The Story Through the Bible Gen 18

Gen 18-19:29 THEOPHONY (The laugh, Sodom, The rescue)

Theophany is a churchy word although it’s not exclusively a Christian term it just comes from two Greek words Theos meaning God and Phainien meaning to appear. So tothether theophany is an appearance of God. We get this right away in Gen 18 and Abraham understands it immediately.

Genesis 18:1–5 ESV

And the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.”

Hospitality is not a large part of our culture as americans… at least not in the way you see it in other countries - Anyone hear about the Pakistan situation going on right now? *Onijah story*

Hospitality is an expected cultural minimum for the biblical world.

Luke 7:44–46 ESV

Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.

Are we called to hospitality? Yes!

Romans 15:7 ESV

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

Hebrews 13:2 ESV

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

1 John 2:9 ESV

Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.

The three characters are called men here but later we find out they are clearly the Lord and two angels who go on to tell Abraham they’ll be back this time next year and by then Sarah will have a son. Now remember last week we talked about this, they’re OLD, we’re talkin’ Abraham will be 100 and Sarah 90 when they have Isaac… Sarah over hears this conversation and laughs… loud enough to be overheard here…

Genesis 18:11–12 ESV

Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?”

She gets called out for laughing and tries to deny it but the Lord knows.

Genesis 18:15 ESV

But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

This is the first section of the story, the appearance and announcement with a time window of the promised son. I’m wondering if anything in particular stuck out to you here in the first 15 verses that potentially reminded you of a story we’ve already covered?

How about gathering at a tree, eating, and the promise of the seed? Different set of circumstances, instead of having to confront sin we get the hospitality and right response to the Lord’s appearance.

Here’s another fun trivia before we move on. Gen 18:7-8 would be considered a non-kosher meal today.

The problem of Sodom

The three head off toward Sodom and get into a conversation about whether they should include Abraham in this discussion. Why?

Genesis 18:18–19 ESV

seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”

So God’s expectation is always for a human involvement in the world, even though he’s sovereign over it, he still desires to have humanity involved and participating actively in His plans. Notice this in vs 19 that they will keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice. We’re not talking about salvation here, that’s already understood from back when God chose Abram. What does he now expect from the chosen? Righteousness and Justice? That’s a theme we see echoed through the rest of the Bible right?

Micah 6:8 ESV

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Proverbs 21:3 ESV

To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

Jeremiah 23:5 ESV

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.

Isaiah 1:17 ESV

learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.

Jeremiah 22:3 ESV

Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.

Psalm 33:5 ESV

He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.

Psalm 89:14 ESV

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.

Jeremiah 9:24 ESV

but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

I had to quit finding references because they’re all over the place…

But there is an issue with Sodom and Gomorrah their wickedness has caused outcry.

Then Abraham cautiously starts pleading on behalf of the city that his nephew is living in. What if there are 50 righteous there

-OK says the Lord then I won’t destroy it. And if that number was only off by 5 would just 5 be a big deal? -The Lord says okay I won’t destroy it if 45 are righteous. Now what about 40? -I won’t destroy it for 40 30? -I won’t do it if there are 30 So I mean.. twenty won’t be a big deal? -for 20 I won’t destroy them Okay don’t be mad… but… what about 10… -For the sake of 10 I won’t destroy it.

Then in chapter 19 we find out what happens. Just the two angels keep going down and meet Lot at the gate who invites them in like Abraham he shows hospitality. The town however finds out some newcomers have arrived. A few disturbing things then happen…

Genesis 19:4–11 ESV

But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.” Lot went out to the men at the entrance, shut the door after him, and said, “I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.” But they said, “Stand back!” And they said, “This fellow came to sojourn, and he has become the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them.” Then they pressed hard against the man Lot, and drew near to break the door down. But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them and shut the door. And they struck with blindness the men who were at the entrance of the house, both small and great, so that they wore themselves out groping for the door.

Now with this going on the angels tell Lot you need to get packed, tell everyone that you care about it’s time to get out after the next morning everything is getting destroyed. Lot tries to get the boys who have been betrothed to his daughters to come with them, but they think he’s a crazy jokester and don’t go.

Genesis 19:15–17 ESV

As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.” But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. And as they brought them out, one said, “Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away.”

Lot doesn’t really want to go to the hills but another nearby city instead and they agree because they seem hindered until he’s clear.

Genesis 19:22 ESV

Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

Zoar = a little one from Lot speaking of the town said it was a “little one”

So These Angels seemed hindered until they were clear - so that’s 4 people Lot, his wife and 2 daughters which is less than 10. And the Lord only promised 10 would save it but clearly the idea is that not even one will be unjustly punished.

Then the whole place is destroyed the next morning. However during the flight, of which they were warned not to pause, not to look back, Lot’s wife looked back and became a pillar of salt.

Genesis 19:29 ESV

So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived.