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THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may go to the archive at the bottom of the main page and find it.
Bruce McGee
P.O. Box 69
Columbia, LA 71418
GENESIS
CHAPTER 18
1 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; 2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, 3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: 4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: 5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.
Abraham was resting in the cool of the tent shade when he saw three men approaching.
One he recognized as ______________ (see vs 3 "my Lord").
Abraham offered to get them water to wash their feet, which is a sign of welcome.
He also offered to feed them, which is a sign of commitment to their persons.
6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. 7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. 8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. 9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
How long do you suppose the Lord had to wait for these things to be done?
Think about it now. The calf is not even butchered yet. The bread must be made
in a wood cook stove. No microwaves or fancy ovens here!
God is not in a HURRY! We should hurry to serve Him, but He
is in no hurry!
10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. 12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
After the meal, the Lord asked about Sarah (as if He didn't know).
Then He made the statement that Sarah would soon have a son.
Sarah heard (she was out of sight, but not out of hearing), and laughed.
She thought it was incredible, incomprehensible to bear a child at her age.
13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? 14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. 15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
Nothing is hidden from the Lord! He heard her laugh, even though it may have been quiet.
And even though she laughed, God still promised.
"Is anything too hard for the Lord?"
Keep that in mind. NOTHING is hidden from the Lord.
Adam and Eve tried it, Cain tried it -- it NEVER works!
16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. 17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 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 judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
As a good host, Abraham began to walk with the Lord, when He was leaving.
"Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do.." seems to be a negative
statement rather than a question. It seems that the Lord is saying, "I shall not
hide from Abraham what I am about to do."
And then, the Lord gave two reasons why He would not hide this from Abraham.
One, Abraham is a friend, and is dear to God's heart. ((See John 15:15))
Two, Abraham must know in order to teach his family and descendents properly.
Ps. 25:14 says, "The secret of the LORD is with them that fear Him; and He
will show them His covenant."
Prov. 3:32 says, "For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but
His secret is with the righteous."
Amos 3:7 says, "Surely the LORD GOD will do nothing, but He revealeth
His secret unto His servants the prophets.
God wants His people to know what He is doing and going to do so that they can
be prepared and teach their children to be prepared.
20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; 21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. 22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
The Lord makes the announcement, and His two angels go on to do the work.
However, Abraham detains the Lord Himself with pleading.
Now THERE'S a thought! God STOPS to hear his praying servants,
but the work goes on according to His plan!
24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? 26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. 27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: 28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. 29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake. 30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there. 31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake. 32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.
Look carefully at HOW Abraham prayed.
First, he boldly stood before the Lord and made his request.
How could he DO that? He KNEW God! And he KNEW he would be accepted.
Heb. 4:16 says, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
When we are saved and washed in the blood of Christ, we are given HIS righteousness.
And we have ACCESS to the throne and heart of God.
Second, Abraham was very humble in his pleading.
To have access to God's throne and heart is a blessing;
but let us never come arrogantly as a spoiled child!
Let us come humbly as the servants we are!
Third, Abraham was very persistent in his prayer.
We should continue to pray, because God is willing to listen!
In fact, believing God is merciful and gracious causes us to
persist in prayer for the lost. 2Pet. 3:9 says,
"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count
slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any
should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
God desires that all should be saved.
It is our duty as Christians to pray for those we know are lost.
TODAY there is still time for them to be saved.
There may BE no tomorrow. Therefore let us boldly approach
God in genuine humility and PLEAD for the lost!
33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.
You will notice that God did not leave Abraham until he was finished praying.
God is not in a hurry. He will listen to ALL our prayers.
Abraham had asked God about saving the city for 50; then for 45; then for 40; then for 30; then for 20; then for 10 righteous (saved) people.
God promised He would save the WHOLE city if there were only TEN
saved people there.
God WANTS to save people. But it is the saved people who must
pray earnestly for the condition of the world!
2Chronicles 7:14 says,"If my people, which are called by my name, shall
humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked
ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will
heal their land."
It is the saved who are responsible for the condition of the world!
Are you praying for the lost?
Are you praying for those in authority?
Are you praying for revival among the saints?
Are you praying?
Please continue to follow along in Bible study with us.