Genesis 18:23-33
Our text is regarding Abraham praying for the sparing of Sodom due to the righteous people living there. One of those people was his nephew Lot, who would actually prove to be the only righteous one in the entire city. Abraham starts the intercession by asking God if He would destroy the righteous with the wicked, which of course God would never do. He then asks if God would spare it for 50 righteous, then 45, then 30, then 20 and finally, 10. Each time that Abraham lowers the number, God agrees to spare the city if He can find that many righteous.
There are two important things about Abraham’s prayer: the manner in which he prays and the place that he stops. His manner is very shaky, with trepidation and fear, showing us that he fears to even petition God in this way. He calls himself “dust and ashes” (verse 27), he begs, “let not the Lord be angry” (verse 30), and then asks again, promising to speak “yet but this once” (verse 32). He is afraid of a God that just promised to make of him a “great and mighty nation” (verse 18). Why would he be afraid to ask for anything, knowing that God has favored him?
A lack of understanding of covenant is one of the downfalls of the modern Christian. If we knew who we are because of Jesus Christ, we would stop praying as Abraham prayed in this chapter. We need not beg our Daddy God, for it His desire to give us the kingdom: “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).
We should also look at where Abraham stops his prayer. Based on the prayer itself, can we assume that if Abraham had continued his trend of taking the number down, and had ended at only 1 righteous, would God have agreed to spare the city? God had already agreed 5 times to Abraham’s prayer, so why not ask once more. I have often wondered if Abraham stopped praying too soon!
I used to preach this passage of scripture by saying “Don’t stop interceding! If you stop too soon, people may not get what they need”. I didn’t understand that I was making God distant and hesitant to move. This brought shame to the covenant of Jesus Christ, who never moves because we are persistent or because we are good. If this is not how this passage is to be interpreted, then what should we glean?
“Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). Jesus is now the intercessor! He “ever liveth” to do that very thing. Rest assured that He will not stop petitioning the Father on your behalf. Where man may stop at “will you spare it for 10?”, Jesus will continue on until there is only you! You are of such importance to Christ that while you were an enemy in your mind against God, Christ died for you (Colossians 1:20, 21; Romans 5:10).
Take solace in the fact that your Redeemer ever lives to intercede on your behalf. Nothing can befall you that Jesus has not already conquered. You are deeply loved and highly favored in Christ Jesus.
Our text is regarding Abraham praying for the sparing of Sodom due to the righteous people living there. One of those people was his nephew Lot, who would actually prove to be the only righteous one in the entire city. Abraham starts the intercession by asking God if He would destroy the righteous with the wicked, which of course God would never do. He then asks if God would spare it for 50 righteous, then 45, then 30, then 20 and finally, 10. Each time that Abraham lowers the number, God agrees to spare the city if He can find that many righteous.
There are two important things about Abraham’s prayer: the manner in which he prays and the place that he stops. His manner is very shaky, with trepidation and fear, showing us that he fears to even petition God in this way. He calls himself “dust and ashes” (verse 27), he begs, “let not the Lord be angry” (verse 30), and then asks again, promising to speak “yet but this once” (verse 32). He is afraid of a God that just promised to make of him a “great and mighty nation” (verse 18). Why would he be afraid to ask for anything, knowing that God has favored him?
A lack of understanding of covenant is one of the downfalls of the modern Christian. If we knew who we are because of Jesus Christ, we would stop praying as Abraham prayed in this chapter. We need not beg our Daddy God, for it His desire to give us the kingdom: “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).
We should also look at where Abraham stops his prayer. Based on the prayer itself, can we assume that if Abraham had continued his trend of taking the number down, and had ended at only 1 righteous, would God have agreed to spare the city? God had already agreed 5 times to Abraham’s prayer, so why not ask once more. I have often wondered if Abraham stopped praying too soon!
I used to preach this passage of scripture by saying “Don’t stop interceding! If you stop too soon, people may not get what they need”. I didn’t understand that I was making God distant and hesitant to move. This brought shame to the covenant of Jesus Christ, who never moves because we are persistent or because we are good. If this is not how this passage is to be interpreted, then what should we glean?
“Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). Jesus is now the intercessor! He “ever liveth” to do that very thing. Rest assured that He will not stop petitioning the Father on your behalf. Where man may stop at “will you spare it for 10?”, Jesus will continue on until there is only you! You are of such importance to Christ that while you were an enemy in your mind against God, Christ died for you (Colossians 1:20, 21; Romans 5:10).
Take solace in the fact that your Redeemer ever lives to intercede on your behalf. Nothing can befall you that Jesus has not already conquered. You are deeply loved and highly favored in Christ Jesus.
