Chapter 9-The Titanic Sinks (Genesis 19)

...but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. (Romans 2:8)

We live in a world that deals in compromise. Compromise in itself is not evil. We all make compromises at some point, whether it be on the negotiated purchase price of a home or car, or giving up a Saturday afternoon of reading in order to stain a deck (that's mine, by the way). There are, however, compromises that are sinful and lead to sin. In our passage this week, we see the final outworking of Lot's compromise with the wicked city of Sodom.

Although Lot was considered righteous (2 Peter 2:7-8), he was 'in the world' and 'of the world.' He was a man of authority in the city, and may have been involved in some aspect of the city's government. He also refers to the men of the city as 'brothers'. He had compromised by living with the wicked inhabitants of Sodom, and we know from 2 Peter that what he saw tormented his soul.

What a study in contrast between these two righteous men! Lot sits in the gate of Sodom with the wicked, as Abraham stands in the presence of God. To be sure, both Abraham and Lot are far from perfect, but note at least one difference. As Abraham intercedes for the righteous in Sodom (i.e., Lot), read again what Lot did after having been told by the angels that he and his family needed to flee for their very lives from the impending destruction of Sodom: He lingered. (v. 16) God's messengers had to drag Lot and his family from the coming doom. And our text says that this was due to God's mercy.

Do we linger in our own 'Sodom'?

How can we remain friends with the world when God has befriended us in Christ?

Do we realize that our being transferred from death to life by our union with Christ requires a response of gratitude and obedience?

Praise God for his mercy in dragging us away from situations that we linger in when we should flee! Even so, as we see with Lot, there are still consequences for our having remained where we should not, and for not having ran away when we should. But our Covenant God is faithful, and he will never leave us or forsake us. Romans 8:39 says that nothing in all creation (including our own ignorance, foolishness, and sin) will separate those of us who are in Christ from the love of God. That is a great comfort, and one that should drive us headlong into a life of praise, gratitude, and obedience to Almighty God, who has set his love upon us in Christ Jesus.

Chapter 8-God's Friend (Genesis 18)

...and he was called a friend of God (James 2:23)

In Genesis 18, we again see that God appeared to Abraham. In this passage, the appearance is specifically in the form of a man. But note that LORD is rendered in capitals, which means that the word could be translated YHWH ("I Am"), the name God reveals to Moses at the burning bush. And not only does God appear to Abraham in person, but indeed shares a meal with him. As Dr. Duguid states in our chapter, this is the only time Scripture records God eating food set before him prior to the incarnation of Christ. And given that no one has ever seen God the Father (John 6:46), many consider this to be an encounter with the pre-incarnate Christ. What a tremendous privilege to share a meal and be considered a friend of God, despite Abraham's faults and failures!

But consider this: While we were still enemies of God, he befriended us in Christ through his life, death and resurrection. (Romans 5:10-11) And furthermore, because of our union with Christ, we are called sons of God. (Romans 8:14, 9:26, Galatians 3:26) What unmerited favor! We who deserve eternal punishment for our sin against The Most High have been graciously given the gift of God himself! Do we too often neglect to remember that the same God who fashioned our bodies, and who keeps them functioning from moment to moment, dwells within us by his Spirit? Even our failure to keep the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37) has been forgiven through the sacrifice of Christ!

As we see in Genesis 18:16 and following, God includes Abraham in the discussion of his plans for Sodom and Gomorrah. The intimacy of the covenant extends beyond Abraham's current and future part in God's plan, to include even God's plans for those who "sin is very grave." We then see that Abraham asks God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah if ten righteous men can be found in the city. We should not underestimate what God can do with a few righteous people in the midst of the unrighteous. Is this not what we see unfolding in the New Testament with the growth of the early Church? We must not forget whose righteousness the righteous have, and by whose power the gospel of Christ goes forth and bears fruit.

Colossians 2:8-15 encapsulates many of the themes we have been discussing over the past few weeks in a way that hearkens back to the covenant made with Abraham and its sign of circumcision, the futility, ignorance and evil seen in Sodom and Gomorrah, and the grace-filled majesty and sufficiency of the life, death and resurrection of Christ, by which the promises and purposes of God are fulfilled, in whom we are redeemed, and by whom evil is conquered.

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

And viewing this present world--in which the sons and daughters of disobedience follow the prince of the power of the air and their own desires--as analogous to that of Sodom and Gomorrah, we can apply Redeemer's own vision: God's reason for tomorrow is our mission today--and as friends, sons, and daughters of God in Christ, we can boldly proclaim the good news with full confidence that our Covenant God will be faithful.

Chapter 7-Our Covenant God (Genesis 17)

In our text for this week, we see that God appears to Abram and declares, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” Abram promptly falls on his face, and God proceeds to expound upon the covenant promise He had previously made to Abram, including the changing of his name to Abraham, which was a common practice in ancient times following the the establishment of a covenant between a greater king and a lesser king. He then states the reason for changing Abram's name: "...[F]or I have made you the father of a multitude of nations." Not only is God sovereign in His establishment of the covenant, but He ensures that the covenant will be fulfilled according to His plan and purpose.

This is not the only instance in which God speaks of future fulfillment in the past tense. In Romans 8:29-30, Paul states, "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified." God decrees His plans from eternity past, and carries them out in time (history). He declares the end from the beginning, from times past things not yet done. Scripture shows that He will accomplish all that He has purposed to do. (Isaiah 46:10)

As spiritual descendants of Abraham, recipients of the blessings promised to him, we are God's covenant people; ours is a circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit. (Romans 2:29) We are obligated to recognize that God has called us and set us apart from the world. We are to live our lives in a manner accordant with the God who did not spare His own Son, but gave him up for us that we might have eternal life through union with Him. We have been made alive together in Christ, and we are to direct others (spouses, children, friends) who have received the sign of the covenant to remember the God who called us into the covenant, in whom we can put our full confidence and trust, and by whom we will finally be brought into the resplendent presence of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Chapter 6-Faith Stumbling (Genesis 16)

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my salvation and my glory;
my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah

--Psalm 62:5-8

In this week's text, we see that Abram did not wait on God, but rather tried to move the promise of God toward fulfillment by his own means. And as is regularly the case, the outcome is less than desirable.

The temptation to lean (and act) upon our own understanding instead of trusting the Lord may sometimes come from those closest to us. In a strikingly similar picture of the temptation in the Garden of Eden, Sarai tells Abram to take Hagar as his wife, in order that Sarai might obtain children by her servant. Abram obeys, Hagar conceives, and strife follows.

However, it was God alone who had signified that He would fulfill the promises to Abram, and that He would bear the curse should the covenant be transgressed. His word alone is upright, and He alone is always faithful. While there were consequences for Abram and Sarai's disobedience, God would--in a very real and final manner, through Jesus Christ--be cursed on our behalf and fulfill His promises to Abram.

As stated on page 72 of our book, all of our sin, failure, and faithlessness has been poured out upon and punished in Christ our Redeemer. And his perfect righteousness and faithfulness has been credited to us. God has worked in and through the sin and failures of his people throughout history, culminating in His reconciling us to Himself in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Here is love, despite our stumbling faith: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Chapter 5-Faith Laying Hold of God (Genesis 15)

Do you ever doubt the promises of God? On the one hand, it seems to be a ridiculous question to ask of people who believe in the infallibility (incapability of error) and sufficiency (providing everything needed for life and godliness) of Scripture. But on the other hand, what happens when we are in the midst of trials and temptations? Do we always respond in a way that accords with our beliefs?

In our text, we see that Abram had fears and doubts. He had no offspring to inherit the promised land, and furthermore, the promised land was not yet his! But what does Abram do? He brings his concerns to God. And in response, God further reveals His plan to make of Abram a great nation, pointing Abram to the night sky and stating that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars he sees.

What God does next was quite spectacular, both for Abram, and for us. God 'cuts a covenant' with Abram, but what is unique about this particular covenant is that it is God Himself who walks between the animals that had been cut, symbolizing that God would bear the curse on behalf of Abram and his descendants if the covenant was broken.

Indeed, in Christ, we see the curse associated with the breach of the covenant pronounced and carried out. God the Son bore the wrath that was rightly ours, so that we might be reconciled to Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 perhaps states it best: "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." And because of this, even in the midst of fear and doubt, we can lay our concerns at the feet of Christ, and by faith lay hold of God's promise, knowing with certainty that He Who Is Faithful will surely bring His people to the eternal promised land.