Abraham's Intercession

Abraham’s Intercession

(Genesis 18:16-33)

Yearly Theme:  “Patience is…”

Series Title:  “Divine Patience (Part 2)”

February 6^th, 2022

Something to think about:

Persistence is the willingness to continue to do the hard things in spite of the difficulties.

Today, we come to a story of persistence in Genesis 18, with a man named Abraham.  As we have already explored, Abraham and his wife Sarah had been promised descendants even though they had been unable to have any children of their own.  They were in their old age by now, but GOD shows up on the scene and prepares them for the seemingly impossible reality that they will have a child within a year.  As the Angel of the LORD departs from this meeting with Abraham, He decides to let him in on where He is going next.  GOD is on His way to enact judgment upon the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah due to their extreme wickedness and depravity.  Upon hearing this, Abraham is moved to press persistently into GOD’s own character by requesting mercy upon these cities on the chance that there are also righteous people living there.  What is GOD’s response?  Let’s take a look…

Genesis 18:16-33 (NLT),

¹⁶ Then the men got up from their meal and looked out toward Sodom. As they left, Abraham went with them to send them on their way.

¹⁷ “Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” the Lord asked. ¹⁸ “For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. ¹⁹ I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.”

²⁰ So the Lord told Abraham, “I have heard a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant. ²¹ I am going down to see if their actions are as wicked as I have heard. If not, I want to know.”

²² The other men turned and headed toward Sodom, but the Lord remained with Abraham. ²³ Abraham approached him and said, “Will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked? ²⁴ Suppose you find fifty righteous people living there in the city—will you still sweep it away and not spare it for their sakes? ²⁵ Surely you wouldn’t do such a thing, destroying the righteous along with the wicked. Why, you would be treating the righteous and the wicked exactly the same! Surely you wouldn’t do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”

²⁶ And the Lord replied, “If I find fifty righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the entire city for their sake.”

²⁷ Then Abraham spoke again. “Since I have begun, let me speak further to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes. ²⁸ Suppose there are only forty-five righteous people rather than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?”

And the Lord said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five righteous people there.”

²⁹ Then Abraham pressed his request further. “Suppose there are only forty?”

And the Lord replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the forty.”

³⁰ “Please don’t be angry, my Lord,” Abraham pleaded. “Let me speak—suppose only thirty righteous people are found?”

And the Lord replied, “I will not destroy it if I find thirty.”

³¹ Then Abraham said, “Since I have dared to speak to the Lord, let me continue—suppose there are only twenty?”

And the Lord replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”

³² Finally, Abraham said, “Lord, please don’t be angry with me if I speak one more time. Suppose only ten are found there?”

And the Lord replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

³³ When the Lord had finished his conversation with Abraham, he went on his way, and Abraham returned to his tent. ^[1]

Here’s the takeaway this morning:

Key Point:  “GOD’s willingness to put up with our persistence shows the depts of His patience.”

How does this work?  Let’s consider the following as we break down this passage:

• GOD let Abraham in on His  for Sodom and Gomorrah.

• GOD is willing to  to Abraham’s persistent requests to withhold  for the sake of the potential righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah.

• GOD allowed Abraham to  His character in order to  that He can be trusted.

Something to take home:

Jacob Riis writes, “I look at a stone cutter hammering away at a rock a hundred times without so much as a crack showing in it.  Yet at the 101st blow it splits in two.  I know it was not the one blow that did it, but all that had gone before.”[2]

Humble persistence with GOD is never bad especially when it presses us into intimacy with GOD.

Persistence with GOD allows us a glimpse into His very heart and gives us the ability to experience a deeper walk with Him.  Those who are not willing to persist with GOD usually have a shallow faith that is too easily shaken by difficulties and problems which cause them to doubt GOD’s character.

GOD is patient with those who humbly push into a relationship with Him, and who are willing to ask the tough questions.  GOD is not some merciless tyrant who punishes willy-nilly, but rather, GOD is merciful and just, and is more than willing to relent to the persistent calls of His children.

Key Point:  “GOD’s willingness to put up with our persistence shows the depths of His patience.”

^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ge 18:16–33). Tyndale House Publishers.

[2] Jacob Riis, Reader's Digest.