Genesis 19-21
Day 20: Genesis 19-21 Notes & Takeaways
Notes on my Bible, @myrenewedfaith
Yesterday we finished chapter 18 with Abraham interceding for the people Sodom and Gomorrah. He was bold and courageous in doing so and went from fifty righteous people, to “What if only ten can be found there?” (Job 18:32). The Lord stated that if we found at least 10 righetous people He would not destroy Sodom & Gomorrah. Which brings us to today’s reading.
In chapter 19 we see that the two men walking with the LORD had been angels all along. They arrived to Sodom and sitting at the gateway of the city was Lot. Lot “The gate area of an ancient city was sort of a town-hall where the important men of the city judged disputes, conferred with one another, and supervised those who entered and left the city.” (Enduring Word Commentary)
We must take note that Lot went from looking down at Sodom, to pitching a tent near Sodom, to living in Sodom. He kept compromising more and more and as we see through his story, when we compromise our beliefs and values, it destroys our testimony.
When he saw the men he insisted they stay with him, this was a way of showing hospitality to strangers but his strong insistence showed that he knew how sinful and wicked the people in Sodom were. He felt he needed to protect them, which we see him state in verse 8, “they have come under the protection of my room.”
When the wicked men (young and old it says) came to his door and urged him to send them out so they could have sex with them, we see how immoral and wicked the town is. Not just the old, but the young as well have been so morally corrupted, that in order to stay safe the angels have to blind them. Now their physical blindness matched their morality. We must note that Lot even tries to give his virgin daughters to the men to do whatever they wanted to them. This shows how compromised he had gotten to the sin of the town he lived in, which, that we know of, he never even thought to leave. Sometimes we can get so bogged down by the sin surrounding us that we don’t even realize how morally compromised we’ve become. We might feel that we aren’t “full blown sinners” like those that may be around us, but we aren’t fully committed to our walk with the Lord either. We’re extremely lukewarm and that is a very dangerous position to be in because it means we are in danger of eternal punishment since we live a life separated from Christ. It would be sad that if live this way all our lives only to die and see Jesus and for Him to tell us, “depart from me, I never knew you” (Matthew 7:21-23).
The angels take Lot, his wife, and two daughters out of the city, but when he tells them to flee he also instructs them not to look back, but Lot’s wife does and turns into a pillar of salt. What does this show us? It shows us that Lot’s wife’s heart longed for the city she just left, for the depravity and sin that was in it, way more than where God was leading her. Are we like Lot? Are we looking back at the “fun” times we had fun drinking and partying or are we looking towards the future towards the calling God has set on our lives? I pray that as I walk in my calling that when I look back, it is only to tell others of how far the LORD has brought me. Even Jesus tells us in Luke 17:32-33, “remember Lot’s wife. Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it.”
We see how the immorality of Sodom & Gomorrah rubbed off on Lot’s daughters. They made him drunk with wine and both slept with him. Living there affected their moral code and their sin didn’t even bother them at all. Note that their children’s descendants would be enemies of Israel. Moab is the father of the Moabites, and Ben Ammi (which means son of my father’s people) would be the father of the Ammorites.
In chapter 20 we once again see Abraham lie to King Abimelek of Gerar the way he lied to the Pharaoh in Egypt (Gen 12:10-13). He tells hm that Sarah is his sister and the King takes her, but before he can lay a hand on her the LORD comes to him in a dream to let him know that she is married and God curses them by closing the wombs of the women and female slaves in his household. But, Abimelek gives Sarah back to Abraham and more, and at Abrahams prayer, the Lord heals Abimelek and the women of his household.
We finish today’s reading with chapter 21. Sarah becomes pregnant and gives birth to Isaac, which means laughter, and reminds us of the laughter both Sarah and Abraham had when they were told they would have a child (Genesis 17:17-19 and 18:12-15). Abraham was 100 when Isaac is born.
“Isaac became a wonderful type or picture of the Messiah to come, Jesus Christ.
· Both were specially promised sons.
· Both conceptions were miraculous.
· Both were born after a period of delay.
· Both mothers were given assurance by truth of God’s omnipotence (Genesis 18:13-14; Luke 1:34, 37).
· Both were given names rich with meaning before they were born.
· Both births occurred at God’s appointed time (Genesis 21:2; Galatians 4:4).
· Both births were accompanied by great joy (Genesis 21:6; Luke 1:46-47; 2:10-11).” (Enduring Word Commentary)
Once Isaac is weaned Abraham sends Hagar and Ishmael away and while in the desert they run out of water but the LORD hears the boy Ishmael’s crying and opens his mother’s eyes so that she can see a well of water. He tells Hagar that he will also make Hagar into a great nation (Genesis 21:17-19).
We end the chapter with Abraham and Abimelek making a treaty at Beersheba over a well of water as well. It then tells us that “Abraham stated in the land of the Philistines for a long time” (Genesis 21:34).
Tomorrow we move on to chapters 22-24 in Genesis. I hope you’re learning a lot and enjoying it all at the same time. I know I am! Make sure to follow RF on Instagram, and join our FB Group to stay up to date for our upcoming weekly zoom sessions!
