Day 5: Genesis 17-20

Summaries:
God made a covenant with Abram, making him the "father of a host of nations." To keep the covenant, all males must be circumcised. God also changes Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah, and promises that Sarah will give birth to a son, despite her age and being barren, and the son will be named Isaac, and he will be a great ruler. Ishmael too will be blessed (ch 17). The Lord appeared to Abraham and Sarah and said they will have a son at this time next year, and Sarah laughs. The Lord then heads to Sodom to see whether to destroy it or not, for the people are wicked, and Abraham intercedes, saying please do not destroy it if the Lord can find even 10 innocent people (18). The angels are welcomed by Lot, and he and his family are told to leave while Sodom and Gomorrah and the Plain are destroyed, and Lot's wife becomes salt for looking back on the city while fleeing. Lot's daughters get him drunk and sleep with him to bear sons, Moab (hence Moabites) and Ammon (Ammonites) (19). God has mercy on Abimelech who unkowingly sins and takes Abraham's wife. When the wrong is made right, Abraham intercedes for Abimelech, and the Lord blesses him and his people (20).

Reflections:
The quote below from Gen 18:14 is one that has become cliche today, but is very important to remember. We shouldn't laugh upon the thought that God can do something great and extraordinary. Yes, Sarah was old, but God was able to make her able to bear a son.

Also, I thought it was interesting in ch 20 seeing the king of Gerar sin out of ignorance, and be forgiven for it. But then, when his eyes are open and he has no excuse for sinning, God says "If you do not return (Sarah), you can be sure that you and all who are yours will certainly die" (20:7). That's the tricky thing about telling people about God: some people would rather continue denying God's existence so that they can keep sinning out of "ignorance," but once their eyes are opened and they know the truth, they have no excuse for sinning, and they become guilty.

Quotes:
Gen. 18:14 - "Is anything too marvelous for the Lord to do?"