Genesis 1-50, 10/22-10/25

the beginning of this book may have some of the most beautiful language in the entire bible. its so imaginative and mysterious... phrases like "darkness was over the face of the deep" and "the spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." however genesis 19 is by far my favorite chapter in the book. i love abraham's persistence and boldness in asking God to spare people out of Sodom, from 50 down to 10. Gods kindness here is incredible...the conversation is left with God saying he will spare the whole city if 10 are found. and yet there are not even ten found in the city who are righteous, there are only lot his wife and two daughters. and what does God do? he didn't promise abraham that he would spare any in the city if less than 10 are found, and yet even though only four are found he doesn't destroy them with sulfur and fire from heaven with the city. lot and his family even stall in the city and the God is patient with them and bring them out of the mob still. and when lot asks the angels to spare the little city of zoar that they might go there, and angels respond telling them to hurry because they "can do nothing till [they} arrive there." its interesting because in the past when i've looked at this passage my focus has been on lot's wife turning into a pillar of salt because of her disobedience towards god...this time though the gods gentleness, kindness, and patience with humanity was so evident. actually its evident all throughout genesis...how many times did abraham sort of kind of lie about sarah being his sister (even though she was his half-sister) and yet, god's favor is still upon him?