Abraham and His World

GOLDEN TEXT: “Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.” —Psalm 82:8

GENESIS 18:20-33; 19:29

THE setting of today’s lesson is unique and interesting! Three angels representing the Lord, visited Abraham to reassure him that Sarah would bear him a son. At first Abraham looked upon these visitors as strangers, yet he was hospitable and provided them with a meal. (Gen. 18:1-15) Paul draws a lesson from this, saying, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”—Heb. 13:2

In ancient times God spoke to his servants through his angels, who, when necessary, materialized in human form. The accounts of these occurrences often read as though the Lord spoke directly to his human servants, even though the angels served as intermediaries. This is the case in connection with the three angels who visited Abraham. After imparting the Lord’s message to him that Sarah would bear a child, they were about to leave when they decided that they would disclose to this “friend” of God a further mission upon which they were embarked; namely, an inspection of conditions in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and possibly their destruction.

Then follows Abraham’s petition to the angels that they spare these cities if fifty righteous persons could be found therein. This number, by stages, was finally reduced to ten, and he was promised that even if such a small number of righteous persons could be found in the city it would be spared. As it turned out, Abraham’s nephew, Lot and his family were the only ones who professed to be righteous, so Sodom and Gomorrah were both destroyed.

It is explained that the Lord considered Abrahams feelings in connection with these cities because he was to “become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth” were to be “blessed in him.” (vss. 17,18) Evidently the Lord was testing Abraham’s interest in people other than his own immediate family. Abraham’s world was a small one, but he showed his interest in it. The Lord desires all of his people to have a sympathetic love for the sin-cursed and dying race.

The Prophet Ezekiel and Jesus furnish us with some very interesting information in connection with the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Ezekiel reveals that they are to be restored to their former estate, which is the prophet’s way of saying that they will be raised from the dead. And Jesus said that it would be more tolerable, or favorable, for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than it would be for certain Jewish cities who rejected him and the kingdom message which he proclaimed.—Ezek. 16:48-63; Matt. 10:14,15

Our Golden text is closely related to the promised “seed” of Abraham. He did not realize it fully, but even Isaac, Abraham’s miracle son, was not the real “seed” of promise, but merely a type of that seed. In Galatians 3:16,27-29 Paul reveals that Jesus and his body members are the true “seed” of promise.

The body members of Christ participate with him, as ‘”heirs according to the promise,” because they are planted together in the likeness of his death, suffering and dying with him sacrificially. These are described in the 82nd Psalm, just two verses before our Golden Text, as “gods,” and as “children of the most High.” These are the Gospel-age sans of God to whom the promise is given that if they suffer and die with Jesus they will also live and reign with him. Jesus quotes this text and applies it to himself and his disciples as the sheep who hear his voice.—John 10:34,26-29

These all “die like men, and fall like one of the princes.” (vs. 7) Although these are justified to life through the merit of Christ, nevertheless they die, seemingly like all others. Actually, however, they die “like one of the princes,” that is like Prince Jesus, who died a sacrificial death; not like Prince Adam who died under condemnation.

And the promise is that if they are faithful unto death, they will also be in the likeness of his resurrection. Jesus promised, “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” (Rev. 2:10) Jesus also promised, “He that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken.”—Rev. 2:26,27

Apparently it is to these that our Golden Text applies. The thought is somewhat obscured by the translator’s use of “God” in the singular. Actually it is the same word in the Hebrew text as that which is translated “gods,” in the statement, “I have said, Ye are gods.” (vs. 6) These are the “gods” who. fall in death, sacrificially, like Jesus, and who, in fulfillment of promise, are summoned forth from death to live and reign with Christ—“Arise O gods, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.” Together with Jesus, these “gods,” these “children of the most High,” will be the future judges of the world. and together with him, as the “seed of Abraham,” they will “inherit all nations.”

QUESTIONS

How did God speak to his servants in ancient times?

Explain Abraham’s interest in Sodom and Gomorrah.

Will people of these cities have a future opportunity?

What relationship does the Golden Text have to the lesson?

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