Meditation on God's Word

The first two verses of the book of Psalms describe characteristics of a man that is blessed.  The first verse describes attributes such a man does not have as part of his everyday life activities.  The second verse describes characteristics that are an integral part of his daily life.

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  Psalms 1:1-2

To meditate is reflect on or contemplate at length, especially with regard to spiritual matters.  If we wish to be blessed, we will delight in God's Word and will find ourselves meditating on His Word day and night.  God speaks to us in a personal way when we meditate.  Even seemingly small details in scripture, can and do, furnish fertile ground for meditation. 

As an example for establishing a lifelong habit of meditating on God's word, the following verses from the Gospel of Luke will be used as a starting point.

And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded, But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Luke 17:26-29

As it was in the days of Noah and Lot so it will be in the days of the Son of man. Lot fleeing, with his family, from Sodom is illustrated below and for our purposes, we shall explore the days of Lot, briefly, as recorded in Genesis 18 and 19, to possibly identify a few things on which to meditate.today.

As you read Genesis 18 you will see that Abraham intercedes for the people of Sodom with the Lord Himself.  As Abraham talks to the Lord regarding the destruction of Sodom and other nearby cities, as recorded in verses 23-33, he asks God six different times to spare the cities if some number of righteous are found.  First fifty righteous, then forty five, then forty, then thirty, then twenty and finally ten.  God concedes to spare the cities if only ten righteous people are found there.  Abraham's intercession goes no farther and the conversation with God is shortly concluded.

Meanwhile, as seen in Genesis 19 verses 1-11, the angels come to the gates of the city, Sodom, and are met by Lot.  As events quickly unfold, Lot invites the angels to a meal his house, the angels finally do go to the house, they eat a meal that includes unleavened bread, the house is surrounded by wicked men, and the wicked are subsequently struck with blindness.  At this point, as told in verses 12 and 13, the angels tell Lot to warn his family and get out of the city.

Verse 14 informs of Lot's actions based on the dire information given to him.  As encouraged by the angels, he tries to warn some of his family of the impending judgment of God.

In verses 12 thru 14 seemingly small details about Lot's family are divulged in the text.  First, Lot had sons.  Sons are plural so there were at least two sons, minimum.  Secondly Lot had son-in-laws, again plural, so a minimum of two son-in-laws is seen.  The son-in-laws would have wives (Lot's daughters), so Lot would have had at least two married daughters.  Lot had un-married daughters (again two minimum), as well, and a wife.  The minimum number of people in Lot's family is seen to be as follows:

Very interestingly God finally agreed with Abraham to spare the cities if only ten righteous people could be found.  Scripture mentions ten members in Lot's family.  Did Abraham know how many were in Lot's family?  Most probably he did.  Did Abraham assume that all in Lot's family were righteous?  Maybe.  Just a coincidence, perhaps, perhaps not, but it is something to meditate on.

One good way to meditate on scripture is ask yourself questions and/or apply the scripture personally to your own life.  Based on the scripture discussed above ten possibilities for meditation are identified to aid and encourage you to meditate on God's Word.  

First, why did Abraham stop interceding and/or bargaining with the Lord at ten righteous?  Did he know something we didn't, or not?

Second, Why in the world didn't Lot tell his sons of the impending wrath from God on the city of Sodom?  Or did he?  Were they immersed in the sins of the city to such a degree that talking to them would be useless?  Were they part of the wicked mob outside Lot's house?

Third, If we believe that the days of the Son of man are near and the times should be similar to the times of Lot do we have loved ones that need prompting to prepare to escape the wrath that will shortly engulf the world?  Will our warning seem as mocking to them also?  Why does such information seem to mock a person?

Fourth, do we have family or loved ones that are immersed in the evil culture today as Lot's sons might have been?  Are we to going to ignore them as the wrath approaches?  If not how do we reach them?

Fifth, if the times that precede a coming of God's wrath are similar, will fire fall on our country (and others) as it did in the days of Lot?  At the rapture of the church will some folks have to be literally dragged from the earth as Lot was dragged from Sodom?

Sixth, are the sins of Sodom similar to what we see around us in the United States?  What were the sins of Sodom?

Seventh, Am I like Lot in any way?  Is that good?  Is that bad?

Eighth, what were the end results of Lot's decisions regarding living in Sodom?  What prompted his decisions?  How do my decisions affect those in my sphere of influence?

Ninth, where else in scripture is Lot mentioned?

Tenth, Can I intercede for my country, state, and/or city as Abraham did for the cities of the plain?