Genesis 25:24

Genesis 25:24 says, And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.  Rebekah had twins.  Even though she had been told that she would have two babies, she could only be certain after the fact.  Before stethoscopes and ultrasound, women were often surprised, not just by the gender of their baby, but also by the fact that they were having more than one child.  Verse twenty-five states, And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.  The first born had red hair and was named Esau.  By the fact that he was the first born, if only by minutes, Esau would have the blessings of the birth right.  We see this in royal families today.  Verse twenty-six adds, And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.  The second born was holding the heel of Esau, and was named Jacob.  Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.  As with Abraham, God did not immediately begin to fulfill His promise to make Abraham the father of a great nation.  We need to realize that when God makes a promise that we can be assured that it will happen, no matter how long we may have to wait on it coming true.  This is especially true of the second coming of Christ.  This promise was made to the first disciples, but it is still just as certain today, whether it happens in our lifetime or in the distant future.  Verse twenty-seven says, And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.  Esau and Jacob, though twins, were far from identical.  We are told that  Esau was a cunning hunter, and Jacob was a plain man living in tents, which I would assume means that he liked being inside more than hunting.  Verse twenty-eight proclaims, And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.  Isaac loved Esau more, because Esau brought him venison to eat, but Rebekah loved Jacob more.  Matthew Henry says Rebekah feeling this way was because of God's promise that the older would serve the younger child.  Verse twenty-nine says, And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:  One day, Esau came in from hunting and Jacob had some pottage ready to eat.  This was not a feast, but was simply food for nourishment.  Verse thirty adds, And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.  Esau made a reasonable request.  He asked Jacob his brother for some food.  If someone comes to us today, especially a fellow believer, we should be willing to help them if we can.  Verse thirty-one declares, And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.  Instead of feeding Esau simply because it would have been the right thing to do, Jacob asked Esau to sell him his birth right.  We today should never attempt to take advantage of those who come to us for help.  Verse thirty-two states, And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?  Esau was more concerned with food right then than his benefits from the birth right in the future.  We should never allow physical or material things to come between us and our birth right as followers of Christ. Verse thirty-three adds, And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.  Jacob secured Esau's promise that he would sell Jacob his birth right for a bowl of porridge.  Too often, followers of Christ sell out their faith for some material thing.  I don't believe this means they lose their salvation, but they lose their joy of that salvation.  Verse thirty-four concludes, Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.  The deal was completed and Esau went on his way, having not valued or despising his birth right.  We, as followers of Christ, should never despise our birth right that we have through our faith in Christ.

Genesis 25:12

Genesis 25:12 says, Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bare unto Abraham:  We sometimes forget that Ishmael was also the father of many people or nations.  God had made a promise to Hagar, and He kept it.  Verse thirteen states, And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,  Verse fourteen continues, And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa,  And verse fifteen concludes, Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah:  Ishmael was also the father of twelve groups of people or nations.  Just because God choses to work through one person or group of people doesn't mean that others a automatically doomed because of where they were born or what group of people they were born into.  What made Abraham and his descendants through Sarah special was not a fact of physical birth, but was the fact of a covenant relationship with God.  As followers of Christ, the same is true of us today.  Verse sixteen says, These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations.  Ishmael's sons prospered in the world.  Verse seventeen declares, And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and died; and was gathered unto his people.  Matthew Henry says that it does not say that Ishmael was full of years, so he may have died unexpectedly though he had lived a long life.  We are not guaranteed that we will live a long life, but we need to make each day and year count for God's purpose in our lives to the best of our ability.  Verse eighteen concludes, And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria: and he died in the presence of all his brethren.  The descendants of Ishmael covered a lot of territory.  Verse nineteen declares, And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begat Isaac:  Now we are given the descendants of Isaac, actually beginning with Isaac himself.  Isaac was the son of promise to Abraham and Sarah.  Verse twenty states, And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.  Isaac was forty years old when Rebekah and he were married.  We are not told how old Rebekah was.  Verse twenty-one declares, And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.  Just like Abraham and Sarah, Rebekah and Isaac had difficulty in conceiving a child, though God had told Abraham that through Isaac he would be the father of a great nation.  Just because God makes a promise to our parents does not mean that everything will be easy for us.  Isaac asked God to give them a child.  He had to have that personal relationship with God and recognize God as being the One Who blessed them with a child.  We must have that personal relationship with God to claim His blessings and cannot be saved by our parents relationship to God.  God answered Isaac's prayer.  Verse twenty-two states, And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the LORD.  Rebekah was evidently having a difficult pregnancy, and she asked the LORD why this was true.  If we have difficulties in life as followers of Christ, we may wonder why.  The best thing to do is not to doubt God, but to go to Him with our concerns.  Verse twenty-three declares, And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.  God told Rebekah that she was going to have twins, and that the older of the twins would serve the younger.  This was not the normal case, but we need to remember that God is not limited by tradition or man made laws.

Genesis 25:1

Genesis 25:1 says, Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.  After Sarah died, and when he was now very old, Abraham got married again.  When a spouse dies, the surviving spouse is free to marry again, no matter their age.  Verse two states, And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.  Evidently Keturah was younger than Abraham, because she had six children with Abraham.  We often remember Ishmael and forget these other children, but they and their children were also descendants of Abraham, but they were not a part of God's promise to Abraham.  Only Isaac was the son of both Abraham and Sarah.  No matter who we may be related to, we can only become a child of God through our relationship with Christ.  The two verses give a partial genealogy of the children of Keturah.  Verse three says, And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.  Then verse four adds, And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children and grandchildren of Abraham and Keturah.  We are not told of any great nations that came from them.  Verse five declares, And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.  Though this would have been according to God's promise to Abraham,  I wonder how his other children felt.  I believe that when we do things that are not totally within God's will that there will be consequences.  Though Abraham was free to marry and have other children, at no point are we told that God blessed him in this.  We may at times do things that are legal in the eyes of the world but are not in accordance with God's calling in our life.  Verse six states,  But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.  This says that to the sons of the concubines, or those that Abraham was not married to, he gave gifts and sent them away.  Since we only know of Ishmael and the sons of Keturah, then I am not sure if Abraham considered Katurah's children to be the same as Ishmael.  Again, even though leaving everything to Isaac would have been according to God's plan, Abraham did have to decide what to do about his other children.  Sometimes if we do things that are outside of God's plan, we may have to deal with what results from our actions.  Verse seven proclaims, And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years.  Abraham had lived many years after Sarah died.  Then verse eight adds, Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.  Abraham died as an old man full of years.  One thing we can be certain of, if Christ doesn't return first, is that we will die.  The question is how obedient will we be to God while we are living, no matter how long that may be.  Verse nine states, And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre;  Isaac and Ishmael were still at least in the same area at this time, and they buried Abraham. The children of Keturah are not mentioned, though they were Abraham's sons.  Verse ten adds, The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife.  Abraham was buried with Sarah.  Sarah was the mother of Isaac, the child of God's promise to Abraham.  God's promise had been to Abraham and Sarah.  We cannot change God's plan by attempting to do things our own way.  Verse eleven declares, And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahairoi.  God blessed Isaac.  I believe that God was also calling Abraham's other children to Him, but we are not told what happened to them.  Like Isaac, as followers of Christ, we are blessed, but that doesn't mean that God is not at work calling all the lost to Him.  Through Christ, salvation is available to all who will accept Him by faith.

Genesis 24:62

Genesis 24:62 says, And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country.  Isaac had still been at work while the servant was away seeking a bride for him.  I assume he knew what was happening, but he really didn't have as much of a part in it as even Rebekah did.  There may be times in our lives when we don't seem to have much control over what is happening, but if so, we must simply put our faith in God and continue to follow His leadership in our life.  Verse sixty-three states, And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.  I am not sure what Isaac was meditating on, but I believe that he was taking some time alone to commune with God.  We need to take some time alone every day to spend communing with God.  We cannot successfully follow Christ without spending time every day in communion with Him.  Verse sixty-four declares, And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.  Rebekah looked up.  When we really want to see what God has in store for us, we must look up to Him.  Verse sixty-five adds, For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.  When Rebekah saw Isaac, she asked the servant who he was, and he told her that it was his master.  Rebekah the covered herself with a veil.  She was being modest before she met Isaac, the man she had already agreed to marry.  I believe that God expects us to be modest in our relationships with others, even if they are the person we intend to marry.  I know that the model today seems to be that two people meet, fall in what they call love, move in together, get engaged, maybe have a child or two, and then get married.  This is not God's plan.  Verse sixty-six states, And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.  Verse sixty-seven concludes, And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. They were now married, and Isaac loved Rebekah and was comforted..

Genesis 24:53

Genesis 24:53 says, And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.  The servant gave Rebekah many valuable gifts, and he also gave her brother and mother many precious things.  Though we might look at this as the servant attempting to buy Rebekah, her family and she had already agreed that she would go, so the servant was simply sharing with them some of the things that would be hers after she married.  When two people get married, everything they have should be shared by both.  Verse fifty-four says, And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.  The servant ate and drank and spent the night with the family, but the next morning he was ready to go.  He did ask their permission that he be allowed to leave though.  He did not just claim his right to take Rebekah with him after it was agreed that she would go, but he was ready to complete his mission.  Even if we know that we are doing what God has called us to do, we should never just move ahead without any concern about how what we are doing may affect others.  It is better that they support us if possible than for us to act in a ways that may alienate them.  Verse fifty-five states, And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.  Her brother and mother requested that they wait at least ten days before Rebekah left.  They may have agreed that she could go, but they were not ready for her to leave immediately.  Sometimes, other people may attempt to get us to delay in doing what God has called us to do for what may be a valid reason, but we cannot allow them to do so.  Rebekah's family were about to send her away, knowing they might never see her again, so it was not unreasonable to want a few more days with her.  Verse fifty-six declares, And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.  Again, the servant did not simply say that he was leaving immediately and taking Rebekah with him.  He asked that they not delay him in completing his mission.  The servant was basically seeking their blessing for Rebekah and him to leave immediately.  We today are better off if we leave to do God's work with the blessings or support of our families .  Verse fifty-seven says, And they said, We will call the damsel, and inquire at her mouth.  Her brother and mother said they would leave the decision up to Rebekah.  Our family may agree that we are to do something for God today, but ultimately the choice is ours to make.  They could have said that they would decide when Rebekah would leave, but instead said the choice was hers.  Verse fifty-eight states, And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.  They called Rebekah and asked her if she would go, I believe meaning immediately, and she said she would.  Like Rebekah, we have a choice about whether or not we will do what we feel is God's will for us, and no one else can make that choice for us.  Verse fifty-nine adds, And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his men.  When Rebekah agreed to go with the servant, her brother and mother sent her away with her nurse.  They may have wanted more time with Rebekah, but they did not keep her from going.  If God calls some of our family away to another place to serve, we must not attempt to hinder them.  Verse sixty continues, And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.  Her brother and mother sent Rebekah away with their blessing and a desire for her to be successful in God's plan.  They did not say for her to go but to come back to them the first time something went wrong.  As followers of Christ, if we send someone away to follow God's calling in their life, we must send them with our blessings and pray only for their success.  We should never secretly hope that they will fail and return to us.  Verse sixty-one declares, And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.  The decision being made, they went on their way.  Once we have decided we know what God wants us to do, we need to be on our way to do whatever it is that He is calling us to do.

Genesis 24:42

Genesis 24:42 says, And I came this day unto the well, and said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go:  The servant begins to tell Rebekah's relatives how he decided that she was the one he was looking for.  He said it was all done under the guidance of the LORD.  Like the servant, when we have a decision to make, we should always look to God for guidance.  Verse forty-three states, Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;  The servant said that his plan was to stand by the well and wait until a virgin, or young woman, came to draw water and ask her for a drink.  This was not an elaborate plan, so the servant had to rely on God to send the right young woman.  We today do not need elaborate plans to determine God's will, but only faith that He will guide us.  Verse forty-four adds, And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman whom the LORD hath appointed out for my master’s son.  The servant said that he asked that the right woman offer to not only offer water to him, but to his camels as well.  I believe this would show that she was willing to do more than what was just asked of her, and would also reveal her compassionate nature.  We should also be willing to do more than just the minimum when we help others under God's guidance, out of a real compassion for them.  Verse forty-five continues, And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.  The servant said he had barely finished speaking, which would have been his prayer to God, when Rebekah came to the well.  Some prayers are answered almost immediately, as was the prayer in this case, but sometimes we have to wait for the answer.  Verse forty-six says, And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.  The servant said Rebekah offered him water and offered to water his camels..  I believe that this would imply that God was not at work just in the life of the servant, but in the life of Rebekah as well.  Verse forty-seven states, And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.  The servant asked her whose daughter she was, and she told him.  He then gave her the earrings and bracelets.  I believe that this was a sign that the servant believed that she was the one God had intended to be Isaac's wife.  We must be able to recognize when God answers our prayers.  I believe that the servant felt that Rebekah was the one he was looking for, and if she would not go that he had fulfilled his vow.  Verse forty-eight declares, And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter unto his son.  The servant bowed his head and worshipped God for answering his prayer.  We should always be quick to praise God when He answers our prayers.  Verse forty-nine adds, And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.  Having told them why he was there, the servant asked that they agree to allow Rebekah to go with him.  Verse fifty says, Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.  Laban and Bethuel basically said that this was God's work and they could not oppose it, so the servant could take Rebekah with Him.  They had to have faith that the servant was telling the truth and also that they were doing what was right for Rebekah.  We sometimes just have to put our faith in the fact that other Christians are doing God's will, especially when it affects us personally.  Verse fifty-one declares, Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master’s son’s wife, as the LORD hath spoken.  Laban and Bethuel told the servant to take Rebekah and go since God had spoken.  Again, they had to have a lot of faith in the servant and God.  Sometimes, we simply have to act in faith.  Verse fifty-two  states, And it came to pass, that, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.  The servant once again worshipped God for answering his prayer.  We can never worship God too much as He works in our lives.

Genesis 24:32

Genesis 24:32 says, And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men’s feet that were with him.  The servant and those with him were treated with great hospitality.  Their camels were cared for and so were they.  We should always be hospitable to others whenever possible, even if it costs us a little materially.  Verse thirty-three adds, And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on.  The servant and those with him were offered food, but the servant said he would not eat until he told them about his errand.  He was putting his duty to Abraham above his own needs.  We should always put the things that we vow to do for God above our own physical needs.  I believe that although the servant's vow was to Abraham, he was really there to fulfill God's plan.  The servant was told to tell what he needed to say.  Verse thirty-four declares, And he said, I am Abraham’s servant.  The servant first identifies himself and his relationship to Abraham.  Though they were his relatives, these people may not have heard anything about Abraham since he left.  Verse thirty-five adds, And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.  The servant tells them of the many ways that God had blessed Abraham.  I believe that as followers of Christ today, that if we see someone we may not have seen in a long time, that when we share with them about our life that we should always give God the credit for any success that we have.  Verse thirty-six continues, And Sarah my master’s wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.  The servant told of the birth of Isaac late in Sarah and Abraham's life, and that Abraham was going to pass everything he had on to him.  We can be certain of one thing, and that is that when we die everything we own will pass on to someone.  Abraham had become rich and powerful, but the only thing he could take with him after he died was his relationship to God, and that is all anyone can take with them.  Verse thirty-seven adds further, And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:  The servant told them of his oath to Abraham to not find a wife for Isaac from among the woman in the land where he lived.  Verse thirty-eight concludes, But thou shalt go unto my father’s house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.  The servant now tells them exactly what his errand was.  He was there to find a wife for Isaac from Abraham's kin folk.  This is not exactly the way we see finding a wife portrayed in the movies today, but it was not uncommon then and in parts of the world today.  I believe that the important thing is that Abraham and his servant believed that God was behind their plans, and we today, as followers of Christ, should make sure that God is behind our choice of a husband or wife.  Verse thirty-nine states, And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.  The servant recognized the fact that the woman he selected might not be willing to go with him.  He wasn't there to take some who didn't want to go.  As we go about doing God's work today, we cannot make anyone else go with us.  Verse forty states, And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father’s house:  Abraham told the servant that God would be with the servant when he chose a wife for Isaac.  If God is with us in our plans, then we should never fear failure, especially from a spiritual prospective.  Verse forty-one adds, Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.  Abraham told the servant that if he chose someone, under God's guidance, and she would not come then the servant would be freed from his oath.  Like the servant, we can only do what we believe that God is leading us to do, and the success or failure is not our responsibility.  Our main purpose as followers of Christ is to share the gospel, and when we do we are being faithful to God, whether people accept the gospel or not.

Genesis 24:21

Genesis 24:21 says, And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.  The servant didn't immediately tell Rebekah what he was there for.  He was still waiting to make sure that this was God answering his prayer.  We should never just assume that when thing's seem fall in place that it is God's answer to our prayers.  Verse twenty-two states, And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;  The servant rewarded Rebekah for her kindness even before asking her who she was.  She still might not have been the answer to his prayer.  Verse twenty-three asks, And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father’s house for us to lodge in?  The servant then asked Rebekah whose daughter she was, and if there was room there for his camels and himself to lodge.  Finding the right woman to be Isaac's wife was only part of the task.  The servant also had to persuade her to come with him to marry Isaac.  He needed to talk with her family about this.  If what we see as answer to prayer involves others, we must be sure that they understand why we are doing what we are doing.  Verse twenty-four declares, And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.  Rebekah told the servant some of her family history.  Verse twenty-five adds, She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.  She then told the servant that that had enough room and provisions to meet his needs.  She still did not know the real reason the servant was there, but she offered the hospitality of her family anyway.  We, like Rebekah, should always offer our help and our hospitality to others whenever possible, without wondering how we will profit from doing so.  Verse twenty-six states, And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD.  The first thing that the servant did was bow his head and worship God.  If we feel that God has answered our prayers, our first action should be to worship Him.  We often regulate worship to a particular time or place, but we should worship God wherever we are, especially if we feel that He has answered our prayers.  Verse twenty-seven says, And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren.  The servant said that the LORD of his master Abraham had answered his prayer and had rewarded his trip by leading him to the daughter of one of Abraham's relatives.  Though he was working on behalf of Abraham, the servant still acknowledged that God was at work in his life.  If we are working on behalf of others, as followers of Christ, we must make sure that we are being obedient to God and give Him the praise when He answers our prayers.  Verse twenty-eight declares, And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother’s house these things.  Rebekah did not hesitate, but ran and told her family what had happened.  She may not have totally understood what was happening, but she wanted to share what had happened so far with her family.  We may not understand everything that God is doing in our lives, but we should share what He has done so far whenever we can.  Verse twenty-nine says, And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.  Rebekah's brother Laban ran to the servant at the well.  Verse thirty adds, And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.  Laban wanted to see who the man was who had given Rebekah the earrings and bracelets.  I believe that we today would be especially curious if a stranger gave valuable gifts to our young sister or daughter, but we like Laban should meet the man if possible and see why he had done so.  Verse thirty-one states, And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.  Laban acknowledged that the servant was blessed of the LORD, and told him to come on, that he had a place prepared for the servant and his camels.  We are not told how Laban recognized that God was at work, but only that he did.  We today should never assume that we are the only ones who can recognize the work of God in the world.

Genesis 24:11

Genesis 24:11 says, And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.  Abraham's servant went to where the women would most likely be found while doing a daily task.  He was looking for a good woman to be Isaac's wife.  Today, there are many places that a man can meet a woman, but it is best to meet them in their everyday environment.  If that is at a bar getting drunk, then this might not speak highly of her.  Verse two states, And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.  The servant prayed to the God of Abraham, and asked for God to show mercy on Abraham.  I am not sure what this means about the servant's overall relationship to God, but he had to believe that God had the ability to answer his prayer.  When we are looking for a spouse today as followers of Christ, then the place to start is with prayer for God's guidance.  Verse thirteen declares, Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:  Then verse fourteen adds, And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.  The servant really didn't need to tell God where he was, anymore than we do today.  God knows where every person is, both physically and spiritually.  The servant proposed a way to determine how to know who the right woman was.  He would ask for water, and she would offer to water his camels as well.  We today likely cannot use this as a method for finding a wife, but we must trust that God will let us know when we meet the right person if we are prayfully seeking her.  Verse fifteen states, And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.  Even before the servant was through speaking, Rebekah, Abraham's niece, came to draw water.  Though we sometimes have to wait for God to answer our prayers we should not be surprised if He answers immediately.  Verse sixteen declares, And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.  This tells us a little about Rebekah's appearance and character.  Though we might be drawn to a person based on their looks, we should be drawn to them even more by their character.  Verse seventeen says, And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.  The servant ran to meet her and asked her for a drink of water.  I am not sure if other women were around or not, but the servant wasted no time in approaching Rebekah. If we are praying for an answer from God, we must be willing to act in seeing that prayer answered.  We cannot propose anything to God if we aren't willing to carry out our part of the proposal.  Verse eighteen states, And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.  Then verse nineteen adds, And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.  Rebekah gave the servant a drink, then offered to water his camels.  This was what the servant had proposed to God as a way to select a wife for Isaac.  When God answers our prayers, we must acknowledge it and act on it.  Verse twenty concludes, And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.  Rebekah didn't waste any time in watering the camels, nor did she just do as little as possible.  She made sure all the camels were watered.  I believe that when God answers our prayers that He does so completely, and often even beyond our expectations.

Genesis 24:1

Genesis 24:1 says, And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.  Abraham was getting old, but he was still being blessed by God in everything he did.  This implies that Abraham was still being obedient to God.  If we follow God's leadership, we will likewise be blessed all our life, no matter how long we live. Verse two states, And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:  Abraham had a servant who was in charge of all his household.  He called him and had him prepare to swear an oath, which was indicated by Abraham having the servant place his hand under Abraham's thigh.  Hopefully we have someone we can trust in times of need.  Verse three declares And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:  The oath was that the servant not choose a wife for Isaac from the daughters of the Canaanites.  Having someone else choose a wife for us may seem very strange, but it is still done in places today, usually by the parents.  Even if we are choosing our own spouse, we need to allow God to guide us and not be ruled just by romantic ideals.  Verse four adds, But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.  The servant was to go back to Abraham's home country and find a wife for Isaac.  Abraham was not going to return, nor was he going to send Isaac.  I believe that Abraham was removing the temptation to return and stay where he had been called out from.  We likewise must do all that we can to avoid returning to where we were, at least spiritually, before God called us out of our lives of sin.  Verse five asks, And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?  The servant asked a couple of reasonable questions.  What if he chose someone and she wouldn't come?  Should he then take Isaac to her?  We cannot force others to follow what we feel is God's will.  Verse six declares, And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.  Abraham warned the servant to not take Isaac there.  As stated earlier, Abraham was where God had led him, and there was no going back.  Isaac had never lived in that land, but might have been tempted to live there.  We should do all that we can to avoid allowing our children to fall into temptation, but ultimately the choice will be theirs whether to follow Christ or not.  Verse seven adds, The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.  Abraham had faith that the LORD Who had given him this land would guide the servant in his task.  We need to have the same faith today, that the God Who lead us to salvation will direct us in our everyday life.  Verse eight continues, And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.  Abraham said that if the woman would not come willingly that the servant was freed from his oath, but even then he was not to bring Isaac there. We cannot force others to follow God, but we cannot go back to where He has led us from.  Verse nine states, And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.  The servant made the agreement with Abraham.  Abraham had to trust his servant to do the right thing, and at times we must simply trust that those we may have to rely on will do what is right.  Verse ten says, And the servant took ten camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.  The servant, who had control of all Abraham's goods, took ten camels and departed.  Having made the oath, the servant left to carry it out.  If we have promised to do something for someone else, then we should act to carry out that promise.

Genesis 23:1

Genesis 23:1 says, And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.  Verse two adds, And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.   Sarah lived long enough to see Isaac grow into a man.  She did not live long enough to see any more of God's promise fulfilled though.  Abraham mourned the death of Sarah.  They had been through a lot together, sometimes following God's plan in faith and sometimes following their own plan in doubt of God's ability to keep them safe.  Overall though, they had lived in obedience to God.  Verse three states, And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying,  Then verse four adds, I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.  After Abraham stood up from mourning Sarah, he knew he needed a place to bury her, and he was still just a sojourner in the land.  He didn't actually own any land.  Today, even if people own land, they often have to buy a place to bury their dead.  The truth is, no matter how much land we may own, we are all but sojourners in this world.  Like Abraham, even if a loved one dies, even as we mourn, we must get on with life.  Verse five says, And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him,  Verse six continues, Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.  The children of Heth, those that Abraham had asked about obtaining a burial place from, acknowledged that Abraham was a great man and offered to allow him to bury Sarah in one of their tombs.  Though Abraham wanted more than a borrowed tomb, this would have been enough.  No matter how large or elaborate our tomb, or grave site may be, it is but a temporary resting place.  When Christ returns, we will no longer have need of a burial place, because we will rise again.  Verse seven states, And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.  Verse eight adds, And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,  Verse nine concludes, That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you.  Abraham talked with the sons of Heth and asked them to intercede for him with Ephron, the son of Zohar, about selling Abraham a cave.  Abraham did not demand that they do this, nor did he say that God had already promised this land to him.  Abraham was willing to buy the cave for however much Ephron asked.  We cannot demand that others give us anything simply because we are followers of Christ, but must deal fairly with them.  Verse ten says, And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying,  Then verse eleven adds, Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.  Ephron, in the presence of many witnesses, offered to give Abraham the cave.  Ephron was being very generous to Abraham.  Verse twelve states, And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land.  Verse thirteen adds, And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.  For whatever reason, Abraham did not want the land as a gift.  He was respectful in declining the offer of the cave as a gift and again asked that he be allowed to buy it.  Abraham may have not wanted to be indebted to Ephron.  We likewise should not allow ourselves to become indebted to anyone in this world because they have given us something, even if it is something that we need.  Verse fourteen states, And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him,  Then verse fifteen adds, My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.  Ephron told Abraham what the cave was worth, and asked Abraham what was that amount worth between them.  I believe that he was basically saying that the cave wasn't worth enough for Abraham to worry about paying for it.  No matter how little or much something is worth, we cannot allow it to come between us and our belief about what God would have us do, and even though it wasn't stated, I believe that Abraham felt that it was God's will for him to buy the cave so that he would not be indebted to Ephron.  The next few verses simply refer to the transaction.  Verse sixteen says, And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.  Verse seventeen adds, And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about, were made sure.  Verse eighteen concludes, Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.  Abraham bought the cave for the specified amount.  If we feel that taking something for free will somehow compromise our faith in God, we must not accept it.  I believe that Abraham simply did not want anyone to think that he owed them something.  Verse nineteen states, And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan.  Then verse twenty concludes, And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth.  Abraham buried Sarah in Hebron in the land of Canaan.  He had successfully bought the burial place, even though God had promised him that he was to be the father of a great nation in a land that God would give him.  We should never use our relationship to God as a reason for taking something from anyone else.

Genesis 22:10

Genesis 22:10 says, And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.  Abraham was committed to following God's command, no matter if it cost him his son.  We must be willing to lay everything on altar of God, in that nothing, even family, should ever come between God and us.  Verse eleven states, But the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.  One of the angels of God called out to Abraham from heaven.  The angel did not appear to Abraham, but simply called out to him, and Abraham heard and responded.  We, like Abraham, must recognize when God is speaking to us, no matter how He chooses to do so, and we must respond.  Abraham simply said, "Here am I," and that is really all we can say.  Verse twelve says, And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.   Abraham was told to not harm Isaac, since God now saw that Abraham was willing to follow God no matter the cost.  Though Isaac really wasn't Abraham's only son, he was the son of the promise of God.  We really cannot successfully follow God if we allow anything or anyone to come between God and us.  Verse thirteen declares, And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.  Abraham had told Isaac that God would provide the sacrifice when they started up the mountain, and He did.  God will always provide whatever we need to accomplish His plan if we will only obey in faith.  God has provided the only sacrifice that we need or can have to restore our relationship with Him, and that is the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.  Verse fourteen states, And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.  Abraham named the place Jehovahjireh, which means the LORD will be seen.  Wherever we go today should be a place where God is seen if we are living in obedience to Christ.  Verse fifteen declares, And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,  Verse sixteen adds, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:  Verse seventeen continues, That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;  Verse eighteen concludes, And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.   Abraham was once again promised that he would be the father of a great nation because he was willing to put God above everything else in the world, even his only son, as Isaac is called.  All nations would be blessed because of Abraham's obedience to God.  Through the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, a descendant of Abraham through His human nature, the whole world is truly blessed.  Verse eighteen says, So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.  I am sure the trip down the mountain was more joyous than the trip up the mountain.  If we have what is referred to as a mountain top experience, the we should rejoice even as we go back down the mountain spiritually.  Verse twenty states, And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor;  Abraham had left his family, but God now revealed to him facts about Abraham's brother and his brother's wife and children.  Verse twenty-one states, Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram,  Verse twenty-two adds, And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.  Verse twenty-three continues, And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. And verse twenty-four concludes, And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.  God was still at work in the lives of other members of Abraham's family, whether they knew it or not.  God has never abandoned anyone, even if they refuse to accept His gift of salvation.  When they do refuse, they abandon God.  The verse introduce Rebekah, who will have a big part in carrying out God's promise to Abraham.

Genesis 22:1

Genesis 22:1 says, And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.  I believe that a more accurate translation would be that God tested Abraham's faith.  I do not believe that God tempts us to disobey, but that He may test our faith.  Satan is the one who tempts us to sin.  Verse two declares, And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.  God told Abraham to take Isaac to the mountains which God would direct him to and offer him as a sacrifice.  God called Isaac Abraham's only son and said He knew Abraham loved Isaac.  Abraham had waited years for God to fulfill His promise that Abraham would be the father of a great nation, and now God was asking him to sacrifice the son who would fulfill that promise.  We will likely never face so great of a test of our faith.  Verse three states, And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.  Abraham did not attempt to bargain with God, but he got up early the next day and brought two servants, Isaac, and the wood for the sacrifice to the place that God directed him.  Even if what God asks us to do seems to be impossible, we must obey Him.  Verse four adds, Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.  They had been traveling three days when Abraham saw the place afar off.  That was three days that Abraham had in which to falter in his faith.  It is hard to imagine what he must have been thinking and going through emotionally.  We, like Abraham, cannot allow our thoughts and emotions to come between God and us, but must always be steadfast in our faith.  Verse five says, And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.  Abraham left the two young men and the ass and went on with Isaac alone.  He may have not wanted to have anyone witness what he was going to do or he might not have wanted anyone near by to stop him.  Abraham may have still had faith that God would somehow spare Isaac, because he said they would return.  Whatever Abraham's thoughts, he was continuing to follow God's instructions.  We must do the same when we know that God is instructing us to do something, no matter how hard it may be.  Verse six declares, And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.  Isaac carried the wood and Abraham carried the fire and knife for the sacrifice.  Isaac was in effect helping prepare for what Abraham thought would be his sacrifice.   Even if what we are asked to do involves others close to us, we cannot disobey God's call to a certain action.  Verse seven adds, And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?  Isaac saw that something was missing.  Isaac asked Abraham where the sacrifice was.  Other people may sometimes question how we are going to accomplish what we know God is calling us to do, but we cannot allow that to stop us from doing it, even if they are family.  Verse eight states, And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.  Abraham told Isaac that God would provide the sacrifice.  We today must simply rely on God to provide what we need to accomplish His directions to us.  Verse nine concludes, And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.  Abraham prepared everything for the sacrifice, even Isaac.  We can only imagine what must have been going through both their thoughts at this time, but hopefully we will never experience such a situation.  Abraham remained true to his faith in and obedience to God, and so must we.

Genesis 21:22

Genesis 21:22 says, And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:  Those in power around Abraham noticed that he was being blessed by God.  As followers of Christ, even if we do not have great riches, people should be able to see that we are blessed by our relationship with Him.  Verse twenty-three adds, Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.  Abimelech asked Abraham to act honestly with him and his descendants from now own.  Abraham had not gotten off to a good start in this, but was now being asked to deal honestly from now on.  We should always deal honestly and fairly with those around us, even without them having to ask.  Verse twenty-four states,  And Abraham said, I will swear.  Abraham gave his word to Abimilech.  As followers of Christ, if we give our word to someone, we should always attempt to keep it.  Verse twenty-five declares, And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away.  Abraham had a problem with some of Abimelech's servants taking a well of water from him, so he went to Abimelech to discuss the problem.  We should always go to those who are really in authority if we have a problem with someone who serves, or works, for them, but we should always do so with God's guidance and for His glory.   Verse twenty-six says, And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.  Abimelech said he was unaware of the problem before Abraham telling him of it at that time.  Abraham may have been blaming Abimelech for the problem when he wasn't the source of the problem.  We today must never just blame someone, especially those in power, for our problems without first making sure that they know that there is a problem.  Verse twenty-seven declares, And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.  Abraham gave a gift to Abimelech and made a covenant with him.  I believe that God expects us to do our best to get along with others, even if it costs us something materially.  Still, it should be done with God's guidance.  Verse twenty-eight states, And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.  Abraham set seven ewe lambs aside.  Then in verse twenty-nine Abimelech asks, And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?  Abimelech asked Abraham what the meaning was of this act.  As we worship and serve God today, the lost of the world may have questions about what we are doing.  Verse thirty states, And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.  Abraham said that when Abimelech took the seven ewe lambs that it would be a witness between them that Abraham had dug the well.  I don't believe that Abraham was attempting to buy Abimelech's good will, but that he was simply giving these lambs as a symbol of their agreement.  Verse thirty-one adds, Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them.  Then verse thirty-two concludes, Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.  Abimelech and Abraham had resolved the problem peacefully, and Abraham named the place where they had entered into the covenant Beersheba.  I believe that this was so that every time someone came to the place they would be reminded of the covenant.  Every time we have dealings with other people, we should remember the covenant that we made with God when we came to the cross of Jesus.  Though this is not a physical place, it is a spiritual one.  Verse thirty-three states, And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.  Abraham planted a grove at the well, and called on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.  No matter what we do as followers of Christ, we must make sure that we are following God's will and give Him the glory.  Verse thirty-four states, And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines’ land many days.  Having made peace with Abimelech, Abraham was able to stay there for many days.  We should always pray that God will allow us to live peacefully, wherever we may be.

Genesis 21:11

Genesis 21:11 says, And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son.  Though Ishmael was not Sarah's son, he was Abraham's, and Abraham was grieved at the thought of sending him away.  Abraham had willingly listened to Sarah about having a child with Hagar, but he was reluctant to listen to her about sending Hagar and Ishmael away.  Like Abraham, sometimes we are more easily lead into sin than we are led to deal with the results of that sin.  Verse twelve states, And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.  God told Abraham to not be grieved and to follow Sarah's wishes, because Isaac would be the one that Abraham would become the father of a great nation through.  As followers of Christ, our actions will never replace God's plan, though they may affect our joy in our salvation.  If we attempt to do things our way and make a mess of it, then we must ask God to forgive us and direct us in the right direction.  Verse thirteen adds, And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.  God told Abraham that Ishmael would not be forgotten, but that a great nation would also come from Ishmael.  It just would not be the nation of the covenant between Abraham and God.  God was not going to destroy Ishmael because of the sin of Abraham, but neither was He going to change His covenant.  As followers of Christ, if we sin, we cannot expect God to totally destroy everything that is a result of that sin, but if we repent and return to obedience to God, we should not continue to be grieved by the sin.  Verse fourteen declares, And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.  Abraham wasted no time in carrying out God's instructions.  He arose early and sent Ishmael and Hager away.  When God directs us to do something, then we must do so as quickly as possible.  Verse fifteen states, And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.  The water that Abraham had given Hagar was gone and she was ready to give up.  We cannot rely on our own provisions or those provided by the world to sustain us forever if we do not look to God for His help.  Verse sixteen adds, And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.  Hagar didn't want to see Ishmael die, so she moved a little distance away from him and lifted up her voice and wept.  It does not say that she was calling on God, but whether she was or not, God heard her.  God will always be there when people are in anguish, and He will provide comfort if they will only acknowledge and listen to Him.  Verse seventeen declares, And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.  God asked what ailed Hagar, and then He gave her assurance that she did not need to despair.  Sho had to listen to and believe God for His words to have any effect, just as we must listen to and believe God for His words to have effect in our lives.  Verse eighteen adds, Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.  God still required Hagar to act on His instructions in faith.  If God provides an answer to our problems, we must always listen to Him and act in faith.  Verse nineteen says, And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.  Like Hagar, we must open our eyes in faith in order to receive His promise.  For Hagar and Ishmael, it was earthly water, but if accept Christ as our Savior and Lord, then we receive living water.  Verse twenty states, And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.  God was with Ishmael.  Verse twenty-one concludes, And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.  Eventually, Ishmael married an Egyptian woman.  God has never forgotten anyone who has ever lived, even if they never acknowledge Him.

Genesis 21:1

Genesis 21:1 says, And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.  God had not forgotten His promise to Sarah, and He will never forget His promises to us.  The main promise of God is an everlasting relationship with Him to those who accept Christ as their Savior and Lord.  God has not forgotten this promise, no matter how long it may be before it is fully implemented.  Verse two states, For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.   Sarah conceived, when the time was right for God.  I believe that one reason that God waited as long as He did was so that there could be little doubt that He was the One Who brought about Sarah's conception.  I believe, no matter the events leading up to a pregnancy, that God alone can give life.  I know many people would disagree, but this is my belief.  Verse three adds, And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.  At least Abraham was obedient in naming the baby Isaac.  Just because we may have doubted God or have been disobedient to Him in the past does not excuse us from being obedient in the future.  Verse four says, And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.  Abraham also obeyed God's command to circumcise Isaac.  Even if we have carried out God's law in the past, as Abraham had with the circumcision of all the males in his household, he still needed to continue to obey God's command.  Even if we have obeyed God in the past, that does not excuse us from obeying Him today.  Verse five states, And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.  This was no longer the norm as it was with the earlier generations, but this was a miracle of God.  Abraham and Sarah had both believed it was impossible, but with God nothing is impossible.  Verse nine declares, And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.  If Sarah was talking about when she laughed when God told her she was going to have a son, then it was not God but Sarah's lack of faith that caused her to laugh.  If she was referring to her joy at having a son, then God did indeed bring her this joy.  Following God's plan for our lives should always bring us joy.  Verse seven asks, And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.  Sarah was still looking at things through the eyes of the world and not through faith in God.  We should never be surprised when God fulfills His promises.  Verse eight states, And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.  When Isaac was weaned, Abraham made a great feast.  It does not say that this was a feast to celebrate God's goodness, but was more simply to celebrate Isaac.  We must always make sure that we give God the credit when good things happen in our lives.  Verse nine declares, And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.  Hagars son was mocking the celebration for Isaac.  He was after all Abraham's first born, but I am sure had never had a feast of celebration for him.  Many people today, who do not believe in God and accept His gift of salvation will mock those who have accepted Christ..  Verse ten adds, Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.  Sarah saw Ishmael, the son that she had made the plan for his birth, mocking the celebration of Isaac, she demanded that his mother and he be cast out.  Sometimes, when our plans, made without God's guidance come true, we may create problems for others and ourselves.  Hagar and Ishmael were really not guilty of anything, other than being a part of Sarah's plan to fulfill God's promise her way.  We must be patient and wait on God to fulfill His plan His way and never believe that we have a better plan.

Genesis 20:8

Genesis 20:8 says, Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.  After God had spoken to Abimelech in his dreams, he got up early and called his servants and told them what had happened.  Abimilech didn't just claim he had a bad dream, but he actually knew that God had spoken to him.  I believe that when God speaks to a person, whether they profess to know Him or not, they will know.  Verse nine states, Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.  Abimelech called Abraham and asked him why he had done such a terrible thing to him.  Abimelech said that Abraham had brought a great sin to the kingdom.  We, as followers of Christ, should never be guilty of leading others into a sinful situation.  Verse ten asks, And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?  Abimelech asked Abraham what he had seen concerning Abimelech and his people that had caused Abraham to do this.  That was Abraham's problem.  He was looking at the power of Abimelech instead of the power of God.  We should never allow anything in this world to become more powerful to us than God is.  Verse eleven states, And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.  Abraham said that he believed that Abimelech and his people did not fear, or know God, and he was afraid that they would kill him and take Sarah.  If Abraham had put his trust in God, he would not have been afraid.  He acted out of a self made fear.  We today should never allow our personal fears to cause us to make our own way of dealing with a situation where we might possibly be in danger, but must always put our faith in God.  We certainly should never do anything that would be against God's law simply because we are afraid.  Verse twelve adds, And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.  Abraham was still trying to justify his actions.  He said Sarah was both his wife and his half-sister.  We cannot justify sin by half truths.  We must be totally honest in our relationship with others, and especially with God, no matter what it might cost us in this world.  Verse thirteen continues, And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.  Abraham said that God caused him to wander, but the plan to call Sarah his sister was strictly his plan.  After all God had done for him and the promises that God made him, Abraham was still lacking the faith to totally trust God.  When we become a follower of Christ, we must live by faith in God's promise that we are His children forever.  Verse fourteen says, And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.  Once again, Abraham benefited materially from his deception, but I believe that he suffered spiritually.  Even if we were to gain materially, we can never afford to go against God's will and teachings.  Verse fifteen adds, And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.  Abimelech told Abraham to take his choice of the land to dwell in.  We can never allow the end to justify the means if we are going against what God's law.  Verse sixteen states, And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.  Abimelech then told Sarah that he had paid Abraham for his actions concerning Sarah.  Verse seventeen declares, So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.  Abraham prayed for Abimelech and God healed him and his people.  Though Abraham had been the reason for the sin, when he prayed to God, God granted his request.  Had Abraham prayed for Abimelech and his people before hand and trusted God to keep him safe, the whole situation could have been avoided.  As followers of Christ, if we cause someone to fall into sin, we must first confess to God and then pray that God will heal them.  Verse eight adds, For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.  God restored the ability of the woman to have children, which had been taken away because of Sarah.  Sarah and her son with Abraham was still God's plan to make a great nation of Abraham.

Genesis 20:1

Genesis 20:1 says, And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.  Abraham was on the move again.  I am not sure if it was because of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah or not, but after twenty years he was moving.  As followers of Christ, we are never permanently at home here in this world.  Verse two states, And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.  Abraham was no stronger in his faith at this point than he had been when he was still Abram.  Even though God had told Abraham that His promise to make Abraham the father of a great nation was through a child that Abraham and Sarah would have, Abraham was still passing her off as his sister and allowing her to be taken away by another man.  We should learn from our past sins and not fall into them again.  Verse three declares, But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.  God spoke to Abimelech in a dream and warned him that he was a dead man for taking Sarah, another man's wife.  Though Abimelech may not have been aware of the sin he was committing, he was no less responsible for it.  We cannot excuse sin simply because we are not aware of the sin.  I believe that God will always make people aware of their sins, whether they acknowledge them or not.  Verse four states, But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?  God spoke to Abimelech before he had been with Sarah in a sexual relationship.  Abimelech asked if God would destroy a righteous nation.  Though I am not sure that Abimelech was accurate in calling his a righteous nation, he was not totally to blame in his actions.  He was still guilty of taking Sarah for his own desires.  We cannot call ourselves righteous simply because we have not done what could be viewed as a greater sin in the eyes of the world.  Verse five adds, Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.  Abimelech said that both Abraham and Sarah said that Sarah was Abraham's sister.  Abimelech said that he acted with integrity of his heart and innocency of his hands.  Abraham had initiated the plan, Sarah went along with it, and Abimelech was caught up in it.  I don't believe that Abimelech was totally innocent though, because his actions were fueled by lust. Though we may be caught up in a sin created by someone else's actions, we cannot justify ourselves by blaming them.  Verse six declares, And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.  God again spoke to Abimelech in a dream and told him that He was aware that Abimelech acted in innocence as for as knowing that Sarah was married and that He prevented Abimelech from touching Sarah.  God was at work in this situation, and He is still at work today.  This should be especially true for those who profess to follow Christ.  Had Abraham put his faith in God keeping him safe, and had Sarah not gone along with his plan,this situation would have never occurred.  If there is sin the world, and there always is, we as followers of Christ should never be the cause of it.  Verse seven adds, Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.  God gave Abimelech a choice.  He could either return Sarah to Abraham, or Abimelech and all that were his would die.  God did not force Abimelech to obey Him, but gave him a choice.  Even after Abraham's actions, God still referred to him as a prophet.  As followers of Christ, if we commit a sin, we are still a child of God and still have an everlasting relationship with Him.

Genesis 19:30

Genesis 19:30 says, And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.  Lot and his two daughters lived in a cave because he was afraid to live in the city of Zoar.  He evidently no longer had to worry about any great wealth. We never read anything about Lot following God, but he always seemed to do what was best for himself.  Verse thirty-one states, And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:  We are not told how old the daughters were, but the oldest talked with the youngest about their father's age and the fact that there were no men around for them to start a family with.  This would have been a great concern in that time, but they must have forgotten about their great-uncle Abraham and more importantly about God.  Verse thirty-two declares, Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.  The oldest daughter devised a plan for them.  They would get Lot drunk and have sex with him so that they might each have a child.  As with most plans made without God's guidance, this one was very wrong.  Verse thirty-three states, And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.  Lot got very drunk that night.  It says that they got him drunk, but unless they were pouring alcohol down his throat without his consent, then I believe it is more accurate to say that Lot got drunk.  The oldest daughter went in and had intercourse with her father.  We are told that Lot did not remember this, but that does not make him blameless.  He should have been concerned about the welfare of his daughters instead of hiding in a cave getting so drunk he couldn't remember what he did.  We cannot blame our sins on others, even if we are so drunk we don't remember them.  In the first place, we shouldn't be that drunk to start with, and we should never try to hide away and ignore our responsibilities.  Verse thirty-four adds, And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.  The older daughter told the younger daughter the next day that it was the youngest turn that night and that they would do the same thing again, only with the youngest taking the place of the oldest.  Even though the plan was not hers, the youngest was just as guilty as the oldest.  Again, we cannot blame our sins on someone else, even if we just go along with their plan.  Verse thirty-five states, And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.  They carried out their plan that night.  Verse thirty-six declares, Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.  Their plan was successful.  Just because our plans may be sinful doesn't mean that they won't succeed, and just because they succeed doesn't mean that they are God's plan.  Verse thirty-seven adds, And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.  The child of the first daughter was named Moab, and he became the father of the Moabites.  Verse thirty-eight concludes, And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.  The child of the second daughter was named Benammi, and he became the father of the Ammonites.  Even though they were successful in the plot, this was certainly never God's plan.

Genesis 19:23

Genesis 19:23 says, The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.  It was morning before Lot finally left Sodom and reached Zoar.  Once more, Lot was going to a place that looked better instead of relying on God to direct him.  I will once again state that God had not directed Abram, now Abraham, to take Lot with Him, but still God had blessed Lot.  Now, due his own decisions without seeking God's guidance, Lot had lost nearly everything.  No matter how much wealth we may accumulate in this world, one day all that will be left is our relationship to God.  Verse twenty-four states, Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;  When God destroys a place because of the sin of the people, I don't believe that there will ever be any doubt that it is God's action.  God had caused the rain to destroy the earth in Noah's day, but with Sodom and Gomorrah, He caused fire and brimstone to rain down out of heaven.  This was not a natural disaster, but an act of God.  Verse twenty-five adds, And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.  Though Abraham had attempted to find a way to spare the cities, possibly because of Lot and his family, there was no way to be found.  Of course, God made a way available for Lot and his family to be saved, even if some of them would not listen.  We cannot force salvation on anyone, but we have a responsibility to witness to all that we can.  We should pray for the lost, but the decision to accept Christ as their Savior and Lord will always be theirs.  Verse twenty six says, But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.  Lot's wife was so close to being saved, but she could not simply move ahead without looking back on what she was leaving behind, and she lost her life. We cannot look back on the past feeling that we have left too much behind when we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord.  We must simply continue to look ahead in faith.  Verse twenty-seven declares, And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD:  Abraham got up early and went to the altar, the place where he stood before God.  If we have concerns in life, then we need to bring them to God as soon as possible.   Verse twenty-eight adds, And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.  Abraham looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, knowing that God had pronounced judgment on them.  He saw the smoke, and I am sure that he knew God had carried out His judgment.  Sometimes we just have to acknowledge that some people will not be saved.  Verse twenty-nine declares, And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.  Lot was spared because of Abraham.  Lot was not given an everlasting relationship with God because of Abraham's faith, but he was given another chance to establish that relationship.  We cannot save others but we can ask God to give them another chance to accept Christ as their Savior and Lord.

Genesis 19:14

Genesis 19:14 says, And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.  Lot warned his sons-in-law, but they didn't listen to him.  Lot told them that the LORD was going to destroy Sodom.  When we warn people today of God's coming judgment, though it may not be imminent, they often act as through we are crazy, but we still need to continue to warn them.  Lot told his sons-in-law that they needed to get up and get out, but we today need to tell people to get up and come to Christ.  Verse fifteen states, And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.  The next morning, the angels returned to Lot and told him to take his wife and two daughters who were with him and get out unless they wanted to be consumed with the city.  Lot may have told his sons-in-law that it was time to get up and get out, but he was still there.  When we share God's word with others, we must first make sure that we obey it ourselves.  Verse sixteen says, And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.  Lot was still not leaving, but the angels lead his wife, two daughters, and him out of the city.  We cannot afford to be like Lot, professing the need to act on God's word to others while we do not act on it ourselves.  Verse seventeen declares, And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.  Even after these four were led out of the city, there was still a step of faith required.  They were to flee and not look back.  When God leads us to salvation today, we should flee from sin and never look back.  Verse eighteen proclaims, And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:  Having been basically dragged out of Sodom and told to flee to the mountain, Lot protested.  When God calls us to do something, we should do as He says without protest.  Verse nineteen adds, Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:  Lot still was not willing to put his trust in God.  He acknowledged that God had shown him mercy by saving him, but said he was afraid some evil would overtake him on the mountain.  We should never question God's ability to keep us safe once we accept His deliverance through our faith in Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse twenty continues, Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.  Lot asked to be allowed to escape to a nearby small city.  We really should never attempt to bargain with God.  Lot's choice of land had caused him nothing but trouble, but he once again wanted to choose.  We cannot allow our own choices to keep us from following God's will for us.  Verse twenty-one says, And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.  Lot was allowed to go to the city and was promised that it would not be destroyed, which was never God's intention to begin with.  Verse twenty-two states, Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.  Lot was told to hurry to the city so that God could carry out His plan.  This does not mean that Lot controlled God's plan, but that God was still showing Lot mercy by waiting for him to escape.  We should never do anything that would go against God's plan.  Verse twenty-three adds, The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.  Lot reached Zoar during the day time.

Genesis 19:1

Genesis 19:1 says, And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;  When two angels came to Sodom, Lot was sitting at the gate and saw them and bowed down to them.  I am not sure that he recognized them as angels or just as strangers.  Verse two states, And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.  Lot invited them to stay at his house overnight, but they said that they would stay in the street.  Lot was offering them his hospitality, which was expected, especially of those who are God's servants.  We today should do all that we can to help strangers who may be in need.  Verse three says, And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.  Lot convinced them to come in for the night and fed them.  We should always be willing to do a little extra help others.  Verse four declares, But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:  Then verse five adds, And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.  All the men of the city surrounded Lot's house and demanded that Lot send the two men out so they could know them.  This does not mean get acquainted with them, but means to have sex with them.  Verse six states,  And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,  Lot went out to face the men, shutting the angels inside.  He at least faced those that at that time were his enemies.  We must be willing to stand firm in the face of our enemies, no matter how out numbered we may be.  Verse seven declares, And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.  Lot first attempted to reason with the men of the city.  He said they were about to do something that was very evil.  We should first attempt to reason with those who are about to commit an evil act, but we must call sin for what it is when we do.  Verse eight adds,. Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.  Lot offered the men a compromise.  He said he would give his two daughters to the men of Sodom instead of the two men under his protection.  I am not sure how his daughters felt about this, but I imagine that it would have caused them to lose respect for Lot, if they didn't hate him.  We cannot compromise by offering one sin in place of another.  Verse nine declares, And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.  The men of Sodom said Lot was a sojourner and was attempting to judge them, and that they would treat him even worse than the two strangers.  People intent on doing evil will quite often treat those who attempt to stop them very badly.  Verse ten states, But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.  The men inside Lot's house pulled him back inside.  It is always good when we have someone to back us up in times of trouble.  Verse eleven declares, And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.  The angels caused the men outside to go blind, and they couldn't even find Lot's door.  Though it was good that Lot attempted to protect them, they really didn't need his protection.  Verse twelve adds, And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:  The angels ended up protecting Lot and his family and told them to flee the city.  Sometimes, removing ourselves from evil situations is the best thing we can do.  I say sometimes because at times God may send us into an evil environment to share the gospel, but we need to make sure that is what He is leading us to do.  Verse thirteen concludes, For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.  This is further proof that the angels did not need Lot's protection.  God had sent them to destroy Sodom.  Sometimes, we just have to get out of the way and let God deal with a situation.  One thing more to note is that we never see Lot seeking God's guidance during this time.  When we are confronted with evil, the first thing we must do is seek God's guidance.