1. Scheme of Redemption

2. Goals of Our Study
To learn how God moved from man's problem of sin to His solution of Jesus on the cross
To understand how everything in the scriptures relates to, and points to, Jesus and the cross
To understand how everything in the Bible reveals God to mankind - who He is and what He is like
Get a better understanding of how we got here tonight on the orange carpet

3. Main concepts of our study
"Scheme of Redemption" - The plan of God, established before creation, to redeem mankind from sin
View the Bible as one book, with 66 different chapters, and the real division taking place at Genesis 3:6 rather than between Malachi and Matthew
This division covers two drastically different worlds: The world prior to sin and the world after sin

4. Main concepts of our study
Genesis 1-2: God and perfection, man and innocence
Genesis 3-12 – “The Background of Redemption”
Genesis – “Redemption through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph”

5. Recap
God created everything, all was perfect, and sin enters the world at Genesis 3:6
Flood due to severe violence and corruption
Jesus could have come here, but God waited for thousands of years, when that “fullness of time” (Gal 4:4, Eph 1:10) had come
This is one thing that sets Christianity apart from every other world religion!
Fulfilled prophecy, numerous people involved, numerous eye witnesses and personal accounts, it all connects

6. Recap God makes three main promises to Abraham
A great nation would come forth from Abraham (Genesis 12:2, 13:16, & 15:5)
His descendants would receive the land of Canaan as an inheritance (Genesis 12:7, 13:15 & 17)
Through Abraham, all the families/nations of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3)

7. Recap Redemption thru the patriarchs
God promises Abraham an heir/child
After 10 years of nothing happening, Abraham takes matters into his own hands and Ishmael is born
Circumcision prescribed as a sign of the covenant that God made with Abraham

8. Sodom and Gomorrah Genesis 18:16-19:29
Vs – The Lord is debating with Himself over whether or not He should inform Abraham about what He’s about to do
Why would Abraham have an interest in Sodom?
Lot lives in Sodom (Gen 13:12-13)
Vs – Abraham begins to, rather boldly, challenge the Lord on His plan

9. Sodom and Gomorrah
Vs Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before the Lord. Abraham came near and said, “Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”

10. Sodom and Gomorrah
Abraham continues to push on just how serious the Lord is on this matter, but we see him backing down as well (“please don’t be angry” – vs 32)
Starts with “what if 50 righteous people?”, then to 45, to 30, to 20, and finally ends it at 10
At finality, the Lord tells Abraham that he won’t destroy it for the sake of 10 righteous people – again, God is not quick to destroy

11. Sodom and Gomorrah Who were “the men” who were talking with Abraham?
18:1-2 – Now the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day. When he lifted up his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him
Verse 22 – Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before the Lord.

12. Sodom and Gomorrah Was it God Himself?
Who were “the men” who were talking with Abraham?
Was it God Himself?
Exodus 33:20 – “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!”
John 1:18 – No one has seen God at any time
1 John 4:12 – No one has seen God at any time
The “angel of the Lord”? The “angel of Jehovah?”
Interestingly, angel of the Lord/Jehovah is only angel ever to accept worship from men
Jesus prior to His incarnation?

13. Sodom and Gomorrah Genesis 19 – Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
Two angels arrive and Lot wards off perverse men of the city who are violently demanding to be allowed to have their way, sexually, with the angels
The angels handle the destruction, which is described as “brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven” (NASB)
Lot and his family escape the destruction, and head for a city called Zoar

14. Sodom and Gomorrah Why was Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed
Gen 13:13 – Now the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the Lord.
Genesis 18: And the Lord said, “The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave. I will go down now, and see if they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”

15. Sodom and Gomorrah Why was Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed
Ezekiel 16: Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy. Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them when I saw it.
Jude 7 – just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.

16. Sodom and Gomorrah
Gen 19:5-9 – “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them.” But Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him, and said, “Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly. Now behold, I have two daughters who have not had relations with man; please let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever you like; only do nothing to these men, inasmuch as they have come under the shelter of my roof.” But they said, “Stand aside.” Furthermore, they said, “This one came in as an alien, and already he is acting like a judge; now we will treat you worse than them.” So they pressed hard against Lot and came near to break the door.

17. Sodom and Gomorrah Why was Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed
Homosexual behavior was not the sole reason for the destruction, but a part of it
We must give Bible truths on the subject of Sodom and Gomorrah, which is:
Extreme sexual perversion of multiple forms and magnitudes of violence with it (i.e. rape)
Violence
Selfish and greedy people, not caring for others in need
What previous story does this story remind you of?

18. Sodom and Gomorrah Why was Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed
Homosexual behavior was not the sole reason for the destruction, but a part of it
We must give Bible truths on the subject of Sodom and Gomorrah, which is:
Extreme sexual perversion of multiple forms and magnitudes of violence with it (i.e. rape)
Violence
Selfish and greedy people, not caring for others in need
What previous story does this story remind you of? – The flood

19. City of Zoar spared
Genesis 19: When they had brought them outside, one said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the valley; escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away.” But Lot said to them, “Oh no, my lords! Now behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your lovingkindness, which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, for the disaster will overtake me and I will die;

20. City of Zoar spared
Genesis 19: now behold, this town is near enough to flee to, and it is small. Please, let me escape there (is it not small?) that my life may be saved.” He said to him, “Behold, I grant you this request also, not to overthrow the town of which you have spoken. Hurry, escape there, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the town was called Zoar.

21. City of Zoar spared
Much of the story surrounds the city of Sodom, but the destruction was wide spread, clear across valley of the Jordan
Jude 7 - …just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them…
Genesis 19:24-25 – Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven, and He overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground

22. City of Zoar spared
Gen 19:27-28 – Now Abraham arose early in the morning and went to the place where he had stood before the Lord; and he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the valley, and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land ascended like the smoke of a furnace.

23. City of Zoar spared
Very likely that Zoar was to have been included in this destruction, but God spared it on behalf of Lot
Genesis 19:21 – “Behold, I grant you this request also, not to overthrow the town of which you have spoken. Hurry, escape there, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.”
What is the one word that describes this?
Grace

24. Lot and his daughters treachery
Coming Up
Genesis – Continue studying with redemption through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph
Lot and his daughters treachery
Abraham and Sarah promised a child
Birth of Isaac