As we left Abraham last week, he was being visited by three angels in human form who appeared out of no where. Abraham was given no warning by his men that strangers were approaching the camp. They were suddenly there at his tent door! After the Lord’s extraordinary and prophetic exchange with Sarah, the men arise to leave . . .

16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

17 And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him.

This is so wonderful – that the Creator of the universe will share His thoughts with faithful Abraham. In like fashion, the Lord desires us to know all of His plans. That same Creator, Jesus Christ, during His earthly ministry had this to say about the faithful:

Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you. John 15:15

20 And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto Me; and if not, I will know.

If the Lord is Omniscient – why does He need to go and see? It is entirely for our benefit, to teach us an eternal truth. That God is interested in the affairs of men, and that He is responsive to the prayers of the faithful.

22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.

23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

Who is Abraham thinking of here? His worldly nephew, Lot! How patient the Lord is, already foreknowing what the end result will be. And it is indeed the Lord that Abraham is speaking to. The One Who stays behind to talk to Abraham is Jesus Christ in preincarnate form, known as a Theophany, or more correctly – Christophany. Please recall that Abraham did not worship the king of Salem – Melchizedek, but he “bowed himself to the ground,” [Gen. 18:2] instantly when he saw these visitors. God’s messengers (angels) will never accept worship – but here it was rightly accepted by the only One worthy of worship.

26 And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:

28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And He said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.

29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And He said, I will not do it for forty’s sake.

30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And He said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.

31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And He said, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake.

32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And He said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.

33 And the Lord went His way, as soon as He had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

Genesis 18: 16-33

So many have asked me – what was that long negotiation all about? It was for us! Telling us that no matter how sinful and degenerate the world becomes (for they will surely outnumber us as the Sodomites outnumbered Lot) – the end time judgement will not fall until the faithful are safely taken out of the way. Even if there are only ten Christians left in the whole world! The same judgement that fell on Sodom will happen again, except next time it will be world wide.

Pray without ceasing.

1 Thessalonians 5: 17

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

James 5: 16