CONNECTION GROUP STUDY GUIDE WWW.C3ROWLETT.COM 3700 CHAHA RD ROWLETT, TX 75088 972.412.4420 Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Definitions are from the Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms. Stanley J. Grenz, David Guretzki, and Cherith Fee Nordling, Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms (Downers Grove, IL: Inner Varsity Press, 1999).! 1 of! 12
SCRIPTURE Genesis 18:16-33 CONTEXT IN BIBLE TIMES Last week we witnessed the third appearance of the LORD to Abraham, but the first appearance of the LORD to Sarah. 1 The LORD came to the earth in Genesis 18 and 19 for a two-fold purpose. The first stop of his mission trip was to deliver a message of life to Sarah (Genesis 18:1-15), but a darker message of death to Abraham (Genesis 18:16-33). It is now to this second message that we now direct our attention. COMMENTARY The people in these cities carried on with their sin as if nothing else mattered, unaware that God had reached the end of His patience with them. God s love is infinite and His grace is free, but His mercy has an expiration date. He is a God of compassion and justice. Don t lose sight of that reality, or you ll see only one to the exclusion of the other. -Charles Swindoll [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, 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 blessed in him? [19] For I have chosen 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 the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, [21] I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know. [22] So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD. [23] Then Abraham drew near and said, Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? [24] Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep 1 For additional context or to revisit the account of the LORD s appearance to Sarah, refer to CG Guide for 1.22.17: Genesis 18:1-15. www.c3rowlett.com/study-guides! 2 of! 12
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, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just? [26] And the LORD said, If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake. [27] Abraham answered and said, 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, 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. After being receiving Abraham s incredible hospitality and refreshing the soul of Sarah with his sure word, The LORD and the two angels [the men] set out from there. As they were setting out they looked down toward their destination, toward Sodom. They had looked down upon Sodom before this day many times from heaven, 2 but this day they looked out and down upon the faces of 3 Sodom from Mamre s oaks, which are at Hebron. 4 If you remember, after Abraham s hiatus in the well watered-land of Egypt, Abraham and Lot were dwelling together, and realized that the land could not support both of them for their possessions were so great. 5 Strife arose between the herdsmen of Abraham and Lot, so Abraham, a generous uncle, gave his nephew his pick of the land. If he went right, Abraham would go left. If he went left, Abraham would go right. Genesis 13:10-12 tells us that 2 Nancy E. Ganz, Genesis: A Commentary for Children, Herein is Love Commentary Series (Wapwallopen, PA: Shepherd Press, 2002) 239. Also see Psalm 53; Genesis 6:5-8, 11-13; Genesis 11:1-9. 3 H.C. Leupold, D.D., Exposition of Genesis, Volume 1 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1945), 543. 4 Genesis 13:18 5 Genesis 13:6! 3 of! 12
Lot lifted up his eyes (and out, and down) and saw that the Jordan valley [which was below them] was well watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (That is before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. Abraham settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. The next verse goes on to tell us that the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD. 6 As far as we can tell, there are five cities that make up these aforementioned valley cities. Genesis 14:2 and 8 tell us their names: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela. These cities are located one each along five perennial freshwater streams that travel through this stretch of plains and feed into the Dead [or Salt] Sea. 7 These cities of the valley and this well watered land lie between Hebron, where Abraham is dwelling and hosting these guests, and the Dead Sea to the east. One commentator states that when referring to Sodom from here on out in this text, the whole region, or these cities of the plain, are actually in view. Abraham, being the model host, went with them to set them on their way. Tradition has it that he went several miles (about three) to a place now known as Janum or Beni Naim, at which point the Dead Sea comes into view and perhaps also the site of Sodom. 8 Abraham went the extra mile in receiving his guests and now goes the extra three to see them on their way. The LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? Charles Swindoll helps us understand this thinking out loud of the LORD when he says: 6 Genesis 13:13 7 John H. Walton, Genesis, eds. Terry Muck, Tremper Longman III, Robert Hubbard, Andrew Dearman, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2001), 476. 8 Leupold, 544.! 4 of! 12
In telling this story, the narrator uses a literary device called a soliloquy. Actors know the term well. It s when a character onstage shares with the audience his or her internal thoughts or motivations. Sometimes a character standing in a crowd will turn aside to speak his or her inner monologue aloud. The audience accepts the illusion that the other characters can t hear this character. The man now revealed to be God offers this soliloquy for our benefit. Should I hide my plan from Abraham? the LORD asked Of course, God doesn t literally have internal dialogues with Himself the way we do. Presenting the Almighty in this human manner is another literary technique called anthropomorphism. It portrays God, an infinite and indescribable Being, in human terms that help us understand Him better. In this case, the narrator allows us to see God s motivation for including Abraham in His plans to address the evil of Sodom and Gomorrah. 9 DEFINITION: anthropomorphism (an-thruh-puh-mawr-fiz-uhm) - A figure of speech used by writers of Scripture in which human physical characteristics are attributed to God for the sake of illustrating an important point. For example, Scripture sometimes speaks of the face or arm of God, even though God is resealed to be Spirit and not limited in time and space by the constraints of a physical body. Anthropomorphisms essentially help to make an otherwise abstract truth about God more concrete. These words, spoken softly yet audibly, were intended for Abraham s ears Abraham is treated as a trusted friend and initiated into the counsels of God. 10 But not only that, this episode revealed that Abraham is a prophet since God does not keep his plans from his prophetic messengers. 11 He is a prophet of God, a friend of God, 12 known by God, and favored by God. The LORD will reveal to Abraham what he is about to do for a very specific reason. 9 Charles R. Swindoll, Abraham: One Nomad's Amazing Journey of Faith, Kindle Edition (Tyndale House Publishers, Inc..), 1559-1570. 10 Leupold, 544. Also see John 15:15 11 Tremper Longman III, Genesis, eds. Tremper Longman, Scot McKnight, The Story of God Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2016), 236. Also see Amos 3:7. 12 James 2:23! 5 of! 12
The LORD says in verse 19, For I have chosen 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. In Genesis 12, the LORD first promised Abraham that he would make him into a great nation. He said, I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. 13 The LORD chose Abraham for the purpose of blessing all nations (Jer. 4:2); this appointment also included the intermediary step of creating a righteous people whose conduct would be a beacon for the nations. 14 An ethical uprightness was to come from this election. From Abraham God would make a nation for himself, a holy people who would keep the way of the LORD, a godly people who would do what was right [an inner righteousness] and just [an outer righteousness]. 15 Abraham needs to know what will happen to an evil city as the patriarch will teach his own descendants how to act in a manner which is right and just (v.19) unlike the city of Sodom and its surroundings. 16 The LORD is righteous and just. We may never know how these attributes of God are reconciled to one another, except in so far as they blend in Christ. 17 For he was put forward as a propitiation 18 This was to show God s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 19 13 Genesis 12:2-3. 14 Kenneth A. Mathews, The New American Commentary: Genesis 11:27-50:26, Volume 1B (Nashville, Tennessee: B&H Publishing Group, 2005), 223. 15 Ganz, 239. 16 Longman III, 236. 17 Leupold, 549. 18 Jerry Bridges believes that a word that forcefully captures the essence of Jesus work of propitiation is the word exhausted. Jesus exhausted the wrath of God. It was not merely deflected and prevented from reaching us; it was exhausted. Jesus bore the full, unmitigated brunt of it. God s wrath against sin was unleashed in all its fury on his beloved Son. He held nothing back. If you only buy this book for his chapter on propitiation, it will be your most important purchase of 2017. I recommend it that much. (Jerry Bridges, The Gospel for Real Life: Turn to the Liberating Power of the Cross Every Day (Colorado Springs, Colorado: NavPress), 54). 19 Romans 3:25-26.! 6 of! 12
DEFINITION: propitiation (prəˌpishēˈāshən) - An offering that turns away the wrath of God directed against sin. Abraham was chosen by God to command his children and future descendants to keep the way of the Lord. What a calling! Way refers to a way of life or a pilgrimage. 20 This gives us a picture of what Paul meant when he said that real children of Abraham walk in the footsteps of the faith. 21 They keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice. The people of Sodom and Gomorrah did not walk in the way of the LORD which is why they will become an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly. 22 Then the LORD said, Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done together according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know. The LORD is on a fact-finding mission. 23 Any good judge today would not execute a judgment without first receiving all the facts and seeing all the evidence. How much more would the LORD, the impartial Judge of all the earth, 24 not see with his own eyes the evidence before executing his judgment on the wicked? The LORD would weigh the souls of men carefully and he would judge them righteously. 25 It is the outcry that has motivated [his] response. Innocent bloodshed [like Abel s] cries out to the LORD for vengeance. 26 If you remember, after Cain killed his brother Abel the LORD said, What have you done? The voice of your brother s blood is crying to me from the ground. 27 When people are oppressed and become victims of violence, their response is to cry out to deity to save them and bring relief from their suffering. 28 Sometimes it s the cry of the person themselves, but according to Genesis 4, sometimes it may be their own blood. But the cries do not have to be directed toward God. 20 Mathews, 223. 21 Romans 4:12. 22 2 Peter 2:6. 23 Walton, 475. 24 Genesis 18:25. 25 Ganz, 239. 26 Walton, 476. 27 Genesis 4:10. 28 Walton, 476.! 7 of! 12
The wailing and moaning of grief (Ex. 11:6; 12:30; 1 Sam. 4:14) or the screams of terror (Deut. 22:24-17) are also part of the outcry. 29 Cries of violence and social justice legal complaints have risen to the LORD, so the LORD has come down to investigate. 30 He already knows, but remember this anthropomorphism is meant to serve Abraham and us the reader. If the LORD had just seen from heaven and executed his judgement from there, where would the example and the lesson be? How would we recognize this as a warning as to what will happen to the wicked? So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom. The two angels departed and headed on their way to complete the mission for which they had come. But Abraham still stood before the LORD. Now three or so miles from home, Abraham again stands one on one with God, a familiar setting for us when we meet with God. Perhaps Abraham is standing between the righteous Judge of the earth and the wicked. We do not know for sure, bit what we are about to witness is described by one commentator as, a plea that stands without parallel in the annals of history. 31 I don t know about that; I would think Jesus prayer in the garden was more than likely the greatest plea in history. 32 Then Abraham drew near and said, Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? From what we can tell, the LORD hadn t mentioned anything about destroying the wicked, only investigating the wicked. Yet Abraham must have known that from what the LORD would see, justice would need to be executed. He thinks of his nephew and his family. Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare [or forgive] it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Knowing that God is a good and fair judge, and having an understanding of what is right and wrong, Abraham poses this question. If he sweeps away the righteous with the wicked then Lot and his family are toast. But if God should find fifty righteous in the area, would he spare it for their 29 Ibid. 30 Longman III, 236. 31 Leupold, 552. 32 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. -Matthew 26:39.! 8 of! 12
sake? Maybe. It s worth a shot! God is a God of mercy. Abraham continues, Far be from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous [those who keep the way of the LORD] to death with the wicked [those who do not keep the way of the LORD], so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Let that thought be repulsive to you, Abraham said in a sense. Abraham engages in a type of bartering that is still well known in the ancient Near East (or an American car dealership) today. He starts with fifty And then talks God down to ten. 33 Well aware of his unworthiness, he pleads his case carefully. 34 Let s listen to their dialogue: ABRAHAM Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just? THE LORD If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake. ABRAHAM Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five? THE LORD I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there. ABRAHAM Suppose forty are found there. THE LORD For the sake of forty I will not do it. ABRAHAM Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there. 33 Longman, 237. 34 Leupold, 552.! 9 of! 12
THE LORD I will not do it, if I find thirty there. ABRAHAM Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there. THE LORD For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it. ABRAHAM Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there. THE LORD For the sake of ten I will not destroy it. Could he have gotten God down to six, for that was the number in Lot s family? Possibly. But with the wisdom born of faith he discerns that by asking more than his last plea he would no longer be pleading according to the will of God. Besides, any lower number would have degraded a worthy intercession into a narrow plea for one s relatives only. 35 As with the conversation with Sarah, the patient LORD has the final word. The LORD went his way toward Sodom, but also in his way of righteousness and justice, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place. All through that long dark night, Abraham must have wondered: What was happening in Sodom? What was happening to his nephew? Would the angels find ten righteous people? Would Sodom be spared? Would that great city survive or would it be destroyed? Would he awake to find that thousands of people had been swept away in the wrath of God? That night, Abraham had to have faith in God, faith in the goodness and justice of God. Through that long dark night Abraham must find comfort in his own words: Will not the Judge of all the earth do right? 36 35 Ibid. 36 Ganz, 241.! 10 of 12!
CONTEXT IN OUR TIME Let s apply this text to our context by reading Romans 1:18-32 slowly and carefully and answering the questions below: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. [19] For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. [20] For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. [21] For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. [22] Claiming to be wise, they became fools, [23] and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. [24] Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, [25] because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. [26] For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; [27] and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. [28] And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. [29] They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, [30] slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, [31] foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. [32] Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.! 11 of 12!
REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (Write your answers in the lines provided.) According to Romans 1, what has been revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men? Do you still believe in a God of love and justice? What is the danger of compromising any attribute of God by the slightest degree? What is propitiation? Refer to page 6 of the guide. Have we talked about this before at C3? How is this good news in light of Romans 1? Who is someone in your life described by Romans 1? Write their name below and pray for them. After you have written their name, write in your name as well. Praise God for the gift of salvation that you have received through faith in his Son Jesus Christ. 37 If you have not received Christ as your Lord and Savior, talk to your CG Leader. 37 If time allows, spend some time reading (personally or as a group) Romans 3:21-26.! 12 of 12!