I am studying the book of Daniel, and if you have ever discussed scripture with me, you know that my mind is constantly jumping to other places in the Good Book that come to mind and seem to connect to what I am reading. This is my detour today.
Daniel 7:9–10 holds a meditation concerning the righteous Judge that I will write about soon, but only after this short jaunt to Abraham’s conversation with God in Genesis.
Genesis 18:20–33 Then the LORD said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know." So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD. Then Abraham drew near and said, "Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" And the LORD said, "If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake." Abraham answered and said, "Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?" And he said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there." Again he spoke to him and said, "Suppose forty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of forty I will not do it." Then he said, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there." He answered, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there." He said, "Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it." Then he said, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there." He answered, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it." And the LORD went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
Genesis 19:27–28 And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord. And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.
This passage of scripture makes me weep. Not just for one reason, but for many.
Look at Abraham’s interaction with God, he draws near to Him and acknowledges Him as the righteous Judge of the whole earth; he appeals to His perfect justice and His love for His people. He came to the Lord and says, “What if 50 of Your people live in this place You are going to destroy? Do they deserve a punishment not due them?” And God, with gentleness and sadness knowing there are only four, tells Abraham that for their sake He would spare the entire valley filled with wickedness. And Abraham keeps coming back, tiptoeing, it may seem, but approaching none-the-less, until he reaches a number he seems to believe is almost absurd; to reach so low for such a great mercy:
“For the sake of 10?”
And the Lord, in compassion for the heart of Abraham that appeals to and reveals His own so vividly, gives a response that moves me with awe and wonder and pain:
“For the sake of 10, I will not destroy it.”
What a patient and compassionate God. This interaction surrounding Sodom and Gomorrah displays the heart of God from two sides, I truly believe that Abraham is articulating God’s desire and sorrow over a wicked people to be lost for eternity (Ezekiel 33:11 “Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?"). And as they speak, we also have the opportunity to observe God patient, long-suffering, loving heart as He gives a merciful answer to Abraham’s every request.
There were not even 10 people who loved the Lord in the valley. Not even 10.
Daniel 7:9–10 holds a meditation concerning the righteous Judge that I will write about soon, but only after this short jaunt to Abraham’s conversation with God in Genesis.
Genesis 18:20–33 Then the LORD said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know." So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD. Then Abraham drew near and said, "Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" And the LORD said, "If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake." Abraham answered and said, "Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?" And he said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there." Again he spoke to him and said, "Suppose forty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of forty I will not do it." Then he said, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there." He answered, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there." He said, "Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it." Then he said, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there." He answered, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it." And the LORD went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
Genesis 19:27–28 And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord. And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.
This passage of scripture makes me weep. Not just for one reason, but for many.
Look at Abraham’s interaction with God, he draws near to Him and acknowledges Him as the righteous Judge of the whole earth; he appeals to His perfect justice and His love for His people. He came to the Lord and says, “What if 50 of Your people live in this place You are going to destroy? Do they deserve a punishment not due them?” And God, with gentleness and sadness knowing there are only four, tells Abraham that for their sake He would spare the entire valley filled with wickedness. And Abraham keeps coming back, tiptoeing, it may seem, but approaching none-the-less, until he reaches a number he seems to believe is almost absurd; to reach so low for such a great mercy:
“For the sake of 10?”
And the Lord, in compassion for the heart of Abraham that appeals to and reveals His own so vividly, gives a response that moves me with awe and wonder and pain:
“For the sake of 10, I will not destroy it.”
What a patient and compassionate God. This interaction surrounding Sodom and Gomorrah displays the heart of God from two sides, I truly believe that Abraham is articulating God’s desire and sorrow over a wicked people to be lost for eternity (Ezekiel 33:11 “Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?"). And as they speak, we also have the opportunity to observe God patient, long-suffering, loving heart as He gives a merciful answer to Abraham’s every request.
There were not even 10 people who loved the Lord in the valley. Not even 10.
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