Bible Study #32

Genesis 19

Verses of the week: Mathew 4:1-11 Matthew 4 1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." 4 Jesus answered, "It is written: `Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'[1] " 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: "`He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'[2] " 7 Jesus answered him, "It is also written: `Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'[3] " 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." 10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: `Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'[4] " 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. Thought of the week: Subject: FW: work or prison When you think about the differences between work and prison, maybe prison isn't so bad... IN PRISON.......You spend the majority of your time in an 8x10 cell. AT WORK........You spend most of your time in a 6x8 cubicle. IN PRISON.......You get three meals a day. AT WORK........You get a break for 1 meal and you have to pay for it. IN PRISON.......You get time off for good behavior. AT WORK........You get rewarded for good behavior with more work. IN PRISON.......A guard locks and unlocks all the doors for you. AT WORK........You must carry around a security card and unlock and open all the doors yourself. IN PRISON........You can watch TV and play games. AT WORK.........You get fired for watching TV and playing games. IN PRISON.......You get your own toilet. AT WORK........You have to share. IN PRISON.......They allow your family and friends to visit. AT WORK........You cannot even speak to your family and friends. IN PRISON.......All expenses are paid by taxpayers with no work required. AT WORK........You get to pay all the expenses to go to work and then they deduct taxes from you salary to pay for prisoners. IN PRISON.......You spend most of your life looking through bars from inside wanting to get out. AT WORK........You spend most of your time wanting to get out and go inside bars. IN PRISON......There are wardens who are often sadistic. AT WORK.......They are called supervisors. IN PRISON.......You have unlimited time to read e-mail jokes. AT WORK........You get fired if you get caught. NOW GET BACK TO WORK! Bible Study 32 Genesis 19 1 The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. [Word Study on Sodom: Strongs Con - number 5467 - Heb. Dic. - to scorch; burnt (i.e. volcanic or bituminous) district; a place near the Dead Sea. Also on Lot: Strongs Con. - number 3876 Heb. Dic. - A veil: covering. (These were probably two angels and the Lord) Lot had probably become a member of Sodom's ruling council, since a city gateway served as the administrative and judicial center where legal matters were discussed and prosecuted.] 2 "My lords," he said, "please turn aside to your servant's house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning." "No," they answered, "we will spend the night in the square." [A large open space near the main city gateway, where public gatherings were held. Important cities like Jerusalem could have 2 or more squares.] 3 But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate. [So it could be baked quickly.] 4 Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom--both young and old--surrounded the house. 5 They called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them." [God created man and woman to unite as one to recreate himself. The following verses represent how God feels about anything that is not natural to that creation. Adam and Eve were meant to create, not Adam and Steve. Any act of sex other than a man and a woman is a no no in God's eyes. If you think he makes exceptions then why did he destroy all Sodom and Gomorrah? God tells us the right way to do things. It may be pleasurable for some to be with the same sex but in being intimate with the same sex brings about diseases. Our body juices were meant to create life and reproduction was meant to be through a man and woman. When two men or two women join those juices they create disease and death (for example aides). We don't the depths or diseases we can pass on to each other. But many more will die because they pleasure the flesh and refuse to respond to Gods wishes. When evil seduced Adam and Eve and their eyes were opened they took the devils sin into themselves and also passed it on to future generations. Some say same sex relationships are genetic and they are born that way. This is how I feel about it. We are all born innocent into this world, and all are taught different values as we grow. We are flooded with images by the media and Movies, music etc. We are very sensual sexual beings. But I believe we all have a choice as to our behavior, what we have no control over is that desire very deep inside to be loved and accepted. With sin in all our lives the true love we seek has been twisted out of shape by Satan, giving us a false sense of security. Through our eating of his fruit (or thoughts and ideas) we have gone so far from God that none of us know really what God had in mind for us. We fumble around with opinions about everything. I don't want to stand in judgement on same sex relationships, I will leave it to God, but this was happening in Sodom and what did God do to that City? Penalty for Homosexual Acts is Death. Also earnings of a male or female prostitute must not be paid as a vow in the House of the God. The Lord detests them both. Men of Sodom were morally depraved, idolaters, drunken, and rebellious. God allowed sin to run its course as an act of judgement. They exchanged truth of God for a Lie and worshiped and served and created things rather than God. God does not approve of these same sex relationships.] 6 Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him 7 and said, "No, my friends. Don't do this wicked thing. 8 Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don't do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof." [Ancient hospitality obliged a host to protect his guest in every situation. But can you imagine offering your children to a rapist? I couldn't in any situation. Can't you see here what sin in this world is doing? One prideful being (Satan) that wants Gods throne destroyed that Perfect Garden that God had for us all. God is patient and waiting for all of us to make our decision as whether we will love Him or Satan. Here's that choice again! Choose Him or choose death! That's what happened at Sodom and Gomorrah only the next time evil is wiped out forever in the lake of fire. This story is a shadow of what will happen to those who think they can overcome God. We will get back to doing what is right naturally without sin, so come Jesus come back to us soon.] 9 "Get out of our way," they replied. And they said, "This fellow came here as an alien, and now he wants to play the judge! We'll treat you worse than them." They kept bringing pressure on Lot and moved forward to break down the door. [Stand back they shouted. Who do you think you are? We let you settle among us, and now you are trying to tell us what to do! This incident reminds me of something very powerful today. We let all religions an ethnic peoples into our nation everyday. When we came here we came on a religious belief. There were already people here with religious beliefs and we did not adjust to their religion we formed one of our own. Gods original plan of a perfect paradise for man has been twisted and distorted to the point that we don't know what it is God expects from us. One thing we do know is that if we don't rid ourselves of evil we will perish. I don't know how to put this without sounding like it's prejudice, but we let to many people of other beliefs in our country. Our country was formed so that we could worship God in or own manner. You tell me where that is today. We had prayer in our schools and at least there was some moral ground to stand on. Other religions want the freedom to worship, yet they want to make the rules! I can't worship my God in school because you don't want to hear it. It's stupid, like two children fighting, My Gods better than your god, and I don't want to hear about your God. Well the freedom of my God gave you the right just to voice your opinion. Because in your country you may be beaten or killed for voicing your opinion. God tells up do not do as the pagans do and purge evil from among you. Yes this country is built on immigrants but not on their idols. One nation under God with liberty and justice for all! We give our freedom away too easily. These are end times and evil is at its worst ever. These things are not surprising me that they are happening, but I know God has a few elect here that can stand up to it. Are you one? Or do you go along with every idea they put before you? God needs strong moral leaders and workers. He's willing to help you today, the choice is yours.] 10 But the men inside reached out and pulled Lot back into the house and shut the door. [How many were in the house 3? How many were outside? 11 Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, young and old, with blindness so that they could not find the door. [This is what will happen when Jesus comes back. The unsaved will be so dumbstruck they won't know what is happening. They will fall to their knees and beg forgiveness. God says not all have eyes to see and ears to hear, but the first second Jesus sets foot on the Mount of Olives they will know his Glory! Come Jesus Come. I pray for the spiritually blind everyday, for I was one once. My whole purpose for this site is to plant a seed in one of their brains. We are all in this together and one day that will be eternity. I need every person out there who believes in Jesus to be in eternity with me. What a body we will form! All our gifts working together for the benefit of each other and glorifying God for what he has done and given us.] 12 The two men said to Lot, "Do you have anyone else here--sons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here, [Gods might conquers evil everytime. As everywhere else in the Bible two can conquer thousands.] 13 because we are going to destroy this place. The outcry to the LORD against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it." [The stench of this place has reached the Lord and we were sent here to destroy it.] 14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry [1] his daughters. He said, "Hurry and get out of this place, because the LORD is about to destroy the city!" But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.[Don't we react in the same way? We must learn discern when God is trying to tell us something. The only way to do it is to study his word. Believe me at first I didn't have a clue what God was doing in my life. But with study he opens your eyes and ears and you start saying wait a minute something's not right here, let me figure this out and before you know it you have the answer and you know its right because there will be only one way to do it. God sometimes takes us the long way to teach us something.] 15 With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished." 16 When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the LORD was merciful to them. [Sometimes when we don't know what is good for us, God will take us out the other side and all we can do is stand in amazement at what he has done. These are the times he talks about when he says at your weakest you are strongest. This is when you realize his power to it fullest. Knowing how much he loves you will strengthen you, and it will make you want to change to his way of thinking out of gratitude for his blessings. Generating love of this magnitude moves mountains.] 17 As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, "Flee for your lives! Don't look back, and don't stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!" 18 But Lot said to them, "No, my lords, [2] please! 19 Your [3] servant has found favor in your [4] eyes, and you [5] have shown great kindness to me in sparing my life. But I can't flee to the mountains; this disaster will overtake me, and I'll die. [People make me laugh, they escape with their life and put conditions on it. Do you think God will take you away from your life to a place that is worse than before? You may have to start over again, but I know from experience the blessing are doubled. Blessings are not always physical, sometimes they spiritual. If we look at things spiritually in everything we do we find peace of mind and in my life it comes to pass that he blesses me financially too. We will continue next week in Gen 19:20 1. [14] Or were married to 2. [18] Or No, Lord; or No, my lord 3. [19] The Hebrew is singular. 4. [19] The Hebrew is singular. 5. [19] The Hebrew is singular. 6. [22] Zoar means small. 7. [37] Moab sounds like the Hebrew for from father. 8. [38] Ben-Ammi means son of my people.