The first covenant in the Bible has already been made between God and Noah which reaffirms the blessing of humanity and the creation. This covenant while made between God and Noah did not have have explicit conditions for Noah’s descendants, reaffirming the order of creation and divinity in humanity. Abraham, the Father of both Ishmael and Isaac, is to whom God makes the second covenant. The second covenant being a blessing of land and descendents with the added condition of circumiscision and “that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring Abraham what God has spoken to him” (Genesis 18:19b).
I find it interesting that three men visit Abram, and he invites them in for refreshment and restoration on their journey to Sodom and Gomorrah, presumably as one would any guest. While talking with them he learns that Sodom and Gomorrah are to be destroyed, and we do not know for what reason (maybe because Lot was living near there) or maybe for a less personal reason Abraham negotiates with them that they will save the city if there are five decent men. However, the men arrive and are invited by Lot to his home, whereupon the crowd wants to break down the door to get to the men, and after even trying to encourage his sons-in-law to leave it seems the only “righteous” man may be Lot. The men enable Lot and his two daughters to escape before “fire and brimstone” come down and destroy the city.
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