#53Afraid To Tell The Truth Genesis 20

And Abraham journeyed from there to the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar. Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." And Abimelech king of sent and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, "Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man's wife." But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, "Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also? Did he not say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she, even she herself said, 'he is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this." And God said to him in a dream, "Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. Now therefore, restore the man's wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours." So Abimelech rose early in the morning, called all his servants, and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were very much afraid. And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, "what have you done to us? How have I offended you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done." Then Abimelech said to Abraham, "what did you have in view that you have done this thing?" And Abraham said, "because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife. But indeed she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said to her, 'this is your kindness that you should do for me: in every place, wherever we go, say of me "he is my brother." Then Abimelech took sheep, oxen, and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham; and he restored Sarah his wife to him. And Abimelech said, "see, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you." Then to Sarah he said, "behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; indeed this vindicates you before all who are with you and before everybody." Thus she was rebuked. So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife and female servants. Then they bore children; for the Lord had closed up the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife. Genesis 20 NKJV

I have been told that, "the truth is a luxury, and usually known for a short time to those who are willing to lose everything. It is not afforded to those who would govern or trade." Hence, we hear sayings like, "its just business. I had no choice. Change. Deny, deny and when all is said and done, deny." I have seen those same leaders demand an integrity from their people that they themselves do not own. There are jobs in government built upon and around lies. What Abraham did is nothing foreign to our world now. Satan was the father of lies and those born into sin practice the lie from the very earliest use of language. He gives very good and legitimate reasons for lying: thought you didn't fear God, thought you would kill me, and technically she is also my half sister so that's like only half a lie. The fear of death was definitely a strong motivator, but this is not the first time, and there is still that covenant between Abraham and God. The temptation to lie is understood, but the follow through seems so unnecessary at this point. We saw what happened earlier in Egypt, and God does not just rescue Sarah from Pharaoh, He calls His great prophet out on it too. It is the same here, and in front of everyone Abraham is once again rebuked by the heathens. This had to be more than a little embarrassing. 

But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 2Corinthians 4:2 NKJV

Once we have walked into God's covenant there is no more need to lie. It is a lie to think there are those places outside His govern, and removed from the light of His truth. God knew the temptation before you ever chanced upon it. You are free from the lie, the truth has set you free, so now we need to walk in the light. 

#52 Taboo Genesis 19

Then Lot when up out of Zoar and dwelt in the mountains, and his two daughters were with him; for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar. And he and his two daughters dwelt in a cave. Now the first-born said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is no man on the earth to come in to us as is the custom of all the earth. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our father." So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn wing in and lay with her father, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. It happened on the next day that the firstborn said to the younger, "Indeed I lay with my father last night; let us make him drink wine tonight also, and you may go in and lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our father." Then they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father. The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day. And the younger, she also bore a son and called his name Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the people of Ammon to this day. Genesis 19:30 - 38 NKJV

It said that Lot was afraid to dwell in Zoar. I am not sure if this was because of the people there, or possibly the similarities between sin in that city that took Lot back to the conversation with the angels and Sodom. He may have feared that judgment was imminent here also. He flees with his two daughters to the mountains, and this time without an escort.

I remember, as a small boy, reading what happens next, and feeling quite appalled. It was a shock to someone born in my time and a long standing Taboo. We live in a time of little excuse, past the time of the Patriarchs and original sin, in view of both Moses' law, and the fulfillment of the law in Christ. I was an arrogant little fella and thought, "thank God, I am not a sinner like those sinners." However, as an adult I read this in view of a certain light or possibly a shadow, of the knowledge of good and evil. In a spiritually dead world, Lot's daughters did not have the structure of Levitical law, nor the Word of God that I now read from. They had this knowledge though, that I don't have this, and in the city they were from people take what they want. But they also had an element of the knowledge of wrong doing, since in order to get this now, they would have to get their father drunk. They were left to their own  moral devices, and appear to live strictly in view of today. Whatever check of conscience came to them they were easily able to put away, justify their actions, contrive a plan, and bypass their father's possible objections by getting him drunk. You ask, why doesn't God come down and talk to us like He did with our forefathers? Is it any wonder, why he had to back then? This was before the written law, and it builds the case against man's ability to live as a law unto himself. He knows right from wrong, but only by degree and with the knowledge that comes from a dead spirit and the wisdom that springs forth from a depraved and wicked heart. It is not the righteousness of faith, and man will always find away to justify himself to the image of a god made in man's image. 

God does not build His church on the wisdom or morality of men. The Bible makes no attempt at hiding the sins of our parents. It is not a worship of elders, of "good men", or based upon man's ability. I cannot judge Lot, his wife, or his daughters, since we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Sin has already been judged, and the wages of sin is death. The law will come not to save men, but to reveal sin to man, and to send those who can see running for the cross. So yes, God talked to them and sent angels, He showed them His power in judgment, and His patience in grace. Did man stop sinning? No. Did it make him want God? No. Are we so far off from the logic of Lot's daughter's?  No. We can justify a lot of things to ourselves, and we are all born enemies to the righteousness of God. 

#51 Salt Genesis 19

Then the men said to Lot, "have you anyone else here? Son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city- take them out of this place! For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it." So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, "get up, get out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city!" But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking. When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, "Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city." And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife's hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, "escape for your life! Do not look behind you or stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed." Then Lot said to them, "Please, no, my lords! Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die. See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live." And he said to him, "see, I have favored you concerning this thing also, in that I will not overthrow this city for which you have spoken. Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there." Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar. Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens. So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord. Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt. Genesis 19:12-29 NKJV

"Have you anyone else here?" Apparently not, and the ten that God and Abraham had earlier discussed    would be hard to find. Lot's son-in-laws do not take him seriously, and his daughters probably go more out of respect for Lot then for fear of God's certain wrath. Lot himself, is described as lingering when the men take hold of his hand and those of his wife and daughters. According to the people of the city he has acted as a judge, yet it would seem that he has possibly acted the hypocrite in this as well. His heart is lingering, his judgment is tainted, and he is in love with the things of the world. 

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2 NKJV

This is another passage that has caused me to lean toward a Rapture. God removes Lot before He destroys the city, spares the city that Lot is going to and has spoken for, the angels pull him out of the city, and God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out. I believe that God will remember Jesus, and that He will pull His people out. It is then that sin will be unchecked by the Spirit of God and the testimony of those who believe. This will be a sign and those chosen will come to Him even in this, but the outcry against this world is great even now. Even now there are those who would like to profess with their mouth, but like Lot's wife, there heart is held by Sodom. 

Because you have kept my command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Revelation 3:10 NKJV

#50 Sodom Genesis 19

Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed  himself with his face toward the ground. And he said, "Here now, my lords, please turn in to your servant's house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way." And they said, "No, but we will spend the night in the open square." But he insisted strongly; so they turned in to him and entered his house. Then he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot and said to him, "where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally." So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him, and said, "Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly! See now, I have two daughters who have not known a man; please, let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you wish; only do nothing to these men, since this is the reason they have come under the shadow of my roof." And they said, "Stand back!" Then they said, "This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them." So they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break down the door. But the men reached out their hands and Pulled Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. And they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they became weary trying to find the door. Genesis 19:1-11 NKJV

Lot extends a courtesy to the two angels, to stay with him and wash their feet. It was probably customary of the time, but it also says that he was insistent when they said no and offered to sleep in the square. The angels take Lot up on his offer and he makes them a feast. 

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. Hebrews 13:2 NKJV

Before the men retired to lay down for the evening, the house was surrounded by the men of the city. It is emphasized, young and old, and from all corners; the city was morally and corporately corrupt. They did not hide their intentions in any way, but demanded the men to be sent out to them, so they could know them sexually. Lot tries to protect the men, and in vs. 8 gives this as the reason they are under his roof. He has brought them there for their protection. This explains the insistence in verse 3, and gives light to Lot's knowledge of the moral condition of the city in which he lives. It is like the time before the  flood, and also gives reflection and insight to God's words in Genesis 11:6, And the Lord said, "Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they purpose to do will be withheld from them." The whole, of this city, has turned away from God, and they are tired of Lot pointing this out to them. 

Lot asked the men of the city not to do "so wickedly", which gives indication of the state of Lot's own heart. He has been compromised in his own understanding of sin, and is allowing that the rape of his daughters, would be somehow more forgivable. He is protecting the strangers, who I don't think he knows to be angels at this time, but is making a compromise that shows him to be more comfortable with some types of sin. 

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man - and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. Romans 1:18-32 NKJV

These things have already been judged. It is not for us to condone what God has called sin, which we do in our attempts to be politically correct. You are in no way less a sinner or nearer redemption for your lack of practice of any of the above manifestations of sin. You are a sinner, and therefore separated from God, by birth, and therefore anyone act would manifest itself part of the whole as listed above. It is a strange doctrine in much of the church today that would suggest a belief in God's word, and yet condone that which He has condemned. You may come off to the world, in a way that suggests more love because of your new christ, but you have not loved them at all. How can it be love, if it sacrifices the truth? How can it be love if it denies those things that necessitated the cross? God loves you, and so do I, I pray that our eyes will be opened and that we will want Him the way He is, and that we will find His truth the way He intended. There is no excuse for hate of persons in any of this; we are all guilty, so tell the truth in love.

#49 Intercession Genesis 18

Then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on the way. And the Lord said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He  has spoken to him." And the Lord said, "because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know." Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. And Abraham came near and said, "Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" So the Lord said, "if I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes." Then Abraham answered and said, "Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would you destroy all of the city for lack of five?" So He said, "if I find forty-five, I will not destroy it." And he spoke to Him yet again and said, "Suppose there should be forty found there?" So He said, "I will not do it for the sake of forty." Then he said, "Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there." And He said, "Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord; Suppose twenty should be found there?" So He said, "I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty." Then  he said, "Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: suppose ten should be found there?" And He said, "I will not destroy it for the sake of ten." So the Lord went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place. Genesis 18:16-33 NKJV

The men from the previous passage are not just here to see Abraham and Sarah; they are also on a mission. When they were done with their meal and discussions, two of the visitors leave and Abraham stays standing before the Lord, Who has disclosed His intent to investigate the outcry against Sodom. This disclosure is not necessary for God to carry out justice, but rather to develop Abraham in the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice. 

The disclosure is immediately followed with intercession from Abraham to God on behalf of the Sodomites. Abraham starts with the number 50, 50 righteous men, but in humility and probably with the realization and knowledge of Sodom's sin, he pleads 5 more times for more mercy. The final number is ten, and God will not destroy the city if he finds this remnant of believers here. Abraham's Nephew, Lot, lives here with his family, and it is possible that Abraham thought ten to be a sufficient number between Lot, his daughters, his wife, sons in law and extended family. Surely, in all the city, God would find 10 who still believed, 10 who still feared God. I think we should all pray for those who are lost in their sin. God's word is clear that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; it is also clear that righteousness was accounted to men by faith, and not of themselves.  If we are not praying for the lost, if we are instead standing in judgment of that which has already been judged, then we are not humble before God. If we are not praying for them, then we are saying there is no hope for them. 

#48 "Is anything too hard for the Lord" Genesis 18

Then the Lord appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, and said, "My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant." They said, "Do as you have said." So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, "Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal and make cakes." And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it. So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate. Then they said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" So he said, "here, in the tent." And  He said, "I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son." (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.) Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?" And the Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'shall I surely bear child, since I am old?' Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son." But Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid. And He said, "No, but you did laugh!" Genesis 18: 1-15 NKJV

Sarah echoes the same doubt of her husband in the preceding chapter. Abraham offers God an alternative heir, once again, but this time in Ishmael. This again defies neither logic nor reason, and indicates just how naturally impossible it would be for Sarah to have children. God reveals to Abraham that He is not ignorant of the thoughts of his heart, and in doing so is making Abraham aware that God also understands the situation. 

Sarah is called out in the same manner, and lies to God, because she was afraid. She is also now aware that God is not walking into this blindly, and if He knows the thoughts of His creation then He also knows that her flow has been stopped for quite some time. Sarah lives in the natural world, and I hear men say that it was easy for them to believe in God back then, because our parents were simple and not as advanced as we are today. Scripture tells a different story, the patriarchs faith did not go unchallenged by their doubt. 

Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" Mark 9:23&24

There is no difference between our parents and us. It is easy for men to believe in all ages, whether that belief be to a god, a religion, humanism, the intellect or anything other than that which is by faith in the One true God. Sarah's womb is dead, just like we are all born spiritually dead. God will have to breathe life into her womb, and He, who created all life asks, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" 

Men still run after signs and so called prophets and healers. They want to see a miracle, but not by the Word of God. We live in the age of the greatest miracle ever known to man, the miracle of salvation. God help us with our unbelief.

#47 Sign of the Covenant Genesis 17

And God said to Abraham: "as for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant." Then God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her." Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, "Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who ninety years old, bear a child?" And Abraham said to God, "Oh, that Ishmael might live before you!" Then God said: "No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year." Then He finished talking with him, and God went up from Abraham. So Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very same day, as God had said to him. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. That very same day Abraham was circumcised, and son Ishmael; and all the men of his house, born in the house or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him. Genesis 17:9-27 NKJV

The circumcision: this identified men as belonging to the lineage of Abraham but also stood as an outward sign of the covenant between God and Abraham. While there is no physical act that men can do to save themselves or remove their sin, the act of circumcision points to the acknowledgement of sin and the transmission of sin to each generation. The removal of the foreskin suggests also the separation from the flesh and sin's desire, the need for cleansing and the confession of sin to God. 

Does the blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, and the farther of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised. Romans 4:9-12 NKJV

#46 And Still Creator Genesis 17

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. and I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly." Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: "as for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and You and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their  God." Genesis 17:1-8

A man with no children has his name changed to the "father of many nations". Abram is now Abraham, and he is 99 years old. God will be the upholder of the covenant, and these nations shall have this one God. It is not therefore without conditions towards man and as God has showed Abraham, his people will be captives, which will happen on more than one occasion. God is promising something that will require divine intervention in that Abraham and his wife are old and have nothing left in their own ability. Another nation could only be believed through faith in a God, who was the creator of all things and therefore the creator of procreation. Abraham is at this point still filled with doubt, but this is the intent of God to wait, and the glory of God to reveal His power to men. He will establish who He is, and His word, and the validity of the word that will go to all men. 

And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years." And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time." Luke 1: 18-20

#45 The God Who Sees Genesis 16

Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, "Have I also here seen Him who sees me?" Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; observe, it is between Kadesh and Bered. So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram. Genesis 16:13-16 NKJV

God sees me and therefore I am not alone in my affliction. We crave justice and cry out for it when we are wronged, but do we crave the same justice when we are in the wrong. No, at least I don't, and yet when I see my enemy fall, who am I to not be humbled by own shared humanity? Sarai was wronged by her servant but has not done that which would repair the relationship. She has been cruel and gone out of her way to punish her. She is jealous and vindictive. The situation that now exists was at Sarai's own request. God sees, remember this when you curse the Muslims or wish them dead. You, who are now under grace, and put so much on your free will. If it is solely upon this and your intellect that you have chosen God, rather than that you were blessed in the hearing of God's word, the exposure to the teaching of the gospel, then I suppose you do have position to judge and a reason to boast. But if your salvation rests in a God who sees, and the humility, of one who stands before an earthly court yet opens not His mouth, then pick your brother up. 

Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." Luke 23:34 NKJV

#44 My Enemy, My Brother Genesis 16

Now the angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. And He said, "Hagar, Sarai's maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?" She said, "I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai." The angel of the Lord said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her, "I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude." And the angel of the Lord said to her: "Behold, you are with child, and you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has heard your affliction. He shall be a wild man; his hand shall be against every man, and every man's hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of his brethren."

The Angel of the Lord here, messenger or voice of God, is often understood by many Biblical teachers to be the pre-incarnate Christ. I would say given the other instances of His mention or appearance before the birth of Christ, that this is the Son of God. 

And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. Then Moses said, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn." So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "here I am." Then he said, "do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground." Moreover He said, "I am the God of your father - the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. Exodus 3: 2-6 NKJV

Hagar is given direction to name the boy, Ishmael, which means "God hears". He was described as a wild donkey, and that his hand would be against every man and every man's hand against him. Abram is the father of two nations, the Hebrews and Arabic peoples. This prophecy has held true to this day. The Jews were in captivity, men have tried to exterminate them, and they have been at odds with the Arabs throughout history. The Arabic, or what we think of as Muslim nations have been at odds with Israel, with the U.S. and each other for thousand of years now. The Crusades did not take them out and God has continued to increase them, as from Abram's seed will come a blessing to all nations of the earth. People are our enemies by their choices and their actions; anyone who is an enemy off Christ would be considered our enemy because we are the children of Christ. That said, what is Christ response to our enemies. Well, it's Good Friday today, and that should tell you enough in itself. If there was no good Friday there would be no Easter Sunday. We were all enemies of Christ because we were all born into and then readily embraced the sin which he hates. His response was to die on the cross, and His direction to you is to love your enemies. 

"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be the sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you?" Matthew 5: 44-46 NKJV

#43 Doubt Genesis 16

"Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram, "Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram's wife took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. And Sarai said to Abram, "May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the Lord judge between you and me!" But abram said to Sarai, "Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please." Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her. Genesis 16: 1-6 ESV

Abram, in the last chapter, has entered into a covenant with God, who has promised that one from his own body will be his heir. His wife Sarai has been barren, and in a time not so far off from the command to be fruitful and multiply. To have an heir must seem significant both in the time and to fulfill the promise. It was God who walked between the sacrificial halves, and so it was God that would uphold the covenant. Abram believed God, God was the creator of life, Abram attributed his victory in battle to God and was blessed by God's priest. God has talked to him, has given him great possession and entered a blood oath with Abram. God had already rejected the appointing of an heir from his household; it was God's covenant and His choice.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

What Abram's wife, Sarai, could see was that she had no children and was probably well past her prime. The promise of God, when bringing it down to mortal knowledge and experience would seem ridiculous at this point, or Sarai thought that the promise was not to include her. She may have attributed these natural limitations of men, to a Sovereign, almighty God. Sarai points out her circumstances to Abram, and he accepts her alternative solution. He has a child with Sarai's maid servant, and this creates an instant conflict between his wife and her servant, Hagar. It is not illogical in it's premise, and is probably a way for barren women in this time to adopt and have an heir, but it is not God's promise. The child of faith would lead to doubt, but the child of doubt would lead to contention.

Men hate to wait upon the Lord, to study and pray, to trust and obey; we would build our own towers and not disperse into the world. We would form our own cliques and make fun of those who were lost as we once were. When we do not repent of these things or our own lack of love and faith, then have we really believed? It is easy to judge Sarai after the fact, but she is no different then us, and I myself  have often trembled, in fear of the things which I can see, even though my mind has assented to a God I can't see. He is the God that has created all I do see and has given me His word. He has made His covenant, that was promised from the time of Adam's fall, demonstrated throughout His word, and fulfilled on the cross by His Son.

Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?  For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bond woman, the other by a free woman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the free woman through promise, which things are symbolic. Galatians 4:21-24 NKJV

And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. ! Corinthians 2:4&5

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

#42 Blood Pact Genesis 15

And He said to him, "I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess." But he said, "O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?" He said to him, "bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtle dove and a young pigeon." And he brought Him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half. and when the birds of  prey came down on the carcasses, abram drove them away. 

As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. and behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him. Then the Lord said to Abram, "Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted 400 years. But I will bring judgement on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. As for yourself, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete."

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

Abram is questioning God on how the promise of this land will come about and is, at this point ,probably frustrated and concerned with the details.  God's response is for Abram to bring Him sacrificial animals. It is a response possibly unique to the time and the location, and resembling that of a blood pact. God does not seem angered or displeased with Abram's questions, but instead reassures him through ceremony and a dream. In ancient times, the splitting in half of an animal would be followed by the two parties of this covenant pact walking between the halves. This is to confirm that a promise has been made and that both parties will uphold their end. The braking of such a pact will end in the death of the offending party; it is like saying, as they are so shall I be, I swear on my life. That said, it does not appear that Abram ever walks between the halves. He instead, falls to sleep, and God alone will keep the promise so the symbolic passing of the pot and the torch. 

"And I will give the men who have transgressed My covenant, who have not performed the words of the which they made before Me, when they cut the calf in two and passed between the parts of it. "Jeremiah 34:18 NKJV

Some have said that the animals chosen for this sacrifice are reflective of the sacrificial guidelines that will later be given to Moses in Leviticus. Abram is told what to bring but not how to prepare it, so it would appear that he is already well versed in sacrifice. After 400 years of captivity I believe the practices of the Hebrew will have to be retaught to a people that have not yet been established as a nation. There is however more symbolism here than I am prepared to speculate upon, but I would like to leave the reader with the list of the animals again and scriptures that correspond to each type. 

The ram which you saw, having the two horns - they are the kings of Media and Persia. And the male goat is the kingdom of Greece. Daniel 8:20&21

Heifer: "Because you were glad, because you rejoiced, you destroyers of my heritage, because you have grown fat like a heifer threshing grain, and you bellow like bulls." Jeremiah 50:11 NKJV

Dove: It is left whole in this sacrifice. We have recently seen the dove as a symbol of God's peace with man after the flood and the mark of his ability to exit the ark. 

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Matthew 3:16 NKJV

We are also directed to be wise as serpents yet harmless as doves. 

Pigeon: I have seen some Hebrew translators refer to it in this passage as a young eagle, or the word could be translated "to cheep", as in the noise that young birds make. Possibly a young pigeon or dove as pigeons are a type of dove. The pigeon, like the dove, is used as a symbol of peace. There's a lot in this passage so if you have input or care to discuss then please comment.

#41 Witness of Entropy Genesis 15

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: "Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great." But Abram said, "O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir." And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: "This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir." And he brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them." Then he said to him, "so shall your offspring be." And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. Genesis 15: 1-6 ESV

But the angel said to him, "do not be afraid Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, Luke 1: 13&14

Abram was not the last to have his faith tested while waiting upon the Lord, and he as any of us would struggle with our eyes. He is getting older and the time of children is passing by, but God has promised to make his lineage great. Abram knows God to be the creator of life, but there must have been talk at the time, people wondering who the heir would be. His wife is passed her prime, and Abram is daily the subject of the natural world and the consistent order of things within the framework of time. God said it, Abram expected it, but it has yet to happen. It will require a miracle at this point.

We, who live under grace, even now wait upon the promised return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He has promised and told us what to expect; he has demonstrated that the world would hate us, yet commanded us to love our enemies. It is not the world's logic, but in faith, we have believed that He has overcome the world. 

"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going."

#40 "Melchizedek" Genesis 14

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him and said, "Blessed be Abram by God most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!" And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. And the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself." But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have lifted my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, 'I have made Abram rich.' I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eschol, and Mamre take their share." Genesis 14: 18-24 ESV

Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. Hebrews 7:11&12 ESV

Melchizedek is the priest of God Most High, and he is a priest before the Levitical law. Abram will be the father of the Jewish nation, and from his seed will arise the twelve tribes of Israel, but Abram pays a tithe of everything to this man. He also receives a blessing from Melchizedek but does not sell out the testimony of the Lord in receiving from the king of Sodom. It should be noted though that Abram makes this decision for his household only, and he leaves his allies to decide for themselves about the spoils. There is much wisdom in this, for he has made a decision to glorify the one true God, and it is from a heart moved by faith. This act cannot be legislated to his allies since no man can make you obey God. Men can force you to obey the law, and can punish you for breaking the law, but God looks at the heart and recognizes only the obedience that comes by faith. Such is the folly that comes later in the name of religion, like state churches, the Spanish Inquisitions, and the many cults that rely upon a system of control.

Man's religion seeks to return people to the law, and to expand upon the law.

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. James 1:27 NKJV

To seek out and visit the ones who cannot repay you, this is in direct opposition to the religious of most days. It is an act totally to the glory of God, unless you broadcast your giving to those other than God ,whose favor you truly seek. Melchizedek verbally praises God for Abram's victory, Abram praises God by demonstrating that he understands where the victory comes from.

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:2 NKJV

Jesus Christ will later become the sin offering, and rise into the position of High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. Jesus will come from the line of Judah rather than Levi and we will need no other priest for we shall have direct access to the Father through the Son.

For it is evident that out Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning the priesthood. And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. For He testifies: "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." Hebrews 7:14-17 NKJV

#39 "Loyalty" Genesis 14

And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations, that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). All these joined together in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him came and attacked the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kriathaim, and the Horites in their mountain of Seir, as far as El Paran, which is by the wilderness. Then they turned back and came to En Mishpat (that is , Kadesh), and attacked all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who dwelt in Hazezon Tamar. And the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and joined together in battle in the Valley of Siddim against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar - four kings against five. Now the Valley of Siddim was full of asphalt pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled; some fell there, and the remainder fled to the mountains. Then they took all their provisions, and went their way. They also took Lot, Abram's brother's son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods and departed.   Then one who escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eschol and brother of Aner; and they were allies with Abram. Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. He divided the forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. So he brought back all goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people. And the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley), and after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him. Genesis 14:1-17 NKJV

Whenever there are kings and governments there are taxes, abuses of power, and at times rebellion. The Tidal kings appear to be Warlords over areas and subject kings. Apparently the kings of Soddom and Gomorrah along with other kings of subject nations decided to form an alliance and defy the Tidal king Chedorlaomer. This takes place after twelve years of service to the Tidal king, so in the thirteenth year he responds with force. During this war, Abram's relative Lot is captured. 

Abram is approached by one who escapes the captors, and takes his own militia to rescue Lot. He is now referred to as the Hebrew which will become a reference to the Israeli people and their language. Abram, who is not referred to as a king nor as part of a national alliance with Sodom, responds from loyalty to his family and is able to recover Lot and all that was taken from him. At this point, he could of easily taken Lot's land and left things as they were, but the elder, who has given up the fertile land  now comes to the aid of Lot. Abram is proving to be a man of his word; he does not just say what sounds good but backs it up with conviction and action, even to the point of military force. This is also at the risk of his own possessions, which are great at this time. 

To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. Ephesians 3:8

#38 "We are Brethren" Genesis 13

Then Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, to the South. Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of the Lord. Lot also,  who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. Now the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land. So Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left." And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go towards Zoar. Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord. And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are - northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. and I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you." Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the Lord. Genesis 13NKJV

So Abram and Lot are both wealthy by the standards of their time, but so much so that the land is unable to support them dwelling together. We can relate well to silver and gold, but it was not the only measure of their wealth. The livestock provided food, clothing and the trade of necessity. I would imagine that much gold was given up at that time for food; everyone has to eat. 

Strangely, Abram, the elder of the two men, allows Lot to choose which part of the land he will take his family and herds to dwell in. This leaves Abram with whatever is left over. Lot chooses what would appear to be a no brainer, and apparently based on the needs of his herds. Could this also be an act of faith on Abram's part? God has taken care of him thus far, but there is in this also a certain patriarchal wisdom. It is the antithesis to greed which we know even now ends in war. The two families will be separated somewhat, geographically, but by deferring the choice and standing by his word without offense, it squashes the tension and keeps the alliance. It is quite possible that if Abram would have claimed the right of elder, and told the younger where to move based on his seniority, that animosities would have grown between the tribes. We have seen Abram avoid conflict, most recently in Egypt, but that was against great odds in a land where he was seeking asylum. Here, he defers the right of elder and maintains peace. In contrast to a faithless and self serving motive, as we saw in Egypt, this would appear to come from the wisdom of a peace maker. 

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5 NKJV

As one writer had so greatly put it. "Meekness is not weakness; it is power under control." 

#37 "Say Your My Sister" Genesis 12

Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, "I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance, and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'this is his wife.' Then they will kill me, but they will let you live. Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake." When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house. And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels. But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife. So Pharaoh called Abram and said, "What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say, 'she is my sister,' so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife, take her and go." And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him, and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had. Genesis 12: 10-20 ESV

Pretend you're my sister. Abram has entered a covenant with the one true God, and though many of the national promises look forward to future fulfillment, they're are still present implications. God has said that from Abram he will make a great nation, and Abram confirmed his belief in God through the sacrifice on the altar. Abram has yet to have children, and God has promised a nation so his life is guaranteed at least until his first born, but his faith wavers by sight of the present circumstances. God has promised his protection, but at the thought of what might happen and in the knowledge of the ways of men, Abram relies on his own understanding.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5 ESV

I don't judge Abram in this because it is difficult to see past circumstances. It is an indication of the origin of faith as not man made or man sustained. It is a gift of God's grace, and man will continue to find it nearly impossible to uphold the natural answer to equation. God is the covenant keeper, and not just in the sense that He does good by His word, but that He is also well aware of man's sinful nature and the inability of those dead in their trespasses and sin. This is a covenant of Love, and of uneven return. Man does not exist without God, has nothing to offer the Almighty and cannot save himself from his predicament. He can only deny the existence of sin, and ultimately the existence of God. Wanting something to be true does not make it so, nor does it change the outcome of the problem.

What shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness."Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but trust Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness. Romans 4:1-5 ESV

#36 Canaan Genesis 12

Now the Lord had said to Abram:

"Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curse you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. 

So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy five years old when he departed from Haran. Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother's son, and all possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan. Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. And he moved from there to the mountains east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. So Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South. Genesis 12:1-9NKJV

This is the beginning of God's covenant with Abram, and includes amongst its elements, a nation, and the blessing to all families of the earth. This is the continuation of the seed and reaffirming of Messiah, who will be born of this lineage and the blessing to all peoples. It is this nation that will know the law's of God and be the oracles of truth; it is a privilege that they will often disdain and regret. God has not chosen a perfect group of people, but has acted on His sovereignty and perfect will. 

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Hebrews 11:8-10 NKJV

Abram builds an altar to God, this is his faith and his religion. This is a faith that will be tested, as God will not bring instant fulfillment of His promise but speaks to the nation of Israel future and to heavenly city. 

#35 "Abram" Genesis 11

This is the genealogy of Shem: Shem was one hundred years old, and begot Arphaxad two years after the flood. After he begot Arphaxad, Shem lived five hundred years, and begot sons and daughters. Arphaxad lived thirty five years and begot Salah. After he begot Salah, Arphaxad lived four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters. Salah lived thirty years, and begot Eber. After he begot Eber, Salah lived four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters. Eber lived thirty four years, and begot Peleg. After he begot Peleg, Eber lived four hundred and thirty years, and begot sons and daughters. Peleg lived thirty years, and begot Reu. After he begot Reu, Peleg lived two hundred and nine years, and begot sons and daughters. Reu lived thirty two years, and begot Serug. After he begot Serug, Reu lived two hundred and seven years, and begot sons and daughters. Serug lived thirty years, and begot Nahor. After he begot Nahor, Serug lived two hundred years, and begot sons and daughters. Nahor lived twenty nine years, and begot Terah. After he begot Terah, Nahor lived one hundred and nineteen years, and begot sons and daughters. Now Terah lived seventy years, and begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. NKJV

This is the genealogy of Terah: Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran begot Lot. And Haran died before his father Terah in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans. Then Abram and Nahor took wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and the father of Iscah. But Sarai was barren; she had no child. And Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter in law Sarai, his son Abram's wife, and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt there. So the days of Terah were two hundred and five years, and Terah died in Haran. Genesis 11: 10-32

We get a strong sense of the shortening of life spans in contrast to past genealogies. The name Abram is said to mean, "exalted father." We see that Abram was headed to Canaan, but the party stops in Haran where his father, Terah passes.

"You are the Lord God, who chose Abram, and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans, and gave him the name Abraham;" Nehemiah 9:7 NKJV

The genealogy will continue to track the promise God made about a redeemer - the seed of the woman. 

"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He will bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel." Genesis 3:15 NKJV

I must admit, the genealogies were very boring to me as a child and I viewed them as mere historical reference. It was all building up and demonstrating God's glory in the lineage of His Son, and the plan for future redemption. As a young boy, I preferred to move through this and the Law as quickly as possible. I preferred the sticker that said I read it to the actual study and truth the word could give me. They were more like the credits at the end of a movie, and did not have the excitement or drama of fighting giants and killing armies with donkey bones. It is part of God's revelation though, and He keeps little secret to His intent. God's word does not return void. 

#34 "One Nation Not Under God" Genesis 11

Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said, "come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly." And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, "come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the earth." And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. and the Lord said, "behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech." So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth. Genesis 11:1-9 ESV

When I was a young man this is one of the passages I would refer to, in my defense, that though I believed God to exist, the Bible was not His word. It was reaching, I admit, but I was wanting to build my own tower and Genesis 10:31 had already mentioned languages. Instead of reading through to the amplification of origin in 11:1, I tried rather hard to place it in the realm of contradiction. I think many of the commentaries I've read about Peleg flow into this also. I believe, for myself, that just like the writing style in so much of the rest of Genesis, "for in his days the earth was divided", refers to the dividing of people we will see by account in Genesis 11.

Why did it bother the Lord that the whole earth had the same language? The defiance was not in being of one language, but He had commanded them in Gen. 9:1, "be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth." They had chosen to stay and build a tower instead. This was most likely under the direction of Nimrod as described in Josephus' commentary in post #32. So why did they need to disperse? Well as one writer puts it, the checks and balances were not there, and by confusing the languages and dispersing the people, God also protected them. It was easy in this world for one leader to rise up and communicate with all. This is not the first instance of this and the world has returned to the corruption that was found prior to the flood. Remember Eve's visitor in the garden? "You shall not surely die,' and 'you shall be as gods." Pride has not gone anywhere; but now it is focused, and the whole world has, in its wisdom, decided to build a tower, a monument to man and their independence from God. All over the world since that time rulers have come up and tried to conquer the whole of humanity, to bring the earth under one common rule. There are many towers, many monuments to the pride and wisdom of men. The Bible is full of such stories, and history does not deny this mindset either. Power easily corrupts, in government, in business and even in the church.

"To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace." Daniel 3: 4-6

Remember the cold war? There were countries, and still are to this day, that felt as though religion was evil and that people's loyalties should not be to a God, but rather to the state. Many people from many different types of religious backgrounds were killed, imprisoned, ostracized or had to flee because they would not recant.

The Roman Catholic church became it's own state and government, which returned people to the law, instead of grace. We put up priests in the place of Christ, and crafted a man made form of holiness, that forbade them to marry. The church sold indulgences, and kept the word of God hidden, blocking the door to those who would hear the truth. God is gracious though, and His checks and balances gave rise to men like Martin Luther and the Reformation. There has been, for the last few hundred years, a country founded on religious freedom. It has been the check and balance for many to know of the grace of God, and to escape persecution elsewhere. 

Now the whole earth had one language - They all came from the 8 people who were in the ark. These were unified in language, heritage, and one man, Nimrod, has stood up to be their leader. Many still long for this and cry it up in our day, preaching unity, ecumenical oneness in religion, even at the price of the truth. It is popular though to come under one banner, one world government, one religion, as they say, to co-exist. 

5“Lord,” said Thomas, “we do not know where You are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 7If you had known Me, you would know My Father as well. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.”… John 14: 5-7

18If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. 19If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. 20Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well.… John 15: 18-20

A tower with it's tops in the heaven - This tower is called a ziggurat, and it's interesting because you can trace the migrations of different people groups throughout the world, finding these towers in Mesopotamia, China, the pyramids of Egypt, the Mayans in Mexico, and the mounds of north American Indians as well. Tower of Babel with Bodie Hodge

Let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the earth - God had told them to spread out, to be fruitful and multiply, to fill the earth, but instead they come together to defy Him. Human autonomy is a funny thing, no one makes themselves, they only procreate as designed, yet in our fallen state we hate the idea of a sovereign God. Nothing new under the sun, men have long thought that they could better govern themselves then be governed by the Creator of the Universe, yet they were also designed to worship, and since they hate God and love what He hates, they make up gods after there own vain imaginations. 

What was going on here? Rebellion – rebellion against the true God. What were they building? They were building a monument to man. This was the first great humanistic enterprise. Verse 4, “Let us make for ourselves a name.” But it was more than just humanistic; it was religious. What they were building in this tower was called a ziggurat. You may have read that name if you read ancient history. And on the top of a ziggurat was placed, would you believe, the sign of the zodiac. Priests were then ordained who by the use of the ancient zodiac were supposed to chart the course of the stars and therefore gain spiritual wisdom and read the future. This was defiant rebellion against the true and only God. - J Mac from GTY Revelations 17

…6Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood will be shed; for in His own image God has made mankind. 7But as for you, be fruitful and multiply; spread out across the earth and multiply upon it.” 8Then God said to Noah and his sons with him,… Genesis 9: 6-8

Behold, they are one people - They have not dispersed, but as some point out, they have built a city for it's social aspect, and as a tribute to their ability. We come together today in cities, states and countries partly for protection from other people groups, but they were one people, so that was not an issue. This was more in defiance of God, and the tower was a monument to themselves and their own religious system. Nimrod is the father of Babel and the archetype for future antichrist, political figures who will want to conquer the world through violence and misinformation. They said, "let us make a name for ourselves", which is pride, not wanting to recognize God as Lord. Remember, this is probably happening no more than a hundred years after the flood; men are lifting themselves up against God, defying His direction, thinking more highly of themselves than they ought.

And this is only the beginning of what they will do - This is most of the world at that time openly defying God and coming under the direction of one dictator. Babel is a city, but it will also become known as Babylon, the whore, mother of every false religion. There is no one among mankind to stop this evil, no one to even slow it down. When it calls Nimrod a mighty hunter, I think the best way to look at that is "a killer", like Hitler, like Stalin, and like Nebuchadnezzar, who will come from here. If God does not intervene to their mercy then the abominations will reach to the fullness of His wrath, history will end. He has made them, human kind, remarkable in their abilities. They were made in His image, having a sense of the creative, developing technology, but in their falleness it is misguided, deluded and arrogant. 

“This is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them.” Because nobody’s going to stop them. Nobody is going to stop them. I mean part of the freedoms that we enjoy right now today, in America, are due to the fact that when Hitler wanted to rule the world, somebody stopped him. But if it was one people and one world and one leader, nobody could stop him. That’s not helpful. The checks and balances system in the world, even on a national scale, is part of a grace – a common grace that God has given to restrain unilateral evil. And since you had an evil world, they would choose an evil leader, be dominated by an evil leader, and there would be absolutely nothing to stop that wickedness.

Adolph Hitler wanted to rule the world. Obviously it would have been a disaster of all disasters. The same with any world conqueror, all of whom had evil ambition. So, people gave their lives to stop his efforts, and the efforts of Stalin and others, in order to create a measure of restraint, and justice, and freedom, and peace on the Earth. - J Mac on Genesis 11

…29Twelve months later, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30the king exclaimed, “Is this not Babylon the Great, which I myself have built by the might of my power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” 31While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: “It is decreed to you, King Nebuchadnezzar, that the kingdom has departed from you.… Daniel 4: 29-31

Come, let us go down - "let us burn bricks, let us build a city, let us make a name for ourselves", the people said this three times, and now the Triune God says, "let us go down and there confuse their language", and God undoes this one world order in a moment, and throughout history different people have been trying to bring it all back to this place of unity once again, under one rule and having one mind, opposed to God. Some will even do it in the name of God. 

So the Lord dispersed them - They wouldn't do what He told them to do of their own, and yet He is God so now they are spreading out, just as every knee will bow and every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. It is like a Cambrian explosion of language, the start of cultures and ethnicities, and just like the Ziggurats have left a trail around the world that points back to Babylon, so have the languages and people groups.

Flood Myths

1. Across our planet there are over 200 flood myths from different people groups that describe a world wide flood. 

2. Look at the ancient Chinese vocabulary character for boat. It is a container, the number eight and the symbol for people. That sounds familiar, like the story everyone at Babel would have known from first hand survivors of the flood, those 8 people who were in the ark that God told Noah to build.

3. We don't see more languages being created now, in fact, we see languages disappearing. English is prominent because of business, so is Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish. The "evolutionary" tree for language, like genetics, looks more upside down. God did it instantly.

4. I use to think that there being so many religions in the world pointed to none of them being real, just superstition of the slowly evolving and developing mind, but the similarities may suggest something else. God created the world as the Bible says, He created man, mankind fell in Adam, everyone comes from Adam and Eve, so we share the same first parents. Science also backs this up, that everyone alive today comes from one race, the human race. Differences in melanin levels are just shades on the same color spectrum, which means we have more in common than different. We all worship and have a theology of sorts, whether ourselves as humanist, nature, atheism is still an opinion about God, one of the many isms, or Biblical Christianity. I believe now that we all share the same story, a heritage of being fallen, separated from God, depraved, and in that depravity we come up with our own stories, towers, hopes and religions, but I believe the Bible to be God's word and His graciousness in setting the story straight. 

5. Not only are we fallen in Adam, but everyone alive today is related to Noah and his family. This would mark a huge decline in available genetic material, since only eight people survived the flood, and the years that men lived quickly declined thereafter. It also appears to be a source or origin for ancestor worship, which continues to this day. Keep in mind, when God confounded the languages, when I say apple, you say manzana, and she says pomme, we are all talking about the same thing.

Examples: Nimrod becomes Marduk which becomes Bel

According to the historian, Eusebius, Nimrod's wife was Semiramis. Some traditions hold her as the mother of Tammuz. She claimed that when Nimrod died he was later resurrected as the sun god, and his rays caused the baby Tammuz to form inside of her. 

Tammuz is Dumuzi is Adonis in the Greek culture.

Tammuz's lover is Innana is Ishtar is Astarte and since they were astrologers her planet was Venus which is also her name in Roman culture. In Greece she is Aphrodite.

Ishtar was the consort of the supreme god, El, and El is also a generic word for god which can be associated with descriptors.

Ra is another name for the sun god in Egypt, believed to rule in sky, earth and underworld. 

Ancestor worship can be traced back to here as well:

One of the sons of Japheth was Tubal which translated into Jubel, Jobel, Atlas and Iberes. He was also given a planet called Pluto, a Greek god, which is no longer a planet. Iberes is root to Iberian peninsula and Tubal to the Tobol river. One of his sons is Gibraltar.

It is interesting as well, that God introduces the Seed of the woman in Genesis 3. Now, I don't pretend to know the mind of the devil, but he is evil and pride was his downfall, he tried to take that glory which did not belong to him. He is still a thief in that respect, coming to kill, to steal and destroy. When he tempted Eve in the garden, and she disobeyed God, and her husband followed her in this, choosing his wife over God, it would seem that this is it. When Satan fell God cast him out of heaven, and now here are these creatures, that God made in His image, but a little lower than the angels, and God has said, in the day you eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall surely die. If God is just, then He owes mankind one thing, and that is death. If this was a game of chess, then in Satan's mind this must be checkmate, right, they ate the fruit. But instead, God curses the serpent, He curses the ground for Adam, and increases the woman's pain in child birth. Who is this seed though? It is the promise of God's Son, it is the beginning of redemptive history, and the bane of Satan. He will attack the Triune God by trying to stop the seed from coming. This happens often, even in Jesus time with Herod, in Moses time with Pharaoh's decree, David's line is almost lost at the hands of murderous Queen Athaliah. Those are physical attacks, but he attacks it constantly through counterfeit religions and false gospels. He attacks it through political systems, humanism, like the prophet Balaam, he attacks it from within. 

17The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name.” 18So He told them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.… Luke 10: 17-19

14So the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and every beast of the field! On your belly will you go, and dust you will eat, all the days of your life. 15And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3: 14-15

In fact, the Bible traces all false religions back to – where? - Babylon. Babylon - Revelation 17, Revelation 18. They had rejected the true God. They had developed belief in false gods. Babylonian mystery cults developed from this and spread over the whole world. You got a Babylonian mystery cult, a Babel mystery cult – that’s the worship of false gods; that’s a system of idolatry in Babel. And when God scatters them all, this was not a revival spiritually; they just took bits and pieces of that false religion and spread it all over the Earth. And that’s why Scripture indicates in Revelation 17:5 that all the false religions of the world find their way back to Babel. Even the form of religion that characterizes Antichrist at the end of the age, Revelation 18, is called Babylon. Babylon.

The gods of Rome, the gods and goddesses of Greece, India, Egypt, the original pantheon of the Babylonians all sort of comes from Babel. One historian says, “Nimrod himself was apparently deified as the chief god Marduk of later Babylon.” So, here they turn Nimrod into a god in later worship in Babylon. And they built a tower not to reach – that’s not, as I said, in the Hebrew; rather, it says, “‘whose top is’” – in/with/on/or by – “‘heaven.’” It simply means it’s dedicated to the heavenly gods. - J Mac

…4The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. 5And on her forehead a mysterious name was written: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6I could see that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and witnesses for Jesus. And I was utterly amazed at the sight of her.…  Revelation 17: 4-6