Daily Devotions
Genesis
"The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned." Psalm 34:22
Text: Genesis 18:1-33
THE GRACIOUS JUDGE OF THE EARTH
How did the “Judge of all the earth” respond to Abraham’s impassioned plea? What a beautiful glimpse of the Lord we have in this text.
“So the Lord said, ‘If I find in Sodom fifty righteous
Within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.'”GENESIS 18:26
1. God is open to our Prayers
This truth must stand out! Even when God shared His plans with Abraham, He allowed for prayers and intercession.
2. A wondrous truth-principle found in the phrase “for their sakes”
We are introduced to a wondrous truth-principle here! “For the sake of the righteous” is a challenging truth-principle indeed.
a) The righteous are precious in God’s sight.
b) God would do special things “for their sake”.
How we must be challenged to live as righteously as possible, knowing that God specially loves those who live uprightly.
A TREMENDOUS EXAMPLE OF INTERCESSION
Abraham must have been glad that the Lord answered him so swiftly and directly. He saw and appreciated the magnificence of God’s grace there and then. His own heart was moved to continue to intercede on behalf of the righteous living in Sodom.
“Then Abraham answered and said,
‘Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes
Have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord:
Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous;
would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?'”GENESIS 18:27-28
1. Humility
God may have answered Abraham graciously. However, the latter never forgot his place before the Judge of all the earth! He did not presume on his friendship with God. He spoke rightly when he said, ” I who am but dust and ashes.” No matter how graciously God attends to our prayers, our spirit must be ever humble before God.
2. Further Pleas on behalf of the righteous
A deep understanding of God encourages the heart to continue to intercede. Abraham felt that he must plead… on behalf of “five less than fifty righteous”.