January 31

Commentary and reflection:

The influence of the wicked cities penetrated Lot’s family. His sons-in-law did not believe God’s warning, it was hard for him to leave, his wife’s heart burned up with her house, his daughters learned vice and immorality. Sodom and Gomorrah, like the antediluvians, had filled up their measure of wickedness before The Lord. Lot was not joking when he spoke on behalf of God to his sons-in-law and his family, much less God.

It is obvious that Abraham was special to God because he saved Lot from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah for his sake.
29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt. Genesis 19:29.
Then He kept him from Abimelech, even though Abimelech acted with more integrity than Abraham regarding his wife. He was a special son of God, not because he had no faults or made mistakes, but because “believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness”. Genesis 15:6
About marriage between siblings, consider this note from the SDA Bible Commentary on Genesis 4:17,
” The sudden mention of Cain’s wife creates no problem. Chapter 5:4 states that Adam “begat sons and daughters” besides the three sons whose names are given. The earliest inhabitants of earth had no other choice than to marry their brothers and sisters in order to fulfill the divine command, “Be fruitful and multiply” (see Acts 17:26). That the custom long remained in vogue is seen in Abraham’s marriage to his half sister, Sarah. Such marriages were later prohibited (see Lev. 18:6-17).” SDABC
A difference between the biblical account and the usual biographical account in other books, is that in, the Bible, the good qualities of its characters are told and their mistakes as well. It is done this way for our learning.
May God grant you a very blessed day.

Pastor Abel Paulin