“I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.” Gen.18:33
that is the last statement from the Lord before He went on His way. The whole story in Genesis chapter 18, will make you defenestrate any ideas you may have of God’s sternness and implacability.
After announcing that Sarah will give birth to a son, the angels – who came in the guise of men – rose from Abraham’s place and looked toward Sodom. They were headed there in order to learn first hand its iniquity and that of Gomorrah’s. Abraham went with them to send them on the way. 17 And the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, 18 since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.”
With most of us, prayer is a one-way street. We pour out our pleas and petitions which are mostly about us. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to converse with God and discuss His plans, like Abraham did? The primary requirement for this is Faith; but also that you are intimate with God; to the extent that He feels confident that you would command your children and your household after you, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice.
God is looking for godly families; not just individuals. We know that Abraham brought up his son Isaac well. How do we know? 1. Isaac never protested when as a lad he was bound and laid on the altar to be sacrificed in mount Moriah (Genesis 22:9) 2. Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening (Genesis 24:63). He was about 40 in the second instance. So God’s confidence in Abraham was well founded. Yes, he fully merited the description “friend of God” found in Isaiah 41:8
Abraham’s nephew Lot had chosen to live near Sodom. And God’s apparent anger towards that city was causing concern to Abraham. He feared that Lot would be swept away in the destruction of the city like a baby with bathwater. He makes up his mind to plead for Lot.
The negotiation begins.
22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. 23 And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it? 25 Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
Abraham was equally aware of the city’s wickedness and he also knew that about the only righteous people there would be Lot’s family of 6 (which includes his two married daughters).
But he pitches high at 50 (perhaps Lot has had a positive influence)
26 the Lord said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.”
Then the number dwindles in stages to 10 as Abraham makes bold to bargain, but God doesn’t turn away in annoyance. He shows great patience with His friend. For He recognizes that this is one prayer that is not selfish. He could see that Abraham was truly concerned about the welfare of his nephew.
He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.” 33 So the Lord went His way.
This is a worthy example of intercession for the salvation of our near and dear ones. We might wish them well for their material prosperity. But do we care equally or more about their spiritual well being? Not just for them, but indeed for the whole world.
“Christ Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world“ (1 John 2:2).
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