Daily Devotions
Genesis
"How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings." Psalm 36:7
Text: Genesis 18:1-33
SIX PETITIONS ALL ANSWERED
Six times, Abraham pleaded with the Lord to spare Sodom! Six times, the Lord graciously acceded to his petitions!
Just 10 righteous people! For the sake of 10 righteous people, God would spare Sodom! Would 10 righteous people be difficult to find in wicked Sodom? Abraham must have figured that 10 people were not a large number at all. Perhaps, Lot’s family would number 10 people by now!
IN SEARCH OF 10 RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE
How gracious God was to accede to the repeated impassioned pleas of Abraham.
“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.”GENESIS 18:32b-33
1. “For the sake of ten”
Imagine the significance of these words! Just 10 righteous people, and God would spare a whole city for their sake!
2. How difficult is it to find 10 truly righteous people?
In the days of the prophet Jeremiah, God challenged His servant to look for just ONE righteous person in the whole of Jerusalem. For that righteous’ person’s sake, God would spare the city!
“Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem;
See now and know;
And seek in her open places
If you can find a man,
If there is anyone who executes judgment,
Who seeks the truth,
And I will pardon her.”JEREMIAH 5:1
What was the result of Jeremiah’s search? He could not find one righteous person. The conclusion of Jeremiah’s search may be found in this text.
“An astonishing and horrible thing
Has been committed in the land:
The prophets prophesy falsely,
And the priests rule by their own power;
And My people love to have it so.
But what will you do in the end?JEREMIAH 5:30-31
Let us be deeply challenged to live as people whom God would count as righteous!