“Would you destroy the righteous with the wicked?” – Genesis 18:19-33
Genesis 18 speaks LOUD on a burden that has been in my heart. I don’t want to seem naive here, I know there is wickedness in this world. I know the world can be unsafe. I know people can be bad….but not everyone is bad. I also believe God NEVER stops pursuing His children and He is there to welcome His lost sons and daughters when they come running home.
I admire Abraham’s relationship with God. He hears God, talks with God, and (here is the impressive part) EVEN CHALLENGES/QUESTIONS GOD!
God tells Abraham that because of the sins in Sodom and Gomorrah, He is going to destroy the city.
Abraham challenges God and asks, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty 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?”
…… 
Hold up Abraham!!! ….This man is BOLD to challenge God in such a manner. Reading this I felt my heart speed up becoming nervous for Abraham knowing God would respond in anger and SMITE him!
” So the Lord said, ‘If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.”
…..Wow. Not the response I thought God would have.
Abraham pushed God a little farther by saying, “Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?”
…..Abraham’s boldness leaves me speechless. This relationship he has with God….it is as a friend talks to a friend.
God replied, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.”
….Abraham doesn’t stop there. He continues to push further and asks God, “Suppose there should be forty found there?….thirty there?….twenty there? ….suppose ten should be found there?”
God said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.”
I am so encouraged by this scripture.
I am encouraged by the relationship/friendship that Abraham and God have. God shares His plans with Abraham and, in turn, Abraham shares his thoughts and heart with God and God responds without anger when His plans are questioned.
I am encouraged by God’s response….”I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.” …God LOVES. God is COMPASSIONATE. God is FAITHFUL. God is HOPEFUL.
If God has love for the ten in a city full of wicked, we too must have this love.
I had the pleasure of talking with one of two bus drivers on my 17 hour bus ride from Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth, South Africa. He is 57 years old. He shared horrific stories of racism he experienced and showed me some of his scars. Stories of not being able to walk safely around town without the risk of being beaten for simply having a dark skin color. It was illegal for blacks to be in a white neighborhood after 6 pm and they would be arrested and held for up to 6 months. He shared with me that at the age of 18, a black man/woman must leave their home and could only visit for 2 or 3 days at a time…even this short visit must be requested in advance to the local officials.He told me of a room in jail that had an open wall where you could choose to jump to your death or await the beating that would occur in the next room. This room, he said, smelled of death. Blood and marks of struggle and brutality covered the walls and floors. The horrific stories were endless but his heart was…beautiful. This man, although he experienced such HATE and PAIN in his life, was full of love and joy. He loves driving the bus all over Africa because he gets to meet people from all over and talk with them, learn about them, and share his culture.
Remember that everyone has a story. Remember that God’s love for us is limitless. Remember that NOTHING is too hard for God and He will use YOU and YOUR testimony to soften hearts and bring the Kingdom and GLORY to God.
In the midst of a world filled with growing terrorist attacks, hate, and war….know that God is alive and He is working. It is God’s role to one day judge and punish for He sees is all.
We must LOVE for the sake of the ten righteous.
