Journal Through the Bible: Week 7 Thursday

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Genesis 18:16-19:29 

This passage tells of the judgment and destruction that fell upon the cities on the plain, most notably Sodom and Gomorrah. While reading this passage two questions concerning human reasoning came to my mind:

1. Why did Lot's wife look back? Was it her love for the worldly things of Sodom that drew her gaze or was it concern for the daughters and sons-in-law that refused to leave with them that caused her to hesitate? Either way, she disobeyed and paid the price.
2. Why did Lot not take his daughters and flee to Abraham? His uncle had already rescued him and his family during the war between city-states. Perhaps the thought of being rescued by Uncle Abraham made Lot resentful and he didn't want to show up at Abraham's tent door a broken man eating humble pie.

These scenarios are sad.

Does God make any promises in this passage? If so, to whom?

• In 18:23-33 God is telling Abraham that He will destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Within that conversation is the promise that God will not destroy the righteous with the wicked during a time of judgment.

Are there any references to Jesus in this passage?

It is possible that this was a theophany, an appearance of the Messiah before His first advent. Jesus is God in the flesh, and Abraham appears to be having this conversation with God in human form.

Are there any references to future events (New Earth, Heaven)?

None that I identified.

Does God issue any commands in this passage? If so, to whom?

• 19:12-16 -- Through the 2 messengers God commanded Lot to take his family and leave Sodom.
• 19:17 -- Those who left were commanded not to look back. (His wife did and turned to salt.)
• 19:17 -- Lot was commanded to take his family into the surrounding hills. (Which he did not do right away and certainly not without an argument! More on that tomorrow.)