Abraham’s Intercession for the Righteous — Genesis 18 Daily Word

Explore how Abraham’s intercession reveals God’s character and justice. Discover why God chose Abraham for his obedience and righteousness, and what his prayers for Sodom teach us about faith.

Genesis 18:20-26 Daily Word

1. [Scripture]

[20] Then the LORD said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, [21] I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.” [22] 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?” [26] And the LORD said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” (Gen 18:20-26, ESV)

2. [Daily Word]

# Why God Chose Abraham

God declared that Abraham would become a great and mighty nation, and that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through him. This is a promise of what God Himself would accomplish — a declaration of what He would do for all peoples through Abraham. Through blessed Abraham, his descendants would become a great nation, and through the Messiah who would be born from Abraham’s lineage, the blessing of salvation would be proclaimed to all peoples.

The reason God chose Abraham to carry out this mission is recorded in verse 19: He was chosen so that he would keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice. In particular, “the way of the Lord” spoken of here refers to the willingness to obey God’s commands; “righteousness” refers to a right posture of heart before God; and “justice” refers to putting that righteous heart into action before God — that is, obedience.

Taken together, this means that God chose Abraham as a person who would unfailingly obey and keep His commands — because Abraham was a man of obedience. Sodom and Gomorrah, by contrast, were peoples who defied God and lived in disobedience. And so in verse 20, when it says that the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah was great and their sin very grave, it means that their cry had risen up to heaven — that a full measure of complaint had accumulated before God.

# The Sin of Sodom and Gomorrah

The sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was one of sexual immorality and severe spiritual corruption. Thus [7] just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. (Jude 1:7, ESV) records that Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

And [49] Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. [50] They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it. (Ezek 16:49-50, ESV) declares that the guilt of Sodom consisted in pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease; she and her daughters did not aid the poor and needy; they were haughty and did an abomination before God, so He removed them. It was in this very context that God heard the cry of someone calling out to Him.

Therefore,[21] I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.” (Gen 18:21, ESV) God says He will go down to see whether the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is as great as what He has heard. The reason God personally goes down to investigate the nature of that outcry is to judge the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah. Just as God caused Adam and Eve to become aware of their sin through their nakedness after eating the forbidden fruit, He will expose the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah and bring them to account. Thus, (Heb 4:13) … all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account.

# The angels departed from there and set out toward Sodom.

Seeing this, Abraham remained standing before the LORD, then drew near to God and asked: “Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?” Abraham is here assuming that among those in the city God is about to destroy, there would also be people living according to God’s will. This is because in and around Sodom there were other cities as well — Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar.

So in verse 24, Abraham asks, “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?” And in verse 25, he continues, “Far be it from You to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked!” Abraham believes that in any judgment, the righteous must not be treated the same as the wicked — and that this very principle reflects the strict justice of God.

In accordance with this justice of God, Abraham believed that even if there were only a small number of righteous people within Sodom, the city ought not to be destroyed. In that sense, he trusted that God, who judges the world, would do what is right. Notably, the “justice” spoken of here refers not merely to retribution, but to the wholly gracious mercy of God — the God who forgives and embraces sinners.

(Ps 103:17) [17] But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, [18] to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. (Ps 103:17-18, ESV) The lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children — to those who keep His covenant and remember His precepts to do them. The God of lovingkindness forgives those who fear Him, who keep the covenant He has spoken, and who remember and obey His commandments.

# Abraham believed there were righteous people among them.

He believed that among these cities, there would be at least fifty people crying out to God. So he asked God to spare the cities if fifty righteous people could be found there. In response, God says in verse 26: “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous people in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

From this passage, we receive one important lesson: God desires to save even a single righteous person.

[18] Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. (Rom 5:18, ESV)

Therefore, what we must do is stand firm in our faith, maintaining a right posture before God as His righteous ones. Remember that God uses our faith for His purposes, and as you go through this day, may you live with the hope of being used by Him — and let us pray together to that end.

Intercessory prayer, the faith of Abraham, the justice of God, the salvation of souls, the prayer of the righteous

Originally published in Korean at bible2u.com