Read the Selected Scriptures from Gen. 19

·       19:22: Zoar became part of Moab.  Lot and his families were not the only refugees who fled to Zoar (Isaiah 15:5).  It was insignificant but good for something.

o   Locating Zoar within the boundaries of Moab might make it seem that, as is the view of many, that the 5 cities were at the south end of the Dead Sea, with all but Zoar under water.  But, as we have noted, the parting of Abraham and Lot while in Bethel fits what, to me at least, makes more sense Biblically as being at the north end of the Sea.  If you check the map of the boundaries of Ammon and Moab, the boundary is clearly marked by the River Arnon which come in above the midpoint of the Dead Sea.  But then, the area of Moab runs along the Sea north to the “Plains of Moab” where the Israelites waited before crossing the Jordan River.  In other words, it is still quite sensible to imagine Zoar being at the north end of the Dead Sea.

o   On the same subject, in 19:29, “the cities of the plain,” the term plain is one of several Hebrew words translated into English as “plain.”  Each different Hebrew term indicates what type of “plain” it was.  Was it forested?  Was it coastal?  Was it circular in shape?  Ah, that is the term used here, Hebrew kikar, a plain that is round.  In Scripture it generally refers to this area at the north end of the Dead Sea.  The first use is in Gen. 13:10-12 where Lot lifted his eyes ans saw “the plain of Jordan.”  Again, if you look at the second map below, and look at the geography at that area, you can see that the mountains on both sides of the Jordan make the round shape of this plain.

·       19:29: This is significant.  When God destroyed the cities of the plain … God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow.  He did not remember Lot.  He remembered Abraham, who had stood before the LORD, and came near the LORD (18:22-23).  So, I don’t understand the depth of the innerworkings of prayer.  But I do know from our Lord Himself that persistence in prayer is a good thing (Luke 18:1).  Vain repetitions are a bad thing (Mt. 6:7).  Abraham did not just repeat his requests with “magic” words.  Abraham knew how few people there were in Sodom that could be called “righteous.”  Pardon me, but “Hail Maries” are both idolatry and are vain repetitions. 

·       20:1-7: Maybe this was permissible in the day, to lie about your wife to save your life.  Although Abimelech knew it was wrong.  This was not God’s way.  God promised to be Abraham’s “exceedingly great reward” (Gen. 15:1).  Here is another powerful “devotional” thought about how we live our lives.  What Abraham did (and Isaac later) did not glorify God.  That is why and how we are to live our lives.  Think about it.  What drives our daily, so-called “mundane” decisions?  There is no “mundane.”  Whatever we do, do all to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31).  How awkward for God to tell Abimelech that Abraham was His prophet.  He was still a prophet.  But he was still learning to glorify God.