“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.”” (Genesis 19:15, NIV)
The story of Abraham now shifts to his nephew Lot in Sodom. Two angels visit Lot and we see before us the horror of rape and homosexuality. After escaping the violence of Sodom, the angels warn Lot and his family of judgment and warn them to leave. Lot flees the city as God destroys Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot's wife look back at this scene and becomes a pillar of salt. Abraham then goes back to where he interceded with God and sees the destruction.
“Early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the Lord. He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace.” (Genesis 19:27–28, NIV)
It is then the passage notes that God delivered Lot because of Abraham. “So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.” (Genesis 19:29, NIV).
"The word zahkar (“remember”) often refers to God remembering His covenant with His people (see Exod 2:24; Psa 105:8)." [1] There wasn't fifty or twenty or even ten righteous people found in Sodom. In great mercy God saved Lot and his family because He "remembered" Abraham. Think of it: God remembered Abraham and spared Lot! "The Hebrew verb z-k-r denotes more than a recollection; it often appears in conjunction with some activity—i.e., a memory that prompts a specific course of action." [1]
"Note, 1. God will certainly give an answer of peace to the prayer of faith, in his own way and time; though, for a while, it seem to be forgotten, yet, sooner or later, it will appear to be remembered. 2. The relations and friends of godly people fare the better for their interest in God and intercessions with him; it was out of respect to Abraham that Lot was rescued: perhaps this word encouraged Moses long afterwards to pray (Ex. 32:13), Lord, remember Abraham." [2]
Years later the prophet prayed these words to God recorded in Habakkuk 3:2 (NIV),
2 Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.
"The prophet beseeches Jehovah in the exercise of His wrath to also remember to exercise His mercy (Heb racham, to love, to pity, or to be merciful)." [3]
Today Father as You enjoy Christ, the God-Man by Your side; exalted, honored above all authorities and powers, appearing in the Heavens as a Lamb Slain from the Foundations of the World -- Oh God remember Christ! Remember His perfect life, remember His completely satisfactory atonement, remember His victorious resurrection and remember His constant intercession for us. In wrath Father remember mercy. Father as we not only have loved-ones today far from the Gospel; as we not only ourselves deal with our own sin-loving, wandering hearts, remember mercy. For the sake of Jesus, remember mercy. In your sin-consuming, fiery holiness -- remember Your Son. For it is in His Name I pray.
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1. Barry, J. D., Grigoni, M. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ge 19:29). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
2. Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: Complete and unabridged in one volume (49). Peabody: Hendrickson.
3. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (1768). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
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