that, in the grace of God there’s always room for one more. Anyone could’ve been saved that night. They didn’t have to be blood relatives. Had there been a Rahab in the city, the angels would have rescued them, too.

Lot makes a desperate plea to his sons-in-law-to-be. They thought he was joking – meaning that he must not have done any preaching to them before. Noah preached about the coming judgment and people scoffed because they did not believe. That’s not what’s happening here. Lot’s message was so out of character and so without context, they had no reason to think he was being serious.

Peter tells us how Lot’s righteous soul was “vexed” by the sin of Sodom. But his belief stayed in his mind and wasn’t worked out in his life. He was distressed but silent. And because of it, he had no spiritual fruit to speak of. Compare his house to Abraham’s – full of hundreds of people, dedicated and circumcised and ready to serve the Lord.

Genesis 19:15-17 – 15 At daybreak the angels urged Lot on: “Get up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.” 16 But he hesitated. Because of the Lord’s compassion for him, the men grabbed his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters. They brought him out and left him outside the city. 17 As soon as the angels got them outside, one of them said, “Run for your lives! Don’t look back and don’t stop anywhere on the plain! Run to the mountains, or you will be swept away!”

Daybreak. The men of Sodom had come to Lot’s house before bedtime. That means Lot spent hour after hour refusing to leave. Can you imagine the angels? How they must have kept looking at each other and saying, “Are you kidding me?” We see war between flesh and spirit in Lot’s mind. He “believed” the city was going to be destroyed, but he loved the trappings of the world so much he just couldn’t bring himself to leave. He’s sitting down on his couch! The angels have to say, “GET UP!” They literally have to grab him and forcibly remove him from the city. And then we see Lot and family standing just outside the walls! The angels are begging them, “RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!”

Derek Kidner writes, “The grip of ‘this present evil world’…is powerfully shown in this last-minute struggle.” Temptation is real and we should expect it. But, the Lord promises that we will never be tempted beyond what we can escape as we choose to walk in faith. Unlike Lot, we’re to flee idolatry. Run away from temptation.

Genesis 19:18-23 – 18 But Lot said to them, “No, my lords—please. 19 Your servant has indeed found favor with you, and you have shown me great kindness by saving my life. But I can’t run to the mountains; the disaster will overtake me, and I will die. 20 Look, this town is close enough for me to flee to. It is a small place. Please let me run to it—it’s only a small place, isn’t it?—so that I can survive.” 21 And he said to him, “All right, I’ll grant your request about this matter too and will not demolish the town you mentioned. 22 Hurry up! Run to it, for I cannot do anything until you get there.” Therefore the name of the city is Zoar., 23 The sun had risen over the land when Lot reached Zoar.

In 2019, NPR published a heart-breaking article about two Kurdish girls who were kidnapped by ISIS at ages 5 and 6. They were held captive for years and had completely forgot who they were before. They no longer knew their old language, their family or their own last names. The woman who had been acting as their “mother” would sell girls to be brides at around 12 years of age. Finally, they were rescued. When interviewed, the girls said, “I don’t want anything except to go back.” The man who rescued them set up a video call with the girls’ true relatives. Afterward he asked one of them: “They love you and they want to talk to you, aren’t they better than [your captors]?” The girl answered, “no.”

These precious girls have an excuse. Lot does not. We see how addicted he is to his worldly life. He doesn’t plead for deliverance, he whimpers for compromise. He’s convinced he can’t live without the city. “I’ll die if I do what God has instructed me to do!” In the Hebrew (and perhaps in your translation) what he says there in verse 20 is, “Let me go to the little town…so my soul will live.” If we want to not be like Lot we’ve got to keep watch on the affections of our hearts. What do we love? What invigorates our souls? The Bible commands us to set our hearts on heaven and on the Lord. We’re warned against allowing our hearts to become polluted the way Lot’s is here.

Proverbs 4:23 – 23 Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.

Note also how we see a flexibility in the providence and will of God, here. The destruction of Sodom was certain and inevitable. And yet, the gears of judgment slowed down due to Lot’s hesitation. The angels say, “We will change part of the plan and not destroy Zoar.” And they say, “We can’t start until you’re safe.” God’s work has both certainty and, at times, flexibility depending on the choices and actions of human beings.

Genesis 19:24-26 – 24 Then out of the sky the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah burning sulfur from the Lord. 25 He demolished these cities, the entire plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and whatever grew on the ground. 26 But Lot’s wife looked back and became a pillar of salt.

When the angels told them to not look back the term they used was one of “intense gazing, not a passing glance.” It wasn’t a Medusa thing, where anyone who happened to see her turns to stone. Abraham is going to look out over the city. It’s a heart issue. And Mrs. Lot reveals her heart. In that moment, God gives her her desire. It’s been said that we can either bow before the Lord and say, “Thy will be done,” or, in the end He will sadly look at us and say, “thy will be done.” To Mrs. Lot, life wasn’t worth living without Sodom. And so, the Lord honored her choice.

Genesis 19:27-29 – 27 Early in the morning Abraham went to the place where he had stood before the Lord. 28 He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land of the plain, and he saw that smoke was going up from the land like the smoke of a furnace. 29 So it was, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham and brought Lot out of the middle of the upheaval when he demolished the cities where Lot had lived.

We don’t know how long it took Abraham to find out Lot had survived. There’s no indication that the Lord came back by to give a report. Yet, Abraham could trust the Lord. He knew God was a rescuer. He knew He was gracious. He knew He was just. He is still all of those things today.

This must’ve been a tough morning for Abraham. Remember, he had gone to great trouble and risk to save these very people who had been swept away. It would’ve been hard to not feel like it was all for nothing. But it wasn’t a waste. Three were saved. And countless millions have been ministered to because of what Abraham did in chapter 14.

Our efforts for the Lord may seem wasted sometimes, but trust the increase to Him and do not grow weary in doing good.

I wish this story couldn’t get worse, but it has an epilogue and it does.

Genesis 19:30-38 – 30 Lot departed from Zoar and lived in the mountains along with his two daughters, because he was afraid to live in Zoar. Instead, he and his two daughters lived in a cave. 31 Then the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man in the land to sleep with us as is the custom of all the land. 32 Come, let’s get our father to drink wine so that we can sleep with him and preserve our father’s line.” 33 So they got their father to drink wine that night, and the firstborn came and slept with her father; he did not know when she lay down or when she got up. 34 The next day the firstborn said to the younger, “Look, I slept with my father last night. Let’s get him to drink wine again tonight so you can go sleep with him and we can preserve our father’s line.” 35 That night they again got their father to drink wine, and the younger went and slept with him; he did not know when she lay down or when she got up. 36 So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. 37 The firstborn gave birth to a son and named him Moab. He is the father of the Moabites of today. 38 The younger also gave birth to a son, and she named him Ben-ammi. He is the father of the Ammonites of today.

Lot is yet another example of the Biblical principle: You reap what you sow. He sowed worldliness and now he reaps it. What had he taught his daughters? Act like the world. That’s how you get ahead. His daughters do preserve their father’s legacy: That of surrendering to the flesh rather than the Spirit. Lot ends his story getting blackout drunk – twice – while sin continues its vile corruption.

It’s sad – after all Lot had gone through, he’s worse off than ever. In this epilogue he’s paranoid and withdrawn. He gives into fear, which drives him first to Zoar, then to this cave. He gives into shame, which keeps him from returning to Abraham. He seems to not let his daughters leave the cave, but he’s sure to keep the barrels of wine full.

His lifestyle of indulging the flesh rather than following the Lord completely ruined his testimony, his family, his mentality. He was a man who should’ve been a source of hope and truth and justice – a man who should’ve been a rescuer and a blessing like his uncle. Instead, this is his story. He had the desire, but he wouldn’t yield to the Lord. Rather than crucify his flesh, he was a slave to it. Lot was not a victim of his circumstances. This was the inevitable result of a life lived in submission to the flesh. It did not have to happen to him and it certainly doesn’t have to happen to any of us.

The Apostle John wrote to believers living in “the last hour” before the coming judgment. Here’s what he says to us:

1 John 2:15-17 – 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.

Mealing And Dealing (Genesis 18:1-33)

I thought I must’ve drifted onto The Onion, but, no, it was Condé Nast Traveler, ranking Chicago, Illinois as the best city in the United States. That article is not some leftover from yesteryear – they posted it in October! They left out the fact that the city saw more than 800 murders last year alone, and about 10 people were shot each day. The Chicago Tribune called the violence in 2021 “unrelenting.” In December, a cry went out from Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office, imploring the federal government to step in and help stem the tide – to bring some justice to the beleaguered city.

In Genesis 18, the Lord sets out from heaven to go and investigate the cries of injustice that rise from the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He brings two angels with Him. But before executing judgment, the Lord pays a surprise visit to Abraham, sharing a meal and two talks with him.

Genesis 18:1-5 – The Lord appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent during the heat of the day. 2 He looked up, and he saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, bowed to the ground, 3 and said, “My lord, if I have found favor with you, please do not go on past your servant. 4 Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 I will bring a bit of bread so that you may strengthen yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant’s way. Later, you can continue on.” “Yes,” they replied, “do as you have said.”

We get to see Abraham serve the Lord in a very passionate, very personal, very effective way. It’s an inspiration to watch this 99 year old man hustling around, making sure his guests were attended to.

We don’t know when Abraham realized that he was dining with the Lord. Maybe right away, maybe later. But, right from the outset, he shows us how to serve God in the proper way.

From the start, we see that he was ready to serve. As one commentator points out, Abraham wasn’t inconvenienced by the Lord’s arrival. His heart was ready to serve when the moment came. That was his standby mode. The ‘moment’ was a very ordinary one. There was nothing unusual going on. It was just the hot afternoon of an unremarkable day. But God can make any unremarkable day remarkable with His presence.

Abraham says in verse 3: “please do no go on past your servant.” This baseline readiness kept Abraham from missing a precious opportunity to serve God and grow in his faith. Paul instructs us on how to live out our lives in 1 Corinthians 7, saying, “I’m not trying to put a leash on you. I’m trying to help you serve the Lord without distraction.” We want to condition our hearts to be ready to serve – ready to recognize an opening or an opportunity. That’s not always our natural default, but the Lord wants it to become our supernatural default.

Abraham made the Lord his honored guest. The Lord loves that. It’s an amazing thing that – in that moment – God would rather be hanging out in the front yard of some dusty tent than stay in the courts of heaven! Why? Because His friend was there. He didn’t need the rest Abraham offered, but He wanted to spend time with His friend. This is the heart that God has toward you, too.

Genesis 18:6-8 – 6 So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Knead three measures of fine flour and make bread.” 7 Abraham ran to the herd and got a tender, choice calf. He gave it to a young man, who hurried to prepare it. 8 Then Abraham took curds and milk, as well as the calf that he had prepared, and set them before the men. He served them as they ate under the tree.

Abraham is getting his cardio in that day! As we watch him serve the Lord, we see he does so with urgency, earnestness, and generosity. He didn’t use the regular barley, he used the fine flour (and a lot of it). He had a calf prepared – a rare thing to do. He pulled in these other ingredients, and they made a feast. It took time and effort and was costly, but he was excited to offer this to the Lord. He doesn’t spend his time complaining that they didn’t have dates on hand or the finest of wine. He gave what he had, but he did so without holding back. And here’s an important facet of his heart that we get a glimpse of, pointed out by lots of Bible commentators: He served them personally. This was a powerful, wealthy sheik, who had hundreds of servants. But he, the master of the house, served them. It was his honor and his duty to present himself before the Lord as a servant.

As we serve the Lord, it is never meant to be a chore or an obligation. It’s not meant to be something we do begrudgingly or tight-fistedly. If that is how we feel when it’s time to worship the Lord or serve Him or obey Him or give something to Him, we need to stop and get a little heart work done. Remember – as someone pointed out – the Lord wanted to be Abraham’s guest. That’s why they came by his tent. He wanted to spend time with this son of His and tell him all the wonderful things He was going to do in his life. Serve the Lord with gladness.

Genesis 18:9-10 – 9 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him. “There, in the tent,” he answered. 10 The Lord said, “I will certainly come back to you in about a year’s time, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent behind him.

In our culture, the wife is typically the hostess in a situation like this. But in this era, the woman would not eat with these fellows. Naturally, Sarah is interested in what is going on. And so, she eavesdrops on the conversation.

These strangers reveal the fact that they aren’t run-of-the-mill travelers. They know Sarah’s name. And then the Lord explicitly states that He has the power to give life to her womb. And, I imagine He did so in a nice, loud voice, knowing that Sarah was, in fact, listening in on their table talk.

Genesis 18:11-15 – 11 Abraham and Sarah were old and getting on in years. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. 12 So she laughed to herself: “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I have delight?” 13 But the Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Can I really have a baby when I’m old?’ 14 Is anything impossible for the Lord? At the appointed time I will come back to you, and in about a year she will have a son.” 15 Sarah denied it. “I did not laugh,” she said, because she was afraid. But he replied, “No, you did laugh.”

On film, this would be a funny scene, but it wouldn’t have been fun at all for Sarah and Abraham. One source explains that, linguistically, the Lord said, “Why on earth did Sarah laugh?” She’s been caught scoffing by the Lord. Have you ever been at a dinner where someone says something they shouldn’t have and the party is effectively over? Politicians will be on the campaign trail and might say one wrong phrase which completely ends their prospects. We can sense the tension and Sarah’s fear, pushing her to lie. Then Lord has to correct her a second time. But, notice: In this interaction, the Lord isn’t counting strikes against Sarah and Abraham. Sometimes I think we talk too much in these stories about how this was a “test” of their faith. But, the Lord isn’t deciding whether to disqualify them here. This is a teachable moment. When you were in school, test times weren’t teaching times. They were meant to measure whether you were ready to move on. Certainly, there is a testing of faith, but in the Biblical sense, the testing of faith isn’t to decide whether you pass or fail, it’s to refine you – to bring for the gold of God’s glory in your life, to produce heavenly attributes like endurance and maturity.

Jesus doesn’t say, “Sarah, you’re close to striking out.” Rather, He shows uses her misstep as a teachable moment. Psalm 37 promises us that the Lord watches over us all our days and that we will not be disgraced. It says, “Though [a believer] falls, he will not be overwhelmed, because the Lord supports him with His hand.” Here, God supports Sarah’s sagging faith by reminding her of the reality that nothing is impossible for the Lord. And it’s a reminder to us. Our faith should not be rooted in our feelings, or in what we think is possible, or in conventional wisdom, or religious tradition. Our faith is built upon the Person of Jesus Christ and nothing is impossible for Him.

Genesis 18:16-21 – 16 The men got up from there and looked out over Sodom, and Abraham was walking with them to see them off. 17 Then the Lord said, “Should I hide what I am about to do from Abraham? 18 Abraham is to become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. 19 For I have chosen him so that he will command his children and his house after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. This is how the Lord will fulfill to Abraham what he promised him.” 20 Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is immense, and their sin is extremely serious. 21 I will go down to see if what they have done justifies the cry that has come up to me. If not, I will find out.”

God may not be visible to us, but He loves to reveal Himself. He wants to show believers who He is, what He does, and what He’s doing. Remember: God considers Abraham His friend. You’re His friend too, according to John 15, and the Lord makes things known to His friends.

Abraham did not have a Bible to read. He had very few examples to analyze. It could be a jarring thing to have God promise you a son today but then destroy your nephew’s family tomorrow. God wants Abraham to understand He is a God of power, and of justice, and mercy, and long-suffering.

Notice also, despite the awkwardness at the door of the tent, God isn’t leaving early or in a huff. He’s still full of grace toward this family. I’m sure Abraham and Sarah were embarrassed, but we see the Lord immediately moves on. He’s thinking about Abraham’s future. Friends, God is thinking thoughts about you! They are a great and precious sum. When’s the last time you thought about your wife’s cousin? In normal circumstances, they’re just not all that important to us. But God is thinking about you and your future and His excitement to accomplish His good work in your life.

There is a key point in verse 19 that we need to take to heart. Abraham will “keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right…this is how the Lord will fulfill what He has promised.” As we’ve seen before and will see again, a living faith is defined by obedience and through obedience the Lord is able to shape us and use us in the best possible ways. Through obedience we’re able to learn what the will of God is and enjoy the benefits of the “blessed” life that we read about in Psalm 1.

The polar opposite of faithful obedience was Sodom and Gomorrah. We know there was testimony about the One True God in their region. There was Lot. There was Abraham and Melchizedek. These people had personally experienced the mercy of God when He sent Abraham to save them from Chedorlaomer. And yet, they did not turn toward the Lord, they did not turn from their sin. They delved deeper into their rebellion and debauchery and wickedness.

What was their sin which was so serious? The Bible explains that they had several fatal issues – sort of a spiritual Flurona. First, these cities were rotten with sexual immorality. In the next passage we’ll see that the entire male population of Sodom were roving the streets looking for men to gang rape. Isaiah tells us they flaunted their sin. They took pride in it. But in addition to their sexual sin and their blasphemous pride, we’re told that these cities crushed the poor and needy. They had plenty of supplies and security to spread around, but instead of helping, they spent their time on detestable acts of perversion and oppressing the weak in their midst.

Their sin rose like a cry up to heaven. We recall Abel’s blood cried out from the ground. Injustice and oppression and corruption ring out as beacons inviting God’s wrath and vengeance. And God will visit wrath upon the unrighteousness and godlessness of this world. His wrath is the proper response to the sin of mankind. We have worked sin and the wages for that work is death. Praise God that “the one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who rejects the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.” If you are not a believer, you are under God’s wrath and His judgment is coming for you, as sure as it came for Sodom and Gomorrah.

Genesis 18:22-25 – 22 The men turned from there and went toward Sodom while Abraham remained standing before the Lord. 23 Abraham stepped forward and said, “Will you really sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away instead of sparing the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people who are in it? 25 You could not possibly do such a thing: to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. You could not possibly do that! Won’t the Judge of the whole earth do what is just?”

Justice must include judgment. If God does not judge sin, He cannot be God because He would not be just or good. But, Abraham knows that Lot has put his roots down in Sodom and we can hear the desperation in his voice. Of course God would not destroy the righteous with the wicked. But, that does not mean bad things never happen to God’s people. In fact, this scene makes a case for rejecting the idea of meticulous determinism. One popular reformed pastor once called deadly Midwest tornados the fingers of God dragging across the land. But God specifically shows here that He does not judge the righteous with the wicked. Natural disasters are a result of sin and its effect on creation, not some demonstration of God’s cruel power. We’re talking about judgment here and God is just. Justice demands the guilty be punished and the righteous go free. And God has made believers righteous when they turn to him and are saved by grace through faith.

Dr. McGee notes, this is also a quiet hint at a Pre-Tribulation rapture. That period of fierce judgment will not begin until God’s Church is removed, as Lot was removed before Sodom was destroyed.

Genesis 18:26-33 – 26 The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” 27 Then Abraham answered, “Since I have ventured to speak to my lord—even though I am dust and ashes—28 suppose the fifty righteous lack five. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” He replied, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” 29 Then he spoke to him again, “Suppose forty are found there?” He answered, “I will not do it on account of forty.” 30 Then he said, “Let my lord not be angry, and I will speak further. Suppose thirty are found there?” He answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” 31 Then he said, “Since I have ventured to speak to my lord, suppose twenty are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it on account of twenty.” 32 Then he said, “Let my lord not be angry, and I will speak one more time. Suppose ten are found there?” He answered, “I will not destroy it on account of ten.” 33 When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he departed, and Abraham returned to his place.

Abraham had rescued Sodom once before, but that was when they were facing a different kind of reckoning. Abraham wasn’t about to strap on a sword and fight against his Lord. So what could he do? He could plead for them. Now, Abraham was not “convincing” God. No, this was, in fact, another opportunity that Abraham was able to step into. Remember: The Lord had said, “through Abraham all the nations will be blessed.” And God is giving Abraham a chance to serve in that capacity right here. He interceded and appealed for these people. He’s being a salty believer, trying to be a preserving influence on his world.

This would have been a bittersweet moment for our Lord. On the one hand, He gets to see heavenly grace and compassion in glorious operation in Abraham’s life. On the other hand, the Lord knew there weren’t even 10 righteous in those two cities.

I’ve heard it said that Abraham was whittling the number down to get to the size of Lot’s family, but there’s really no indication there was more than Lot, his wife, and his two daughters.

There’s something very important to acknowledge here: The best thing we can do for our city or for our nation is not to vote for a certain candidate or support NGOs or buy local. The best thing you can do for your city and for your nation is to be righteous! Righteousness exalts a nation. The fruit of righteousness is peace. If we’re hungry for righteousness we will be satisfied. What a difference a little righteousness would have made for Sodom and Gomorrah!

So we’ve seen how wonderful it is to be ready to serve God. We’ve seen the way we can intercede with compassion, even for the undeserving. We’ve seen how important justice and mercy are to the Lord. But, as we close, let’s consider again how gracious this God is.

From one vantage point we’re seeing people eavesdropping on the Lord, lying to Him, scoffing at His word, disbelieving His promises, maybe even trying to manipulate Him. And His response? Grace! Loving, correcting, compassionate grace. He is kind and generous. He is just and true. And He brings His people along, even when we’re, frankly, dead weight. This astonishing grace is yours and mine to enjoy and exercise as we walk with God and live to serve Him. Let’s prepare for it, watch for it, and jump at the chance to operate in it.

The Futures Contract (Genesis 17:1-27)

Some contracts have unusual clauses attached. Soccer contracts are notorious for their strange stipulations. Consider the case of Neil Ruddock. Neil was a tough defender, voted one of the “hardest footballers of all time.” He even represented his country on the English national team in 1994. But, Neil was a big player. So big, in fact, that when he moved to Crystal Palace, the club put a requirement in his contract. If he exceeded 220 pounds his salary would be cut by 10%. Within six months, Neil had been fined 8 times. Needless to say, he wasn’t with the team long.

In our text tonight, God appears again to Abraham. He comes to assure Abraham of the covenant He had made, but also to reveal more information about all it contained, including a new responsibility Abraham would have.

Thirteen years have passed since the last verse of chapter 16. Abraham has been in Canaan for 25 years and, it seems, a long time has passed since he’s heard from the Lord. We pick up in verse 1.

Genesis 17:1 – When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him, saying, “I am God Almighty. Live in my presence and be blameless.

God shares a new name here. It’s ‘El Shaddai,’ which we often translate as ‘God Almighty,’ because that’s what Jerome did in the Latin Vulgate. But, scholars aren’t sure what exactly this name means. Derek Kidner writes, “There is no universal agreement. A better guide is the study of its use…in Genesis it tends to be matched to situations where God’s servants are hardpressed and needing reassurance.” El Shaddai is the name Job and Balaam both used. Certainly it speaks of God’s might, but there’s more. It describes God as the Sovereign source of life, blessing, and fruitfulness. The name itself is an invitation for a person to come and become acquainted with this God, and see what He will do in your life. And that’s exactly what He invites Abraham to do. He says, “live in My presence” (or your translation may say “walk before Me”).

What does this mean? A believer is to live out their lives in communion with, and mindful devotion to, God – to make decisions based on our trust in God, relying on what He has said. But there was a problem. God said, “As you do this, be blameless.” Abraham was far from blameless. His second wife, Hagar, was walking proof of his previous failures. How could he live up to this?

The Bible reveals that God not only knows about our imperfections and failures, He’s willing to cleanse us of them – to correct us – so that we can be blameless in His sight. One scholar writes, “the Hebrew word signifies wholeness of relationship…rather than no sin.”

This is what God desires for all of His children: That we live out our lives in His presence, in a whole relationship, which deepens and grows and progresses as we allow Him to do what He wants in us.

Genesis 17:2 – 2 I will set up my covenant between me and you, and I will multiply you greatly.”

In order for God to give all He wanted to Abraham, Abraham would need to participate in certain ways. God wasn’t saying, “I had promised you some things, but now I’m not so sure.” No, it was done. But as one commentator said, “Revelation…brings responsibility.”

From one perspective, it seems like God is very demanding in this chapter, but that’s not the case. He’s explaining to Abraham more of what He intends to do for him and that those intentions have a lot of implications. God is asking Abraham to join Him in the work, not so that the Lord can get things from Abraham, but so the Lord can give all He wants to give. And what God wants to give is big. In the Hebrew there is an emphatic repetition: “I will multiply you exceedingly, exceedingly.”

Genesis 17:3-6 – 3 Then Abram fell facedown and God spoke with him: 4 “As for me, here is my covenant with you: You will become the father of many nations. 5 Your name will no longer be Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I will make you the father of many nations. 6 I will make you extremely fruitful and will make nations and kings come from you.

Abraham doesn’t know what to say, but he still has worship to give. As he worships, the Lord gives Abraham the name by which we know him. Abram means “exalted father,” whereas Abraham means, “father of multitudes.” For years, Abraham had treasured God’s covenant in his heart, but in reality, he didn’t know the half of it! God had so much more planned for this man and this family.

From Abraham there wouldn’t just be one nation but many. We know some of them as the Ishmaelites, the Edomites, the Midianites. But there would be one special, unique nation called Israel, through which God would do a singular, spectacular work – the work of redemption! Of course, the New Testament reveals that Abraham is the father of “all who believe.” And so, what a remarkable thing the Lord did through a regular family life, starting with simple faith.

Genesis 17:7-8 – 7 I will confirm my covenant that is between me and you and your future offspring throughout their generations. It is a permanent covenant to be your God and the God of your offspring after you. 8 And to you and your future offspring I will give the land where you are residing—all the land of Canaan—as a permanent possession, and I will be their God.”

God says “I will” no fewer than 16 times in this passage. And when He says He will, it means He really will. There are some who say that God has cancelled His land promise to the physical descendants of Abraham, that He has transferred them or spiritualized them. But let’s take note: His promise of descendants was true and literal. A literal Isaac. Real kings like David and Solomon and Jesus, the real Messiah who literally came. How dare we say that one portion of God’s words are just as they seem while the very next portion has failed! No, God has a particular, ongoing plan for the Jewish people – one that will culminate in a true, literal, 1,000 Kingdom on this earth.

This is all glorious to us, but we have to recognize how foolish it would’ve been to the world around Abraham. “Who are you?” “I’m the father of a multitude.” “Where are your kids?” “I just have this one, but I’m pretty sure I’m gonna have one more soon!” “So, what do you do?” “Well, we’re the true owners of all this land…kings, really.”

God’s message is foolishness in the eyes of the world, but that doesn’t mean it’s untrue. God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom.

Genesis 17:9-14 – 9 God also said to Abraham, “As for you, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations are to keep my covenant. 10 This is my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you, which you are to keep: Every one of your males must be circumcised. 11 You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskin to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and you., 12 Throughout your generations, every male among you is to be circumcised at eight days old—every male born in your household or purchased from any foreigner and not your offspring. 13 Whether born in your household or purchased, he must be circumcised. My covenant will be marked in your flesh as a permanent covenant. 14 If any male is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that man will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”

Was God changing the terms of the agreement? Circumcision was not a way to get in, but a sign of the fact that Abraham believed and had partnered with the Lord. It was a reminder of what Abraham had already agreed to.

When a policeman receives a badge, the badge has no power in and of itself. If I took a cop’s badge, that doesn’t make me a policeman. When you see an officer’s badge, it is a symbol of their affiliation, their authority, their legitimacy, their sacrifice, their service, and the vow they’ve taken. Circumcision was a symbol – a reminder – of who God’s people were.

The Hebrews weren’t the first to circumcise. Other cultures at the time did it, usually for certain classes like priests and at adolescence rather than infancy. But God was using this custom in a special way, to be an intensely personal reminder to individuals of the work He was doing in their hearts and through their lives – a set apart, spiritual work, which would permeate every aspect of their lives. Though the symbol was physical for Abraham, it’s the heart God really cared about. Even in the Old Testament, it’s made clear that the physical rite of circumcision, though commanded, was only to signify the transaction of the heart and the life God had called this people to.

Deuteronomy 30:6 – 6 The Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love him with all your heart and all your soul so that you will live.

Jeremiah 4:4 – 4 Circumcise yourselves to the Lord; remove the foreskin of your hearts,

This idea of heart change carries into the New Testament. Along with the stipulations of the Mosaic Law, physical circumcision is no longer a requirement for God’s people. Paul discusses it in Romans 2. His conclusion is: true circumcision is not something visible in the flesh. Circumcision is of the heart — by the Spirit as we submit to the Word of God and walk in faith.

Genesis 17:15 – 15 God said to Abraham, “As for your wife Sarai, do not call her Sarai, for Sarah will be her name.

Both of these names mean “princess.” The last time we saw Sarah, it wasn’t great. Both she and Abraham fell into a serious lapse of faith. But, make no mistake, Sarah was an obedient believer. Her name change gives us two important things to think about. First, it is a reminder that we have been adopted into royalty. The King of Heaven and Earth has decided to share His Kingdom with you. Second, her name gives us this thought, which I’ll happily borrow from Warren Wiersbe: “The Christian husband should treat his wife like a princess, because that is what she is in the Lord.”

Genesis 17:16 – 16 I will bless her; indeed, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will produce nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”

This is the first time that God has revealed to them that Sarah will bear a child. Why didn’t He do so earlier and, thereby, avoid the Ishmael debacle? God is looking for faith. We can’t please God without faith. It is the way He wants us to live. Remember: God doesn’t want to have a transactional relationship with us, but a personal one – one based on love and trust and closeness.

Genesis 17:17-18 – 17 Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a hundred-year-old man? Can Sarah, a ninety-year-old woman, give birth?” 18 So Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael were acceptable to you!”

Before we get the red pen out to subtract some points from Abraham, we should notice this: He worships again, even when he doesn’t understand how God could possibly accomplish what He said. And he worships in obedience. He refers to his wife as Sarah immediately. He’s to be commended for these things. But, we see that his faith, at this point in time, is limited to what he considers ‘possible.’ He does the math in his head and he has concluded it can’t be done. But he still wants to be in partnership with God, so he floats this idea: Why don’t we go with Ishmael? He’s the next best thing!

Here’s the problem: the Ishmael idea was bad 13 years ago and it’s still bad now. Here is how God likes to do His work: Not by might, nor by power, but by His Spirit. We want Him to work in our lives and in our midst, so we need to accept the fact that the ideas aren’t going to be ours. The methods aren’t going to be worldly. Instead, we’re to discern what is the will of God and then follow in it.

Genesis 17:19-21 – 19 But God said, “No. Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac. I will confirm my covenant with him as a permanent covenant for his future offspring. 20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will certainly bless him; I will make him fruitful and will multiply him greatly. He will father twelve tribal leaders, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But I will confirm my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.”

God didn’t refuse Ishamel because He hated him. He loved Ishmael. He had a wonderful plan for Ishmael’s life. But this specific plan for the Messiah would come through Isaac. God has particular plans for your life. We’re not meant to be drifters, wandering about while life happens to us. We’re invited to learn at the feet of our Lord, Who has adopted us into His household, where we can serve and grow and be sent out according to His good pleasure.

Genesis 17:22 – 22 When he finished talking with him, God withdrew from Abraham.

“But wait! I thought I was supposed to live out my life in Your presence!” Though the Lord was gone from Abraham’s sight, Abraham was not gone from God’s. He was still able to walk before the Lord. What does that mean? It was a heart position. It was the position of disposition. Abraham was left without the visual presence of God but he could continually seek the Lord for his personal life, his family life, his future decisions, and future hope.

In this church age, God feels far when it comes to human senses. But He is not withdrawn. We are promised this: Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. He has placed you where you are so that you might seek Him and reach out and find Him, for He is not far from any one of us.

Genesis 17:23-27 – 23 So Abraham took his son Ishmael and those born in his household or purchased—every male among the members of Abraham’s household—and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskin on that very day, just as God had said to him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised, 25 and his son Ishmael was thirteen years old when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised. 26 On that very day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised. 27 And all the men of his household—whether born in his household or purchased from a foreigner—were circumcised with him.

Abraham is the father of faith. Faithfulness means obedience – doing what God has told you to do. This was a difficult obedience. But Abraham did it that very day. What an interesting moment it must have been, when Ishmael came and said, “What does this mean?” “It means we’re in covenant with God.” “What else did God say?” “He said He has a plan for you, but not the one I want. So we’re gonna go with what the Lord has said and trust Him.”

What about for us, tonight? These moments in Biblical history are important for us to know, but God intends them to be more than just historical. Most of us know that The Mayflower Compact was a signed agreement and a significant stepping stone in US history, but it has little bearing on our actual day-to-day lives. But God’s word is given to profit and train and equip and correct us so that we can be people of God who know the power of God and do the work of God.

We see in this text God reminding believers of how close He is and how great His love is for them and how He has intentions for their lives and more to show them, more to give them, more to do with them. They’re things that God’s people can’t discern on their own – they need it to be revealed. And God wants to reveal, but, in order to do so, the believers have to participate in faithful obedience. They have to set aside their own notions and plans and instead receive from the Lord. If we want to be in that position, the Bible says we need to be people who believe and who have circumcised hearts. That, with the Spirit, we cut away the fleshiness and the self-autonomy and the disbelief and worship the Lord, be in His presence, and listen for His voice.

We all want a greater revelation of God’s plan for us as individuals and in our families and as a church. We want to be directed. We want to experience His presence in a personal, powerful way. But, often we feel a disconnect. What do we see here? Abraham worshiped and obeyed God even when he didn’t understand and he was able to enjoy a powerful friendship with God. What do we obey? The Scripture, where we discover what God has said. How do we worship? We’re going to do that together in just a moment. Praising God, thanking Him, for His power and goodness.

There are two pitfalls that we can identify in this scene: We don’t want to be an Ishmael or a Lot. You see, Ishmael was circumcised, but he’s never an example to us of a person who honored God or believed God or walked with God. In that sense, he’s like a person who went through the rituals of belief, without offering his heart to the Lord. And he did not enjoy fellowship with God, despite the fact he was circumcised.

But then there’s Lot. He was uncircumcised, yet is declared righteous in the New Testament. But, looking at his life, he clearly did not enjoy closeness with God. He lived a life outside the warmth of God’s leading and grace because he went his own way and had his own ideas.

In one of those notorious soccer contracts, Giuseppe Reina (a German striker) thought he’d make his own plan. He demanded that, as part of his signing agreement, a particular team would build him a new house for every year he spent with them. “Sure,” the club said, “If that’s what you want.” And so, pleased with his plan, Giuseppe signed on the dotted line. Imagine the disappointment he felt when he received the house the club built for him…out of legos…three years in a row!

As Christians, it does no good for us to try to make our own spiritual plans. As a church and as individuals, our first question should always be, “What does God want?” We want Him to new things. We want to see great things. But more than that, we want what God wants. And we know God wants to speak to us, to direct us, to grow in us, and we don’t want to miss it. So, let Abraham encourage us tonight. The way to have a faith full of growth and closeness with God, experiencing His presence is by listening and worshiping – being ready to obey, even when it’s painful, and refusing to either go our own way or to simply go through the motions. Instead to follow after God’s word and leading, knowing that He is always good and keeps on getting better.

The Sequel Was Terrible! (Genesis 16:1-16)

You never know how a sequel will turn out. Every once in a while, a sequel turns out better than the original. Paddington 2, The Empire Strikes Back, The Wrath Of Khan. More often, the sequels are a disgrace. You wish you had never seen it. The story is lame, the characters get ruined, they introduce new cast members that you’re not interested in. In some cases they undo much of what you loved about the original. If you look up lists of the worst sequels, almost without exception Superman IV: The Quest For Peace is included. That movie was a staple during my childhood. I thought it was awesome, even if it is rated as one of the worst movies of all time.

When we were last in Genesis, we looked at one of the defining scenes of Abraham’s life – him and God looking at the stars. That magnificent evening was followed up with God making a dramatic covenant, binding Himself to Abraham and his descendants forever.

Tonight, it’s the sequel. And, if it weren’t for the grace of God, this would’ve killed the franchise, like Superman IV. But, terrible groupthink and bad on-set behavior cannot stop the providence of God and it can’t sour the grace of God. So, let’s take a look, starting in verse 1.

Genesis 16:1 – Abram’s wife, Sarai, had not borne any children for him, but she owned an Egyptian slave named Hagar.

Abraham and Sarah were very concerned about the fact that they had no children. They’re at an age where it seemed more and more impossible that God’s promise could come to pass.

We’re left to assume that Hagar was one of the servants Pharaoh gave to Abraham back in chapter 12 when they had taken that ill-advised trip to Egypt. So, Hagar, though a real person, symbolizes for us the provision of the world.

We know that this scene speaks of the difference between the flesh and the Spirit because we’re told as much in Galatians 4. This story also foreshadows the difference between the Old and New Covenants – one based on legalism there other on grace.

Your translation may call Hagar a “maidservant,” but, scholars point out that is too genteel a word. We’ll see that Abraham and Sarah treat her with no respect, no dignity, no kindness. Until the close of the chapter, she’s treated roughly – as a possession to be exploited.

Genesis 16:2 – 2 Sarai said to Abram, “Since the Lord has prevented me from bearing children, go to my slave; perhaps through her I can build a family.” And Abram agreed to what Sarai said.

Sarah’s end goal wasn’t bad: She wanted a family. Wasn’t that what God wanted, too? It was, but let’s examine where her plan came from: She begins with a declaration that God had failed. Sarah blames Him for ‘preventing’ her from having children and assumes that none are forthcoming in the future. Of course, God had not failed, it just wasn’t time. We’ve seen how carefully God plans things. He’s does His work according to a specific timeline, motivated by His compassionate mercy.

Not only did Sarah go to the drawing board with bitterness in her heart, we see that she was drawing from the world’s playbook. This scheme to use a slave girl as a surrogate was widely acceptable and even codified in the surrounding culture.

Now, had Sarah gone to the Lord with her hurt and her earnest desire to see His promise fulfilled, we must conclude that she would’ve received comfort and direction from God because that’s what had happened to Abraham in the very last chapter! Instead, we see Sarah using human math, human engineering, leaving God out of the equation altogether. And, scholars point out that, as she speaks, she uses the language of the world. She speaks pretty coarsely throughout this text.

We can bring this up to date in lots of ways, but let’s apply it to ministry work. We’re meant to “make disciples” – to increase the family of faith. Often, though the end goal is worthy, churches turn to human methods, human means, human engineering to try to accomplish that goal. They use the world’s culture to try to increase the size of the church. That’s the same mindset Sarah had. But it leads to a counterfeit increase, with a bunch of troubles added in.

Be that as it may, Abraham agrees with his wife. The problem is, it was not how the Lord had led. Remember: God was a covenant partner in Abraham’s life. Abraham should have gone to the Lord for approval, since it concerned the very thing God had spoken to him about more than once.

Genesis 16:3 – 3 So Abram’s wife, Sarai, took Hagar, her Egyptian slave, and gave her to her husband, Abram, as a wife for him. This happened after Abram had lived in the land of Canaan ten years.

They could try to justify it in their own minds, but Abraham and Sarah are making a huge mistake here. Hagar really had no say in it – she’s a piece of property, legally speaking, and they’re treating her as such. But, rather than trusting God, Abraham and Sarah are taking the reins of their lives into their own hands, and they’re failing to protect their marriage. This same type of mistake had been Abraham’s idea back in chapter 12. So, they are both playing fast and loose with their marriage.

The marriage relationship is meant to be the closest human relationship you have. You are one flesh with your spouse. It is meant to be unique and consecrated. If you are married, you are not to allow anyone else to occupy that place of closeness or intimacy or connection that you pledged to your spouse. And you should help your spouse avoid mistakes like this, so that you are strengthening each other and your oneness at the same time.

Genesis 16:4 – 4 He slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant. When she saw that she was pregnant, her mistress became contemptible to her.

Until this point, Hagar isn’t to be blamed. But now her heart fills up with pride and she begins to show contempt to Sarah. In the eyes of society, Hagar would be seen as the primary wife now that she was with child and Sarah was barren, and Hagar let her know it.

Success is not always a mark of God’s approval or favor. This was the last thing God wanted for this family. I’m sure they were celebrating at first, but that quickly turned to resentment and discord.

Genesis 16:5 – 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for my suffering! I put my slave in your arms, and when she saw that she was pregnant, I became contemptible to her. May the Lord judge between me and you.”

Now that things have turned out terribly Sarah is ready to involve the Lord! We’re eavesdropping on a bad argument in the family tent, but the truth is, Abraham should have put a stop to Sarah’s idea right away. Instead, he went along and now they are reaping the crop of carnal choices.

Genesis 16:6 – 6 Abram replied to Sarai, “Here, your slave is in your power; do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai mistreated her so much that she ran away from her.

This is an absolute scandal. We are talking about the first family of faith! Sarah wasn’t just a little rude. The term used for ‘mistreated’ is the same one Moses uses to describe how the Egyptians oppressed the Israelites in Exodus.

Just as it was culturally acceptable to use Hagar as a surrogate, it was also culturally acceptable to treat her harshly. But this was totally outside what was acceptable to the Lord. Our God is tender and gracious and long-suffering and meek. We are to be conformed to that image, not the image of the harsh and brutal world.

As far as sequels go, this is as bad as it gets. Luckily, a surprise cameo will redeem this picture.

Directors like Alfred Hitchcock, Peter Jackson, and Martin Scorsese are known for showing up in their films. People loved seeing Stan Lee, the creator of all those wonderful comics, in the MCU. We cut to Hagar in the desert. Desperate, alone, unprotected, no supplies, pregnant, and suddenly the Creator makes a cameo.

Genesis 16:7 – 7 The angel of the Lord found her by a spring in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur.
How do we know this is God? Well, she will identify Him as God in verse 13 and He makes an “I will” promise to her. Some say this is just an angel, not God, but that isn’t consistent with what we read. No, this is what we call a Theophany (or sometimes a Christophany), which is a Pre-Incarnate appearance of Jesus on the earth. And here we have the very first reference to the Angel of the Lord. He’s come to find a hopeless, sinful, Egyptian slave girl. She didn’t find Him, He found her.

Genesis 16:8 – 8 He said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She replied, “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai.”

We sense the tenderness not only by what He said, but by how she responded. Alone in the desert is no place for a woman in her condition. The approach of a strange man should have been scary. Yet, she did not recoil at His presence – she doesn’t try to hide away. There must have been something deeply comforting about Him.

When He speaks, He calls her by name. One scholar points out that this is the only known instance in ancient Near Eastern literature where a Deity addresses a woman directly by name. But, he does not coddle her. He identifies her as a slave to Sarah. And she admits that she has abandoned her duty. She speaks humbly and truthfully. She doesn’t bring up the mistreatment she had endured. Perhaps she realized He already knew all about it.

Genesis 16:9 – 9 The angel of the Lord said to her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her authority.”

“Go back? But I was suffering! I was mistreated! I was a slave!” And the Lord said, “That’s right. Go back.” You see, God wasn’t happy about her affliction – He was responding because He heard her cries -but He had something greater planned for her life than simply avoiding suffering. Hagar’s plan was, “Let’s avoid suffering. It probably means I’ll starve in the desert, but at least I won’t suffer under Sarah.” Meanwhile, God had a great and awesome plan for her life that, yes, included some difficulty, but was a much better alternative than she had planned for herself. What was His plan?

Genesis 16:10 – 10 The angel of the Lord said to her, “I will greatly multiply your offspring, and they will be too many to count.”

This Gentile was going to get in on God’s incredible promise and provision. Was that end result worth the price of admission? It seems that Hagar was shocked at what God was saying, both the promise and His directive to go back to that terrible job. So the Lord continues.

Genesis 16:11 – 11 The angel of the Lord said to her, “You have conceived and will have a son. You will name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard your cry of affliction.

The name Ishmael means, “God hears,” or, “may God hear.” So, in this short scene we learn a lot about God. We learn that He sees you and He hears you. We learn He knows what’s going on in your mind and your body (He knew she was pregnant). He knows your past and He knows your future. He knows the struggles you’re dealing with and the hurts deep in your heart. And He moves on your behalf, to give you life more abundantly if you will believe Him and obey.

Genesis 16:12 – 12 This man will be like a wild donkey. His hand will be against everyone, and everyone’s hand will be against him; he will settle near all his relatives.”

Ishmael and his descendants would be strong, independent – living outside of civilized society. The Lord compares him to a breed of donkey called the Syrian Onager. It was known for great beauty and strength. It was compared to thoroughbred horses. In fact, one Greek historian reports that they were able to outrun horses, and would often taunt their pursuers. The prophecy in verse 12 has continued to be true of Ishmael’s descendants, which include some of the Arab people, who still live in opposition to the sons of Israel.

Genesis 16:13-14 – 13 So she named the Lord who spoke to her: “You are El-roi,” for she said, “In this place, have I actually seen the one who sees me?” 14 That is why the well is called Beer-lahai-roi. It is between Kadesh and Bered.

This is an amazing turn of events. She gives God a name, and He accepts it! I don’t think ‘Gene’ is that obscure a name, but historically, any time I’ve gone to Starbucks, they give me some other name and, frankly, it’s not appreciated. The best one was, Chi.

Some linguists believe that Hagar is saying something like, “Wait, I saw God and I didn’t die?” She’s in shock. You see, that was what people thought would happen if God showed up. Think of Samson’s parents in Judges 13. But here Hagar starts to think that she might not understand as much about God as she thought. She expected crushing. Instead she discovered that this God is not only a real, living Person, but He sees and He hears. He comes in search and He speaks and He directs and He protects and He provides and He intends and He comforts and He helps.

Genesis 16:15-16 – 15 So Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son, and Abram named his son (whom Hagar bore) Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him.

This is a very unexpected conclusion. We see significant growth here. The family of faith is finally back on track and making progress. Hagar returned, without any guarantee that her day-to-day would improve, and we see that when she told Abraham what had happened, he not only believed her, but he humbled himself under the word of God and submitted accordingly. He named the boy Ishmael – God hears. As in, “God hears how you’ve been afflicting Hagar.” But what a great moment this is for us to witness. God’s people aren’t perfect. It’s unreasonable to expect that believers won’t make mistakes. The question is: Are we being conformed into God’s image? Are we progressing in our walk of faith? In our submission to God’s word? Are we decreasing so that the Lord might increase in us?

Abraham would have to wait another 14 years before the son of promise finally arrived. Hagar would live a long time as a servant. It wasn’t going to be easy. But, they were moving forward in God’s plan and provision, and that was a good thing. So much better than the alternative.

People love film franchises. The Marvel Cinematic Universe currently holds the title for most movies – 27 to date. James Bond is number 2 with 25 movies. But the oldest movie franchise has been around for 90 years. It’s the Mummy, with 19 films, starting all the way back in 1932.

Your life is the next sequel in God’s Marvelous Charismatic Universe. Broken down the word charismatic simply means “gifts of grace.” God still intends to lead you forward by His generous grace, into new growth of love, compassion, activity, and submission to His word. Let Him have creative control so that your sequel is as good as the original. Recognize that your role is of a beloved servant, sent to endure whatever is required in order to accomplish the Director’s creative vision. If we go His way, rather than our own, the story will be a triumph and we will be glorified as we bring Him glory and praise.

A Star On God’s Walk Of Faith (Genesis 15)

Forbes Magazine says we’ve become a “nation of quitters.” Americans are leaving their jobs at record rates. A more polite term for it is “The Great Resignation.” 55% of workers are thinking of quitting their job. When do you know that it’s time to find a new line of work? One article gave 30 signs. One of them was: “The reality of your day-to-day does not match the job description.” The guidance given by someone called an ‘Executive Career Change Coach’ was: “Listen to your gut. Do you feel light, inspired, and a little excited? Or do you have a sinking feeling in your stomach, a lump in your throat, and a tightening in your chest? That’s your inner compass talking.”

In Genesis 15, Abraham has a lump in his throat and a sinking feeling. He’s been in Canaan for around 10 years – he’s in his mid-eighties. We read his story and see great moments in his life. But Abraham lives it every day. And his day-to-day wasn’t matching the description God had given. Abraham finds himself dealing with difficulties and confusion and frustration over how certain aspects of his life are turning out. He loves the Lord, he trusts the Lord, but he can’t see beyond today and, is full of questions about the future. Sounds like the kinds of thoughts we have at times.

This chapter records for us a frank conversation Abraham had with God. That conversation leads to a covenant which is still in effect today. As usual, by studying this example, there is much we can learn about God’s Word, His work, and the wonderful way He expresses His love for His people.

Genesis 15:1 – After these events, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield; your reward will be very great.

God doesn’t tell us things we don’t need to hear, so we can assume that Abraham was feeling very low. He was afraid of potential reprisals from foreign armies after his battle victory. And, it seems, he was feeling disappointment over how his rescue operation had ended. Because of spiritual conviction he turned down all the plunder and, in fact, came home 10% poorer than before. Some criticize Abraham and say he’s throwing himself a pity party, but this text highlights Abraham’s enduring faith and his trust in the Lord. But, clearly, he’s second guessing his life’s course.

In this moment of discouragement, the Lord comes to lift up Abraham’s head. David knew this Divine kindness. He wrote in Psalm 3: “You, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts up my head.” God is revealing this aspect of Himself to Abraham, too.

This is a tender moment. God sees into the heart of His friend, sees that his friend is struggling and is downcast, and the Lord takes the initiative to come, not offering some empty catchphrase, but He offers Himself. “I’ll be your shield. I’ll watch over you night and day. I’ll keep the record and be sure to give you an eternal return on your life’s investment.” If God can see into our hearts, then obviously He can see our circumstances. He is mindful of what you’re experiencing.

In 1 Samuel we see that touching moment where Hannah is so broken-hearted because she has no child. Her husband tries to console her by saying, “Am I not better to you than 10 sons?” Not the best thing to say. But when God offers us Himself, He is better than all the things of earth. He is a greater treasure, a greater Friend, a greater Helper, than any we pass up in this life.

Genesis 15:2 – 2 But Abram said, “Lord God, what can you give me, since I am childless and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?

Abraham didn’t want battle plunder. He wanted that which God had promised to him a decade earlier. God had said, “I’m going to make you a great nation.” And here he was, with no family of his own. His nephew, Lot, who was like a son, had abandoned Abraham a second time. And, sure, he had a bunch of servants and employees. But no son.

Coming back from the battle, perhaps Abraham was feeling his age. What good was God’s promise if his life was almost over? And so, he boldly speaks to God, saying, “If You’re going to make me a great nation, we better get a move on!” He’s still in a position of obedience and belief. He refers to God as, “Master, Lord.” But, after he speaks, the Lord doesn’t immediately reply. So Abraham speaks again.

Genesis 15:3 – 3 Abram continued, “Look, you have given me no offspring, so a slave born in my house will be my heir.”

We can see that, at the same time, Abraham believed God’s promise, but was also blaming God for what seemed like a failure in the work. “You have given me no offspring.” Sarah will say the same thing in the next chapter and that attitude of blaming God led to a major misstep in their lives.

God had not failed. It just wasn’t time. God does things at “just the right time.” At just the right time Christ died for the ungodly. At just the right time He reveals Himself. At just the right time He pours out His grace and moves in compassion for us. We always want the time to be right now, while we’re feeling the sting of disappointment. But the Lord has been working out His plan even before time existed. His plan is specific and it is personal. Look at verse 4.

Genesis 15:4 – 4 Now the word of the Lord came to him: “This one will not be your heir; instead, one who comes from your own body will be your heir.”

The Lord says, “I know Eliezer. I know you. I care about you both, but he isn’t going to figure in my plan for your offspring.”

Notice also, God knew the state of Abraham’s heart. He knows our frustrations and weaknesses. But He did not want Abraham to remain in that state. He brought Abraham comfort and revelation so that he could strengthen himself and move out of his discouragement.

For some, it’s fashionable to celebrate what they call “brokenness.” Practically worked out, it produces a limp Christianity – one without confidence or answers or spiritual strength. God didn’t want Abraham to stay in his brokenness, in his second guessing, and frustration. Puritan preacher Richard Sibbes wrote, “[Christ] was broken that we should not be broken; he was troubled, that we should not be desperately troubled. Whatever may be wished for in an all sufficient Comforter is…found in Christ: Authority from the Father…Strength in Himself…[and] Wisdom.”

Genesis 15:5 – 5 He took him outside and said, “Look at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “Your offspring will be that numerous.”

It seems the Lord was there with Abraham in what we call a Theophany – a PreIncarnate appearance of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. Abraham poured out his heart to His Master, and the Lord said, “Come with Me, I have something I want to show you.” There, under the night sky, God told Abraham to “look toward heaven.” Philosophers speak of “the music of the spheres,” talking about the motion of the celestial bodies of the universe. Genesis drives home the fact that God made it all as a backdrop that He might commune with us. The universe exists, not only to declare God’s majesty and splendor, but to remind us of His love and His power working on our behalf.

Genesis 15:6 – 6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

This is one of the most important verses in all the Bible. The New Testament certainly thinks so. It is referenced multiple times by Paul. James cites it, too. This is the model diagram of how a person can be saved – how they can be made right with God. When a person trusts God, in faith, God’s grace imputes perfect righteousness into their account, wiping out the debt of sin because Christ payed the penalty for it. Abraham did not have to have a son to be saved. He didn’t have to be circumcised to be saved. He didn’t have to pass a certain number of tests or obey for a certain number of consecutive days to earn a home in heaven. All he had to do was believe the Lord – trust Him as a Person and believe what He had said in His Word. The work of salvation is all done by God. Our part is to believe. Of course, saving faith is not just lip service, it’s alive. Like Abraham, it brings us into a relationship with God. And though we struggle and fail, we continue to trust Him.

God, in His grace, is excited to count things on your behalf. This little, mustard seed faith of Abraham, God said, “That counts!” Jesus said, “Give a cup of water to someone in need, that counts as if you were giving it directly to Me!” Your prayers count. Your worship counts.

Genesis 15:7 – 7 He also said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.”

After the tenderness of their friendly talk, this statement seems out of place. But God is now initiating a covenant ceremony with Abraham. He says, “Ok, Abraham. Let’s make it official with a contract.” It wasn’t that God finally decided to commit. He wanted to demonstrate to Abraham how serious His commitment was. He knows that Abraham is still struggling emotionally with how it seems like it’s impossible for God to do what He had promised. And so, the Lord starts off by pointing out that He has been watching over Abraham’s life all this time.

The Psalmist wrote: “The course of my life is in Your power.” God’s goodness and faithful love pursues you all the days of your life.

Genesis 15:8 – 8 But he said, “Lord God, how can I know that I will possess it?”

It’s not always wrong to ask for confirmation. We can safely say that Abraham is having a crisis of faith. It doesn’t seem like things are happening as they should. Was Abraham wrong about the decisions he had been making? “Lord, am I in the right place? Am I doing the right thing? I thought by now we’d see more fruit on the tree.” One commentator notes that Abraham’s question here shows that he was really taking God seriously.

Genesis 15:9-10 – 9 He said to him, “Bring me a 3-year-old cow, a 3-year-old female goat, a 3-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 So he brought all these to him, cut them in half, and laid the pieces opposite each other, but he did not cut the birds in half.

This was a ceremony people performed to confirm an agreement together. They would walk through these slaughtered animals, symbolizing that, if they violated the agreement, they deserved the same fate. This custom lasted a long time, at least to Jeremiah’s day (he references it).

Genesis 15:11 – 11 Birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.

Do you ever contend with seagulls on the beach who want to pilfer your snacks? They’re relentless! I remember being closer to vultures in Peru than I wanted to be. Those are big, nasty birds.

On the one hand, this is a very humorous scene. Abraham has set everything up, but then nothing happens. He waits around, hour after hour. Imagine some of his servants coming out, or maybe passing neighbors, who ask: “Whatcha doing, Abraham?” “Oh, this? I’m cutting covenant with God.” “…is God here now?” “No. He WAS here, but He took off for a little bit…but He’ll be back!”

On the other hand, we saw that Abraham was struggling, he was frustrated. He had just been in conversation with God and now God seems to be absent – even late. Maybe he felt like Charlie Brown: “I shouldn’t have picked this life. Everything I do turns into a disaster. Isn’t there anyone who knows what spirituality is all about?!?”

But the Lord wasn’t late. He hadn’t forgotten. He would not fail to accomplish His project.

Genesis 15:12 – 12 As the sun was setting, a deep sleep came over Abram, and suddenly great terror and darkness descended on him.

It had been a long day after a long night. Now, Abraham was in the dark. Derek Kidner points out that God initiates covenants with moments of darkness. We see it here, at Sinai, and at the Cross.

But notice Abraham: He is deeply asleep – paralyzed for the rest of the proceedings. God alone will sign on to this covenant. Abraham has no portion that he must uphold. God does all the work, guarantees all the terms, brings all the capital, carries all the liability.

Genesis 15:13-14 – 13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know this for certain: Your offspring will be resident aliens for four hundred years in a land that does not belong to them and will be enslaved and oppressed. 14 However, I will judge the nation they serve, and afterward they will go out with many possessions.

Abraham had been worried about the immediate future. Yet, God shows him centuries ahead. Why? Well, in addition to making Abraham a father, God was making him a prophet, too.

We should also note that God works with both fluid and fixed timelines. This prophecy shows a specific amount of time, after which things were determined to happen. At other points, God allows a fluidity in when things will happen. For example, after going out from Egypt, God said, “I’m going to take you back to this land.” What should’ve taken weeks ended up taking 40 years! God has the power to give some flexibility to His providence. But, when He sets a time schedule, it will be done. So, how does that apply to us? Well, it tells us that we shouldn’t be setting dates for the rapture of the Church. That’s a fluid time table. The Bible calls it imminent. But, once the Great Tribulation begins, that is on a fixed time table. 7 years, down to the day.

Genesis 15:15 – 15 But you will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age.

Not everything that would happen between now and then would be easy or pleasant, but the end would be good. As we walk with the Lord, we know that we are headed to a good completion – in peace with our heavenly Father. There will be hardships along the way, but we need not fear.

Genesis 15:16 – 16 In the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”

Now this is an astonishing revelation! “I thought we were talking about me?!?” Well, Abraham, we’re talking about you and some other folks, like the Amorites. “Lord, what do You have to do with the Amorites? They’re evil!” But the Lord loved them. As He had in the days of Noah, so here God was extending generations of mercy, giving these undeserving people a chance to turn to Him and be saved. God must judge sin, and He will, but His long-suffering waits because of His compassion.

“Ok, Lord, but what do the Amorites have to do with me?” God’s desire to save the lost impacts us in several ways. First, He sends us in to be a testimony of His love and grace and truth. Just as Abraham had developed relationships with those 3 Amorite brothers. But, God’s long-suffering also means that we, His people, will endure hardships at the hands of those He’s trying to save. We are called to endure with patience, remembering how glad we are that God waited for us.

Genesis 15:17-21 – 17 When the sun had set and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the divided animals. 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “I give this land to your offspring, from the Brook of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River: 19 the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hethites, Perizzites, Rephaim, 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”

There are a whole bunch of suggestions as to what the fire pot and the torch represent. But here’s our focus for tonight: First, the descendants of Abraham have never held all the land that is promised here. Not under Joshua, not under David, not under Solomon. Which means God is still going to keep this promise to ethnic Israel. We look forward to that fulfillment in the 1,000 Year Kingdom. Second, it was all the Lord. Abraham was ‘sleeping’ on the sidelines. It was all by God’s power, all by God’s grace, all by God’s design. Abraham’s part was to believe and walk by faith. To not be worn down by his earthly circumstances but to be confident in the Lord – to anchor his life to the Word of God, knowing that He would accomplish all He had said.

In summary, this passage gives us a look at God’s Word and His work. We see here that God’s Word is prophetic and it is personal. He speaks through His Scripture to you about His intentions for your life and much more that He intends to do in this world. And He speaks prophetically and definitively about the work He is going to accomplish. He works powerfully, providentially, progressively, and persistently, based on the promises He has made. When we find ourselves discouraged or frustrated or wondering whether God has forgotten us or we’ve made a mistake, consider the life of Abraham and how the Lord drew him on little by little, by sending His Word, by being Abraham’s Friend, by pouring out His grace in Abraham’s life. And then remember that that is how God wants to show His love to you as you walk with Him. Don’t follow your human gut into a spiritual resignation. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths and will be faithful to complete the good work He started in you.

The Mysterious Melchizedek Society (Genesis 14:17-24)

“…and all I got was this lousy t-shirt…” They’ve been around for decades. Whether it’s from a trip to Florida or worn after graduation or turning a certain age, there’s a “lousy t-shirt” for everything. The Dutch Government recently breathed new life into this old style. The National Cyber Security Centre invited hackers to try to find vulnerabilities in their websites or online governmental systems. Anyone who successfully reports a vulnerability is rewarded with a black shirt which reads, “I hacked the Dutch government and all I got was this lousy t-shirt.”

After risking his life and traveling hundreds of miles roundtrip, Abraham returns from his rescue operation victorious. He retrieved all the people and plunder that was taken in Chedorlaomer’s vicious conquest. But, when all is said and done, Abraham doesn’t even get a lousy t-shirt – not a sandal strap or as much as a thread. In fact, he comes home with 10% less wealth than he had when he began. No matter, Abraham is not concerned. What he does get is an incredible interaction with a mysterious spiritual figure and a stronger testimony than ever.

Genesis 14:17 – 17 After Abram returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the Shaveh Valley (that is, the King’s Valley).

This aftermath that we’re reading tonight is notable for what Abraham did not do. We’ll see, in the end, he refuses to keep any of the plunder. But here we also note that he came back home. He didn’t try to become the king of Elam.

If you stayed around for the stinger in the final episode of The Mandalorian, you saw that Boba Fett had finally clawed out of obscurity, fought his way into power and sat himself of the throne of Jabba the Hutt from which he will now rule. (Coming soon to Disney+!)

Our culture likes to talk about “leverage.” How to keep getting more for yourself – greater position, greater wealth, greater influence. That stands in stark contrast to the #lifegoals given by Paul: “Seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business.”

The meeting place was called “the King’s Valley.” We’re not certain where this is, we can’t help but connect it with the king of Sodom. And here we have this image of the king in the King’s Valley and we have to ask ourselves: “Is that really your valley?” He wasn’t able to defend it or his people. One of the themes of this passage is that all the world belongs to the Lord. It did then and it does now.

Genesis 14:18 – 18 Melchizedek, king of Salem,, brought out bread and wine; he was a priest to God Most High.

Read plainly, it seems that the meeting of Abram, Melchizedek and the king of Sodom happened all at the same time. As we read, imagine the wicked King Bera watching all of this unfold.

Who was Melchizedek? For thousands of years there have been many opinions. His name shows up again in one of the Psalms of David (Psalm 110), and of course there is a lengthy discussion of this incident in the book of Hebrews. He also appears in many extra-biblical writings, including some found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. From these sources come a wide range of theories.

Some say he was Noah’s son, Shem. Some that he was Noah’s nephew, miraculously born and taken to heaven to survive the flood. Others say he was a warrior angel or a member of the Divine Council. Some say he was Michael the Archangel. Some say he was Christ Himself. In early church history there was a heretical sect called the Melchizedekians who taught that he was greater than Christ and that Christ was made in his image. One theory is that he was the Holy Spirit.

There’s really no reason to believe that he was anything other than what he plainly appears to be: the king of a city who also served as a priest to God Most High. As Hebrews shows us, his life story becomes a profound type of the Lord Jesus Christ and His non-Aaronic priesthood. But, beyond that, there’s no evidence to identify him with Shem or an angel or Christ Himself. In fact, there’s only Biblical evidence disproving those theories.

So, where was he king? We’re told he was king of Salem, which most scholars agree later became Jerusalem.“Bread and wine” is better understood to be a full banquet. And so, as A.W. Pink beautifully points out, we have a foreshadowing of what our Lord will accomplish at His return to earth. There, after vanquishing the coalition of worldly kings, the King of Righteousness will feast with His people, those who have been about His business, and with the Jewish remnant, saved through that terrible Tribulation that nearly swept them away.

Meanwhile, there are some devotional thoughts for us. The mention of bread and wine reminds us of communion – given to commemorate and celebrate the victory won for us and shared with us.

Melchizedek also demonstrates that God is always working in all sorts of ways, whether we know it or not. Abraham, perhaps, felt like the only believer in all the world, but it wasn’t true. Even in the heart of Canaan, that bastion of evil, there was a man, who was not simply good, he was a true worshiper of Jehovah. Some try to suggest that Melchizedek didn’t know who he was worshiping, but Abraham clearly accepts that they both worship the same God. The New Testament agrees. How did he know about Jehovah? Who was he ministering to? What other spiritual adventures did he have? We don’t know. This is a book about Abraham’s descendants. But, believers often fall victim to a “we’re the only ones” mentality. It happened to Elijah. It happens to whole denominations sometimes. But God is at work all around the world, every moment of every day. And, even though Abraham and Melchizedek were strangers, we also see they were instantly connected because of their love of God. They had instant communion and fellowship and camaraderie. What a great example these two are of Christian brotherhood.

Genesis 14:19 – 19 He (Melchizedek) blessed him (Abraham) and said: Abram is blessed by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,

We don’t know much about Melchizedek, but we get a glimpse into his theology here, and we find it lines up with God said so far in Genesis. God’s revelation is consistent in all times and in all places. When a person like Joseph Smith comes along and says he has a new revelation, it’s not from God. Paul said it didn’t matter if it was another man or an apostle or even an angel from heaven. There is one revelation from God and it remains consistent forever. Melchizedek affirms that there is One God and He is the Creator of this universe. On top of that, the message of Melchizedek toward Abraham is in line with what God had already said. He didn’t say, “Thus saith the Lord” and then give some contradictory prophecy or statement.

Like Abraham, we have been blessed by God. Believers receive an everlasting blessing. The second death has no power over us and now we have been called into God’s priesthood.

A major part of Biblical priesthood is to do what Melchizedek does here: Bless people. We bless the family of faith in lots of ways – encouragement and support and assistance and kindly affection – but we’re also to bless our enemies. Jesus, Peter, and Paul each command us to bless those who persecute us.

Now, here’s an important shade to all of this: Melchizedek was a priest of the Most High God, but Abraham did not have to go through him in order to have a relationship with God. There is now one mediator between God and mankind, the Man Christ Jesus. The idea that you, as a Believer, have to go through a priest or through a pastor in order to gain access to God is not Biblical.

Genesis 14:20 – 20 and blessed be God Most High who has handed over your enemies to you. And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Though he had not been involved, Melchizedek knew all about the battle Abraham had fought. God is mindful of all your struggles and difficulties. He has not forgotten them or you.

Abraham gives a tenth – or a ‘tithe’ – of everything to God through Melchizedek. First off, what did he give? Some say it was 10% of the plunder. Some say it was 10% of his own goods and none of the plunder. Others say it was 10% of his own stuff and the spoils of war. We can’t be sure, but given his attitude in this section, I find it hard to believe he was only giving to God what he only gained a few days before. Don’t get me wrong – he was entitled to these spoils of war, but, I’m sure his mentality was like that of David: “I will not offer to God that which costs me nothing.”

What about tithing? Is that something every Christian should be doing? Some point to this passage and say the tithe predates the Law, so it should apply to Believers of every age. Others point to the Law and say that Christians in the Dispensation of Grace are obligated to continue the tithe. If you base your view on the tithe from the Mosaic Law you’ve got a problem – when you add everything up it seems like the Israelites ended up giving about 23% of their income, not 10%.

Before setting a number, we should ask: Does God want us to give charitably of our money and goods? The answer to that is a clear “yes.” In fact, Jesus grouped giving in with prayer and fasting in His sermon on the mount. He also said that by giving of our earthly wealth we are able to store up treasures in heaven. In the New Testament giving is categorized with helping the needy and supporting ministers of the Gospel and the work of the church.

So, how much should you give? That is none of my business! You need to be led by God in how to give. Not just in quantity, but in where to give. We live in such an incredible time where, from the comfort of our homes, we can pay to dig a well in India, feed a child in Haiti, send a Bible to a soldier, and provide relief for tornado victims in Kentucky all in the same day. We can give jackets to the cold in our own town or send money to the Crossroads Pregnancy Center which they put together to do things like teach people how to be Godly parents or minister to women after an abortion or provide pregnancy tests free of charge. You can give to this church which helps us do things like pay staff and keep the lights on and have events and buy Bibles and make podcasts and provide a place where the Gospel is preached week by week and year by year. How you give is between you and the Holy Spirit. As you seek that out, the Bible gives us some guiding principles.

Our giving is to be motivated by love, not begrudgingly. And, because of that we would say that the goal should not be how little can I get away with, but how much will God let me give? Next, we’re told that our giving should be private, regular, sacrificial, and cheerfully done. You can study through 2 Corinthians 9 and Matthew 6 to learn more about this.

Genesis 14:21 – 21 Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, but take the possessions for yourself.”

The sacred meeting is broken up by the impatience of Bera, the king of Sodom. “If you holy rollers are done with your little get-together, let’s get down to business.” There’s no thank you. There’s no acknowledgement of the greatness of Abraham’s God. There’s no humility at all. Instead, he tries to command Abraham, setting the terms and suggesting that he is the one owns everything.

This is what we should expect from the kings of this world. What arrogance and hard-heartedness! He had, after all, abandoned his people to enslavement and death. He had started a fight, then when the going got tough, he retreated back to his palace, only coming out when someone else had done his job for him. We see his sinful heart on display: Defiance in the face of God’s mercy.

It’s true that, customarily, the goods would rightfully belong to Abraham, but I wonder if it wasn’t also a devilish plot in the king’s mind. He needed to re-establish his dominance. If Abraham had kept the stuff, how long would it have been before Bera started saying, “Abraham stole all our goods. Let’s go get it back!” He could use it as a pretense to attack this incredibly wealthy nomad who had, from one vantage point, very few defenses.

Genesis 14:22-23 – 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand in an oath to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 23 that I will not take a thread or sandal strap or anything that belongs to you, so you can never say, ‘I made Abram rich.’

It is often said that this was a great temptation for Abraham – a test of his faith. For sure, there is a devotional application for us to not be bought off by the world and the danger of greed. But, if it was a temptation, it wasn’t a very good one. For one thing, Abraham already was fabulously wealthy. And, from his response it’s clear he wasn’t in the slightest bit interested in this offer. He recoils, pretty tactlessly, from Bera’s offer. Imagine if you invited someone to dinner and they said, “I wouldn’t take a used napkin or a grain of salt from you!” He’s not entertaining this idea.

At the same time, think of the great compassion Abraham had shown to Bera! Godly compassion doesn’t mean we celebrate or accept wickedness. Today, some say that being ‘tolerant’ means that we must affirm and respect anything anyone does. That’s not what tolerance is and it’s not what we’re called to. We’re still supposed to recoil from wickedness, while also living out sacrificial compassion even towards undeserving people. This interaction is a great example for us.

Abraham did not want his testimony tarnished by the world. “I want people to know it is God who is working through my life, and I won’t allow anything in that would tamper with that witness. Not a thread or a sandal strap.”

Genesis 14:24 – 24 I will take nothing except what the servants have eaten. But as for the share of the men who came with me—Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre—they can take their share.”

The Bible does not teach that personal property doesn’t exist. Abraham recognizes it, so did Peter when it came to the situation with Ananias and Sapphira. The Bible is full of theological principles about your ox and your neighbor’s ox. The boundary markers of your property. The shirt on your back is yours. Now, our hearts are to be fueled by compassion and generosity, but one cannot be generous if he has nothing of his own. And we notice here that Abraham had a conviction about this particular pile of loot, but he did not force his allies to obey his personal conviction about it. He says, “These other guys have a rightful claim to a reward for their efforts.”

So we see that Abraham felt a duty toward God when it came to this financial opportunity, and that duty was to to sacrifice it all – to give it all back, and then some. But it was his duty, and everyone else had to decide on their own. And that’s true for you as well. Serving God is meant to cost you something. Through this saga we’ve seen Abraham give of his love, his strength, his effort, his time, his money, his patience, in worship, in humility. He navigated all of this by being led by the Holy Spirit. That’s our calling, too. Abraham said he had made an oath to the Lord. We, as Christians, have sworn ourselves in solemn devotion to follow God and serve Him and be about His business as His priestly representatives to this world. We get much more than a lousy t-shirt out of the deal. No need to be tight-fisted or greedy on this side of heaven. Instead, we should walk in the blessing of God, living as a blessing to others, ready to give and receive as God leads us on.