As God looks down on our world, He sees everything —the good the bad, the light the dark, the pure and the wicked. What a contrast! If we were to read or watch the news on any given day, we would see these shades of dark and light very quickly. How it must break our holy God's heart to see the evil that exists! However it is contrasted against the joy He has as He sees those who walk with Him, living to bring Him glory.
As we continue to read Genesis 18, we find Abraham seeing his special visitors on their way, as was the custom. As they walked along, the Lord speaks and the contrast in what He sees is very evident, bringing about a dilemma:
"When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way. Then the Lord said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him." Then the Lord said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know." The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord. Then Abraham approached him and said: "Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?" The Lord said, "If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake." Then Abraham spoke up again: "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five people?" "If I find forty-five there," he said, "I will not destroy it." Once again he spoke to him, "What if only forty are found there?" He said, "For the sake of forty, I will not do it." Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?" He answered, "I will not do it if I find thirty there." Abraham said, "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?" He said, "For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it." Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?" He answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it." When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home."
Genesis 18:16-33 NIV
One minute the Lord is speaking of the great, powerful nation that would come through Abraham and the blessing that would be on him and his household and then come thoughts of Sodom and Gomorrah —what a contrast! Abraham would keep the way of the Lord by doing what was right —surely a bright light compared to the images of wicked people with sin so grievous!
The Lord is not sure that Abraham should be exposed to what He will have to do in dealing with the evil that had become so prevalent and considers hiding him from it. Abraham boldly speaks up! It's great to see him caring about the fate of those in Sodom and Gomorrah. It was possible that he could have just thought about his own family and appealed for Lot's safety but Abraham clearly cared for other people too. His intercession was very effective, very specific.
It's interesting that Abraham suggested specific numbers as he talked with God rather than just speaking generally about people. Our prayers can be ineffective because we fail to go into detail and don't ask God to do anything specific. He cares about all the details of what is happening in our lives and wants to hear us interceding for others too by bringing their needs before Him.
In looking at how Abraham addresses God, we see he is not afraid to speak to Him and plead his case. He is bold but humble and notice he doesn't ask why or demand that God explain himself. Abraham uses all his skills of negotiation to lower the number of righteous required for the city to be spared. He intercedes passionately and this surely is the heart that the Lord wants to see in us as we bring the needs of others to His attention.
Abraham continued to negotiate and God agreed that if there were ten righteous people in the city, He would not destroy it.
Perhaps God allowed Abraham to know the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah in order to see his loving heart, evident in his passionate intercession. Can you see glimpses of Jesus, our great intercessor?
"Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them."
Hebrews 7:25 NIV
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the way we get to see what You are like when we read Your Word. In our reading today I see Your authority, Your righteousness and Your willingness to listen to mankind. I could clearly see the contrast where You were dealing with the righteous and the wicked all at once! I could see Your holiness and mercy, Your purity and disappointment. It reminded me of the time before the flood!
Lord I thank You that I don't need to fear because in mercy, You sent Jesus to die and cover all of of my wickedness so when You look at me, I am perfect and no longer come under Your judgement. In receiving Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, I am safe, redeemed, I am Your child! Even though I am living in a fallen, evil world, I live in the Light:
"You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness." 1 Thessalonians 5:5 NIV
Thank You Lord for all who have interceded for me over the years so I would come into Your Kingdom. I now bring before You, those who are still needing to find Your salvation................................................................................ I pray that You would give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that they may know You. I pray that the eyes of their hearts may be enlightened in order that they may know the hope to which they have been called, the riches of Your glorious inheritance in Your holy people, and Your incomparably great power for us who believe. (See Ephesians 1:16-23)
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.
"For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see."
Psalms 36:9 NLT
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Light and Life for Today
Non-FictionA daily devotional for your time alone with God. In an increasingly dark world, more than ever, we need to look beyond what we can see, past our present circumstances. In order to see the light and experience life as our Heavenly Father intended, I...
