ABSK Grad Ministry

We’ve been studying Genesis 18 – 19.

Summary : The Lord appeared to Abraham one day and revealed his plan for Abraham that He would make a great and powerful nation from Abraham. At the same time, he also planned to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah as the outcry against them was so great and their sin so grievous. To that, Abraham pleaded for the cities. Meanwhile, the angels of God visited Lot who was sitting in the gateway of the city. They instructed Lot to get out of the place with his relatives and informed him that the catastrophe would be imminent. Because God remembered Abraham, Lot’s family members could escape from the place. Lot’s wife didn’t survive and became a pillar of salt because she looked back which she was told not to. After the escape, Lot and his two daughters dwelled in a cave in which they were involved in immoral behaviors.

The story is intriguing but really shocking to see the prevalent immorality and the extent of it. We discussed about the following items and the lessons from this text to us.

1. What is the importance of Abraham walking with God?

16 When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way. 17 Then the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? — Genesis 18:16-17

Abraham got up and walked with God. Walking with someone means respect in some cultures. While he was sending off the angels, God revealed his plan. If Abraham had not taken the walk, he wouldn’t have known. From that, we can learn that spending time with God and praying are important to understand Him. We have teachers and shepherds in our lives for help. We need to be open and willing to hear God’s messages in our lives.

2. What are the reasons that God revealed his plans to Abraham?

Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen hi, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him. — Genesis 18:17-29

First, God wanted Abraham to know His plan because He would make him the channel of blessings. After he walked with God, God called him His friend. He is the only man in the scripture that God called as friend. (2 Chronicles 20:27, Isiah 41:8, and James 2:23 refer Abraham as God’s friend.)

–Lessons to us: This relates to our lives. Similarly, Jesus called all of us friends. We are all his friends because of what he did on the cross. We can find out what God’s will is in our lives if we choose to walk with God as Abraham walked with God.

The second reason is in verse 19. God wanted to teach Abraham.
He was called to command his children. For him to be the channel of blessings, he was supposed to teach his children and pass his blessings to the children. It was important for him to know God’s plan in his life.
–Lessons to us: Are we ready to share the Gospel? We are supposed to be like Abraham. We don’t know when the opportunity comes, but we should be prepared ahead. Sharing good news is more than just talking about it. It involves in living out a christian life. There’s a Confucious saying that fits this situation. “Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I’ll remember. Involve me and I’ll understand.” If we are to be sharers of God’s messages, we need to get other people involved. We need to think if our lives are making positive impacts on others.

Third reason has to do with the sin. He came to Abraham because he heard the outcry. There was deeper sin than sexual immorality. Arrogance, gluttony, lack of concern to the poor and needy and the life without God, etc.

–Lessons to us : Living in America, a land of plenty, we can easily fall into the immorality trap. We need to be careful not to forget that God hears everything.

3. Was it right or wrong for Abraham to plead to God for Sodom and Gomorrah? And why?

It was right in that he was compassionate for the people, but wrong for him to plead the way he did. He was wrong assuming that he could appeal to God for justice than grace. He assumed that righteous people shouldn’t suffer. We don’t know about that, but we know that God is good and faithful. In fact, from God’s perspective, there is no one righteous. If God is gonna judge us, we’re all sinners. (Romans 3:10-11)

Abraham did not approach God from mercy perspective but justice perspective. But what he did right is his compassion that lead him to the intercessory prayer. It’s a prayer that pleads to God for him to desperately intercedes the situation. It may not change God’s plan but when we pray on others behalf, God shows his mercy. (Romans 8:26) God showed Abraham his mercy through what happened next chapter.

– Who’s the greatest intercessor for all of us? Jesus. He prayed for us and we are saved by his mercy.

4. What is the real problem here in Lot’s life?

This story is not just about sexual immorality. For Lot, he wanted to live in the wrong place away from accountability. We see his life slowly draining out.  The sad thing is that Sodom was still in his heart and he didn’t realize that Abraham was praying for him. He never really understood the seriousness of not obeying. God tells us that if we are engaged in the world, we are going to find us in the situation like Lot’s.

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. — ( 1 john 2 : 15-16 )

– The practical things that we can do to overcome worldliness is to have someone to accountable to as we cannot do it alone. If we can have someone who gives honest feedback, we’re truly blessed. Also we need to invest our time in getting to know God as our knowledge touches our hearts which turns to actions.