I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Genesis 16-18. I have decided to switch from suing the New Living Translation to using the New International Version because, all in all, I prefer the NIV.

Abram was 99 years old when God changed his name to Abraham, and he became circumcised.  I am not entirely sure of the significance of that, but it really struck me this morning as I read this passage.  The passage also tells us that Ishmael was 13 years old at the time.  This means that Abraham was circumcised not less than 14 years after it was said about him that he believed God and God credited it to him as righteousness, a point which Paul makes in his letters. Abraham was not righteous because of his actions (being circumcised), he was circumcised because he was righteous.  And, no, that does not mean that we should be circumcised today.

I was struck by a thought about Abraham’s intercession with God for Sodom and Gomorrah.  I have always assumed that Abraham did so because his nephew Lot lived there.  Yet, I realized today that the passage does not mention that Abraham thought about his nephew.  No, God told Abraham that He was going to bring judgement upon those cities and Abraham immediately begged God not to do so if there were as few as fifty righteous people there.  Abraham continued to intercede with God on behalf of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah until God agreed that He would not destroy those cities if He found as few as 10 righteous people there.  I do not believe that Abraham interceded with God for Sodom and Gomorrah because Lot lived there.  I believe that he interceded (prayed) for Sodom and Gomorrah because he cared about the suffering they would experience when God brought His judgement against them.  I believe that this passage provides two lessons for us to follow. First, we should pray for those upon whom we see God’s judgement is about to fall.  Second, we should strive to live as one of “the ten” whose righteousness will cause God to withhold His judgement upon those among whom we live.