Lot faced a moment of crisis as judgment approached Sodom. The angels urged him to flee to the hills for safety. Lot again hesitated. He feared the unknown and pleaded to escape instead to the small town of Zoar. Lot’s request revealed his attachment to comfort and the familiar, even as destruction loomed. His reluctance…

As dawn broke over Sodom, the angels urged Lot to take his family and flee. The warning was clear. Destruction was coming. Yet Lot hesitated. He could not let go of his possessions or his life in Sodom despite the wickedness and harm to the innocent that were occurring in that city. The text shows a man paralyzed by fear…

The angels delivered a clear and urgent warning to Lot. They told him to gather his family and leave Sodom because destruction was certain. The message was not a suggestion. It was a command from God. The angels even showed concern for Lot’s extended family, including his sons-in-law. God’s mercy reached beyond Lot’s immediate…

I should first define what I mean by "compromise" (or "acceptance") in this context. I define compromise/acceptance as allowing our moral and ethical values, our sense of right and wrong, to be defined by culture as opposed to being defined by God. Lot’s story in Sodom stands as a warning about the dangers…

Genesis 19 begins with a stark contrast between Abraham, Lot, and the people of Sodom. Abraham’s hospitality is characterized by honor and generosity as he welcomes the strangers visiting Sodom with dignity. Further, Abraham intercedes for all the citizens of Sodom. In contrast, Lot greets the two angels at the city gate. Whereas his…

Abraham stood before God and pleaded for Sodom. He did not turn away from the city’s wickedness or ignore its fate. Instead, he stepped into the role of intercessor. Abraham asked if God would spare the city for the sake of fifty righteous people, then forty-five, then forty, all the way…

The topic of judging is always a hot topic among Christians today. The narrative that leads us into the Sodom and Gomorrah situation helps us understand the place of judging in the life of a Christian. God calls His people to live out justice and righteousness, not just for themselves, but as a…

God visited Abraham’s tent with two others and asked about Sarah by name. One of the visitors, speaking as the Lord, promised that Sarah would have a son at the appointed time. The promise was clear and specific. Sarah listened from inside the tent. She was old. She had passed the age…

What is a theophany? Simply put, it is a physical manifestation of the Lord Himself. What is interesting is that throughout scripture, we see the Lord manifest Himself in various ways. In the last chapter, we saw a manifestation as “the Angel of the Lord.” In Exodus, the Lord manifests Himself on Mount Sinai with fire, dark clouds, thunder, and…

Abraham’s story shows that real faith always leads to action. When God commanded Abraham to circumcise every male in his household, Abraham responded immediately. He did not hesitate or delay. The text repeats the phrase “on that very day” to highlight the urgency and completeness of his obedience. Abraham included his son Ishmael, every…

God spoke directly to Abraham and declared that his wife’s name would no longer be Sarai but Sarah, meaning “princess.” This new name marked her as the mother of nations and kings. God included Sarah in the covenant, giving her a place of honor and promise. God said He would bless her and she would bear a son. This was not a vague…

God spoke to Abraham and established circumcision as the sign of His covenant. Every male in Abraham’s household, whether born into the family or brought in from outside, was to be circumcised. This act marked them as part of God’s people. Circumcision was not just a ritual. It was a visible sign of belonging, a reminder that God’s…

God spoke to Abraham and established a covenant that would last for all generations. He promised to be the God of Abraham and his descendants. God also pledged to give them the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession. The Hebrew word for everlasting, ʿôlām, shows that this covenant was not temporary. It was meant to endure…

God appeared to Abraham when he was ninety-nine years old, long after the first promise of a son. God introduced Himself as El Shaddai, the Almighty, and called Abraham to walk before Him and be blameless. This encounter did not come quickly. Thirteen years had passed since Ishmael’s birth. The long wait was not a mistake. God used the…

The Lord met Hagar in her distress and spoke words of hope. He promised to multiply her descendants beyond number, echoing the covenant made with Abram. Hagar, an Egyptian slave, received a divine promise usually reserved for patriarchs. God’s grace reached her in the wilderness and lifted her from despair. The Lord promised…

Genesis 16:7-9 tells the story of Hagar, an Egyptian servant, who fled into the wilderness after suffering harsh treatment from Sarai. Alone and pregnant, Hagar sat by a spring in the wilderness of Shur, a barren region near Egypt. At this moment, the angel of the Lord appeared to her. This is the first time the angel of the Lord appears…

Sarai’s plan to provide Abram with an heir through Hagar began as a culturally accepted solution to her barrenness. Yet, when Hagar conceived, the relationships unraveled. Sarai felt wronged and blamed Abram for her pain, even though she had initiated the arrangement. She appealed to the Lord to judge between them, using the Hebrew word for…

Sarai faced the pain of barrenness in a world where a woman's worth and security depended on children. Ten years had passed since God promised Abram descendants. Sarai saw no sign of fulfillment. She decided to act. Following the customs of her day, she offered her Egyptian servant Hagar to Abram as a surrogate. The hope was that Hagar would…

God revealed His faithfulness to Abram through a covenant ceremony that broke with every expectation of the ancient world. As darkness fell, a smoking firepot and a blazing torch—symbols of God's presence—passed between the divided animal pieces. Abram did nothing. He simply watched. In the ancient Near East, both parties…

God’s plan stands firm, even when human choices seem to threaten it. His justice is patient, and His timing is perfect. God revealed to Abram a vision that reached far beyond his own lifetime. As darkness fell, God caused a deep sleep to come over Abram. In that moment, God spoke…