Into the Word with Bryce Ferguson

After Abraham interceded for the righteous still in Sodom, after the angelic visitors encountered all the deviant and violent people of Sodom, and after Lot, his wife, and his daughters finally leave the city, God brings destruction.  It is righteous.  And it is just. 

The historical testimony of the Holy Bible gives us the answers to how the earth was made, how mankind came to be, the purpose of mankind, the purpose for this world, and that God is very much involved in His mission in this world every single second of every single day.  And He is calling us all to turn away from sin, and trust in Him.

After a horrific encounter in the city of Sodom, the two angels tell Lot their mission to get him and his family out because God is going to bring judgment upon Sodom.  In a foreshadowing of eternity, God, through the angels, saves them before the fire of judgment arrives.

*sensitive topic warning*  Chapter 19 deals with sensitive, biblical topics.  Please use discretion when listening with younger audiences. Summary: The two angels of the Lord meet Lot waiting at the gate of the city.  Lot greets them with humility and, knowing the city is dangerous, pleads with them to stay in the safety of his home.  Later, all the men of the city gather as a mob and approach Lot...

After the Lord shares with Abraham the plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham stands fast before the Lord.  He continues in conversation, pleading with God to stay the destruction of the cities, if so many faithful can be found.  Because the Lord has a personal relationship with Abraham, He listens and responds to Abraham, and because the Lord chooses to, He adds a contingency to His plan, if...

From the Lord’s visit with Abraham and Sarah, now God turns his path towards the wicked city where Abraham’s nephew chose to settle.  God reveals to Abraham His plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness, and God affirms to Abraham again that God has set Abraham apart to lead a great lineage in faithfulness.

After the long conversation God has with Abraham in Genesis Chapter 17, the Lord now walks on earth bringing two others with Him and approaches Abraham’s tent.  Abraham’s response speaks volumes of what is driving his hope.  And the Lord speaks outside the tent for Sarah to hear.  Her response also speaks of what is driving her hope.  The Lord is calling for us all to hope in Him alone.

After God commands Abraham to be set apart, Abraham takes action to be set apart.  The action is a direct reflection of the relationship - God mightily leading out front and inviting Abraham and his household to follow.  And Abraham follows.  He doesn’t simply speak the words; He also takes action.

As God changed Abraham’s name earlier in Chapter 17, God now changes his wife’s name to Sarah.  And because it seems that Abraham is still not understanding, God again makes clear the child of the promise will be from within the bounds of the Genesis 2 marriage covenant Abraham has with his singular wife, Sarah.  And when there is a question of who will be the heir, God tells Abraham it will be th...

After God establishes His covenant with Abraham, now God sets the charge to Abraham to keep the covenant.  As Abraham is the father of a multitude of nations, so too the charge extends to all Abraham’s offspring as well.  And the evidence of each man’s commitment in this covenant to God will be a physical mark on his body.

God has walked with Abram for much longer than a short stretch.  He has carried him now 24 years.  Out of the wilderness, out from obscurity, out from aimless wandering, and into God’s miraculous light.  God calls him out from and in to relationship, mission, and purpose.  And He does all this so when Abraham thinks of his life, he does so in a completely new identity.

After Sarai, Abram, and Hagar all choose to sin, they now deal with the fallout.  Strife enters their household and Hagar leaves.  In the wilderness, she has a visit from the angel of the Lord who calls her by name, tells her to return, and acts in mercy.  The child of the promise is still to be born, but it will not be from Hagar.  God’s prophecy for Abram and Sarai is unchanged. 

After 10 years of waiting, Sarai proposes to Abram an alternate path to having a child, instead of that which the Lord promised.  And when he responds, Abram listens to his wife’s voice instead of God’s voice, which will have intense ramifications on their relationship.  God’s desire for us is to patiently wait on Him, at all times - one day, one decade, continuously.  It is a proof of our faith.

When Abram hears the words of the Lord, he questions.  He questions how it can be that he is to have an offspring, since it has been a period of time since God said those words to him first in Genesis 12:7.  Abram presumes one of the men from his house will inherit everything and God responds correctively, “your very own son shall be your heir.”  God has promised Abram will have a son, and therefo...

God affirms His call to Abram from Genesis 12:1-4 and gives him a vision.  Two visions, actually.  The first, God tells Abram that he will indeed, though he hasn’t yet, have a son, and the son will be his heir.  The second, in a dark and powerful dream, God speaks multiple prophecies to Abram and parallels His words in striking imagery of animal sacrifices for confirmation of covenant. [Correction...

Can someone be both a priest and a king?  A priest makes intercession to God on behalf of the people, and offers sacrifices for the people unto God, a priest keeps the house of God, serves in the house of God, for it is his home.  A king is established by God to serve the people, and make decisions for the people, and set himself apart in holiness and lead by the way of righteousness, and lead wit...

After Abram and Lot went their separate ways, Lot gets caught in the middle of a war.  Nation rises against nation, king against king, and because Lot chose to settle in Sodom, he gets carried away with the spoil of war.  And because God has a plan, Abram finds out his kinsmen is in trouble and out of love for his brethren, gathers a large group of fighting men to get Lot back and bring him home.

As Abram and his nephew, Lot, enter the Negeb, they realize the area has limited resources for what has become two large families and herds living and moving together.  When disputes arise among their workers, Abram suggests to Lot that they settle in two different areas (with more resources), and Lot chooses to head east toward Sodom.  Abram then, settles in the West.  Lot’s decision will have fu...

Abram and Sarai are driven to Egypt because of a famine in the land.  As they approach the city, Abram develops a disturbing plan, which risks Sarai’s life and wellbeing, and he does all based on an assumption of what may happen (in the future).  And it happens because He has taken his eyes off the Lord.  God is diligent to carry His plan forward and acts despite the foolish actions of both Abram...

God’s powerful call to Abram at the start of Genesis 12 evokes a response from Abram in verse 4.  FAITH.  Abram leaves everything he has known to follow God.  God brings him to the outskirts of Canaan, to see what will become the Promised Land, and Abram responds in worship.  God has spoken this blessing for Abram’s descendants (to be with them) and we know that promise also comes true.  God is fa...

From a heritage of paganism, God speaks to Abram and calls him to completely change his life.  God changes the trajectory of Abram’s life from a life of worldliness, to a life of godliness.  He gives him a new purpose.  He gives him a new home.  He gives him a new identity.  And He gives him a new mission. And this is also what does for each of us who answer God’s call.   

In Luke 22:24, the disciples get distracted and start thinking of themselves rather than Jesus.  Jesus reorients their thinking to humility.  He reminds them He came to earth in humility, to exemplify humility, and this He did, as King of kings and Lord of lords.  So too, we as Christ followers must be ever-seeking, ever-pursuing, ever-reliant for all of our lives aspect on God alone.  He is the C...

Today, I bring a short devotional from the words of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount.  Jesus says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit."  Why are they blessed?  Why does He begin the sermon with these?  Because these recognize their hope is not in anything this world can offer.  Because their fulfillment, their joy, their identity is only in Christ alone.  Blessed are those who humble themselves bef...

Due to recent sickness of the last two weeks, today's episode is an abbreviated devotional in John 10.  Once my voice returns to normal, I will pickup again in our exegetical teaching in Genesis.  Thank you for your patience and I look forward to reconvening in Genesis as soon as God wills (hopefully next Sunday).  God bless you.

In active disobedience to God's command to "Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth," Ham's descendant, Nimrod, the so-called "mighty man," leads the people in centralizing the population, the culture, and the abandoning God's mission, to instead, build a mighty tower "up to the heavens."  And the refusal to obey God, again, like in the Garden, has swift consequences.  God takes away their abili...