Okay, you can turn in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 18. Genesis chapter 18. Remember, the larger section is 18.1 to 19.38, and it's the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah. And here, specifically in chapter 18, the Lord appears to Abraham and gives him the promise, again, concerning Isaac.

The specific focus or target is Sarah. We saw that last week. And then secondly, the Lord reveals his plan to destroy Sodom in verses 16 to 21. And then finally, Abraham intercedes for Sodom in verses 22 to 33.

So I'll pick up reading in verse 1 of Genesis 18. Then the Lord appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. 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 and said, my lord, if I have now found favor in your sight, do not pass on by your servant.

Please let a little water be brought and wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree. And I will bring a morsel of bread that you may refresh your hearts. After that, you may pass by in as much as you have come to your servant. They said, Do as you have said.

So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, Quickly make ready three measures of fine meal. Knead it and make cakes. And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it. 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. Then they said to him, Where is Sarah your wife? So he said, Here in the tent. 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. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age, and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

And the Lord said to Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old? 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. But Sarah denied it, saying, I did not laugh, for she was afraid.

And he said, no, but you did laugh. Then the men rose from there and looked towards Sodom. And Abraham went with them to send them on the way. And the Lord said, shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?

Since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him. 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. And the Lord said, because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, 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.

Then the men turned away from there and went towards Sodom. But Abraham still stood before the Lord. And Abraham came near and said, would you also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there were 50 righteous within the city.

Would you also destroy the place and not spare it for the 50 righteous that were in it? 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?

So the Lord said, if I find in Sodom 50 righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. Then Abraham answered and said, indeed now, I who imbut dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose there were five less than the 50 righteous. Would you destroy all of the city for lack of five?

So he said, if I find there 45, I will not destroy it. And he spoke to him yet again and said, suppose there should be 40 found there. So he said, I will not do it for the sake of 40. Then he said, let not the Lord be angry and I will speak.

Suppose 30 should be found there. So he said, I will not do it if I find 30 there. And he said, indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose 20 should be found there.

So he said, I will not destroy it for the sake of 20. 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.

So the Lord went his way as soon as he had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

Introduction

As I quoted last week, Gordon Wenham says, no other 24-hour period in Abraham's life is related more fully than that described in Genesis 18 and 19. A midday lunch with three angels that ended with the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah early the next morning. So again, this whole section holds together, chapter 18 and 19. And if you look at the first part of chapter 18, verses 1 to 15, the promise of Isaac links with chapter 17, where the promise of Isaac is given there.

And then the rest of chapter 18, obviously dealing with the overthrow of Sodom, definitely connects with chapter 19. So you see the cohesiveness and the narrative, you see how the author is putting these things together, and now it comes time to look at this instance concerning Sodom. So we looked at the promise concerning Isaac tonight, the evaluation on Sodom by the Lord in verses 16 to 21, and then secondly the intercession for Sodom by Abraham in verses 23 to 33. But

The Lord's Evaluation of Sodom

notice in the first place, there is this evaluation on Sodom, but there's a bit of soliloquy, or the Lord speaking. He doesn't tell us who he's speaking to, he simply says that the Lord said. And he reflects upon Abraham, and then he reflects upon Sodom. But if you look first at verse 16, it tells us, the men rose from there and looked towards Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on the way.

So we have the men that are indicated in verse 2, the three men. But remember in verse 1, we saw the Lord appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre. These two men, according to verse 16, head towards Sodom, and yet Abraham is still in the presence of the Lord, and he is speaking to him. I mentioned last week that some see the Trinity in this particular chapter, these three men being the persons of the Godhead.

But chapter 19, verse 1 tells us that they were angels, and then again in the book of Hebrews, in chapter 13, we learn as well that they were angels. So it's probably the angel of the Lord that is the Lord. Again, most of the older commentators refer to that as the second person of the Trinity, and then two angelic beings that go and investigate the crime and the sin of Sodom. So the men move towards Sodom, and then that introduces us to the Lord's reflection upon Abraham.

Notice in

God's Disclosure to Abraham

verses 17 to 19, He is unwilling to hide things from Abraham. Verse 17, and the Lord said, shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing? It's obviously a rhetorical question. The answer is no.

He's not going to hide what he's doing. He's going to tell Abraham what is happening. And the reason for that is indicated in terms of Abraham as a man. Abraham was the friend of God.

Typically, we tell our friends those things that affect us. Now God isn't affected, but a lot of what we find in this particular chapter is both anthropomorphic and anthropopathic. But God does include Abraham in these things. 2 Chronicles 20 verse 7, Isaiah 41 verse 8, and James 2.23 all highlight that Abraham was, in fact, the friend of God. He sustained a special relationship with the Lord, so the Lord says, shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?

But as well, Abraham was a prophet of God. If you turn over to just one chapter in Genesis 20, In verse 7, now, therefore, restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, I know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours. Amos 3, 7, God says, surely the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants, the prophets.

And so it is fitting and appropriate that Abraham is included in the divine plan with reference to the judgment and overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah. Now notice as well in verse 18, the Lord's covenantal purpose for Abraham. Verse 18, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him. This is a reiteration of God's purpose and plan for Abraham as already specified in Genesis chapter 12 verses 1 to 3.

This provides the rationale or another reason for God's disclosure of what he's going to do to Sodom to Abraham at this particular juncture. And then notice as well in verse 19, the Lord's intimate knowledge of Abraham. So these three things, his unwillingness to hide it, the covenantal purpose for Abraham, and then his intimate knowledge of Abraham in verse 19. Notice, he had been chosen by God.

I have known him or I have chosen him even. And then as well, Abraham had proven faithful in family religion. Notice what it says in verse 19, 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. So the idea is this.

Abraham is the father of this nation. It's going to be a great nation. Abraham is ultimately going to be father of all of the nations, or rather all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him. So the rationale seems to be this.

God is going to tell Abraham what he's going to do on Sodom and Gomorrah so that there's not a naturalistic understanding of what happens to Sodom and Gomorrah. In other words, Abraham needs divine revelation to underscore that the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and those cities on the plain were attributable to God himself, so that Abraham could teach his family, so that Abraham could, by extension, teach the entirety of the nation of Israel that both good and bad come from the hand of a gracious Lord. And then notice in verse 19, 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. In other words, this would be absolutely crucial in the pedagogy of Israel, to learn what God thinks concerning sin.

The Lord Most High spoke the seventh commandment. This would be a vital piece of data in the context of Israel's family life to instruct your children on what God does to those who break that particular commandment. It wasn't a naturalistic order, a naturalistic thing. that overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities on the plain. It was rather the wrath and fury of God Most High.

So God tells Abraham so that Abraham would in turn tell Israel so that all the nations of the earth would know that there is a God in heaven and that he is righteous and holy and pure. John Calvin said, although the Lord proclaims aloud that adversity is the rod of his anger, scarcely anyone hearkens to it, because through the depraved imaginations of our flesh we ascribe the suffering to some other cause. So this divine revelation underscores to Abraham that what happens in terms of Sodom comes from Yahweh of Israel. that it's punishment upon sin and sinners. And this is crucial information for the families in Israel to instruct their children on, because as God says with reference to Abraham, 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.

Now,

The Gravity of Sodom's Sin

note God's reflection upon Sodom in verses 20 and 21. Now, it's not just Sodom and Gomorrah. Go back to Genesis 14. Genesis chapter 14.

Remember there was this sort of battle between the Eastern and the Kings from the East came to the Kings in Canaan. And the Kings in Canaan are described or named in verse 2. that they made war with Bera, king of Sodom, Bersha, king of Gomorrah, Shinab, king of Admah, Shemeber, king of Zebelim, and the king of Bela, that is, Zoar. So it's all of those cities except for Zoar. Zoar does not come under the condemnation of God, at least in terms of the overthrow of the cities on the plain, because that's where Lot flees to.

He goes to Zoar. So Sodom is the most notoriously wicked of the group, but it's not just Sodom, and it's not just Gomorrah. It's these others as well, Admah, Zebalim, and Zoar. In fact, Deuteronomy 29.23 highlights the same thing.

You can look at that later. But the sins cry out to the Lord. Notice that in verse 20. The Lord said, because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave.

Now we know that the sin of Cain cried out via the blood of righteous Abel from the ground. As well, there might be the intimation of the fullness of the guilt. You see that in Genesis 15, 16. You see that in Jesus' indictment of Jerusalem in Matthew 23, 32.

So, the fullness of the guilt had arisen. These cities on the plain had filled up the measure of that guilt, and now the Lord God is going to come in judgment. Matthew Poole describes it this way. He says, sins are said to cry when they are gross, and manifest, and impudent, and such as highly provoke God to anger.

So you see, this is, as it were, the tipping point with reference to our God. The Lord said, because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave. We've seen a previous reference to Sodom. You go back to Genesis chapter 13.

Genesis chapter 13, remember Lot pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. And in Genesis 13.13 it says, but the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord. Turn over to Genesis 19 verses 4 and 5. Genesis 19, verses 4 and 5.

We'll see this more next week, but notice in verse 4. Now, before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter surrounded the house. And they called the lot and said to him, where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally.

This is gang rape. That is precisely what they wanted to engage in in Sodom. Now turn to Ezekiel chapter 16 for just a moment. Ezekiel 16.

Some of you may perhaps know how liberals or those who reject the Bible's teaching on sodomy, for instance, try to wriggle out of the clear emphasis in Genesis 19. They highlight that the sin of Sodom was inhospitality. That the sin of Sodom was inhospitality. Now again, I don't argue that gang rape, it certainly falls under the rubric of inhospitality.

But that's not what's in view in terms of the overthrow of these cities on the play. They were wicked and wretched. But notice specifically in Ezekiel the prophet at chapter 16 verses 48 to 50. As I live, says the Lord God, neither your sister Sodom nor her daughters have done as you and your daughters have done.

Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom. She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness. Neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy, and they were haughty and committed abomination before me. Therefore, I took them away as I saw fit.

Most likely, the reference of the abomination there is the sin of sodomy. It wasn't that that was the only problem in this city or in these cities on the plain. That was certainly the most abominable of the lot, but they were also guilty of pride. They were guilty of indulgence.

They were guilty of idleness. They were guilty of inhospitality. So to suggest, though, that that is the sin for which God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah is not consistent with what we find there in Genesis 19, 4 and 5. And then by way of remedy, Lot gives his virgin daughters to those would-be rapists to try and appease them in that particular manner.

But then we have the clear statement in Jude 7, and you can turn there. Again, just so you understand, those who try to finagle their way out of what the Bible clearly teaches with reference to sodomy, they have some hurdles that they need to overcome. And in Jude 7, we read. Basically, what this section deals with here is the damnable outcome of apostates.

Specifically, unbelieving Israel in verse 5b, fallen angels in verse 6, and then Sodom and Gomorrah in verse 7. as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." So that is the grave sin that has come up before Yahweh according to Genesis 18 at verse 20. Because their sin is very grave.

God Investigates Before He Judges

Now notice the Lord visits That city, the Lord visits those regions. Verses 21 and 22. 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. Then the men turned away from there and went towards Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord.

So first of all, the language is anthropomorphic. There's no movement in God. He doesn't go from one place to another. It's spoken in or written in the manner of man.

The language as well is reminiscent of the time before the flood. God looked down upon the world prior to the flood, and he saw the wickedness therein. The language is also reminiscent of Babel. If you turn back to chapter 11 at verse 5, but the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.

So perhaps what we are seeing here is the consistency that we will find later in terms of God's law with reference to government, with reference to adjudication, with reference to the laws of evidence and the rules of due process. The Lord God establishes this by His own activity. Before He sends forth the decisive death blow upon these cities of the plain, He goes and He investigates. He confirms to make sure that, in fact, they are guilty of those things that have come before them.

Now, we need to realize, again, this is highly charged, anthropomorphic and anthropopathic language. God knows all things. The fact that he enters into this dialogue with Abraham and Abraham starts from 50 and he barters his way down to 10, that just shows us something of God's patience, something of God's kindness, and something of the fact that God knows that men don't know. And so God is willing to deal with His creatures, His friends, in a way that is helpful for them at that particular time.

But He's underscoring the reality that He's going to investigate before He decisively judges them. And in verse 22, it says, then the men turned away from there and went towards Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. So he had three men. Now, it seems to be that two of them left, because two angels appear in Sodom at chapter 19, verse 1.

The one that is remaining is identified here as the Lord. Now, Gordon Wenham makes this observation. He cites those who seek, quote, the variation in description of the visitors and the, excuse me, alternation of singular and plural address as proof of the composite nature of the narrative. I should explain what he means by that.

Sometimes people come to Pat, well not sometimes, it's very consistent, that apart from sort of conservative Bible commentators and conservative Bible scholars, most people approach the text as if it really wasn't written by Moses, as if it really wasn't written by Moses under the inspiration of the Spirit, that it was basically a whole bunch of people got together and sort of put these things together, and the text reflects that because you have plurals and singulars confused, you have the mention of one and then the mention of three, and so they suggest that this chapter evidences a compositeness to it. In other words, the person that put it together wasn't bright enough to see the differences between the singular and the plural and the three and the one. I thought Wenham was interesting in what he says. I need to still process it through a Trinitarian grid, but he said, I see these confusions as deliberate.

They express the difficulty of human comprehension of the divine world. I think there's some truth to that. There's a sense where as God, Creator, comes to reveal himself to man, the creature, there's always going to be a disparity or a disconnect. There's not a one-for-one transfer. same-ness in terms of the human approach to divine things.

And so some of that may reflect the inability of man to fully comprehend the divine world. So that's the evaluation on Sodom by the Lord. Their sin is very grave. God is purposing to investigate them, to confirm that that sin is in fact grave, and then He is going to bring judgment to bear upon them as a result of their wickedness and lawlessness.

Abraham's Intercession for Sodom

Now note the intercession for Sodom by Abraham. Now we won't go through each of the gradations, why he goes from five and then up to ten. I don't know. I just don't know. But

Abraham's Opening Appeal

note in the first place the general question in verse 23. Abraham came near and said, beautiful language, he came near and said. The language is that of intercessory prayer. The language is that of creature coming to creator, asking creator for mercy on behalf of other creatures.

Abraham comes near to Yahweh in this spirit or disposition of entreaty. And he says in verse 23, would you also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there were 50 righteous within the city. Would you also destroy the place and not spare it for the 50 righteous that were in it?

Now, why does he do this? We might ask the question, why does Abraham care about these cities on the plain? They are Canaanites, and later Israel is going to be told to dispossess the land of the Canaanites. Deuteronomy 7 hasn't yet been given, but remember that Abraham has intimate knowledge of these kings, these men, these leaders, and these cities on the plain, if you go back to Genesis chapter 14.

Obviously, Lot is in Sodom, and Abraham is concerned about Lot. But he starts with 50. That's certainly far more than Lot and his family. And then he ends with 10, which is still more than Lot and Lot's family.

So he certainly has a vested interest in the safety and the happiness of his nephew Lot. But he's also concerned about the righteous within these cities. Abraham assumes that there are righteous among those in these godless cities. Back in Genesis chapter 14, notice in verse 13.

Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner, and they were allies with Abram. Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants, who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobot, which is north of Damascus. So he brought back all the goods and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods as well as the women and the people.

So Abram was instrumental in saving or freeing or helping these cities that have been taken captive by Cainer Laomer and his band of unmerry men. And so he perhaps had an affinity for that. He thought there would be righteous men among them. I think this is very, on the one hand, it's very interesting that Abraham does this on behalf of Canaanites.

But on the other hand, God lets him. God lets him. God goes with him all the way down from 50 all the way to 10. The Lord is incredibly gracious entering into communion with Abraham on this particular topic of the Lord sparing these cities from his wrath and his fury and his curse.

So he loved his fellow man and didn't want the righteous to suffer with the wicked. Notice that Abraham is not saying, please, let's all just love together and let's all live happily ever after. Abraham does not object to the execution of judgment against the wicked. Abraham is not a pacifist.

Abraham is not a hippie. Abraham is not anti-death penalty. Abraham is not anti-penology. Abraham is not against the judgment of Yahweh poured out upon the enemies of Yahweh.

But rather, Abraham believes, or Abraham assumes, or Abraham would like to think, there are righteous men in these cities on the plain. And Abraham calls out to God to spare those persons.

The Legal Principle Behind the Appeal

Now, the principle behind this, or should I say in front of this, is going to be embodied ultimately in Exodus 23. Deuteronomy 25 and Proverbs 17. You can turn to Exodus 23. Remember from last week. when Abraham thought he was exercising hospitality to three men, and he put on a banquet fit for a king.

He took the finest wheat and he took the best of the flock and he presented it to these three men. There's stuff that happens in Genesis that foreshadows things that will come later in the law. And perhaps what we see here is Abraham foreshadowing this principle embodied in the law in Exodus 23.6. You shall not pervert the judgment of your poor in his dispute.

Keep yourself far from a false matter. Do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not justify the wicked. Deuteronomy 25.1. Deuteronomy 25.1, this is the principle at play that Abraham invokes with God Most High.

Exodus 25.1, if there is a dispute between men and they come to court, that the judges may judge them and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked. That is a good thing. They're supposed to justify the righteous and they're supposed to condemn the wicked. The alternative is stated negatively in Proverbs 17.

Proverbs 17 verse 15, he who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the just, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord. So he has this in his head, in his heart, and in his mind, and he's asking God with reference to the potential righteous ones in these cities on the plain. So the Lord goes with him, and the Lord enables, or allows him rather, to ask these specific things. Now, of course, his methodology.

He begins with 50, he moves to 45, he goes to 40, 30, 20, and 10. Along the way, he expresses his humility before God. He himself is blown away at the reality that he is talking this way to God Almighty. And I think that is a great indicator, on the one hand, of His humility and of His recognition of who He is before a holy God, but it also demonstrates for us the kindness and the mercy, the goodness and the grace of God.

He is patient with His creatures, He is good to us, and He listens to the prayers of His people. It's a great encouragement to pray, brethren, here in Genesis 18, and specifically to pray as intercessors, because that is specifically what Abraham is doing. He is intercessing with God on behalf of persons that are potentially going to be destroyed by God. He is seeking God's mercy on behalf of others.

Notice that humility in verse 27. Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord. He repeats that sentiment in verse 30. He says, let not the Lord be angry and I will speak.

You get that, right? You perhaps have had that scenario where, honey, don't get mad, but I'm gonna ask you again, we're really gonna have meatloaf tonight? You know, I'm going to venture yet again to ask this question. There's that trepidation.

There's that fear. That's what marks Abraham. Now, not the same kind, obviously. Meatloaf and the judgment of Sodom are certainly disparate things, but you get the point.

He senses. He understands. He's in the presence of God Most High. And he doesn't take this with frivolity.

He doesn't take this with any levity, but he sees the seriousness of it. And I think as well, he's appreciative of the fact that Yahweh is hearing him and that Yahweh is dialoguing with him and Yahweh is affirming every step of the way. Yes, if there are 50, I'll spare it. Yes, if there are 45, I'll spare it.

Yes, if there's 40. I'll spare it. Yes, if there's 30, I'll spare it. You see, the principle holds true.

The Lord doesn't say, Abraham, you don't know what you're talking about. I operate on a different level. Abraham's logic was impeccable. Abraham, however, didn't know that there weren't 10 righteous in the cities on the plain.

Abraham didn't know how bad it was, and God knows that Abraham doesn't know how bad it is, so he allows him, he permits him, he gives him the opportunity to vent his heart in prayer at the throne of grace. This is not, or this is rather a great encouragement to the people of God. Then notice verses 31 and 32, Indeed now I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord. Verse 32, Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more.

Suppose ten should be found there. There's that trepidation that is consistent with those who are at the throne of grace. When we understand who God is and we understand who we are, there ought to be fear, there ought to be trembling, there ought to be confidence, and certainly a passage like that should promote that in our hearts. God didn't shut Abraham down, God didn't send him packing, God didn't say, look, I know what's best and I know what's in this city.

He allows him to pray, he allows him and encourages him to come to the throne of grace with these particular So the Lord upholds the principle of righteousness throughout. Yes, if there are these righteous persons in these cities, then the Lord says, I will spare the cities. Note Abraham's theological argument. There's two theological arguments in Genesis 18.

There is in the section concerning the promise of Isaac, and there is in the intercession of Abraham. Remember the theological argument in chapter 18 at verse 13. And the Lord said to Abraham, why did Sarah laugh, saying, shall I surely bear a child since I am old? Is anything too hard for the Lord?

Divine omnipotence should silence Sarah and keep her from ever laughing again with reference to the promises of God Almighty. Abraham now formalizes another theological argument, the reality of divine justice, the reality that God is not capricious, that God is not arbitrary, and that God doesn't just wake up and on a whim pour out wrath upon some unsuspecting souls on the cities and the plain. Brethren, we need to understand the consistency and the justness of God's judgment. You will witness to people sometimes, and you will say to them, I want to tell you about Jesus.

And they might know some inkling of the Bible. And they might say something like, oh, I would never worship the God of the Bible. He ordered genocide in the Old Testament. Well, yeah, he ordered the destruction of the Canaanites from the land of Canaan.

But it wasn't because he was capricious. It wasn't because he was arbitrary. It was because they were wicked, and they had filled up the measure of guilt. Leviticus 18 highlights the various things that the Canaanites were guilty of, so that when we get to Deuteronomy 7 and the mandate for holy war, this is the just expression of the righteousness and judgment of God.

Now, when we continue in the Old Testament, you get to the book of Judges, and you will see that Israel behaves like Sodom. Israel conducts themselves like Sodom when it comes to vile, perverse sin. You get to the latter chapters of the book of Judges and you will see depicted there the new Sodom. But it's actually Israel.

So what happens in Israel's history from that point on? The Lord God treats them as he treated the Canaanites before them. If they sin in the land, then the land will vomit them out of its mouth. And that's precisely what happens to both the northern kingdom and the southern kingdom.

So while some may say, well, he commanded genocide against those nice, peace-loving, innocent, wonderful Canaanites in the Old Testament, you need to tell them, first of all, they weren't what you've just suggested. They were vile, guilty, wretched sinners that deserve the wrath and fury of God. Again, I know that nobody wants to hear that, but that's the reality of the situation. But when Israel acts like Sodom, Or when Israel acts like Canaanites, they meet the same end.

They're dispossessed from their land. They end up in Babylon. They suffer the repercussions of the broken covenant that they have engaged in. So the Lord God Most High is just, and Abraham confesses that in verse 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." Again, I don't think Abraham is cheekily challenging God. I don't think that the surrounding context would bear the thought that Abraham is really asking God, aren't you going to do what's right? Abraham's afraid to even voice the question because he knows the God with whom he has to do.

He is simply stating a theological maxa. He is stating an axiom of Christianity. He is saying that the judge of all the earth will most certainly do right. God doesn't rebuff him.

God affirms the logic. God says, if I find 10 righteous, then I won't overthrow the cities of the plain. Now notice verse 33. Verse 33, so the Lord went his way, again, anthropomorphic, it's not like God left the throne, he comes down to the terebinth trees at Mamre, he chills with Abraham for a while, and now he's gonna go back up.

This is for us, this is in the manner of man. This is describing to us, by way of analogy, how God interacts with Abraham. Verse 33, so the Lord went his way as soon as he had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place. We know that the Lord investigated the city. 21 and 22, the two men go to Sodom. confirm and affirm, again, it may foreshadow later redemptive history in terms of the law, the necessity of two or three witnesses in Deuteronomy 17 and Deuteronomy 19.

You've got two men, we know our angels according to 19.1, are the men or the angelic beings that go and investigate and determine that the cities of the plain are in fact guilty. So the Lord involves Abraham and he He listens to Abraham's intercession and he agrees with Abraham's logic. He doesn't rebuff that. He doesn't say, oh no, you're wrong.

I'm free to do whatever I want and I kill the righteous right along with the wicked because I'm God. It's not what he does. God is consistent. God is not arbitrary and God is not capricious.

Pagans think that. I think at times Christians think that, and we're not supposed to think that. God is holy. He is not one that breaks laws.

He is not one that breaks rules. He doesn't say, okay, I'm going to operate this way completely contrary to what I am. No, He is consistent with His own holy will.

Practical Observations

Now, in terms of some practical observations, the first thing we ought to appreciate or understand is what Calvin refers to as the contagion of sin. You've got these five cities of the plain, you've got these five Canaanite cities, and there aren't ten righteous in it? Many of the commentators suggest we're talking about 10 or 50 down to 10 in the five cities, not just Sodom. Remember, there are five cities involved here.

It's not just Sodom, it's not just Gomorrah, but as Jude reminds us, the cities of the plain. Deuteronomy 29, 23 highlights the very same thing. Again, Lot's not able to save Sodom, but God does spare Zoar so that Lot has a place to flee, according to Genesis 19. But in these five cities, there weren't 10?

That's a pretty pathetic situation, isn't it? John Calvin says, certainly, seeing the propensity of men to sin and the facility for sinning are so great, it is not surprising that one should be corrupted by another, till the contagion reached every individual. For nothing is more dangerous than to live where the public license of crime prevails. Yea, there is no pestilence so destructive as that corruption of morals which is opposed neither by laws, nor judgments, nor any other remedies.

It's a terrible thing to live where sin or crime is not punished. Because typically what happens is the contagion of sin. It affects people. Doesn't Paul tell us this?

Bad morals corrupt. If you hang out in Sodom, eventually you might become like the Sodomites. You see the difference in terms of family religion between Abraham and Lot. Abraham commanded his children to fear God.

Subsequent to Sodom, Lot's daughters give themselves to him. They certainly got some influence of the city that they were brought up in. Now again, it may have been, we'll get to that section later on in Genesis 19, but the bare surface reading is a terrible thing. Lot's daughters are corrupted to the point where they get him drunk so that he'll lay with them so that they will have issue.

There's a fundamental difference between Abraham and Lot. Now, Lot, according to Peter, was a righteous man. His soul was vexed day by day, living in Sodom. But even with Lot, when we get to Genesis 19, he engages in the hospitality.

That's consistent with what Abraham does. But then he offers to these Sodomites his daughters. I mean, that's just terrible. So this contagion of evil certainly permeated and affected the cities on the plain.

The Just Judgment of God

Secondly, we ought to appreciate the just judgment of God. Verse 25, as I said, is axiomatic. Shall not the judge of all the earth do right? Brethren, that needs to be a showstopper text in the hearts of each and every one of us.

We may not be able to fully understand or contemplate or explain everything that God does, but we know that everything God does is just, it's right, it's good. it will redound for His glory, and it will be for the good of His people. Again, we see, you know, part of the puzzle, we see a piece here, we see a piece there, and we don't know how it's all gonna work together. That's why axioms in Christianity, that's why theology proper, that's why understanding divine omnipotence in verse 14, and divine justice in verse 25, is absolutely crucial for the stability of God's people. We may not be able to fully understand or explain some calamitous event, but we do know that God will bring glory to himself and good to his people.

I mean, this is the stuff of Romans chapter 8. We know that God causes all things to work together for good, to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose. Now, the good there doesn't necessarily mean cars and boats and houses. It's ultimately realized in the eschaton.

Whatever misery we suffer on this earth will ultimately be undone, rectified, remedied in the age to come. But that principle holds. The Lord God does what is just.

The Intercession of Abraham

Now, thirdly, we ought to appreciate the intercession of Abraham. It's really an amazing thing. And again, he's not interceding for reprobates. He's not interceding for sodomites.

He's not saying, Lord God, I want you to just forgive and forget the horrible perversity that's engaged in those cities in the plain. No, he's concerned about the righteous within these cities on the plain. But they're Canaanites. Now, the other examples that we have in Scripture in the Old Testament of intercession are men interceding for Israel.

Moses for Israel in Exodus 32 to 34. Remember the incident of the golden calf. The Lord's ready to wipe everybody out. Moses intercedes for them.

Samuel, you can turn to 1 Samuel chapter 23. I think getting a view of all the people that intercede hopefully will promote in us a desire to intercede. I think I said 23, I meant 1 Samuel 12. 1 Samuel 12. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you.

But I will teach you the good and the right way. Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart, for consider what great things He has done for you." It's a beautiful statement. Samuel's not going to cease to pray for Israel. There's a great heritage or a legacy of intercessors in our Bibles.

And I think as God's people, we ought to be intercessors as well. Certainly, we pray for ourselves. I think we all probably have self-intercession down, right along with, you know, selfies and Facebook and all that. But we need an intercede for others, husbands for wives, wives for husbands, friends for friends, brethren for brethren, parents for children, children for parents, bringing others to the throne of grace and fetching blessing for them from God.

Isaiah for Israel in Isaiah 63 and 64. That's just a few isolated specimens. I mean, a few specimen places. This is riddled throughout the Bible.

But in Isaiah 63 and 64, the prophet intercedes for the nation of Israel. Verse 1, chapter 64, O that you would rend the heavens, that you would come down, that the mountains might shake at your presence. He goes down, verse 6, we're all like an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags. We all fade as a leaf and our iniquities like the wind have taken us away.

And there is none or no one who calls on your name, who stirs himself up to take hold of you. That's the implication. That's what God's people should be doing. Right?

Isn't that what's inferred or implied from the prophet's statement? He's bemoaning and lamenting the situation in Israel at the time. Verse 6, very clear. I'm sure we've all cited this in our presentation of the gospel before.

All our righteousnesses are like filthy rags. We all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is no one who calls on your name. Implication?

Everybody should be calling on your name. No one who stirs himself up to take hold of you, like we should be doing. For you have hidden your face from us and have consumed us because of our iniquities. Drop down to verse 9.

Do not be furious, O Lord, nor remember iniquity forever. He is interceding. Turn to the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah chapter 14.

And again, These examples, intercession specifically for the covenant people, Abraham interceding for non-covenant people, Canaanites, righteous Canaanites living in the cities on the plain. Jeremiah chapter 14. I should highlight that in Jeremiah 7, the first temple sermon of the prophet, God tells him, don't pray for this people. Now, when God tells you that, you can stop praying for Canada.

When God tells you that, you can stop praying for sinners. God's not going to tell you that. This was a case-specific situation with reference to Jerusalem and Judah that was facing impending judgment via Babylon. Nevertheless, we see Jeremiah intercede on behalf of the people.

Notice in Jeremiah 14 at verse 7. O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us, do it for Your namesake. For our backslidings are many, we have sinned against You. O the hope of Israel, His Savior in time of trouble, why should You be like a stranger in the land, and like a traveler who turns aside to tarry for a night?

Why should You be like a man astonished, like a mighty one who cannot save? Yet You, O Lord, are in our midst, and we are called by Your name. Do not leave us. Turn over to Jeremiah 15, verse 1.

Again, a specific situation facing the impending destruction of Jerusalem via Babylon in 587 and 86. Jeremiah 15, 1, then the Lord said to me, even if Moses and Samuel stood before me, my mind would not be favorable toward this people. Cast them out of my sight and let them go forth. You see, nevertheless, Jeremiah is interceding for them.

Turn to the prophet Daniel, Daniel chapter 9. Daniel chapter 9. Notice in verse 13, as it is written in the law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not made our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand your truth. Notice the language that the prophet uses.

He doesn't say, you wretches, you terrible people. He's not like the Democrats in America, lecturing everybody on morality while they stand on a pile of dead babies. Daniel locates himself among the guilty. Daniel takes his place alongside of his brethren and calls to Yahweh for mercy.

Therefore, the Lord has kept the disaster in mind and brought it upon us. For the Lord our God is righteous in all the works which he does, though we have not obeyed his voice. And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and made yourself a name as it is this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly. O Lord, according to all your righteousness, I pray, let your anger and your fury be turned away from your city, Jerusalem, your holy mountain, because for our sins and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people are a reproach to all those around us.

Now, therefore, our God, hear the prayer of your servant and his supplications, and for the Lord's sake, cause your face to shine on your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline your ear and hear, Open your eyes and see your desolations in the city which is called by your name. Now notice the reason for his petition. For we do not present our supplications before you because of our righteous deeds, but because of your great mercies.

That's why we intercede. We're not interceding because we have a lot to offer. We're not interceding because we're really good. We're not interceding because, boy, you should listen to us.

We've got our act together. We come to God because God is merciful. We come to God because He's going to listen to Abraham. Go from 50 to 10.

We come to God because He has great mercies. Verse 19, O LORD, hear! O LORD, forgive! O LORD, listen and act!

Do not delay for your own sake, my God, for your city and your people are called by your name. Notice in Ezekiel the prophet, Ezekiel 22. Ezekiel 22, the Lord, through the prophet, complains that there were no intercessors, there were no prayers, there were none that actually spoke to God with reference to the sins of the nation. In Ezekiel 22, 28, her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, thus says the Lord God.

When the Lord had not spoken, the people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor and needy, and they wrongfully oppressed the stranger. So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it. But I found no one. And the whole nation, the covenant people, no one took the encouragement from Abraham before God in Genesis 18 and actually prayed with reference to the situation in Jerusalem?

If you want a particularly terrifying chapter in God's Word, read Ezekiel 6 someday. Ezekiel chapter 6 is most terrifying, I'm sorry, Ezekiel chapter 9, with reference to God's judgment upon Jerusalem. You can look at that later, Ezekiel chapter 9. One other place in the Old Testament, Habakkuk the prophet, chapter 3, verse 2.

Habakkuk the prophet, chapter 3, verse 2. Pick up reading in verse 1. A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet on Shigionoth. O Lord, I have heard your speech and was afraid.

O Lord, revive your work in the midst of the years. In the midst of the years, make it known in wrath, remember mercy. See, that's intercession. In wrath, remember mercy.

It is an acknowledgment that God's wrath is fitting and it is appropriate but we are pleading with Him to show mercy.

New Testament Call to Intercession

Now, when we turn to the New Testament, we are called to be intercessors by our Lord in the prayer that He gives us in Matthew 6. In Matthew 6.9, He says, In this manner, therefore, pray. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.

Now, notice this next one. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. So yeah, we pray for ourselves, we pray for our spouses, we pray for our children, we pray for our brothers and sisters in the context of the local church, but we pray for the earth. We pray for Canada, we pray for the U.S., we pray for China, we pray for the nations in the Middle East, we pray that people will stop murdering babies, and we pray that people will stop murdering the elderly and the infirm.

We pray that God Most High will pour out His Spirit, that in His wrath He would remember mercy and send forth His Spirit to revive the hearts of His people and to awaken those who are dead in their trespasses and sins. And then we have an example or an encouragement or exhortation by the Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 2. 1 Timothy 2, verse 1, Therefore I exhort first of all. Now remember the context. In context, chapters 2 and 3 fall under what Paul says in 3.14.

Look at what Paul says in 3.14. These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly. But if I am delayed, I write. so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." Now, work backwards with me. So, when he deals with the qualifications of deacons, that's what we must do when it comes to deacons in our church.

Going backwards, he deals with qualifications for elders. That's what we must do when it comes to elders in the context of the church. Working backwards, he deals with women in the church. Women are supposed to be modest.

Women are supposed to do certain things. That's how we're supposed to function in the context of the church. Verses 1 to 6, or 1 to 4 properly, are about prayer. And this is where it begins.

Notice in 2.1, Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men. It's the first order of business for the church. Yes? qualified elders, yes, qualified deacons, yes, proper conduct among women, yes, godliness among all the persons, yes, regulated principle of worship, all that, yes, faithful preaching, but praying. Praying is, in fact, a backbone of the church.

Intercession is absolutely crucial. It's not a, oh, you know, a handful of people like to get together once in a while and pray. The whole church ought to be getting together, often, frequently, continually, and praying together. And here, specifically, he says, I exhort, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for what?

For the covenant community, for all men, for kings and all who are in authority. I think the language and the context demands the interpretation of all kinds of men. I don't know that Paul wants us to get the Chilliwack phone book, start with A and end with Z. I don't think that's what's in view here, but in terms of everybody, or ransom for all in verse six, it's all kinds of men.

The context, I think, is pretty specific that way. But the emphasis is, is that we pray for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence, for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior. Now notice, who desires all men to be saved? Again, it's not universalism, it's all kinds of men to be saved.

See, you see that connection. Pray for kings and all who are in authority. And then in verse 4, who desires all men, all kinds of men, kings and all who are in authority to be saved. I may not know how to pray for Justin Trudeau specifically, but I do know how to pray that God save him.

I may not know how to pray for local governments specifically, but I do know I can pray that God would save them. There is a close connection in the passage that would suggest the intercessory prayers of the church for all men, specifically kings and those who are in authority, ought to at least include a petition for their salvation. That's faithful intercession on the part of God's people. Now, I actually think that Paul had Jeremiah in mind when he wrote that.

Maybe he didn't, but he certainly conceptually parallels Jeremiah 29.7. Jeremiah 29.7. This is instruction to the exiles in Babylon. which incidentally, so is 2911. But in 2905 of the prophet Jeremiah, God gives them instructions on how they're supposed to dwell in Babylon as a captive people. build houses and dwell in them, plant gardens and eat their fruit, take wives and beget sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters, that you may be increased there and not diminished.

Now notice verse 7. And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it. For in its peace you will have peace. Isn't that Paul's argument?

Pray for kings and all who are in authority that we may lead quiet and peaceable lives. In other words, if we pray for the body politic that we are involved in, and they stop murdering babies and they get converted, then we benefit as a result of that. So the impetus for intercessory prayer is first, the glory of God. Secondly, the good of others.

And thirdly, there are corollary benefits for the people of God that are offering those things up. So I think Abraham sets forth a great paradigm, a great example of intercession on behalf of persons who desperately need it.

Closing Prayer

Well, let's close in a word of prayer. Our Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you for this continual theme that runs through with reference to godly men praying for people that they know, people that they are under. I pray that you would stir us up to pray, stir us up to be intercessors, stir us up to think in terms of the bigger picture, and to call upon you to exercise mercy and to show your kindness and your goodness toward sinners.

Go with us now, we pray. Watch over us in the remainder of this week. Bless all of our brothers and sisters and keep your people. And we pray through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Scripture References

• Genesis 11:5; 12:1-3; 13; 13:13; 14; 14:2; 14:13; 15:16; 18:1-19:38; 18:13; 18:16-33; 18:19; 18:22-33; 18:27; 19:1; 19:4-5
• Exodus 23:6; 32-34
• Leviticus 18
• Deuteronomy 7; 17; 19; 25:1; 29:23
• 1 Samuel 12
• 2 Chronicles 20:7
• Proverbs 17:15
• Isaiah 41:8; 63-64; 64:6; 64:9
• Jeremiah 7; 14:7; 15:1; 29:7
• Ezekiel 9; 16:48-50; 22:28-30
• Daniel 9:13; 9:19
• Habakkuk 3:1-2
• Matthew 6:9; 23:32
• Romans 8
• 1 Timothy 2:1; 2:4; 2:6; 3:14
• Hebrews 13
• James 2:23
• Jude 5; 6; 7