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REASONING WITH GOD (4 OF 4)
by Marion Clark
Scripture: Genesis 18:22-33
This content is part of a series.
Reasoning with God (4 of 4)
Series: Genesis
D. Marion Clark
Genesis 18:22-33
Introduction
There was a TV series in which the star would receive a newspaper with headlines about some kind of tragedy to take place in the near future. His task then was to intercede in time to prevent the tragedy from occurring. Abraham had such an experience. God stopped by for dinner, and as he was leaving he told Abraham where he was going next. He was going down the valley to visit Sodom and Gomorrah, not to have a fun night out, but to verify that their evil merited judgment.
Abraham knew the cities, and thus he knew what awaited them - annihilation. Justice could bring no less. The action he chose became the first recorded intercession in the Bible, and presents us with the first of the prayers of the OT saints to examine. Our text picks up with God turning to leave.
Text
Abraham's Plea
So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. 23 Then Abraham drew near and said, ''Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?''
Abraham sets for the terms of his concern: Should the righteous fare as the wicked? This is not a question of whether the righteous must face the same trials of life as the wicked, but rather, Are they to face the same judgment of destruction as the wicked? ''Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked…put the righteous to death with the wicked…'' The issue for Abraham is justice; at least, it appears that way. ''Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?''
This is a rather bold statement from Abraham. He is ...
Series: Genesis
D. Marion Clark
Genesis 18:22-33
Introduction
There was a TV series in which the star would receive a newspaper with headlines about some kind of tragedy to take place in the near future. His task then was to intercede in time to prevent the tragedy from occurring. Abraham had such an experience. God stopped by for dinner, and as he was leaving he told Abraham where he was going next. He was going down the valley to visit Sodom and Gomorrah, not to have a fun night out, but to verify that their evil merited judgment.
Abraham knew the cities, and thus he knew what awaited them - annihilation. Justice could bring no less. The action he chose became the first recorded intercession in the Bible, and presents us with the first of the prayers of the OT saints to examine. Our text picks up with God turning to leave.
Text
Abraham's Plea
So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. 23 Then Abraham drew near and said, ''Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?''
Abraham sets for the terms of his concern: Should the righteous fare as the wicked? This is not a question of whether the righteous must face the same trials of life as the wicked, but rather, Are they to face the same judgment of destruction as the wicked? ''Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked…put the righteous to death with the wicked…'' The issue for Abraham is justice; at least, it appears that way. ''Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?''
This is a rather bold statement from Abraham. He is ...
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