Genesis 18-20

January 5

Genesis 18-20

God had determined to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of the wickedness of the city. There has been much conversation over the three visitors. Was it the Father, Son and Holy Spirit? Was it God and a couple angels? There are good arguments for either side, but what matters is that God came and visited Abraham. He renewed His promise that Abraham and Sarah would have a son through whom the world would be blessed. This time he set a time; within the year.

 God came with good news and bad news. He decided to let Abraham know what was about to happen in Sodom and Gomorrah. But Abraham knew the people in Sodom including his nephew Lot, so Abraham began to intercede for the cities, or more accurately for the people of the cities.

He began by appealing to God’s character in doing right (v 25). He asked God if He would spare the city for fifty righteous people living in the city. Surely God would not wipe out the righteous along with the evil. God agreed not to wipe out the city if there were fifty righteous people. Think about that fity righteous people could save a city from destruction.

But there were not fifty righteous people in the entire city. Abraham continued to intercede how about forty-five, then forty, then thirty, then twenty, then ten. Ten righteous people could save the entire city. But there were not ten righteous people in the city. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah giving Abraham’s nephew, Lot, his wife and two daughters the opportunity to escape.

 Do we intercede the way Abraham interceded? Do we beg God not to bring judgment on those who may deserve judgment? Do we ask God to save those who deserve destruction?

If God looked at our lives, would He say; “I will spare that school because of the righteous people who reflect my light in that school.” Would He say; “I will spare that neighborhood because there are righteous people making a difference there.” Would He say; “I will spare that workplace because there are righteous people bringing salvation to that place.”

We are the interceders like Abraham. We are the righteous who prevent God’s wrath from wiping out our environment. We are the salt and light to a lost and dying world.