29 March, 2021
Post By : Admin
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DIGGING DEEP NO. 876 – MARCH 30, 2021 Gen.18: 16 – 33. |
Abraham belonged to that select company of God’s people known as intercessors, individuals like Moses, Samuel, Elijah, Jeremiah, Elijah, the apostles, and our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. In fact, our Lord’s ministry today in heaven is a ministry of intercession Rom.8: 34. Charles Spurgeon said if the lost sinners will not hear you speak, they cannot prevent you from praying. Are they far away so that you cannot reach them? Your prayers can reach them. Though they treat you despitefully, rendering evil for your good, follow them with your prayers. The Lord and the two angels left Abraham’s camp and started toward Sodom, but the Lord lingered while the angels went on. In the first half of the chapter, Abraham is running here and there; but in the last half, he is standing reverently before the Lord and interceding for Lot and the other people in Sodom. Blessed are the balanced. An intercessor must know the Lord and be obedient to His will. He must be close enough to the Lord to learn His secrets and know what to pray about Am.3: 7; Ps.25: 14. The Lord’s word “I have known him” mean he is my intimate friend. Abraham knew more about Sodom’s future than the citizens themselves, including Lot. It is the separated believer who shares God’s secrets. Abraham was burdened for Lot and Lot’s family as well as for the lost sinners in the five cities of the plain; and he had to share that burden with the Lord.
Abraham’s prayer was based not on the mercy of God, but on the justice of God Gen.18: 25; Deut.32: 4. A just and holy God could not destroy righteous believers with wicked unbelievers; and Lot was a believer even though his actions and words seemed to be contrary 2Pet.2: 6- 9.
The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were exceedingly wicked Gen.13: 13 because the men of these cities were given over to sexual practices that were contrary to nature Gen.19: 5; Jd.7; Rom.1: 27. The sudden destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is used in Scripture as an example of God’s righteous judgment on sinners Is.1: 9; 3: 9; Lam.4: 6; Zeph.2: 9. Jesus used it as a warning for people in the end times Lk.17: 28- 32.
Why would Abraham want God to spare such wicked people?
Abraham’s first concern was for Lot and his family. In fact, Abraham had already rescued the people of Sodom solely because of Lot Gen.14: 12- 16; though none of them seemed to appreciate what he had done for them. They all went right back into the old way of life and did not heed the warning of God. But even apart from Lot’s situation, Abraham did not want to see all those people die and be lost forever 2Pet.3: 9; 1Tim.2: 4; Ezek.33: 11. The issue is not what kind of sins people commit; though some sins are certainly worse than others, but that the wages of sin is death Rom.6: 23; and beyond that death is an eternal hell. Intercessors must have compassionate hearts and a deep concern for the salvation of the lost, no matter what their sins may be.
We must not get the idea that Abraham argued with the Lord, because he did not but pleaded his case with humility as he presented his case Gen.18: 27, 30- 32. Abraham was sure that there were at least ten believers in the city, but he was wrong.
Never underestimate the importance of even a small number of believers. As few as ten people would have saved a whole city from destruction. If Lot had won only his own family to faith in the Lord, judgment would have been averted.
In Conclusion – Your personal witness today is important to God, no matter how insignificant you may feel.