Abraham: Our Sovereign God

As we embark into chapter 18 one might ask… “What is there for me to learn today in this chapter?”

I would encourage you to approach this chapter as you should any chapter of the Bible.

Remember this is God’s Word given to us in order that we may know Him better and how He interacts with us His creation.

Ask yourself… What do I learn about God in this passage?

Remember chapter breaks are not divine… sometimes we need to read a little further to understand the bigger meaning

Chapter 18 is directly linked together with chapter 19

The author (Moses) is laying out some contrast

In these two chapters we will see a contrast between the character of Abraham and Lot

We are given an insight into how God deals with humanity and sin (Sodom & Gomorrah)

In chapter 18 here is a contrast between the covenant line of Abraham that will come through Isaac, God’s chosen heir

The end of Chapter 19 deals with the two ungodly lines and nations from Lot’s daughters resulting from incest

We will see the differences in how the two men show hospitality to the Lord and His messengers

Before we look at Chapter 18 this morning closer consider with me two words and their meanings:

Sovereign: one that exercises supreme authority & power

Fellowship: being a part of, community of interest, knowledge of another

The chapter is in two sections. Genesis 18:1-15 is the first section as we look at a very joyous occasion...

God’s Intentional Personal Fellowship

This event is what theologians define as a theophany. God coming in the flesh. Most hold to that this is a preincarnate Christ.

Here with Him are two Angels (messenger) of God

Abraham had never had the Lord appear like this before, nor had he seen angels before

Scripture states they appeared and Abraham knew there was something great about these visitors

He bowed to the earth (reverence / worship)

He made great haste to bring them the best

He serves them washes their feet

If Abraham did not know at first that this was the Lord He quickly learned

The asking of “Sarah” the name God had given

The declaration of the son in a year

The understanding of thoughts of the heart and mind

We could take time to mention Abraham’s great hospitality, worship, or even his reverence for the Lord… YET, I feel we would overlook too easily what you and I need to discover about our God.

IF YOU AND I understand God better and more intimately then these same actions should result in our own lives!

You and I have a God who:

Seeks fellowship

Eating, spending time, speaking

He came to Abraham

Desires personal Relationship

Delivering the message of the baby boy in person

One who communicates

One who understands

He is POWERFUL!!!

Verse 14a is one that every believer should put to memory!!! Genesis 18:14

Genesis 18:14 NASB95

“Is anything too difficult for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

The Hebrew word for “difficult” can also be stated (marvelous, wonderful, miraculous)

The writer here goes into great detail as to why this was so miraculous verse 11

We have such a great God

He is SOVEREIGN… Sarah makes the statement, God knows it, Sarah denies it, God corrects her… end of discussion!!!

Verse 16 sets a whole new tone for the narrative… It reminds me of a letter a college student sent to her parents...

Abraham: One Nomad's Amazing Journey of Faith Chapter 8: One of Those Upper-Downer Days

Dear Mom and Dad,

Just thought I’d drop you a note to clue you in on my plans. I’ve fallen in love with a guy called Jim. He quit high school after grade eleven to get married. About a year ago he got a divorce.

We’ve been going together for two months and we plan to get married in the fall. Until then, I’ve decided to move into his apartment (I think I might be pregnant).

At any rate, I dropped out of school last week, although I’d like to finish college sometime in the future.

On the next page, she continued,

Mom and Dad, I just want you to know that everything I’ve written so far in this letter is false. NONE of it is true. But it IS true that I got a C– in French and flunked math. And it IS true I’m going to need some more money for my tuition payments.

Abraham has just had the Lord deliver in person this message of a baby boy in a year and now he is going to address Sodom and Gomorrah Genesis 18:16-33 … Look for what we discover about God here…

A Heart to Heart with God

First of all NOTE THIS… Revelation is God’s prerogative, He is not entitled to reveal His plans or run them by us before He acts.

We see in verses 17-19 His reasoning revealed here for bringing Abraham into this justice God would deal upon Sodom

This was something Abraham would need to pass on to his descendants

God deals out justice on sin

Watch what I will do and do not allow yourselves to go down this path

Abraham: Watch and Learn

The OUTCRY had reached God’s ears… GOD IS AWARE

Pagan nations were shocked by this place

Those who worshiped with prostitution, sacrifice of babies, who were polytheistic were looking down on these people in Sodom!

God is Omnipresent, Omniscient but NOTICE: verse 21 “I will go down” (GOD ALREADY KNEW WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO)

God interacts with His creation

So you and I know… so Abraham would know

God Listens to us / God is Approachable

So we know we can speak openly with Him

Abraham has a heart for the people… Lot his nephew

He had fought for these people, remember

God is Compassionate to people

50… 45… 40… 30… 20… okay maybe… 10?

God is patient with Abraham

Abraham is reverent

His Way & Our Place

Verse 33 is so crucial for us to remember and live by when it comes to God and His justice

Strive your best to know God as fully as you can

Understand that you may not always grasp His Way

Remember, He is approachable, we can speak with Him, request of Him, plead with Him

BUT… remember your place!

He is the potter we are the clay

He is creator, we are the created

He is Sovereign We are NOT!