Genesis 18

18 1 וַיֵּרָ֤א אֵלָיו֙ יְהוָ֔ה בְּאֵלֹנֵ֖י מַמְרֵ֑א וְה֛וּא יֹשֵׁ֥ב פֶּֽתַח ־ הָאֹ֖הֶל כְּחֹ֥ם הַיּֽוֹם ׃ 2 וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּה֙ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֔ים נִצָּבִ֖ים עָלָ֑יו וַיַּ֗רְא וַיָּ֤רָץ לִקְרָאתָם֙ מִפֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֔הֶל וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ אָֽרְצָה ׃ 3 וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֲדֹנָ֗י אִם ־ נָ֨א מָצָ֤אתִי חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ אַל ־ נָ֥א תַעֲבֹ֖ר מֵעַ֥ל עַבְדֶּֽךָ ׃ 4 יֻקַּֽח ־ נָ֣א מְעַט ־ מַ֔יִם וְרַחֲצ֖וּ רַגְלֵיכֶ֑ם וְהִֽשָּׁעֲנ֖וּ תַּ֥חַת הָעֵֽץ ׃ 5 וְאֶקְחָ֨ה פַת ־ לֶ֜חֶם וְסַעֲד֤וּ לִבְּכֶם֙ אַחַ֣ר תַּעֲבֹ֔רוּ כִּֽי ־ עַל ־ כֵּ֥ן עֲבַרְתֶּ֖ם עַֽל ־ עַבְדְּכֶ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ כֵּ֥ן תַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּֽרְתָּ ׃ 6 וַיְמַהֵ֧ר אַבְרָהָ֛ם הָאֹ֖הֱלָה אֶל ־ שָׂרָ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מַהֲרִ֞י שְׁלֹ֤שׁ סְאִים֙ קֶ֣מַח סֹ֔לֶת ל֖וּשִׁי וַעֲשִׂ֥י עֻגֽוֹת ׃ 7 וְאֶל ־ הַבָּקָ֖ר רָ֣ץ אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיִּקַּ֨ח בֶּן ־ בָּקָ֜ר רַ֤ךְ וָטוֹב֙ וַיִּתֵּ֣ן אֶל ־ הַנַּ֔עַר וַיְמַהֵ֖ר לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת אֹתֽוֹ ׃ 8 וַיִּקַּ֨ח חֶמְאָ֜ה וְחָלָ֗ב וּבֶן ־ הַבָּקָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וַיִּתֵּ֖ן לִפְנֵיהֶ֑ם וְהֽוּא ־ עֹמֵ֧ד עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם תַּ֥חַת הָעֵ֖ץ וַיֹּאכֵֽלוּ ׃ 9 וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵׄלָׄ֔יׄוׄ 1 אַיֵּ֖ה שָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתֶּ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנֵּ֥ה בָאֹֽהֶל ׃ 10 וַיֹּ֗אמֶר שׁ֣וֹב אָשׁ֤וּב אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ כָּעֵ֣ת חַיָּ֔ה וְהִנֵּה ־ בֵ֖ן לְשָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתֶּ֑ךָ וְשָׂרָ֥ה שֹׁמַ֛עַת פֶּ֥תַח הָאֹ֖הֶל וְה֥וּא אַחֲרָֽיו ׃ 11 וְאַבְרָהָ֤ם וְשָׂרָה֙ זְקֵנִ֔ים בָּאִ֖ים בַּיָּמִ֑ים חָדַל֙ לִהְי֣וֹת לְשָׂרָ֔ה אֹ֖רַח כַּנָּשִֽׁים ׃ 12 וַתִּצְחַ֥ק שָׂרָ֖ה בְּקִרְבָּ֣הּ לֵאמֹ֑ר אַחֲרֵ֤י בְלֹתִי֙ הָֽיְתָה ־ לִּ֣י עֶדְנָ֔ה וַֽאדֹנִ֖י זָקֵֽן ׃ 13 וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל ־ אַבְרָהָ֑ם לָ֣מָּה זֶּה֩ צָחֲקָ֨ה שָׂרָ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר הַאַ֥ף אֻמְנָ֛ם אֵלֵ֖ד וַאֲנִ֥י זָקַֽנְתִּי ׃ 14 הֲיִפָּלֵ֥א מֵיְהוָ֖ה דָּבָ֑ר לַמּוֹעֵ֞ד אָשׁ֥וּב אֵלֶ֛יךָ כָּעֵ֥ת חַיָּ֖ה וּלְשָׂרָ֥ה בֵֽן ׃ 15 וַתְּכַחֵ֨שׁ שָׂרָ֧ה ׀ לֵאמֹ֛ר לֹ֥א צָחַ֖קְתִּי כִּ֣י ׀ יָרֵ֑אָה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ׀ לֹ֖א כִּ֥י צָחָֽקְתְּ ׃ 16 וַיָּקֻ֤מוּ מִשָּׁם֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַיַּשְׁקִ֖פוּ עַל ־ פְּנֵ֣י סְדֹ֑ם וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם הֹלֵ֥ךְ עִמָּ֖ם לְשַׁלְּחָֽם ׃ 17 וַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אָמָ֑ר הַֽמְכַסֶּ֤ה אֲנִי֙ מֵֽאַבְרָהָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֲנִ֥י עֹשֶֽׂה ׃ 18 וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם הָי֧וֹ יִֽהְיֶ֛ה לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל וְעָצ֑וּם וְנִ֨בְרְכוּ ב֔וֹ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ ׃ 19 כִּ֣י יְדַעְתִּ֗יו לְמַעַן֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְצַוֶּ֜ה אֶת ־ בָּנָ֤יו וְאֶת ־ בֵּיתוֹ֙ אַחֲרָ֔יו וְשָֽׁמְרוּ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יְהוָ֔ה לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת צְדָקָ֖ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט לְמַ֗עַן הָבִ֤יא יְהוָה֙ עַל ־ אַבְרָהָ֔ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר ־ דִּבֶּ֖ר עָלָֽיו ׃ 20 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֔ה זַעֲקַ֛ת סְדֹ֥ם וַעֲמֹרָ֖ה כִּי ־ רָ֑בָּה וְחַ֨טָּאתָ֔ם כִּ֥י כָבְדָ֖ה מְאֹֽד ׃ 21 אֵֽרֲדָה ־ נָּ֣א וְאֶרְאֶ֔ה הַכְּצַעֲקָתָ֛הּ הַבָּ֥אָה אֵלַ֖י עָשׂ֣וּ ׀ כָּלָ֑ה וְאִם ־ לֹ֖א אֵדָֽעָה ׃ 22 וַיִּפְנ֤וּ מִשָּׁם֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ סְדֹ֑מָה וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם עוֹדֶ֥נּוּ עֹמֵ֖ד לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה ׃ 23 וַיִּגַּ֥שׁ אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַאַ֣ף תִּסְפֶּ֔ה צַדִּ֖יק עִם ־ רָשָֽׁע ׃ 24 אוּלַ֥י יֵ֛שׁ חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים צַדִּיקִ֖ם בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֑יר הַאַ֤ף תִּסְפֶּה֙ וְלֹא ־ תִשָּׂ֣א לַמָּק֔וֹם לְמַ֛עַן חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים הַצַּדִּיקִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּקִרְבָּֽהּ ׃ 25 חָלִ֨לָה לְּךָ֜ מֵעֲשֹׂ֣ת ׀ כַּדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה לְהָמִ֤ית צַדִּיק֙ עִם ־ רָשָׁ֔ע וְהָיָ֥ה כַצַּדִּ֖יק כָּרָשָׁ֑ע חָלִ֣לָה לָּ֔ךְ הֲשֹׁפֵט֙ כָּל ־ הָאָ֔רֶץ לֹ֥א יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה מִשְׁפָּֽט ׃ 26 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֔ה אִם ־ אֶמְצָ֥א בִסְדֹ֛ם חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים צַדִּיקִ֖ם בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֑יר וְנָשָׂ֥אתִי לְכָל ־ הַמָּק֖וֹם בַּעֲבוּרָֽם ׃ 27 וַיַּ֥עַן אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הִנֵּה ־ נָ֤א הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל ־ אֲדֹנָ֔י וְאָנֹכִ֖י עָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר ׃ 28 א֠וּלַי יַחְסְר֞וּן חֲמִשִּׁ֤ים הַצַּדִּיקִם֙ חֲמִשָּׁ֔ה הֲתַשְׁחִ֥ית בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה אֶת ־ כָּל ־ הָעִ֑יר וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִ֔ית אִם ־ אֶמְצָ֣א שָׁ֔ם אַרְבָּעִ֖ים וַחֲמִשָּֽׁה ׃ 29 וַיֹּ֨סֶף ע֜וֹד לְדַבֵּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם אַרְבָּעִ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֔ה בַּעֲב֖וּר הָאַרְבָּעִֽים ׃ 30 וַ֠יֹּאמֶר אַל ־ נָ֞א יִ֤חַר לַֽאדֹנָי֙ וַאֲדַבֵּ֔רָה אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם שְׁלֹשִׁ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֔ה אִם ־ אֶמְצָ֥א שָׁ֖ם שְׁלֹשִֽׁים ׃ 31 וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּֽה ־ נָ֤א הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל ־ אֲדֹנָ֔י אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם עֶשְׂרִ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִ֔ית בַּעֲב֖וּר הָֽעֶשְׂרִֽים ׃ 32 וַ֠יֹּאמֶר אַל ־ נָ֞א יִ֤חַר לַֽאדֹנָי֙ וַאֲדַבְּרָ֣ה אַךְ ־ הַפַּ֔עַם אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם עֲשָׂרָ֑ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִ֔ית בַּעֲב֖וּר הָעֲשָׂרָֽה ׃ 33 וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ יְהוָ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר כִּלָּ֔ה לְדַבֵּ֖ר אֶל ־ אַבְרָהָ֑ם וְאַבְרָהָ֖ם שָׁ֥ב לִמְקֹמֽוֹ ׃

Genesis 18:1-33

esv

18 1 And the Lord appeared to him by the o oaks 1 of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. 2 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. p When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth 3 and said, “O Lord, 1 if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. 4 Let a q little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, 5 while I bring a morsel of bread, that r you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on— s since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.” 6 And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs 1 of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.” 7 And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. 8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate. 9 They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is t in the tent.” 10 The Lord said, “I will surely return to you u about this time next year, and v Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. 11 Now w Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. 12 x So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, y “After I am worn out, and z my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” 13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ 14 a Is anything too hard 1 for the Lord ? b At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” 15 But Sarah denied it, 1 saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.” 16 Then the men set out from there, and they looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way. 17 The Lord said, c “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 18 seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be d blessed in him? 19 For I have e chosen 1 him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” 20 Then the Lord said, “Because f the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, 21 g I will go down to see whether they have done altogether 1 according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, h I will know.” Abraham Intercedes for Sodom 22 i So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham j still stood before the Lord . 23 Then Abraham drew near and said, k “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, l so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! m Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” 26 And the Lord said, n “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” 27 Abraham answered and said, o “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. 28 Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” 29 Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” 30 Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” 31 He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” 32 Then he said, p “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” 33 And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

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Sermon outline

Is anything too hard for the Lord? The giving of a son to an elderly couple The sparing of the wicked; God is a God who will impute righteousness The announcement of the blessing of a son, Isaac, contrasts the announcement of destruction on Sodom. A vision of mercy and justice. There's also a future heirs contrast in the wider section - to end of chapter 19 . I.e., Isaac on the one hand; Moab/Ammon on the other. We'll continue the story the week after next, in chapter 19, after the baptisms next week. 1. Abraham shows exemplary hospitality (v1-8) He is being blameless Meals matter in the Bible and in life, since they show and enact God's own self-giving. [spare chairs sunday etc?] 2. Sarah will have a son ( v9-15) God blesses in spite of lies, deception, manipulation, and disbelief Laughter again - of disbelief Is anything too hard for the Lord? 3.Abraham learns God's justice and mercy ( v16-33) He will respond to the outcry. Word has sense of suffering and oppression; a victim shrieking out for justice. Root of Sodom's sin was pride Ezekiel 16.49. He will impute righteousness. Abraham's dilemma; will the LORD e ither spare the wicked...or destroy the innocent? Actually, God doesn't quite do either. Although God does spare Zoar at Lot's request ( 19.21 ), showing that God does preserve the wicked for the sake of the righteous. Abraham's i ntercession not on behalf of Israel, but on behalf of wicked foreigners Actually he destroys Sodom but rescues the righteous out of it. Abraham learns that God will impute righteousness. Stops at ten, presumably it was beyond belief that just one could redeem a whole people. In what sense is Lot 'righteous'? 2 Peter 2.7-8. In Jesus his justice and mercy are both satisfied, through the gift of the Lord Jesus Glory of God His mercy and justice, shown above all at the cross. FCF: Treatment of fellow man. Blameless hospitality and self-giving of Abraham, contrasted with Sodom. Leads to an 'outcry', word for oppression and great suffering. Which comes up before Almighty God. Pride leads us to throw off all restraint, shaking our fist at God and mocking him in our treatment of his image. Descent into terror and chaos. None of us can stand in the place of others, even if we'd wanted to. Person of Jesus: The righteous seed of Abraham who gives not simply his wealth and food for strangers, but gives his life. Abraham learned of imputation, but Jesus himself prays for his enemies. Work of Jesus: Abraham gave his wealth, Jesus gives his very life for the wicked, and by the blood of one a great multitude are spared. Abraham learned that God would impute righteousness; it is Jesus who gives his very own merits to be imputed to us. Jesus was not rescued from death and destruction, but suffered it in full. So we know, now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. Union with Jesus: There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Whoever you are, whatever you've done, there is a pardon and a new life. Wrap up: Is anything too hard for the Lord? He has made a way for the most awful, shameful sinners to receive a true pardon, a true new life, and a glorious inheritance as children of God adopted through the blood of Jesus.

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