Good evening. Tonight we come to chapters 19 and 20 of Genesis. It is my goal to get through both of these chapters tonight. Chapter 19 is rather long, but chapter 20 is about normal size. As we examine these chapters tonight, we will be looking at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and Abraham and Abimelech.
Now, before we get started, let’s open our time with a word of prayer.
Okay, to start, when you were growing up, who was the disciplinarian in your family?
How did that person typically discipline people?
Well, in this first section of chapter 19, we see that God comes in and truly disciplines these cities. In fact, He completely destroys them and everything that is living in them with the exception of 3 people. Let’s go ahead and read the first section of chapter 19. Whoever has the first 2 keys, go ahead and read them at this time please. (READ)
Okay, what I want to do now is work our way through this passage with several questions and try and gain a better understanding of what happened here. So let’s begin:
As Abraham did in chapter 18:2-8, how doe Lot show hospitality to these angelic visitors? (Verses 1-8)
What might have happened if Lot had not takes these visitors in?
In turn, what might have happened to Lot had these angelic visitors not intervened? (First, he would have been destroyed with everyone else. Second, these people here would have beaten him probably, or even killed him.)
What are the reasons that warrant the total destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah? (Verses 1-11, Ezekiel 16:49-, and Matthew 10:11-16)
Okay, then what warrants the deliverance of these 3 pitiful people? That is Lot, and his 2 daughters? (Verse 29. Abraham)
Okay, now that we have a pretty good understanding of this passage, let’s take a look at a couple of questions that are more personal application for us. These questions will hopefully cause you to apply some of this story to your own lives.
How does our society compare with these cities that were destroyed?
What is it that you think has prevented total destruction of our society?
Okay, and finally, what examples does Lot give you to follow, and to avoid, in trying to lead a godly life in a sinful society?
Does anyone have anything they would like to add about his section of chapter 19? ________________________________________________________________________
Well, if there is nothing else, we will now move on to the rest of chapter 19. If you were facing problems here in Vanceburg, where would you go if you were running away?
Well, in this section of scripture we see Lot and his daughters running away from the destruction of the cities that we just looked at. But then we see some things that are definitely wrong with the picture that we see. Let’s go ahead and read the rest of chapter 19. Whoever has the 3rd key, if you could go ahead and read it at this time. (READ)
Now, this is a small section, and it is a very odd story to throw in here at this point. So we are just briefly going to take a look at it, and then move on. In fact, I only have about 3 or 4 questions to go along with this section.
First, from this story, how would you describe Lot?
How would you describe his daughters?
Okay, what is it that bothers you the most about this story? Why?
Sexual dysfunctions and alcohol abuse have damaged many families in the past, and continue to do so today. The older daughter tried to justify her behavior in verse 32. My question is: What justifications do people make today for these problems?
Okay, does anyone have anything that they would like to add before we move on? ________________________________________________________________________
Well, if there is nothing else, let’s move to chapter 20. Before we do that, I have a game that I want to play. If want you to think of 3 things to tell the group. 2 are the truth, and the other is a lie. But you want to try and convince us that it is the truth. And everyone else has to see if we can guess the lie. So go ahead and think of 3 things now. 2 truths, and 1 lie. (PLAY GAME)
Well, in this passage, we find that Abraham tries to get a way with a lie. And for a little while, everyone buys his lie until God exposes him. Let’s go ahead and finish our text for tonight. Whoever has the last key, go ahead and read it at this time. (READ)
Why do you think this story was inserted here in this spot?
If you had to pick out a hero in this story, who would it be, and why?
Okay, what I want to do now, is finish up by taking a look at 4 points from this passage. There are 4 things that happen, that I think are worthy of taking a deeper look at. And what I want to do, is simply read what my little commentary had to say about this passage, and then at the end of that, we will reflect upon what it had to say.
It says, “First, we see a Relapse. The man of faith started walking by sight (v. 11), then became frightened (Proverbs 29:25), and began scheming (Genesis 12:10 and following). This time even Sarah lied (v. 5). Whatever we carry with us from the old life (v. 13) will create problems in the new life. It is one thing to confess our sins but another thing to judge them before God and forsake them (Proverbs 28:13). When a marriage must be protected by a lie, the home is in danger.
Second, is Revelation. God spoke to the heathen king but not to His own friend, Abraham. Although God kept the king from sinning, He allowed Abraham to lie. God called Abraham to be a blessings, but now he had become a curse in the land. God was protecting Sarah, Isaac, and His great plan of salvation.
Next is a Rebuke. What a humiliating thing to be openly rebuked by a pagan king. God sometimes uses the unsaved to chasten the saved. The fact that Abraham was a believer did not give him license to sin. Unfortunately, years later, Abraham’s son Isaac would imitate his father’s sin (Genesis 26).
And finally, Restoration. In those days, the paying of a large sum of money was public “atonement” for guilt; however, sin is never profitable. God did not forsake His friend (Psalm 105:15; II Timothy 2:12-13) but honored him in the end and answered his prayer. Financially, Abraham was richer; spiritually, he was poorer. He lost character as well as opportunity to witness and glorify God.”
Okay, after that commentary explanation of this chapter, is there any part of that that you found interesting?
As we close, is there anything else that anyone has that relates to chapter 20? Does anyone have anything that they would like to add before we close this evening?
Well, if there is nothing else, for next week be ready to discuss chapters 21-22. In those chapters, we are introduced to the birth of Isaac, and the test that Abraham has to go through, as well as some other stuff. I’m going to close with a word of prayer, and then we will be dismissed.
Let’s Pray |
