Abraham Intercedes with God (Gen 18:16-33)

When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way. Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.” Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.” The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord. Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city because of five people? “If I find forty-five there,” he said, “I will not destroy it.” Once again he spoke to him, “What if only forty are found there?” He said, “For the sake of forty, I will not do it.” Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?” He answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” Abraham said, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?” He said, “For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.” Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?” He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.” When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.

1.????? God promises that the descendants of Abraham will become “a great and powerful nation.”? Has this prophecy been fulfilled? Is there a future spiritual aspect to this promise? (Ex 19:5-6; 1 Pet 2:9-10; Rev 20:4-6)

2.????? God also promised that all the nations of the earth will be blessed through Abraham. How has this promise been fulfilled? (Jn 1:9-13)

3.????? God said that he chose Abraham to direct his children and his household in the way of the Lord. What do you think this means? What does this statement tell you about how to have a relationship with God? (Eph 1:4-8; Jas 1:18)

4.????? When God chooses someone, he provides the grace or power to accomplish what he has promised. Can you think of some leaders, prophets or judges in the Old Testament that are examples? How does this apply to you? (Eph 2:6-10; Phil 4:13)

5.????? God heard a great outcry from the city of Sodom related to its wickedness. He is going to respond to this outcry. What do you think was the source of this outcry of distress?

6.????? Abraham has a personal dialogue with God in which he intercedes for those in the city that may be righteous. He pleads with God not to treat the righteous the same as the wicked. God grants Abraham’s requests. What does this say about the power of persistent prayer? Do you think that Abraham changed God’s mind or that this was a way to show us the importance of praying and having a personal relationship with God?

7. Prayer is communication. It is talking to God. This is fundamental to every relationship. As stated in the Lord’s Prayer. We need to learn to pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. God is sovereign and he has an eternal plan. We are to seek his will and obey him through prayer.