ABRAHAM PRAYS FOR LOT

Genesis 18:1-19:38

Key 19:29

[Read Genesis 11:26-17:27 for a background]

1. Read Genesis 18:1-2. What is the significance of "the great trees of Mamre" in Abraham's pilgrimage into the Promised Land (Gen 12:1-4; 13:18)? What does Abraham's "tent" residence indicate about Abraham's life of pilgrimage thus far (Heb 11:9)? 

2. Read vs. 2-8 and describe the lunch fellowship "under a tree". What does this scene tell us about the "inner condition" of Abraham and his family? What does this passage suggest to us about the life that lives by faith in the Lord?

3. Read vs. 9-15. V. 11 say, "Abraham and Sarah were already old." How old were they (Gen 17:17)? Why do you think the Lord did not give them the promised son until that time (Heb 11:11; 1Pe 1:7)? 

4. Read vs. 16-21. Here the expression "the Lord said" is repeated twice followed by two revelations, one involving Abraham and his descendants and another involving Sodom and Gomorrah. How are the two "different"? What do you think is responsible for the differences (2Co 5:7)? 

5. Read vs. 22-33. Abraham reduced the number of the righteous from 50 down to 10. Whom do you think Abraham might have had in mind as he pleaded for the "righteous" (19:29)? What can we learn here from Abraham (Lk 23:34; 1Jn 2:1-2)?

6. Read 19:1a and compare Lot sitting in the gateway of the "city" with Abraham sitting at the entrance to his "tent" (Gen 18:1). How did Lot end up living in the "city" (Gen 13:10-13; 14:12; 1Jn 2:16; 2Co 5:7)? 

7. Skim through 3-38. What do the following events tell us about Lot? 

1) "'No', they answered. We will spend the night in the square" (2b); 

2) Lot's offer to sacrifice his two daughters (8); 

3) "But his sons-in-law thought he was joking" (14); 

4) "he hesitated" (16); 

5) "No, my lords, please..." (18-22); 

6) "But Lot's wife looked back..." (26); and 

7) The birth of Moab and Ben-Ammi (30-38). 

How did Lot end up becoming like this? Yet, why did the Lord save Lot (29)? What can we learn here from Abraham who prayed for Lot (Heb 10:19-31; Jam 2:13; 1Pe 2:10)?