AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF LOT (Part 3)

AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF LOT (Part 3)

Kenute P. Curry

ABRAHAM’S INTERCESSION

As Abraham walks with the two angels the LORD begins to think to Himself “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?.... For I have known him.” Abraham had an intimate and close relationship with the LORD which spoke of faithfulness, obedience, and consistency. James 2:23 states that Abraham was called “the friend of God.” God knew that Abraham had a vested interest in the city of Sodom because Lot lived there.

Then the LORD tells Abraham that the complaints against Sodom are very great and their sin is very evil; and that He is going to see if it is as bad as he has heard, and if not, He will know.

The two men leave and depart toward Sodom, but Abraham stands before the LORD. Abraham approaches the LORD and begins to dialogue with him, asking “Would you also destroy the righteous with the wicked?” (v. 23) What if there are fifty righteous people in that city? Are you going to destroy the place and not spare the fifty righteous in it? “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (v. 25) The Lord tells Abraham that if he can find fifty righteous people in Sodom, He will spare the whole place for their sakes. Here we see Abraham in the role of a Prophet as an Intercessor. God esteemed Abraham’s opinion. He hears us when we pray. The dialoguing between the LORD and Abraham went from fifty to forty-five righteous, from forty-five to-forty, from forty to thirty, from thirty to twenty, and from twenty to ten. The LORD told Abraham that if He found ten righteous people there He would spare the city. When the LORD finished speaking with Abraham he left, and Abraham returned home. There was nothing more that could be done; judgment was inevitable.