Is anything too hard for the LORD?

Genesis 18:1 – 15

See v1 ~ 2.

    ¹ The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. ² Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.

The LORD appeared to Abraham through three men (1, 2^a). When Abraham saw them, he hurried to meet them and bowed low to the ground (2^b). Abraham recognized the presence of the LORD among three men. Abraham showed reverent fear & respect toward God.

This is why Abraham is called the father of faith. Hebrews 11:1, 2 says

    ¹ Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. ² This is what the ancients were commended for.

Without faith, they were strangers. By faith, they were guests from the above.

By faith, Abraham ‘knew’ the LORD’s presence with confidence & assurance. Due to the spiritual maturity over Genesis 12 to Genesis 17, he relied on what was invisible than only what was seen.

They were in need due to “the heat of the day” in Middle East, so that Abraham might be able to help them, so that their fellowship could begin naturally.

Jesus met a Samaritan woman as a needy person in John 4.

… It was about noon.   ⁷ When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (John 4:8-7)

Jesus met Simon (Peter) as a needy person in Luke 5:1-11.

³ He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. (Luke 5:3)

See v3.

   ³ He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. 

Abraham humbly & sincerely requested them to drop by.

He was eager to encounter and experience God. He wanted God to remain with him so he said, “Please do not pass your servant by.” This is precisely how the church should respond when Jesus knocks to be invited in for fellowship (Matt 25:31-46; John 6:53-58; Rev 3:20; 19:7)[1]. We ought to be receptive and responsive to His visitation. God is sovereign. He does visit His people. He fulfills His plan and program. The only question is: Will He pass us by or will He come down and visit us? Typically, God only stays where He is wanted. He is not like a visiting in-law that forces his way into our home and then wears out his welcome. He wants to visit those that seek Him and desire Him. Today, can you honestly say that you long for God’s appearing [2]?

List those who need your help and at the same time who can help you in God:

Don’t let them pass by but drop by!

See v4 ~ 8.

⁴ Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. ⁵ Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.”

   “Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”

   ⁶ So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.”

   ⁷ Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. ⁸ He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.

Here, we see that Abraham did all things described as above without approval from his family member(s). Abraham had confidence & assurance on LORD’s presence. Thus he was certain that this was the way to go. And all his family members were obedient to his leadership. Abraham was as influential as his spiritual maturity. # Note that Sarah called Abraham ‘my lord’ in v12.

Abraham’s hospitality shown here is referred as an example of ‘Golden Rule of Christianity’ written in Matthew 7:12.

¹² So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Hebrews 13:2 says,

² Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.

Romans 12:13 also teaches hospitality.

¹³ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Let us learn and practice Abraham’s hospitality!

See v9 ~ 15.

   ⁹ “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him.

   “There, in the tent,” he said.

   ¹⁰ Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”

   Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. ¹¹ Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. ¹² So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

   ¹³ Then the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ ¹⁴ Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

   ¹⁵ Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”

   But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”

When Sarah heard of her giving birth to a son by next year, she laughed.

So, the LORD said

“Is anything too hard for the LORD?” (14^a).

Jesus taught Almighy God in Mark 9:23.

 ²³ “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

Jesus said God is almighty in His prayer in Mark 14:36.

³⁶ “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

God expects us to believe Almighty God!

Do you have any promise of God that you laugh at due to seeming impossibility & unbelief?

List them here:

Let’s repent unbelief and accept his promise by faith.

References

[1] Waltke, Genesis, 271.

[2] Keith Krell, The Book of Beginnings:Genesis. A Divine Encounter. Genesis 18:1-15

Abraham – The Father of Many Nations

Genesis 17

    ¹ When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. ² Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”

“I am God Almighty.” Amen.

We learnt Almighty God in the creation written in Genesis 1. Many miracles performed by Jesus showed Almighty God.

Jesus taught Almighy God in Mark 9:23.

 ²³ “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

Jesus said God is almighty in His prayer in Mark 14:36.

³⁶ “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

God expects us to believe Almighty God (1)!

“Walk before me faithfully and be blameless.” (1^b)

If our God is Almighty, He can keep His promise that looks impossible. He is trust-worthy.

Let us think about why God brought this “Faith in Almighty God” & “Being faithful & blameless” agenda at this stage. It was nearly 25 years since Abram was called by God. During these 25 years, Abram’s faith was credited to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). Even though Abram had faith, he made a mistake to have a child through a Sarai’s maid (Genesis 16). And he was about to see the comparison between promised child and physical child – blessing vs. trouble. Abram might learn that while his very best endeavour would end up only trouble, trusting & waiting for God would bring true blessing. He might learn “Obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22)!”

It took 25 years for Abram to learn this lesson. Abram’s faith was going to become “Pure Trust in God with No Compromise”.

   ³ Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, ⁴ “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. ⁵ No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. ⁶ I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. ⁷ I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. ⁸ The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.”
⁹ Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. ¹⁰ This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. ¹¹ You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. ¹² For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. ¹³ Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. ¹⁴ Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”

God’s (everlasting) covenant with Abraham (and his descendants)

1. Abraham will be the father of many nations (4).
   God named Abram to Abraham, which means “the father of many nations.” (5) God promised that He will make Abraham very fruitful, He will make nations of him and kings will come from him (6).
2. God will be Abraham’s God and the God of his descendants.
3. God will give the whole land of Canaan as an everlasting possession to Abraham and his descendants.
4. Every male shall be circumcised (10).
   For the generations to come every male who is eight days old must be circumcised (12).

Circumcision is a minor operation that removes the foreskin from the male organ. It involves pain during & after the operation. Circumcised organ maintains its cleanness due to no deposit in foreskin. This indicates that people of God maintain purity in sex, emotion, morality, body and spirit. This difference separates believers from unbelievers.

2 Corinthians 6:14 says ¹⁴ Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.

Especially, this word is applied to ‘marriage’.

Jesus does not allow divorce as shown in Matthew 5:32.

³²But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Unable to have a child in marriage does not make the marriage invalid. Child is not to come through sexual immorality but to come in God’s time and in God’s way. The male organ of reproduction should be set apart for the Lord’s purpose rather than sexual immorality.

Circumcision signifies above principles. Following these principles may involve painful decision & waiting period.

People argued whether believers of Jesus should be physically circumcised or not (See Galatians). Paul explains in Romans 4:9 – 10 that circumcision is not requirement of ‘justification’ because Abraham also was justified by faith alone (Genesis 15:6) even before he was circumcised. Paul teaches “circumcision of the heart” in Romans 2:25 – 29.

¹⁵ God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. ¹⁶ I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”

God renamed Sarai to Sarah, which means the mother of nations (15). God will bless her that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her (16).

Abraham’s wife Sarah is the mother of nations. We see God honours Abraham’s marriage. Biblically, marriage should be honoured by all (Hebrews 13:4). Marriage is protected by the Lord (Matthew 5:32).

¹⁷ Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” ¹⁸ And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!”

Trust God and wait for God. In God’s time, the problem will be solved in God’s way and we may laugh.

¹⁹ Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. ²⁰And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. ²¹ But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.” ²² When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.

God said “Yes”, which means that Ishmael would live under God’s blessing (19^a, 20). But Sarah will bear Abraham a son… The son is to be called ‘Isaac’, which means ‘laugh’. God will establish His everlasting covenant with not Ishmael but Isaac (19^b, 21).

²³ On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him. ²⁴ Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, ²⁵ and his son Ishmael was thirteen; ²⁶Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that very day. ²⁷ And every male in Abraham’s household, including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him.

Circumcision took place for everyone at the same day when God told Abraham to do so (23). His obedience was prompt and complete. It involved pain & risk.

Do not compromise but trust God’s promise

Genesis 16

    ¹ Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; ² so she said to Abram, “The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.”

In ancient time, it was common to bear a child through a maid if the host couldn’t bear a child. Even though it was a common practice in the society, it did not mean that it would be right before God. It was wrong for Sarai to advise Abram to sleep with her slave. It was neither moral nor biblical.

Therefore, let us not blindly follow others, culture, custom, or worldly practice.

Sarai said in v2,

“The LORD has kept me from having children.”

So, she knew it was God who kept her from having children. But she tried to solve the problem in her own way. She didn’t ask God what God’s will & time were.

   Abram agreed to what Sarai said. ³ So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. ⁴ He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.

Abram agreed to Sarai’s ungodly advice (2^b) and made tragic mistake, without knowing the consequences.

Consequences are listed below.

• Conflict in the family
  • Hagar despised Sarai (4^b).
  • Sarai mistreated Hagar (6^b).
  • Hagar and Ishmael were sent away (Genesis 21:14).
• Ishmael became the father of all the Arabic countries, which are hostile to Israel till these days.

Abram should have remembered what God already promised in Genesis 15. Then, Abram could have avoided making a bad situation worse.

Before you follow any advice from others including your own spouse

• Do you remember what is written in the Holy Bible?
• Do you pray for God’s wisdom and guidance?

   When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. ⁵ Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me.”

Hagar was pregnant and began to despise Sarai. Sarai started to see the bad consequence of her own decision.

   ⁶ “Your slave is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.

Abram could solve the conflict by asking Hagar not to despise but to be submissive to Sarai. But as Abram irresponsibly accepted Sarai’s advice, he irresponsibly let Sarai solve the trouble. Sarai mistreated Hagar. So, she fled from her.

   ⁷ The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. ⁸ And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”

   “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered.

   ⁹ Then the angel of the LORD told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” ¹⁰ The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.”

   ¹¹ The angel of the LORD also said to her:

   “You are now pregnant 
   and you will give birth to a son. 
You shall name him Ishmael, 
   for the LORD has heard of your misery. 
¹² He will be a wild donkey of a man; 
   his hand will be against everyone 
   and everyone’s hand against him, 
and he will live in hostility 
   toward all his brothers.”

The angel of the LORD found Hagar and let her return & submit to Sarai (9). And the angel of the LORD promised numerous descendants (10) and told about her son’s future (12).

Ishmael became the father of all the Arabic people. And the description of her son’s future (12) matches to that of the Arabic people now-a-days.

Genesis 17:20 shows Abram prayed for Ishmael.

   ¹³ She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” ¹⁴ That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered.

Hagar experienced “the God who sees her”. She didn’t know God was watching her & her misery until she encountered the angel of the LORD. When she realized God who knew her from the very beginning, it was the moment that she recognized the love of God. God loved her at all time, but she was blind and unable to see God’s love. Now she opened her spiritual eyes and confessed her faith; “I have now seen the One who sees me.”

   ¹⁵ So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne. ¹⁶Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

Abram was 75-years old when he was called by God (Genesis 12:4). Abram got Ishmael at 86 (15) and Isaac at 100 (Genesis 21), which was 25 years after the calling of God.

I am your shield, your very great reward

Genesis 15:1 – 18

    ¹ After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:

   “Do not be afraid, Abram. 
   I am your shield, 
   your very great reward.”

In Chapter 14, Abram took 318 trained men from his household, deployed night combat, rescued his relative Lot, recovered everything, and came back as the war hero.

After this victory & success, Abram might be suffering the fear of counterattack. Further, he didn’t have a legitimate child to inherit from him.

In a vision, God told Abram not to be afraid (1). He said,

“I am your shield.” God is preventer & protector. God can prevent the war against Abram. God can protect Abram’s life & possession.

“I am your very great reward.” God himself is very great reward for Abram. God who knows Abram’s needs and cares for him is faithful and sufficient.

   ² But Abram said, “Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” ³ And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”

Here, Abram called God ‘Sovereign LORD’. God is sovereign.

God is sovereign over the battle.

In 1 Samuel 17:47, David said “the battle is the LORD’s.” In 1 Samuel 14:6, Jonathan said “Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.” Abram experienced this in the battle (Chapter 14).

God is sovereign over the life.

God has Sovereignty over our lives including marriage & childbearing. As shown in Genesis 2:21 – 22, it is God who created woman for man and it is God who brought her to the man.

I note how Abram expressed in v2: “what can you give me since I remain childless… you have given me no children…” Abram raised his real-life issue of his ‘own’ child.

Believers can bring real-life issues to God, who has sovereignty over them all.

God answered Abram that he would have his own child, who would inherit from him (4). And his offspring shall be as countless as the stars at the sky (5). What was Abram’s response to God’s word? See v6.

   ⁶ Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

This short one verse could be easily overlooked. But it teaches us how man can be justified by God – by faith. Here, Abram didn’t have to work to earn righteousness from God. Instead, He simply believed what God was going to do.

This verse 6 is quoted by Paul in Romans 4:3 to teach ‘justification by faith alone’. Romans 4:4-5 says,

   ⁴ Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. ⁵ However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.

See v7.

   ⁷ He also said to him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.”

God reminded Abram of what God already had done – saving Abram from Ur. The purpose of the salvation was the possession of the promise land. This is similar to why God saves us – for us to inherit the kingdom of heaven.

   ⁸ But Abram said, “Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?”

Above question was asked not to disbelieve but to believe God.

In ancient time, there was no way of writing a contract to confirm a promise. They cut animals half and walked between two pieces and confirmed the promise. This ceremony means that the confirming person will be cut half if he does not keep the promise. God confirmed his promise through this ceremony (9 – 10, 17).

During this confirmation, God told Abram that his descendants would be enslaved in a country for 400 years (13) and come back here to own the land (16). Here we can see that God did not promise ‘no trouble’. In fact, Israelites cried out to God in the midst of troubles (slavery, hunger, thirsty, …) and learnt to trust God.

See v18^a.

¹⁸ On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram…

Hebrews 9:16 – 18 says

   ¹⁶ In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, ¹⁷ because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. ¹⁸ This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 

God’s promise was confirmed by God himself through sacrificial ceremony.

Thus, God made a covenant with Abram.

Let us read 1 John 5:6 – 12

 ⁶ This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. ⁷ For there are three that testify: ⁸ the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. ⁹We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. ¹⁰ Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. ¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹² Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth

Genesis 14:1 – 24

Kings of Shinar (Babylon (Ur)), Ellasar (Haran), Elam (Southwest Perisia/Iran), and Goyim (Syria) (1) went to war against other 5 kings (2). The 5 kings had been subject to king Kedorlaomer for 12 years but rebelled in the 13^th year (4).

In the 14^th year, king Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him defeated them (5 -11). They carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions because he was living in Sodom (12).

Abram heard it (13) and went to rescue his relative Lot by calling out his 318 trained men born in his household (14). Abram attacked them during the night, recovered all the goods and brought back Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people (15, 16).

Abram as an uncle of Lot took responsibility to save Lot by taking the risk of his own life. Abram might pray to God for the rescue.

Here, we see the contrast.

Lot became a prisoner of war but Abram became the rescuer of Lot through the victorious combat.

Lot chose the place that pleased his eyes and lived near sinful & wicked people of Sodom (Genesis 13:10-13). On the other hand, Abram built an altar and called on the name of the LORD wherever he was (Genesis 12:7, 12:8, 13:4, 13:18).

Sin made Lot weak and vulnerable. But faith made Abram prepared and strong. So, Abram kept himself away from troubles. Further he was able to rescue Lot in trouble.

Rescuing Lot, Abram returned as the war hero.

The king of Sodom came out to meet Abram in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley) (17). Then, who came to bless Abram before he could talk with the king of Sodom? See v18-21.

¹⁸ Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High,¹⁹ and he blessed Abram, saying,

   “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, 
   Creator of heaven and earth. 
²⁰ And praise be to God Most High, 
   who delivered your enemies into your hand.”

   Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Melchizedek means ‘king of righteousness’. He was also king of Salem, which means ‘peace’. He was priest of God Most High.

Hebrews 7:3 says about Melchizedek,

³ Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.

Psalm 110:4^b says Christ Jesus is a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.

Melchizedek brought out bread and wine (18). Bread and wine symbolizes the flesh of Jesus broken for us and the blood of Jesus shed for us.

He blessed Abram, saying “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” (19, 20^a)

Then, Abram gave Melchizedek 10% of everything (20^b). He honoured God by giving 10% of everything after the victory & success.

Malachi 3:10 says on tithing as below:

¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.

Tithing brings overflowing blessing from wide-open floodgates of heaven!

The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.” (21)

But Abram refused his offer so that the king of Sodom might not say that he made Abram rich (23). Abram no longer depended on the king for his finance as he did in Genesis 12:10-20.

Abram believed it was God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth who gave Abram the victory in the war. And it was God who blessed Abram’s wealth.

Do you believe God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth in your daily life including study, work and finance?

If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.

Genesis 13:1 – 18

Abram had to go to Egypt due to severe famine (Chapter 12). Abram came back to the promise land with wealth from Egypt (1, 2). Abram expressed his gratitude and faith by building an altar (4).

This shows Abram kept his faith in midst of both famine and wealth.

Quarrelling arose due to their great possessions (6, 7). So Abram asked Lot to choose a land so that they might part company (8, 9).

Abram solved the problem graciously. When Abram was called by God and led by Him, he possessed God-like character.

Lot chose the land well watered by Jordan River (10 – 11). Lot pitched his tents near Sodom (12). The people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD (13).

Lot chose the land for immediate benefits based on what was visible. Lot didn’t look for God’s will before making the decision. Without God’s guidance, men are short-sighted.

God told Abram that He would give the entire land around him to him and his offspring forever (14 – 15). And God promised Abram countless offspring (16).

Abram trusted & obeyed God. He lived by faith based on what was invisible – the promise of God which wasn’t fulfilled yet.

Again, Abram expressed his gratitude and faith by building an altar to the LORD in v18^b.

Life is ironical. Many people who think they are clever make a choice of Lot. But it was Abram whom God gave the entire land. The person who believes & obeys receives the promise – the blessing of God; this is the true reality but people are blinded and unable to see this reality. They make choices for immediate benefits but miss the heavenly prizes.

Below are relevant verses:

Jesus said in Luke 9:24, 25,

²⁴ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. ²⁵ What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?

Jesus said in Matthew 5:5,

⁵ Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 

God is the most powerful factor in our lives. Why?

Proverbs 16:4 says

  ⁴ The LORD works out everything to its proper end— 
   even the wicked for a day of disaster.

Proverbs 19:21 says

  ²¹ Many are the plans in a person’s heart, 
   but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.

Now you know “God’s purpose prevails”. If you are truly wise, you will cooperate with God to fulfil His purpose. How do we do this? See Matthew 28:19 – 20, that is “the Great Commission”.

¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Obey this command and you will be a part of God’s purpose, which will make you prevail.  If you are just studying the Holy Bible regularly these days, it is OK – You are being prepared for the command.

We depend on God, God defends us

Genesis 12:10 – 20

    ¹⁰ Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. 

Here, we can know that the life in God is not trouble-free. ‘for a while’ shows Abram didn’t move to Egypt permanently. Abram looked for the relief from the severe famine. Severe famine is life-threatening. In such situation, food is more precious than anything else. Abram had to go to Egypt for survival.

¹¹ As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. ¹² When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. ¹³ Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.”

Here, we can know Sarai was a very beautiful woman (11, 14) and it was dangerous for Abram to enter Egypt with her (12). So, Abram planned to hide the fact that Sarai was his wife. He decided to deceive them as if she was just his sister (13).

Here we can know entering Egypt was the only option for Abram to survive. Otherwise Abram could have chosen other options that he wouldn’t have to risk his life or marriage.

In this situation, it was shown that Abram did not have enough power to protect his right. The real problem was that unbelievers (Egyptians) wouldn’t respect his right. He avoided conflict with Egyptians and let God deal with them.

   ¹⁴ When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. ¹⁵ And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace.

Abram’s prediction came to reality.

¹⁶ He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.

   ¹⁷ But the LORD inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai. ¹⁸ So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? ¹⁹ Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” ²⁰ Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.

Abram lost his wife temporarily. God intervened & rescued Abram from his trouble. We can see God is more powerful than a powerful man Pharaoh.

Pharaoh rebuked Abram for his lie, which made Pharaoh collide with God.

In summary, life in God is not trouble-free but God with us is sufficient & faithful.