Abraham Was...Close to God

By: Keith McNeely

             Abraham was evidently closely acquainted with God as we shall see.  Abraham is reported to be standing “before the Lord” (Genesis 18:22) and proceeds to bargain with the Lord endeavoring to save the city if “fifty righteous” could be found therein (Genesis 18:24).  Further, Abraham continues in negotiations with God, and if “ten shall be found,” (18:32) is the final figure discussed; of course, Sodom was eventually destroyed.  Our point for the moment, Abraham was close to God and was able to go to Him in behalf of others. Are we close to God?

            You and I should desire and endeavor to be close to God. When we are close to God we are more apt to react to various situations like Abraham did. Abraham obviously had great concern for Lot and his family, but further, one wonders if Abraham perhaps had concern for the others in Sodom as well.  Do we demonstrate our concern for the souls of others by our regular moment by moment actions? Certainly we offer the occasional prayer for the lost, but do we plan and chart our lives in an effort to reach them?

            How can we get close to God?  First, we are more apt to live as He would have us if we are familiar with His Word, “hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments” (1 John 2:1-6).  Further, we can be close to God by continuing to develop our fellowship and association with Him. James advises us to “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you” (James 4:8).  Further, James advises that we need to cleanse our hands (of sin), and purify our hearts, focusing our hearts (James says minds) on God. We can draw close to God.

            The more we know about God the more we are going to think about God, and thus, the more we are going to seek out knowledge of Him. Parents have known and taught their children for generations that they tend to be effected either positively or negatively by the company they keep. Are you keeping company with God?

When Iniquity Is Full

By: Joe Spangler

But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. (Genesis 15:16) 

After calling Abraham from Ur of the Chaldees, God promised to give the land of the Amorites (Canaan) to his descendants. Abraham asked for assurance which God gave by devouring Abraham's sacrifice in a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp (Genesis 15:8-

17). The Lord explained that the growing nation of Israel would prosper for 400 years, though in cruel bondage in Egypt (Genesis 15:13-15). God promised to also judge and punish Egypt for her cruelty to Abraham's seed. (Genesis 15:14; Proverbs 14:31,32) Everything belongs to God, even animals and land on which men dwell. (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 50:10-12) The land of God's promise to Abraham's descendants was occupied by seven nations who would be destroyed for their hateful iniquity. (Deuteronomy 7:1- 10; Acts 13:17-19) By metonymy the Amorites are put for those seven nations in Genesis 15:16. The sins of the Amorites had not yet become so great that God would destroy them from off His land. The Lord's longsuffering and unwillingness to destroy the righteous with the wicked (Genesis 18:23) allowed these nations to continue to exist for a few more centuries. In Abraham's lifetime God would judge other wicked people such as those of the cities of the plain (Genesis 18:16-23; 19:24,25). Lot's family was warned to flee Sodom lest they be consumed in the iniquity of the city (Genesis 19:15). Every nation will answer to God who also grants it power to exist. There is no power but of God (John 19:11; Romans 13:1). 

Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. The king's favor is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame (Proverbs 14:34-35).

The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God (Psalm 9:17). 

Some have questioned how a good God could order the nations of Canaan to be destroyed and the land given to Israel. The answer is that wickedness had become so entrenched in them, that God's mercy and longsuffering had been expended. He executed judgment upon them. Israel was only given the land on this condition. God is a merciful, longsuffering Savior, but one day He will also be judge, jury, and executioner of unrepentant sinners.

The point at which iniquity so saturates a nation that God judges and destroys it is determined in the longsuffering but just heart of God. He is the judge of all (Hebrews 12:23), including nations (Psalms 67:4; 82:8).

Once in the days of Noah, God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. After much striving with man to repent, He destroyed the world with a flood (Genesis 6:5-8; 1 Peter

3:19-21). After the flood Noah and his family were given the earth to populate and possess. He was not unrighteous to give Noah's faithful family what He had taken from Adam's unfaithful sons. The wicked and slothful one-talent-man had his talent taken and given to

another (Matthew 25:28). The fleshly nation of Israel had God's name taken away and His name given to righteous men of the nations (Isaiah 65:15; Acts 11:26). Many examples of this just judgment of God are found throughout the Scriptures.

Are you living faithfully before God? Are you contributing righteousness that calls and (for a time) grants sinners time to repent and turn to God? Sin matters. Immorality or iniquity in society matter also. When iniquity is full, God is just in His judgment and we can be assured His mercy has been sufficiently applied. Are you living to fill up the cup of wrath or helping family, friends and your world drink of the Lord's mercy?

Joseph Returns Good for Evil

(Genesis 50:15-26) 

Nowhere is godliness more different from worldliness than in the ideal of mercy and forgiveness. God’s people have a unique perspective on forgiveness because God has forgiven us and, therefore, expects us to forgive others (Colossians 3:13).

Jesus commanded “Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.”  (Luke 6:28-29).

Paul writes, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:19-21)

Perhaps no point of doctrine is more difficult to apply in our daily lives. The course of human nature is to carry grudges and to pay back evil for evil. It was exactly this natural wish for retribution that Joseph’s brothers feared after Jacob’s death. Perhaps they remembered their uncle Esau who delayed his plans to murder Jacob until after the death of Isaac.

The brothers humbled themselves before Joseph, pleading for forgiveness. Joseph repeated his forgiveness for their sin and assured them, “Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.” (Genesis 50:21). Beyond mere forgiveness, Joseph went the extra mile in providing for his brothers and their children. “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” (Genesis 50:20).

--Bulletin Digest