Sunday-Weekday Connection for Today "Then the Lord said, “How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! I must go down and 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, while Abraham remained standing before the Lord. Then Abraham came 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 forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous 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 forgive the whole place for their sake.” Abraham answered, “Let me take it upon myself 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, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” Then he said, “Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” He said, “Let me take it upon myself 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 do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” ~ Genesis 18:20-32 1) Abraham is very bold in asking the Lord to spare Sodom and Gomorrah for the sake of a few righteous people, pressing the Lord for greater and greater mercy on the basis of fewer and fewer possible righteous people. What do you think of his methods? Have your ever spoken this way to God? Does it work to make bargains with God? 2) God promises that if there are even so few as 10 righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah, He will spare them all. How does it impact your reading of this story if you look at it through the cross of Christ, on which one righteous One suffered for all? Do you see parallels? What differences do you see?
Posted on: Mon, 22 Jul 2013 10:30:00 +0000
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