Genesis Bible Study

Genesis Bible Study Chapter 18

by Amy Gentry

 

 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him (Abraham).

“There, in the tent,” he said.

¹⁰ Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”

Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. ¹¹ Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. ¹² So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

¹³ Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ ¹⁴ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

¹⁵ Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”

But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.” Genesis 9-15

 
The Promise:

·       The promise of an heir is repeated.  Hearing the promise repeated was a source of encouragement to continue to help develop Abraham and Sarah’s faith.  “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” Romans 10:17. 

·       God spoke directly to Abraham concerning Sarah’s doubt, just like God dealt with Adam concerning Eve, Sarah under Abraham leadership. 

·       In her weakness, Sarah doubted how the LORD would fulfil His promise, but ever faithful, he did not take the promise away from them.  “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13).  The LORD heard Sarah laughing within herself, not even our doubt or weariness is hidden from the LORD.   He is still faithful, even when we are not. 

·       Could there be another reason why the promise was repeated?  “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?” vs.12b —Was Sarah in menopause and Abraham having an arthritic back, both of them suffering the anguish of advanced age?  Were they not engaging in intimacy anymore?

Abraham Pleads for Sodom:

·       v.22-23 “…Abraham remained standing before the Lord. Then Abraham approached him…”  After finding out what the LORD planned to do, Abraham was compelled to intercede on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah, he did it by standing before the LORD and approaching Him.

·       v. 23 “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?”  Abraham knew the LORD was loving and wouldn’t condemn the innocent for the sake of the guilty.

·       Abraham was not only concerned for Lot’s family, but took it a step further and was concerned for any other innocent person in the town.  Abraham wanted to know where the line was, at what point would enough be enough.  Why did Abraham quit petitioning at 10?  Did Abraham assume Lot had already had an influence over those in his household and under his employment which they would have become a righteous people because of Lot’s influence?

God destroyed the whole earth and only saved Noah’s family, why wouldn’t He destroy Sodom and only save Lot’s family?