Bible
Reading: Jan 7: Gen
18-19; Matt 6:1-18
When
Abraham saw the three men who visited him in the plains of Mamre, he
immediately recognized that they were divine messengers, reason why he bowed
himself toward the ground. When God told Abraham that in a year they’ll have a
son Sarah laughed as she thought of her age and that of Abraham. For her and
humanly speaking it was impossible, but with God, nothing is impossible. When
men come to the point of human impossibility, God’s grace is manifested (Rom
9:6-13). The second reason why God came was to save Lot from the destruction of
the wicked cities. Since Abraham and his descendants were chosen from the world
to bring the messiah into the world, God revealed the destruction of the cities
to Abraham. This was also to give Abraham the opportunity to intercede. His
posterity would do righteousness and justice in conformity to God’s standard.
This destruction was also an illustration of what god will do to those who
rebel against His will (2 Pet 2:6; Jd 7). Abraham for lack of knowledge about
the moral condition of Sodom and Gomorrah pleaded with God. God will spare the
unrighteous for the sake of the righteous. But when the unrighteous no longer
provide a safe dwelling for the righteous, then God brings judgment.
Notice
that when Abraham was asked “where is Sarah your wife”, the answer was
immediate. She was in the right place doing her duty; in the house preparing to
attend to the visitors with food. Those ready to receive God’s comfort and
promises are always in the proper places doing their duty, just like the
shepherds who watch their flocks by night (lk 2:8). The laughter of Abraham and
Sarah were different. Abraham’s laughter was that which came out of faith while
that of Sarah from unbelief; that is why the one who sees the heart knew and
rebuked Sarah. But whom the lord loves He will rebuke, convict, silence, and
bring to repentance, if they sin before Him.
In
chapter 19, we see that two of the visitors are now referred to as angels. Lot
pleaded with them to stay in his house because he assumed they did not know the
immoral situation of the city. Sodom and Gomorrah were not only immoral, but
they were cities of crime and violence. The people of the city both young and
old men surrounded Lot’s house before they go to bed. The degradation of the
old was transferred to the young and we see no hope for moral regeneration.
They wanted to have homosexual relations with the strangers. That is why for
human posterity, sodomy is defined as illicit sexual promiscuity. Does giving
his two daughters to these men make him sinless? I think no, but lot surely
realized that these men were messengers from God, so he surely knew that
violating messengers of God will bring eternal consequence to them, and so
wickedness against his daughters would be mild for him. When they broke the
door it was beyond Lot’s control, hence deity intervene and brought blindness
to the perpetrators, causing confusion, and so the pronouncement of judgment
was confirmed upon the city. Lot’s appeal to the sons-in-laws and relatives was
rejected because they were caught up in the wickedness of the city. Lot did not
still see the urgency until the angels drag him forcefully from the city. When
a society digress to the moral level that characterizes Sodom and Gomorrah, it
is time to take ones family and flee. It is better to live in the mountains
than in the wickedness of Sodom. Zoar was saved because Lot pleaded and went
with is family there, for fear that evil will befall him before he reaches the
mountains. Note that other cities in the valley such as Siddin, Zeboim and
Admaj (Gen 10:19;14:2,8, Dt 29:23, Hos 11:8) were also destroyed. Lot’s wife
reaped the judgment of god when she looked back on Sodom.
At
the great distance from Mamre, Abraham witnessed the great smoke from Sodom.
After this Lot went to the mountains with his daughters. He surely have
realized that even Zoar was plagued with wickedness. The two daughters who
assumed they were the only survivors made a scheme and committed incest with
their father who was a victim of his drunkenness. The outcome were children who
became the Moabites and the Ammorites.
Lot
who kept chaste in Sodom, mourning for the wickedness, and a witness against
it, when in the mountains and thinking he was out of temptation was overtaken
by it shamefully through his daughters. Let him who thinks he stands high, take
heed lest he falls. Drunkenness let him to many sins and lasting wound and
dishonor.
Our
Lord in Matthew 6:1-18 continued teaching on the deeds of righteousness so that
we may be steadfast and do not fall. We should not do good because we want
people to see and praise us, but that we should have an inward principle so
that we may be approved by God. When we give alms, we should be careful not to
fall into subtle sin, vain-glory and so will not receive any reward God
promises to those who do good. Jesus goes on to condemn hypocrisy in prayer;
those who pray in public to be seen by men. He does not condemn public prayer
but the motive. He now taught them how to pray. The Lord’s prayer is a model of
several things to be mentioned in prayer. It’s not a word system that is to be
repeated as a prayer (lk 11:1). He clearly says in Mt 6:9 “Therefore after this
manner pray:” we pray to the Father (Ro 8:14-16) who is in heaven. You must
hallow or reverence and honor the Father (Ex 20:7). The disciples were to pray
that men accept the kingdom reign of Jesus in the sense that the will of the
father be done on earth as it is done in heaven. The kingdom reign of Jesus had
not yet come at this time (Mt 16:18,19). The kingdom reign is within one as he
or she submits to the will of the Father (lk 17:20,21). The kingdom comes when
the will of God is done in the hearts of men and women on earth as it is done
in heaven. We must also have a spirit of forgiveness to be forgiven by God (Mt
6:14,15; 18:21-35; Mk 11:25,26; col 3:13; Jms 2:13). We should also pray that
God should keep us from being tempted beyond that which we are able to bear (lk
21:36; Jn 17:15; 1Cor 10:13; 2 Thes 3:3; 2Tim 4:18); because God does not tempt
man (Jms 1:13).
Now
Jesus moves on again “when you fast,”. He did not say if you fast, because
fasting is a practice of the disciples of Jesus; it is a natural response to
those who recognize the Lordship of Jesus. In fasting one calls on God to
respond to his pleas for help. It is abstinence from food or water in order to
call on God to respond to one’s requests (Dt 9:17-19; 2Sam 12:16,21; Zech 8:19).
In fasting one focuses his mind on spiritual needs of the inner man as to
physical needs. It is not a command but what Christians do because of the
absence of the bridegroom (Mt 9:14,15; Act 13:1-3). Jesus teaches that we
should not fast to be seen by men. The purpose of fasting therefore is to
inwardly humble oneself before God in his life (Mt 17:21; Mk 9:29; Lk 2:36,37;
1Cor 7:5; 2Cor 6:5;11:27)
Prayer:
our Father in heaven, I worship you oh creator of the universe. Lord you showed
your justice and mighty power in the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah but you
saved even lot because his heart was still with you. In your mercy, your son
came and taught us how to live kingdom lives here on earth. Who is compared
with you Lord? None. Help us to live according to your will in Jesus name. Amen
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