Pastor Billington's Blog

Genesis 20

Again? Really?!?!? Does the fact that God intervenes for Abraham mean that he’ll always intervene for us when we do something stupid? No! God intervenes here because of His promise. He is protecting His name, not just keeping Abraham from a huge mistake. But in His graciousness He is still willing to use Abraham in His plans (“he will pray for you”), and Abimelech’s fear of the Lord brings Abraham wealth.

Some think that it’s impossible that Abraham would do this twice. But there are two statements that help us to understand the time and the culture: “they will kill me for my wife’s sake,” and “Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.” Abraham and Sarah had apparently worked all of this out ahead of time because of Abraham’s fear. But if He really trusted God and His promises, why would He fear? Sarah hadn’t conceived yet!

Thought for the day: Do you have a “pet” sin that you keep returning to?

Proverbs 26:11 (WEB) “As a dog that returns to his vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly.”

Romans 6:1-2 (WEB) “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? May it never be! We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer?”

Ephesians 4:22-24 (WEB) “if indeed you heard him and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus: that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.”

Genesis 19

There is so much sexual immorality in this chapter. Homosexuality. Rape. Incest. It mirrors modern society. Every day we pick up the news and read of teachers sleeping with students, of married couples cheating on one another, of children being molested, of people pushing ungodly sexual agendas, of rapes, and maybe even worse. It shouldn’t surprise us. It’s been around forever because it’s a part of human nature. However, we as Christians are called to be better!

1 Corinthians 5:1 (WEB) “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife.”

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (WEB) “Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor extortionists, will inherit God’s Kingdom. Some of you were such, but you were washed. You were sanctified. You were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the Spirit of our God.”

Colossians 3:5 (WEB) “Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

Notice that it’s not just Lot’s wife who doesn’t want to leave her old life behind. Lot hesitates (19:16) and then requests to be taken to civilization (19:20). It’s once again like we’re looking in a mirror. How often would we rather stay in the world than do what God wants us to do?

Thought for the day: What can help us keep from sexual sin and encourage us to follow God?

Psalm 119:11 (WEB) “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

Genesis 18

Three men? A foreshadowing of the trinity? “The Lord appeared to him.” However you understand it, at least Abraham recognizes what’s happening and makes the appropriate response!

The name Isaac means “laughter” in Hebrew. God revealed that name after Abraham laughed (17:17), and here we have Sarah doing the same thing. The name probably becomes a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it would remind them of their doubt. But it would also remind them of their joy and the faithfulness of God!

Abraham expresses care, compassion, and trust in God when he pleads for Sodom and Gomorrah. Although some make a big issue out of the fact that Abraham didn’t go lower than 10, I’m guessing that this wasn’t just some sort of test. God knew what would happen and knew what Abraham would do. It also seems that Abraham was concerned because he understood the sinfulness of the cities of the plain, and he didn’t want to risk offending God.

Thought for the day: the humility Abraham displays both in serving/worshiping God and questioning God is something we should emulate.

James 4:10 (WEB) “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.”

Genesis 17

God gives circumcision to the Jewish people as a mark that they are His. He also changes Abram’s and Sarai’s names as a reminder of His promise. Has God done anything to mark us and remind us of His promise?

Colossians 2:11-12 (WEB) “In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.”

Abraham still finds it incredible that Sarah could get pregnant, but God assures him it is through her and in Isaac that the covenant will be fulfilled. And, to Abraham’s credit, he does exactly what God told him to do!

Thought for the day: God desires obedience!

Matthew 21:28-31 ” ‘But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said, “Son, go work today in my vineyard.” He answered, “I will not,” but afterward he changed his mind, and went. He came to the second, and said the same thing. He answered, “I’m going, sir,” but he didn’t go. Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said to him, ‘The first.’ “

Genesis 16

Trusting can be difficult at times. Abram and Sarai attempt to take matters into their own hands here. To be fair, we don’t have proof that God told Abram that Sarai would be the natural mother of his children. However, the tenor of the passage suggests that they understood the promise and wanted to “help” God make His promise come true. After all, Abram is getting older, his wife seems barren, so something had to be done! The absolutely wrong thing, as it turns out, that causes generations of heartache. We should take a warning from this. Sometimes we want to forge ahead with what seem like a good idea to us. Perhaps waiting, praying, and observing would be good first steps before we rush into anything!

The “angel of the Lord” in the OT is often thought to be a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ, and Hagar seems to indicate that this angel is more than simply a messenger: “Have I even stayed alive after seeing him” (WEB)? God shows that He understands the fact that Hagar was put in a terrible predicament by Sarai and Abram. He also shows that He cares for her and her offspring by promising them a future, albeit a difficult one.

Genesis 16:12 “He will be like a wild donkey amongst men. His hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. He will live opposed to all of his brothers” (WEB).

Thought for the day: what does it mean to you that God sees you?

Hebrews 4:13 “There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.”

Genesis 15

Abram is worried because he doesn’t have an heir. God reassures him that one will come from his own body, and that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the sky. However, Abram wants assurances! Normally, when a covenant is ratified, both parties participate. Here only God passes between the carcasses. He promises to be faithful, even though Abram will occasionally lose his way. That’s why we can trust God!

Lamentations 3:22-23 “It is because of Yahweh’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassion doesn’t fail. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness.” (WEB)

Thought for the day: what does it mean to you that God is your shield, and exceeding great reward?

Psalm 28:7 “The LORD is my strength and my shield. My heart has trusted in him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart greatly rejoices. With my song I will thank him.”

Psalm 142:5 “I cried to you, LORD. I said, ‘You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.’ “

Genesis 14

A picture is worth a thousand words.

From The ESV Study Bible.

Abram shows both his bravery in rescuing Lot and his ongoing desire to honor God. Following his victory, Abram is led in worship by the priest/king Melchizedek (“king of righteousness”), who then receives Abram’s thanksgiving offering. Melchizedek is recognized in the New Testament as a type of Christ.

Hebrews 6:20-7:3 “where as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all (being first, by interpretation, ‘king of righteousness’, and then also ‘king of Salem’, which means ‘king of peace’, without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God), remains a priest continually.”

In rejecting the king of Sodom’s offer of material goods Abram shows that he isn’t a bounty hunter in it for gain, or a vassal of a king. He is a servant of the “God Most High,” and he wanted any blessing he received to be unequivocally from the LORD.

Thought for the day: gifts to God through His servants are one way he has established for us to show thanks to him.

2 Corinthians 9:7 “Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Genesis 13

God reaffirms His promise to Abram and expands on it. Not only will his descendants be “as the dust of the earth,” but they will also possess the entirety of the land of Canaan.

Abraham is gracious towards Lot, and Lot chooses the well-watered land. Unfortunately, that will be his undoing. Lot’s choice reminds us that when we choose the world, trouble is always the outcome: “Now the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinners against the LORD” (WEB).

Thought for the day: worldliness is always devastating!

1 John 2:15-17 “Don’t love the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father’s love isn’t in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—isn’t the Father’s, but is the world’s. The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God’s will remains forever” (WEB).

Genesis 12

With God’s call of Abram, we now see the beginning of God’s people. God promises to give Abram a place, protection, and progeny. However, the greatest promise is that God will bless all the families of the earth through him!

Galatians 3:8-9 “The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Good News beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘In you all the nations will be blessed.’ So then, those who are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham.”

Although a heralded man of faith and obedience (Hebrews 11:8-10), Abram also felt fear. God protected him when he misled others about his wife, but we shouldn’t misread that situation. In protecting Abram, God was protecting His own promise (“I will make you into a great nation”). God doesn’t always promise to protect us from our own fear and stupidity. Although used mightily, most of the patriarch’s lives reveal significant flaws in their walks with God. I think that should give us hope. God can still work in our lives when we aren’t perfect.

Thought for the day: Even when you fall or fail, God is there to pick you up and he is still willing to use you!

Micah 7:8 “Don’t rejoice against me, my enemy. When I fall, I will arise. When I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me.”