Exhibiting Grace

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

EXHIBITING  GRACE

Gen 19:1-2

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. 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."

NIV

As we recall, three men approached the tent of Abraham, one remained standing before Abraham and heard his prayer for the deliverance of Sodom if there were ten righteous men found there. The other two of this trinity of men went to Sodom to see and to judge the wicked. However, Lot was sitting at the gate. This we know was where either business was conducted or judgment was made, as in someone being a magistrate, or where town leaders met. Although we are not told, it is also possible that Lot sat there to forewarn travelers or traders of the danger of entering Sodom, as Lot was a righteous man. Interestingly, as the two angels approached the town gate, Lot went out to meet them bowing down with his face to the ground. The Hebrew gives us a clearer picture in that Lot prostrated himself with his face firmly to the earth, usually down toward royalty, or divinity, as how one bows before God. Did Lot see something we missed when the trinity of men showed up at Abraham’s tent? Could this be the holy trinity? The Father is the one to receive prayers, hear them, and respond, showing both the divine sovereign will of justice for the wicked and the grace to deliver the righteous. Could the two others, be a pre-incarnate Jesus and the Spirit? When Lot bowed before them, he used the word ‘adoney, transfigured as ‘adown which is a form of ‘Adonai, the name used of the divine person of God. Could we see the Holy Triune Godhead here, or is this a stretch or an image in our imagination? Whoever these two are do not accept Lot’s invitation to his home, but want to see for themselves the wickedness of this town, staying in the street for the night. Lot cannot understand why they would do such a thing, knowing the wickedness of the town he lives in. We do not understand why Lot moved into a city rather than living in tents as he had been accustomed to when he was still in the household of Abraham. Lot had many sheep and cattle for that is why they split up in the first place, the pastures could not support both and the herdsmen and shepherds of both Abraham and Lot were arguing over pastureland. So what happened to all of Lots, herds and sheep and his menservants who looked over them? Did Lot sell off all his animals to buy this house in Sodom? Was it because of his wife wanting more than a tent to raise her girls? These are just questions, however, knowing that his wife turned back to look with longing, as the Hebrew word for looked back means with favor, in regard to pleasure. But we get ahead of ourselves. Nevertheless, Lot lived in the city of Sodom, and he wanted to spare these two lords the harm they would endure if they spent the night in the square. A righteous man will always desire to exhibit grace.