Old Testament - Genesis 18 - February 14, 2022

 2/14/2022 – Genesis 18

We knew, before we came to earth, that coming here would be a test: Would we be able to keep our faith in our Heavenly Father when we no longer lived in His presence? Would we be able to handle the good things that would come into our lives? Would we be able to handle the bad things that would come into our lives? Could we live our earthly life as uprightly as we had imagined in our pre-existence?

Abraham and Sarah had waited well into their old age, hoping for a child, and probably now, when Sarah is well past the age of having children, verse 1 tells us that the Lord appeared unto Abraham as he sat in the door of his tent on a hot day. We have no record of what the Lord said to Abraham, or what Abraham said to the Lord. But we do know that after the Lord departed from Abraham, that very soon after that “three men stood by him”.  The JST states that “the angels…were holy men, and were sent forth after the order of God.”

Perhaps the Lord told him that messengers would soon come to him. But no matter what had gone on in the Lord’s conversation with Abraham, Abraham knew these were very special men. After he had fed these men and had made them comfortable, they spoke to him asking where Sarah was. He answered she was in the tent. They then told Abraham that “Sarah thy wife shall have a son”. ...Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. (v 9) V 11 reminds us that Sarah and Abraham “were old and well stricken in age”. Then v 12 tells us: “Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” Then “the Lord said unto Abraham” [referring to Sarah’s laughter and lack of understanding] asking “Is any thing too hard for the Lord?” (v 14)  

Often in the scriptures, the servants of the Lord are astonished beyond belief at the miraculous goodness of the Lord. If the Lord has promised it, it will come. We need to be patient, pay attention that our growth leads us toward the Lord, and know that promises will come even though that appears impossible to our view.

The Lord knows us all. He knew Abraham well. “For I know him, that he will command his children, and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgement; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. (v 14)  As a parent that tells me that if Bob and I can train our children well, they will follow their parents’ teaching them of the Lord’s commandments, and that will enable the Lord to bestow his blessings on us all.  

At this point in my life, I see that our family did not fully follow in the way we had hoped, yes, even in the way we know was best. Bob and I will continue to follow the instructions the Lord has given us in His scriptures, and we will follow our living prophets.  We will work to understand the gospel more fully and deeply. And we will continue to love our children, and see all their goodness, and pray for them to reassess their thoughts about the things that disturbed them, and possibly see those things in a different light.

In v 20 this chapter switches over to serious sins of those who lived in Sodom and Gomorrah, and the Lord’s decision to destroy those cities and those who lived in them. Abraham asked the Lord, “Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?” (v 22) Abraham continues talking with the Lord. Asking if there were 50 righteous people in those cities, would the Lord not destroy them. But hen Abraham had to approach the Lord several more times, lowering the number of righteous people who could be found. His final question was if there were 10 righteous people would he not destroy the cities, and the Lord gave Abraham that promise. Unfortunately, there were NOT ten righteous people to be found. Lot had been righteous when he first arrived, but as he lived around such amazing unrighteousness, Lot began to slide. In the end he was saved, but his wife still held much desire to stay with the unrighteous and thus, she was also destroyed. 

All of these situations teach me to trust always in the Lord. To come to Him morning and night with gratitude for all the good things of that day, and with questions of how to overcome, or fix—I guess repent is the word I’m look for—to describe those times when I could have done better, and try to make amends, and to learn from my weaknesses. That’s how we grow stronger.