Comments on: Chapter 18 thoughts http://thehandwrittenword.com/2008/04/27/chapter-18-thoughts/ Mon, 06 Feb 2012 02:52:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: peter http://thehandwrittenword.com/2008/04/27/chapter-18-thoughts/#comment-24 peter Wed, 30 Apr 2008 02:08:16 +0000 http://thehandwrittenword.com/blog/2008/04/27/chapter-18-thoughts/#comment-24 I'm also confused about God visiting Abraham in this way. Did he take on human flesh here? What does this mean when thinking about Christ - being God incarnate. Is it similar or different? When I read it was three visitors, my american christian upbringing assumed it was the trinity. Perhaps it was? Perhaps it was God with two angels? Either way I hate that these super-bizarre happenings are described in so little detail.... I’m also confused about God visiting Abraham in this way. Did he take on human flesh here? What does this mean when thinking about Christ - being God incarnate. Is it similar or different?

When I read it was three visitors, my american christian upbringing assumed it was the trinity. Perhaps it was? Perhaps it was God with two angels?

Either way I hate that these super-bizarre happenings are described in so little detail….

]]> By: Nathan Clark http://thehandwrittenword.com/2008/04/27/chapter-18-thoughts/#comment-17 Nathan Clark Tue, 29 Apr 2008 03:18:20 +0000 http://thehandwrittenword.com/blog/2008/04/27/chapter-18-thoughts/#comment-17 I think God definitely heard Abraham's concern about justice and the destruction of Sodom. But Abraham's high and generous count of 10 was still more than the city could show, so I'm not sure that God was really yielding to Abraham's point. Rather, I think God knew Abraham had those doubts and gave him space to voice them beforehand rather than afterwards, where they could have lingered unresolved. I think God definitely heard Abraham’s concern about justice and the destruction of Sodom. But Abraham’s high and generous count of 10 was still more than the city could show, so I’m not sure that God was really yielding to Abraham’s point. Rather, I think God knew Abraham had those doubts and gave him space to voice them beforehand rather than afterwards, where they could have lingered unresolved.

]]> By: Sarah Lynne http://thehandwrittenword.com/2008/04/27/chapter-18-thoughts/#comment-14 Sarah Lynne Tue, 29 Apr 2008 02:16:38 +0000 http://thehandwrittenword.com/blog/2008/04/27/chapter-18-thoughts/#comment-14 Interesting response... I had a very different one to parts of this passage. First of all... I wouldn't really call God's response a "rebuke," except maybe when He called Sarah out in the final statement ("No you did laugh"). I actually wonder if that is the point God would be really disappointed with, that she was silly enough to deny her actions to God. When I wrote the passage and read the subscript I felt like this was where Sarah really went wrong. The ESV says, "But Sarah denied it (subscript- "acted falsely"), saying 'I did not laught,' for she was afraid." My thought that maybe God was more dispointed when Sarah acted falsely than when she laughed in secret (maybe He also didn't like that she was "secretly" laughing, the hiding factor seems to be what He finally calls out.) was re-enforced by God's willingness to engage Abraham when he negotiated with Him. It is really strange that God would be willing to attend to Abraham's arguments, and the blatant challenge even of God's justice ("Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?"), but He does respond, and I felt encourged in that to openly bring my concerns and questions and laugher/incredulousness to God. Not to make the mistake of Sarah in letting my (rightful) fear of the Almighty get in the way of my honesty, authenticity, and relationship with Him. Abraham was afraid of God while he challenged Him, but he still brought everything before the Lord. I like your last comment though... that even our lowest expectations are too high. I prove that to myself over and over again : ) Interesting response… I had a very different one to parts of this passage. First of all… I wouldn’t really call God’s response a “rebuke,” except maybe when He called Sarah out in the final statement (”No you did laugh”). I actually wonder if that is the point God would be really disappointed with, that she was silly enough to deny her actions to God. When I wrote the passage and read the subscript I felt like this was where Sarah really went wrong. The ESV says, “But Sarah denied it (subscript- “acted falsely”), saying ‘I did not laught,’ for she was afraid.”

My thought that maybe God was more dispointed when Sarah acted falsely than when she laughed in secret (maybe He also didn’t like that she was “secretly” laughing, the hiding factor seems to be what He finally calls out.) was re-enforced by God’s willingness to engage Abraham when he negotiated with Him. It is really strange that God would be willing to attend to Abraham’s arguments, and the blatant challenge even of God’s justice (”Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”), but He does respond, and I felt encourged in that to openly bring my concerns and questions and laugher/incredulousness to God. Not to make the mistake of Sarah in letting my (rightful) fear of the Almighty get in the way of my honesty, authenticity, and relationship with Him. Abraham was afraid of God while he challenged Him, but he still brought everything before the Lord.

I like your last comment though… that even our lowest expectations are too high. I prove that to myself over and over again : )

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