Arms Reaching

Good morning everyone – Today we will read from Genesis 22-24, which includes the very well known story of God asking Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, followed by the death of Sarah and Isaac marries Rebekah. You can find today’s scriptures at:

https://www.biblegateway.com/reading-plans/beginning/2023/01/07?version=NIV

Things to Ponder:

Why did God ask Abraham to sacrifice Isaac?

Why did Abraham insist on purchasing a burial site for Sarah?

What is the significance of the story of Isaac and Rebekah’s marriage?

Things to Ponder from Day 6:

What were the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah? – In Genesis 18 the Lord says “Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave” But what was their sin, sadly while politically incorrect to say this, the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was homosexuality. In fact the term to describe anal sex between two men is called Sodomy. Then in Chapter 19 the two angels that visited Lot were disguised as men and the men of the town called out to Lot to bring them the men that were his guests so that they “so that we can have sex with them.” I have heard other pastors declare the actual sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was inhospitality, well I guess being gang raped in the public square would be inhospitable.

Why did Lot offer his daughters to the men of Sodom? – This question has puzzled me for years! I, as a father, would fight to my death to protect my daughters from being gang raped yet Lot offers them to be a sacrifice to protect his visitors. The visitors both angels of the Lord are far more capable of handling the situation than Lot. The bible does not give us a clear answer so we are left to ponder this question ourselves.

What were the consequences of Lot’s daughters actions? – After the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah Lot and his daughters escaped to a cave. Thinking that there would be no men left to repopulate the world they become pregnant after sleeping with a drunken Lot. The resulting offspring Moab and Ben-Ammi would become the fathers of the Moabites and Amorites, two tribes the Jews would later have to fight to enter the promised land.

What were the consequences of Sarah offering Hagar to Abraham when she doubted God? Perhaps the most devastating consequence for doubting the Lord our God is the story of Sarah and Hagar. Ishmael, the first born of Abraham, whom Sarah despises is forced out camp with his mother, Hagar. Ishmael would become the founder of the Ishmaelites. Muslim tradition trace the heritage of Mohammed back to Ishmael. To the Muslim world, Ishmael was the first born of Abraham and therefore Ishmael is the founder of the great Nation as promised by God to Abraham.

That is it for today!

Thank you for participating