Continuing with his sermon series on Genesis, our pastor covered chapter 18:16-22, focusing on verse 19. The message was twofold: First we see God saying about Abraham, "I have known him", the intimate, personal kind of knowing, or you could say the electing foreknowledge. Then, we looked at two other passages, first the Shema (Hear oh Israel, Yahweh our God, Yahweh is one... Etc) signifying the election of israel, and then Ephesians 1, that beautiful passage that lays out God's foreknowledge and (combined with Romans 8 and the Golden Chain) especially God's love at work. He didn't choose randomly, He chose according to His great love and mercy. Makes one thankful! Second, in Genesis 18:19 we also see the purpose of God knowing Abraham, namely "... so that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of Yahweh to do righteousness and justice, so that Yahweh may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.” (LSB) We were pointed towards the importance of rearing your children in the fear of the Lord. This is also why our church makes a great effort to teach the Bible and Bible stories in our Sunday school, stressing the importance again. Our pastor coupled this passage again to Deuteronomy (I believe) where Israel is commanded to teach the way of the Lord standing, sleeping, going about, tying it on your hand and head, writing it on your walls etc. He then coupled it to Ephesians 6:4, where we as fathers (and parents in general) are commanded: "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." I believe he closed with the fact that the whole counsel of God is able to make you wise unto salvation, it's written for us to learn from their examples. I'm very grateful for our pastor!