Interceding for Sodom

Following the supernatural appearance of God to Abraham in the last chapter, three angels visited Abraham in the chapter below. It is not certain that Abraham knew they were angels but he was very hospitable to them. Their mission was to reconfirm God's promise that within a year Sarah and Abraham would have a baby. We see Sarah expressed her unbelieve by laughing to herself not knowing the visitors would hear.

The other mission of the angels is to execute God's judgement on Sodom and Gomorrah. A few very interesting things to note about this second part of the chapter.
- Previously when the men were discussing the Promised child with Abraham it is not clear that the LORD was one of the men. But here, in discussing about Sodom and Gomorrah, it is clear one of the three is the LORD and Abraham talked to him.
- The LORD, our God, treats us like a friend in the sense that He tells us His will and His plans. He does not hide things from us. This is consistent with Jesus when he revealed the mysteries to His disciples, including the true meaning of the parables and his Return.
- The Lord considers Abraham his friend, hence he discussed his plans about Sodom and Gomorrah.
- The Lord want to use us as intercessors to pray for others. This is the reason he told Abraham knowing that Abraham would pray for Sodom and Gomorrah.
- The reason for God's judgement on Sodom and Gomorrah is because "their sin is very grave"; and it appears there was an outcry by people to God, to put a stop to Sodom and Gomorrah.

Then Abraham pleaded with the Lord in a somewhat playful or cunning or debate-like manner not to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because there may be a handful of good people there.



Genesis 18

The Son of Promise

 1 Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre,[a] as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day.
 2 So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground,
 3 and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant.
 4 Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
 5 And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.”
They said, “Do as you have said.”
6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.”
7 And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it.
8 So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.
9 Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?”
So he said, “Here, in the tent.”
10 And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.”
(Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.)
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.[b]
12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
13 And the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’
14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”
15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid.
And He said, “No, but you did laugh!”

Abraham Intercedes for Sodom

  
16 Then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and 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.”
20 And the LORD said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave,
21 I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”
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?”
26 So the LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.”
27 Then Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord:
28 Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?”
So He said, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.”
29 And he spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose there should be forty found there?”
So He said, “I will not do it for the sake of forty.”
30 Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?”
So He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
31 And he said, “Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?”
So He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.”
32 Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?”
And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.”
33 So the LORD went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.