Genesis chapter 20

In today's read we see that Abraham, once again, tells a lie. He tells Abimelech king of Gerar , that Sarah is his sister. God goes to the king in his dreams and tells him that he is a"Dead man" because that woman he took is another man's wife.

Let me ask this again, why is the person who's only crime is that they believed Abraham's lie, the one who will be punished? Why is Abraham a richeous man? I wonder if it's because through all of Abraham's obvious faults, he still follows God and the King doesn't? Or does the King? The king knows that it's God speaking to him in his dream, right? Hmmmm

Next, Abraham tells the king that the reason he lied is because he fears that he will be killed for his wife...Who is like what, 90 years old? Come on!

And last but not least...We see Abraham, once again be rewarded for his deceipt. He's sent away with riches.





Genesis 20 (King James Version)

Genesis 20
1And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.

2And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

3But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.

4But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, LORD, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?

5Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.

6And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.

7Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.

8Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.

9Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.

10And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?

11And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.

12And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

13And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.

14And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.

15And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.

16And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.

17So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.

18For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.

Two Two Posts in One!

I want to post this periodically. It's basically my "Mission statement". Not many people will go all the way back through to read my very first post here on this site so, every so often I'll repost this:(Under this is also Sunday's post)

On Day One of this Blog, I'm not going to start with Genesis, the Bible version, but my own genesis and the reason why I'm starting this Blog.

I was raised Evangelical in the Assemblies of God and am now, 41 years of age. For some time now I've been struggling with the message and face of the Christian Church. I've prayed and thought, thought and prayed and was recently sent an random email from a church I've never attended (My children had though) and the message in it was that the only way we can know God's true message is to read his word. Forget what the church tells us. Forget what your family tells you. Forget what your political leaders are telling you and listen the the Word of God then decide for yourself.

That is what I intend to do. Starting today. I will read as close to daily as possible, one, two or more verses per day. I'll start In The Beginning..Of course and discuss them here. It might not be exciting. It might not be much of anything on most days but if you want to, pick up your Bible, I'm using a King James version and let's discuss. We'll stop the day we've read the last verse and then the real journey will begin......

See you tomorrow.

Tracy

Genesis Chapter 19 second half:

I guess that the last post wasn't exactly HALF ! Sorry.

1)Ok, so there weren't enough righteous to save Sodom, only Lot, his wife and his daughters and considering that Lot just offered his daughters to the town's men, I guess that's saying something.

2)The righteousness of the daughters didn't last long. They hatched a plan to get their father drunk, sleep with him and get pregnant. They go through with it and they both get pregnant.

3) Like I said, plenty of wiggle room for being considered righteous. I find that to be so confusing and random. What is the lesson to be learned when these chosen men fall so short? Maybe that is the point.




9And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.

10But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.

11And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

12And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:

13For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.

14And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.

15And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.

16And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.

17And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

18And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my LORD:

19Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:

20Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.

21And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.

22Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

23The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.

24Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;

25And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

26But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

27And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD:

28And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.

29And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.

30And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.

31And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:

32Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.

33And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.

34And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.

35And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.

36Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.

37And the first born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.

38And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.

Genesis Chapter 19 first half

I'm doing Chapter 19 in two parts because I just do NOT understand how it is that God choses who is righteous. It seems so random and, I must say, that if these people in Genesis, Noah, Abraham ,Lot and in tomorrow's read, Lot's daughters, are righteous and who we should measure up too, then we have a LOT of leeway here!

In this Chapter we see Lot welcome the two angels, who in the previous chapter were referred to as Lord, and Lot also calls Lord, into his home. The men of Sodom come and demand to see the visitors and when Lot goes to them, and shuts the angels into the house, he offers his virginal daughters up to these men so that they won't hurt the angels(To protect the towns people, not the angels)...HE OFFERS HIS DAUGHTERS!!!! Who by the way, must be quite young as they haven't been married yet. I can't imagine, that *that* is righteous by most standards.


1And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

2And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.

3And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.

4But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:

5And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

6And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,

7And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.

8Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.

Tracy

Genesis Chapter 18

Interesting read today. Confusing t first because it makes it sound as if the Lord is THREE men. They are all three addressed as the Lord and when they speak it seams to be in Unison. Then two of the men leave and the Lord is still with Abraham so, it's a little hard to know what is meant by the three men being addressed as Lord.

Also, interesting to me for some reason, the three men ate food. God ate food from earth, while in man form. Weird.

Then, the three men walk off together and the Lord seems to ask them if he should tell Abraham of his plans to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, which would again be the Lord taking to others as equals.

Lastly, I find it intriguing that God had his idea of what he was going to do to Sodom but Abraham talked him out of it. Does God do that to let Abraham think he was talking him out of it or did God really change his mind based on a human appealing to him? How does a God who is all knowing, not know what will happen to Sodom? Maybe he agreed with Abraham because he knew that he wasn't going to find even ten righteous.

Thinking today...


Genesis 18
1And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

2And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

3And said, My LORD, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:

4Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:

5And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

6And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.

7And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.

8And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

9And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

10And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

11Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

12Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

13And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

14Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

15Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

16And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

17And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

18Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

19For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

20And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

21I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.

22And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.

23And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

24Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

25That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

26And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

27And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD, which am but dust and ashes:

28Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.

29And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.

30And he said unto him, Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.

31And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.

32And he said, Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.

33And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

Out of the Ordinary...

I'm stepping out of the Bible reading mode for this post. Today comes the news that the publishers of The New International Version Bible are going to tweak it to update the language. For example the article says that Mary will no longer be "with child" but instead will be "pregnant".

I don't use the NIV. I've never liked what I felt was the dumbing down of the Bible. I don't know why it's done. Tweaks here or there, changes in the terms of gender mentioned, making it more universal than saying God created man, it now says God created human beings, seems rediculous.

Christianity seems to be one of the few religions that bends to modern "standards". It goes as far back as commandeering Pagan holidays and calling them Christian holidays (Christmas, Easter) in order to attract Pagans. The dangling of the shiny coin "Look! Shiny! Christmas!!" They changed the music in the services because the old hymns were deemed too boring. They created mega churches with huge movie screens with which to view the pastor from 1000 people away. They play hard rock music where there's suppose to be a message somewhere in amongst the screaming guitar, hard hitting drums and yelling front man. They add coffee shops outside the foyer so you can take your mocha into the mega church service and while I have never agreed with having people arrive to church wearing expensive "Sunday" clothes, there seems to have been a complete disconnect and we see teens showing up in butt lifting jeans and midriff baring tanks.

Today, I'm sounding much older than my 41 year old self feels but I don't like the bending to modern standards. The word should be enough and if it's not, then it's the way you're telling it, or not telling it that's the problem. It's the constant begging for money to support the mega churches expenses that's losing people. It's the lack of compassion. The lack of Christ Like behaviors that's turning people away. It's the loud angry screams from people holding Bibles while at the same time demanding that we shouldn't give people access to healthcare, that's sending people away in droves.

It isn't the way the Bible was written.



Tracy (Now back to our regular programming)

(Link to NIV changes)

Genesis Chapter 17

In today's read we see that Sarah And Abraham will have a son, Isaac. God says that he will establish a covenant with Isaac but will also bless Ishmael. These are the two beginnings of great nations, Jewish and Islamic. As we see, Ishmael is also blessed. I find that interesting to read.

Speaking of interesting, we have somethings coming up in our reading that might prove good for discussion.

Genesis 17 (King James Version)

Genesis 17
1And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

2And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

3And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,

4As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

5Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

6And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

7And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

8And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

9And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.

10This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

11And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

12And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.

13He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

14And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

15And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.

16And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.

17Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?

18And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!

19And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

20And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

21But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

22And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

23And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.

24And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

25And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

26In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.

27And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.