Genesis 18:1-19:38 - Do You Care About Others?

Do You Care About Others?

Background Passage

Genesis 18:1-19:38

Lesson Passages

Genesis 18:20-26; 19:12-16

Lesson Passages Outline

Open Your Mind to Judgment's Reality (Gen. 18:20-21)
Offer Intercessory Prayers (Gen. 18:22-26)
Observe God's Compassion (Gen. 19:12-16)

Biblical Truth

The Lord encourages His people to pray on behalf of others.

Life Impact

To help you pray regularly for God to meet specific people's spiritual and physical needs

Prepare

I start my classes, like many teachers at Christian institutions, by asking students for prayer requests and then leading them in prayer. The students always have very specific requests. We may pray for a relative facing surgery, a friend with unexplained seizures, or a family member who does not have a personal relationship with Christ.

My students have taught me much about praying for specific needs. They also help me see God at work.

What is the state of your current prayer life?

This lesson challenges adults like Paul and Rachel, who never prayed until Rachel was diagnosed with breast cancer. They need to pray regularly for their own needs and the needs of others. The lesson also encourages people like Art, who prays for personal wealth and happiness. He needs to think more about others and their needs and pray for them in his personal prayer time. The lesson also strengthens individuals like Yolanda to continue praying regularly for others and to seek to meet their needs.

As you study Abraham's intercession for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, focus on ways you can encourage adult learners to experience the Life Impact of this lesson by praying regularly for God to meet specific people's spiritual and physical needs.

As you continue your personal Bible study, prayerfully read the Background Passage and respond to the Study Questions as well as the questions in the margins for the February 3 lesson in Explore the Bible: Adult Learner Guide.

The Bible in Context (Gen. 18:1-19:38)

Three visitors appeared to Abraham. Through them God reaffirmed His promise to give Abraham and Sarah a son. Sarah laughed wondering if she could become a first-time mother at her age. God emphasized His promise would be fulfilled, stating nothing was impossible for Him. Just before the visitors left, Abraham learned God was about to determine the extent of sin in Sodom and Gomorrah and decide what to do with the cities (Gen. 18:1-21).

Abraham began to explore the extent of God's love and mercy. He asked if God would spare Sodom if 50 righteous people lived there. When God said He would, Abraham kept lowering the number until he reached 10 righteous people. When God stated He would spare the city for 10 righteous people, Abraham realized the breadth and depth of God's love and mercy (18:22-33).

When two angels arrived in Sodom, Lot invited them to stay with him. During the night the men of the city surrounded Lot's house demanding he send out the visitors (thinking they were men) so they could have sexual relations with them. Lot refused and offered his two virgin daughters to the men. The angels blinded the men who tried to force their way into the house, thus protecting Lot and his family (19:1-11).

The angels warned Lot to get his family out of Sodom because God would soon destroy the city. Lot tried to persuade his sons-in-law to leave, but they refused. As dawn broke, the angels escorted Lot, his wife, and his daughters from Sodom, instructing them to run and not look back. When Lot's wife looked back, she became a pillar of salt. From a distance Abraham saw smoke rising and knew God had judged the cities (19:12-29)

Lot and his daughters moved to a cave. His daughters took turns getting Lot drunk and sleeping with him. Each became pregnant. The older daughter gave birth to a son who became the ancestor of the Moabites. The younger daughter gave birth to a son who became the ancestor of the Ammonites (19:30-38).

Open Your Mind to Judgment's Reality (Gen. 18:20-21)

20 Then the Lord said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is immense, and their sin is extremely serious. 21 I will go down to see if what they have done justifies the cry that has come up to Me. If not, I will find out."

Verse 20. One day Abraham looked up and saw three men. His visitors were not human, but angels. God spoke to Abraham, apparently through one of these angels. Once again God promised Abraham and Sarah would have a son and specified in a year's time. As the angels prepared to leave, Abraham learned about more of God's plans.

The Lord informed Abraham of the magnitude of Sodom and Gomorrah's [guh MAHR uhs] sin. Before the flood, sin had reached an intolerable level (Gen. 6:5). A similar level of sin existed in Sodom and Gomorrah. Ezekiel 16:49 describes the sin of Sodom as people selfishly enjoying luxury while ignoring the needs and suffering of the poor. Those oppressed by the sin of those in these two cities cried out for justice. [See Exploration: "Outcry/Cry," p. 114.]

Verse 21. God told Abraham He intended to visit the cities to determine the gravity of the problem. No doubt, God already knew the rampant sin in Sodom and Gomorrah, but He would visit the cities to demonstrate the lengths to which He would go to avoid destructive judgment. God prefers to save rather than destroy. He wanted Abraham to know He would not destroy without having investigated thoroughly and considered His options carefully and completely.

Abraham surely heard God's words with great anxiety and interest. If Sodom's sin warranted destruction, his nephew Lot might well perish. God stated that if Sodom's sin did not justify its destruction, He would know, implying He would spare the city. God's statement opened the way for Abraham to intercede for the sparing of Sodom and Gomorrah.

And Today. We often pray for people who are sick, asking God to restore them to health. We do not want them to suffer and perhaps die. We also need to pray for those who have not trusted Christ because their separation from God has far more drastic consequences. All of us eventually face God's judgment. Faith in Christ spares Christians the ultimate consequences of their sins, but those who die without having accepted Christ face God's judgment and the eternal consequences.

We can trust God because He acts justly. We can praise God because He exercises grace and mercy.

Whom are you praying for to receive salvation? How are you helping them find and accept Christ as Savior?

Offer Intercessory Prayers (Gen. 18:22-26)

22 The men turned from there and went toward Sodom while Abraham remained standing before the Lord. 23 Abraham stepped forward and said, "Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 What if there are 50 righteous people in the city? Will You really sweep it away instead of sparing the place for the sake of the 50 righteous people who are in it? 25 You could not possibly do such a thing: to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. You could not possibly do that! Won't the Judge of all the earth do what is just?"

26 The Lord said, "If at Sodom I find 50 righteous people in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake."

Verse 22. Abraham's visitors (the men) turned to go toward Sodom, but apparently the one through whom the Lord spoke stayed behind. Abraham was standing before Him. Standing before typically refers to being in the presence of a superior such as a king (Ex. 9:10) or God (Lev. 9:5). The phrase could mean "worshiping" God (Jer. 7:10) or "living before Him" as a servant (2 Kings 5:16). It also could indicate the intercessory role of a prophet as he asked God to save the people rather than punish or destroy them (Jer. 15:1). Here Abraham stood before the Lord God as His servant interceding for Sodom and Gomorrah.

Verse 23. As a true intercessor, Abraham spoke to God on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham did not excuse the sin of those in the cities. Instead, knowing God's character, Abraham appealed to His mercy and justice. He asked if God would really destroy the entire city, killing the righteous who sought to obey God along with the many wicked who rejected God's ways. Was the judgment and punishment of the wicked in Sodom and Gomorrah more important to God than the salvation of the righteous? Abraham believed God's justice and love would seek a way to save the righteous from perishing with the wicked.

Verse 24. Abraham asked God if He would destroy Sodom if 50 righteous people could be found in the city. Some Bible students suggest a small city might have been able to field an army of 100 men. Thus, the figure of 50 righteous people would be half the size of a small city's army and a sizeable percentage of the adult male population. Since Sodom lay in a fertile area, 50 righteous individuals would likely have been a smaller percentage of Sodom's total population, but a significant enough number that would have drawn God's attention.

Abraham believed God would not destroy the righteous with the wicked. The term sweep... away describes God's judgment of individuals (Num. 16:26) and Israel (1 Sam. 12:25). As one sweeps away dust and dirt with a broom leaving behind a clean floor, so God would sweep away sinful individuals and cities, leaving behind an empty land.

Abraham hoped God would spare Sodom if 50 righteous people could be found in the city. Sparing translates a Hebrew verb meaning "lift up" and often refers to "lifting up" or "forgiving" sin. While Abraham believed God would not destroy the righteous with the wicked, he perhaps also hoped God would forgive Sodom and allow the righteous within the city more time to lead the people to repentance and faith.

Abraham may have focused on Sodom because Lot lived there or he may have used Sodom to represent both cities in the area. Perhaps he believed God's desire to save the righteous even in one city might lead to the preservation of both cities.

Verse 25. Although Israel's legal system had not yet been established, Abraham knew the important task that judges face. Determining the innocence of the righteous and the guilt of the wicked constitutes a difficult but important task. Human lives depend on fair, conscientious judges. God later called for Israelite judges to perform their duty fairly, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty (Ex. 23:6-7). If God expects human judges to judge fairly, certainly God the ultimate Judge also will judge fairly.

And Today. While American court systems are not perfect, judges, attorneys, and juries work hard to determine innocence and guilt, to acquit the innocent, and to deliver fair punishment to the guilty. No one wants the innocent to suffer or the guilty to go unpunished so they can cause further harm to others. Human fallibility and limited knowledge mean mistakes sometimes occur.

Being righteous in character and deeds and knowing all things, God can fairly, competently judge human character and behavior. God will not condemn the innocent or acquit the guilty (who refuse to repent).

Verse 26. God accepted Abraham's argument and declared that if Sodom had 50 righteous people, He would spare the entire city. Abraham believed God was merciful and compassionate. God's answer demonstrated Abraham was right. When God explained His plan to investigate Sodom and Gomorrah's sin, God was doing more than simply informing Abraham of His plan to destroy the cities. God was inviting Abraham to intercede for the people. Moses (Ex. 32:11-14,31-35), Samuel (1 Sam. 12:19-25), and Amos (Amos 7:1-6) interceded for their people, asking God to forgive them. Abraham's intercession paved the way for these later leaders and prophets who stood before God, pleading for their people and asking God to be merciful.

Abraham did not stop with 50 righteous people. He persisted in his requests moving from 50 righteous people to his final suggestion of 10 righteous people (Gen. 18:24-32). At first glance this conversation may appear to be a bargaining session between Abraham and God. In this practice a seller sets a high price, a buyer offers a lower price, and the two keep compromising until they reach a middle price. That Abraham was bargaining with God, however, is not likely. Rather, the patriarch was engaged in a discussion to ascertain the depth of God's love and grace. God's willingness to spare Sodom if only 10 righteous people could be found in it indicates to us the depth and breadth of God's love.

How are you praying for others who have needs in their lives?

And Today. We need to pray not just for ourselves and our family's needs, but also for the needs of others. Sometimes a friendly conversation over coffee can bring others' needs to our attention. Sometimes a visit to a hospital or nursing home to see one individual can make us aware of the needs of others. Sometimes flashing lights in our neighborhood indicate needs we can meet through prayer and ministry. Sometimes the Holy Spirit touches our hearts and informs us of someone's need. When we become aware of others' needs, we need to minister to them. We also need to spend time in prayer asking God to work in their lives to provide healing, comfort, strength, and guidance.

Observe God's Compassion (Gen. 19:12-16)

12 Then the angels said to Lot, "Do you have anyone else here: a son-in-law, your sons and daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of this place, 13 for we are about to destroy this place because the outcry against its people is great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it."

14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were going to marry his daughters. "Get up," he said. "Get out of this place, for the Lord is about to destroy the city!" But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.

15 At the crack of dawn the angels urged Lot on: "Get up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city." 16 But he hesitated, so because of the Lord's compassion for him, the men grabbed his hand, his wife's hand, and the hands of his two daughters. And they brought him out and left him outside the city.

Verse 12. When the two angels arrived in Sodom, Lot offered them hospitality. During the night men of all ages surrounded Lot's house demanding Lot send the visitors out so the men could have sexual relations with them. Lot pleaded with the men not to do such a horrible thing and offered his two virgin daughters to them instead. The men condemned Lot as a foreigner who was attempting to instruct and judge them. When they tried to push into the house, the angels dragged Lot back into the house and blinded the men with a bright light (19:1-11).

Read "Lot, the Master of Poor Choices" in Winter 2007-2008 issue of Biblical Illustrator or Biblical Illustrator Plus (CD-ROM).

The angels turned to Lot and asked if he had any other children or extended family in the city. The reference to a son-in-law may seem unusual since the only two daughters that have been mentioned were unmarried. Perhaps, as we will see, the angels were referring to those who would become Lot's sons-in-law. Regardless, the angels were urging Lot to get people who meant anything to him out of the city.

Verse 13. The angels told Lot why he had to leave. They had come to investigate the city. What they had seen confirmed that the outcry God had heard was valid (18:20-21). The shouting of Sodom's immoral men as they pressed Lot to hand over the visitors had joined with the outcry of the oppressed poor to establish the city's complete corruption. The people of Sodom had become as evil as those before the flood. Judgment had to fall upon the city. No other alternative existed.

Verse 14. Lot immediately went out to warn his sons-in-law. A few Bible students believe Lot had older daughters who already had married and these sons-in-law were their husbands. Most Bible students understand the sons-in-law to be prospective grooms for his two daughters. The daughters probably had been betrothed but were not yet married. Lot warned his sons-in-law to leave Sodom, but they rejected his warning. As Sarah had laughed not believing she could become a mother at her advanced age, so the sons-in-law laughed not believing in the approaching destruction.

The Bible does not reveal why the sons-in-law did not believe Lot. Perhaps they believed Sodom faced no threat. No enemy army surrounded the city and no rebellion was brewing inside. Perhaps they had lost all respect for Lot after he offered to throw their prospective wives out for the men of the city to rape. Likely, the sons-in-law did not reject Lot as much as they rejected his message. To them Lot's warning seemingly was too ridiculous to believe.

Verse 15. As the light of dawn began to break through the darkness of night, the angels instructed Lot to get up. The Hebrew verb means "to arise," implying the angels might have had to wake Lot up! Faced with the imminent destruction of the city and his family, Lot still slept! The situation was urgent. Time had run out. Lot had to take his wife and two daughters and leave immediately or they would be swept away with the rest of the city's inhabitants.

Verse 16. Lot hesitated. The angels' words seemingly had no greater effect on him than his words had on his sons-in-law. The Bible does not explain why Lot hesitated. Perhaps he was reluctant to leave his extended family, friends, or home.

Many people in our time do not want to leave their home when natural disasters threaten. Perhaps fear had paralyzed Lot. One would think that after actions of Sodom's men the night before, he would have been delighted to leave a place where people did not want him.

Like parents leading a stubborn child away by the hand, the angels grabbed Lot, his wife, and two daughters by their hands and led them out of the house and city. Lot still hesitated to do what the angels said. When the angels instructed Lot and his family to escape into the mountains, Lot asked permission to go to the town of Zoar instead. The angels graciously granted him permission (19:17-22).

God could not find 10 righteous people in Sodom, so He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. God brought Lot and his family out because of His mercy, not because of their obedience or righteousness. Lot hesitated and protested the angels' directions. His wife disobeyed by looking back at Sodom as they escaped (19:26). His two daughters later got their father drunk and slept with him to have children (19:30-38). While Abraham's intercession could not save Sodom and Gomorrah, God answered his prayers by saving Abraham's relatives. Our intercession also can make a difference in the lives of others.

And Today. Not every prayer we pray for others receives the answer we desire. Sometimes those for whom we pray die. Sometimes families collapse despite our intercession. Despite our disappointments, we all have seen God work in wonderful ways in the life of individuals for whom we have prayed. God has restored physical, mental, and spiritual health. God has healed families. God has brought people into a saving relationship with Him through His Son Jesus Christ. We need to thank and praise Him for answering our prayers and continue to pray with confidence knowing He will respond.

How has God answered your intercessory prayers for others?

Biblical Truths for Spiritual Transformation

We can pray regularly for people to trust the Lord because we know they eventually will face God's judgment.
We can respond positively to the ways the Lord encourages us to offer prayers of intercession.
We can be confident the Lord responds to our intercessory prayers on the basis of His righteousness, love, wisdom, timing, and justice; and we can thank Him for the prayers He already has answered.

What changes do you plan to make so you will pray more regularly and passionately for the spiritual and physical needs of others?

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