Part 3 – The Boldness of Righteousness

Abraham was the first recorded prophet in the Bible. God Himself called him so. He prayed over Abimelech and his entire family was saved from barrenness in Gen 20.

Today we want to look at how righteousness consciousness empowered or emboldened Abraham to pray for Sodom and Gomorrah!

Background

Imagine you live in a beautiful city – a place where everyone all over the world on paper wishes to live because of its exquisite architecture and facilities but there is one problem. There is no law here or a functioning justice system. You could do whatever you like and no-one would hold you to account. For instance, you could kidnap your neighbour’s child and no one will bat an eyelid – and worse the law enforcement officers will not carry out any arrest. And in the few occasions where any arrests were made, the judges always never convicts anyone.

Would you love to live in a country like that? Would you be able to sleep a night? Would you invite your loved ones to come live there?

If you are in it, would you want to stay?

If an opportunity shows up for you to leave, would you not grab with two hands?

Now this story I just described was not made up. Once upon a time, there were two cities named Sodom and Gomorrah and the Bible described them as a city filled with wickedness – no law and order and their behaviours were so vile that God Himself had to come and check out what was going on there.

So, God as the righteous Judge can’t allow this wickedness to continue. He had to do something about it. He had to right the wrong so He sent angels to go and visit the place disguised as humans and bring Him a first hand report. On their way, God stopped over at Abraham’s house and Abraham entertained God. It was like 2 friends having a nice time together. It was during this fellowship together that God reiterated to Abraham that within the next 1 year, Abaham would give birth to Isaac. God also changed the name of Abraham and Sarah.

Now as God and the angels were leaving, God had a conversation with Abraham – and which is the basis of our text today.

Gen 18:16-25

16 Then the men got up from there, and looked toward Sodom; and Abraham walked with them to send them on the way. 17 The Lord said, “Shall I keep secret from Abraham [My friend and servant] what I am going to do, 18 since Abraham [g]is destined to become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him? 19 For I have known (chosen, acknowledged) him [as My own], so that he may teach and command his children and [the sons of] his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is righteous and just, so that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what He has promised him.” 20 And the Lord said, “The outcry [of the sin] of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave. 21 I will go down now, and see whether they have acted [as vilely and wickedly] as the outcry which has come to Me [indicates]; and if not, I will know.”

22 Now the [two] men (angelic beings) turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord. 23 Abraham approached [the Lord] and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous (those who do right) with the wicked (those who do evil)? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous [people] within the city; will You really sweep it away and not spare it for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from You to do [h]such a thing—to strike the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right [by executing just and righteous judgment]?”