January 8, 2022: Day 6 – Genesis 17-20 and John 10-11

So we find ourselves with Abraham throughout these chapters.  In 17 and 18 he is visited by the Lord who promises that he will have a son and that his name will be Isaac because Abraham laughed at God.  I had always thought that in 18 was when Isaac received his name because of Sarah laughing, but it was back in 17 with Abraham laughing.  We see the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as a result of the people being evil because of how they treated the visiting angels who were being hosted by Lot, Abraham’s nephew.  

In 20 we see Abraham once again moving and telling the people of the new land that Sarah was his sister.  God came close to destroying the king and his people because he took Sarah to be his wife, but had not laid with her.  As a result he sends Abraham on his way with even more livestock and valuables.  Isn’t it interesting that each time that Abraham tells the rulers of the land that Sarah is his sister he ends up leaving that country with many more riches than when he entered.  

In John we see in chapter 10 Jesus self describes as the gate and the shepherd.  The Jews of the land gather around him and want to know if he is the Messiah.  They look to stone him again but he makes his way out.  We then see the story of Lazarus where Jesus proclaims that he is the resurrection and the life and that those who believe in him will never die.  This is where our understanding of eternal life emanates.  We will never die if we believe in Jesus as the Lord and Savior.  

The raising of Lazarus from the dead is one that demands that the Jewish leaders gather together and try to figure out what to do with Jesus as he performs there many miracles.  We see in 11:53 that it was from that point on they planned to put him to death.  Jesus was a threat to the leaders because he was working outside of the prescribed boundaries.  God tends to love to work outside of the prescribed boundaries.