PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
16 When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way. 17 Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? 18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. 19 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.”
20 Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous 21 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.”
22 The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord. 23 Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 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? 25 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?”
26 The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
27 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, 28 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.”
29 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.”
30 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.”
31 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.”
32 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.”
33 When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home. (Genesis 18:16-33 NIV)
REFLECTIONS:
Do you know the answer to Abraham’s question in verse 23? There are a lot of things in Genesis 18 and 19 that I don’t understand. It’s obvious that the three “men” are not men as we know them. What’s up with the “Lord” appearing as a man before Abraham and Sarah? And why did God destroy the cities? What I do know is the answer to Abraham’s question. Not only will the Lord spare the righteous but he will spare the wicked because of the one who is righteous.
In today’s passage we see Abraham engage a man identified as the “Lord” and ask him a series of questions including the one above. The Lord never actually negotiates with Abraham. He allows Abraham to talk himself into a greater understanding of the Lord’s heart. I believe that had Abraham asked, “What if only one righteous person is found in the city of Sodom? Will you destroy the city?” The Lord would have answered Abraham, “I will spare the whole place for the sake of one.” As it is, Abraham stopped at asking about ten righteous people and the Lord left.
When you pray do you not go far enough? Often we may miss out on the Lord revealing more of his heart because we don’t continue to press in and seek his will.
At the end of the book of Jonah we find Jonah on the outskirts of Nineveh angry because the people of the city had repented and God had mercy on them. God gives Jonah a practical example of how he has great concern for all people and even animals. The final sentence of the book sums up God’s heart: “And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left--and also many animals?” (Jonah 4:11).
God cares and he is looking for any excuse he can find to have mercy on those who need it and will accept it. Is this how you look at people?
PRAYER:
Father you are so full of mercy. Thank you that you work overtime in your work of reveling you heart and character to us. Please grow us in knowledge and understanding of you and your heart’s desire for those that surround us. Thank you that the glory of your son shines so bright in the fruit born by your good works through the body of your son’s bride.
WHO AM I?
My name is Paul Babb. I’m glad that God is who he is and I don’t have to have all the answers.
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