Journey Through the Bible in a Year
Reading God's Word and learning more about His plan for my life each day!
Monday, September 23, 2002
Introduction to Journey Through the Bible
A note about online study
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, as I read Your word in the Book of Genesis, I find over and over again that You tell Your plans to Abraham. I pray that You will speak clearly to me each day of Your plans in our world today. I don’t ask that You give me every detail of my life, but that You impress on my heart Your overarching plan for humanity, and my role in it. I thank You that I may always come to You and express my joys, concerns, questions and confusion about life around me. I thank You for Your written word which makes so many things clear. And I thank You that when I don’t understand Your word Your Holy Spirit is always available to lead me into all truth. Most of all I thank You for Jesus and His making You real to me, and opening the door to a personal relationship with You. All these things I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
My Journey Verses for Today
Genesis 18:16 - 19:29
16 Then the men got up from their meal and started on toward Sodom. Abraham went with them part of the way. 17 "Should I hide my plan from Abraham?" the LORD asked. 18 "For Abraham will become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. 19 I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the LORD and do what is right and just. Then I will do for him all that I have promised." 20 So the LORD told Abraham, "I have heard that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah are extremely evil, and that everything they do is wicked. 21 I am going down to see whether or not these reports are true. Then I will know." 22 The two other men went on toward Sodom, but the LORD remained with Abraham for a while.
23 Abraham approached him and said, "Will you destroy both innocent and guilty alike? 24 Suppose you find fifty innocent people there within the city – will you still destroy it, and not spare it for their sakes? 25 Surely you wouldn't do such a thing, destroying the innocent with the guilty. Why, you would be treating the innocent and the guilty exactly the same! Surely you wouldn't do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?" 26 And the LORD replied, "If I find fifty innocent people in Sodom, I will spare the entire city for their sake." 27 Then Abraham spoke again. "Since I have begun, let me go on and speak further to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes. 28 Suppose there are only forty-five? Will you destroy the city for lack of five?" And the LORD said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five." 29 Then Abraham pressed his request further. "Suppose there are only forty?" And the LORD replied, "I will not destroy it if there are forty." 30 "Please don't be angry, my Lord," Abraham pleaded. "Let me speak – suppose only thirty are found?" And the LORD replied, "I will not destroy it if there are thirty." 31 Then Abraham said, "Since I have dared to speak to the Lord, let me continue – suppose there are only twenty?" And the LORD said, "Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty." 32 Finally, Abraham said, "Lord, please do not get angry; I will speak but once more! Suppose only ten are found there?" And the LORD said, "Then, for the sake of the ten, I will not destroy it." 33 The LORD went on his way when he had finished his conversation with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his tent.
1 That evening the two angels came to the entrance of the city of Sodom, and Lot was sitting there as they arrived. When he saw them, he stood up to meet them. Then he welcomed them and bowed low to the ground. 2 "My lords," he said, "come to my home to wash your feet, and be my guests for the night. You may then get up in the morning as early as you like and be on your way again.""Oh no," they said, "we'll just spend the night out here in the city square." 3 But Lot insisted, so at last they went home with him. He set a great feast before them, complete with fresh bread made without yeast. After the meal, 4 as they were preparing to retire for the night, all the men of Sodom, young and old, came from all over the city and surrounded the house. 5 They shouted to Lot, "Where are the men who came to spend the night with you? Bring them out so we can have sex with them." 6 Lot stepped outside to talk to them, shutting the door behind him. 7 "Please, my brothers," he begged, "don't do such a wicked thing. 8 Look – I have two virgin daughters. Do with them as you wish, but leave these men alone, for they are under my protection." 9 "Stand back!" they shouted. "Who do you think you are? We let you settle among us, and now you are trying to tell us what to do! We'll treat you far worse than those other men!" And they lunged at Lot and began breaking down the door. 10 But the two angels reached out and pulled Lot in and bolted the door. 11 Then they blinded the men of Sodom so they couldn't find the doorway. 12 "Do you have any other relatives here in the city?" the angels asked. "Get them out of this place – sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone else. 13 For we will destroy the city completely. The stench of the place has reached the LORD, and he has sent us to destroy it." 14 So Lot rushed out to tell his daughters' fianc‚s, "Quick, get out of the city! The LORD is going to destroy it." But the young men thought he was only joking.
15 At dawn the next morning the angels became insistent. "Hurry," they said to Lot. "Take your wife and your two daughters who are here. Get out of here right now, or you will be caught in the destruction of the city." 16 When Lot still hesitated, the angels seized his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters and rushed them to safety outside the city, for the LORD was merciful. 17 "Run for your lives!" the angels warned. "Do not stop anywhere in the valley. And don't look back! Escape to the mountains, or you will die." 18 "Oh no, my lords, please," Lot begged. 19 "You have been so kind to me and saved my life, and you have granted me such mercy. But I cannot go to the mountains. Disaster would catch up to me there, and I would soon die. 20 See, there is a small village nearby. Please let me go there instead; don't you see how small it is? Then my life will be saved." 21 "All right," the angel said, "I will grant your request. I will not destroy that little village. 22 But hurry! For I can do nothing until you are there." From that time on, that village was known as Zoar. 23 The sun was rising as Lot reached the village. 24 Then the LORD rained down fire and burning sulfur from the heavens on Sodom and Gomorrah. 25 He utterly destroyed them, along with the other cities and villages of the plain, eliminating all life – people, plants, and animals alike. 26 But Lot's wife looked back as she was following along behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. 27 The next morning Abraham was up early and hurried out to the place where he had stood in the LORD's presence. 28 He looked out across the plain to Sodom and Gomorrah and saw columns of smoke and fumes, as from a furnace, rising from the cities there. 29 But God had listened to Abraham's request and kept Lot safe, removing him from the disaster that engulfed the cities on the plain.
Reflecting on God's Word for My Journey
What is at stake in the world around us when folks reject the Good News of Jesus?
A Deeper Exploration of God's Word for My Journey
What does God reveal to Abraham as His plan for Sodom and Gomorrah? What is Abraham’s response? (18:16-33)
What is the outcome of God’s intervention in Sodom and Gomorrah? (19:1-29)
Understanding God's Will for My Journey
What do we learn about God’s judgment and mercy from today’s Scripture reading?
Applying What God's Word Tells Me to My Journey
What is the most important application point of today’s reading for you?
My Personal Journey Thought for the Day—“Judgment and Mercy!”
God’s judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah was determined, but Abraham begged for mercy—primarily because he knew that his nephew Lot and Lot’s family were there. God agreed that the righteous would not be condemned with the unrighteous. The result? Four people were led safely out of the judgment, and one of them turned and looked back only to be destroyed herself. God has always preserved the righteous, though seldom so obviously as in today’s Scripture. God’s mercy always accompanies His judgment. Thank God for that!
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