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Abraham's Prayer for Sodom

By Dss. Teresa R. Johnson

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And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; 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.  And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 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? (Genesis 18:20-25 KJV)

In one of the most amazing events recorded in the Old Testament, Abraham entertains three visitors who reaffirm God's promise to give him a child in fulfillment of the covenant. As they turn to leave, Abraham finds himself in the presence of the LORD, who informs Abraham that Sodom and Gomorrah face imminent destruction. Upon hearing God's pronouncement, Abraham draws closer to God, in an attitude that seems to border on insolence as he reminds God of His own characteristics and of His promises. Yet Matthew Henry, who identifies this as the "first solemn prayer" in Scripture, regards Abraham's attitude as that of a prince who has the right to approach the King's throne. The most comforting element of this exchange is that what at first seems like insolence is actually confidence that God is not an arbitrary tyrant. Abraham fully realizes that his question "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" can only be answered one way, and that is a resounding "YES!"

Equally amazing is that this first solemn prayer in the Bible is one of intercession for a group of people who had become so wicked that God was ready to exact the ultimate judgment. Though Abraham does not condone their behavior, he nevertheless understands that he is addressing the One whose property is always to have mercy. Matthew Henry remarks that "though sin is to be hated, sinners are to be pitied and prayed for. God delights not in their death, nor should we desire, but deprecate, the woeful day."

In specifically asking God to spare the cities for the sake of the righteous, Abraham shows an understanding of two important truths. First, the presence of the righteous, though they are often rejected and persecuted by the wicked who benefit by their presence, is intended to be that purifying agent that Christ identified as salt and light. Earlier in this passage, God had identified the duty of the righteous in his assessment of Abraham: "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." Through covenant living and the diligent evangelism of those we meet daily, we Christians serve as heralds of God's grace and mercy to this broken world.

Second, Abraham's prayer is an acknowledgement that God always protects His people. Abraham could not believe that God would destroy these two cities while any of His people remained in them. While we cannot use this passage to prove that the righteous will never die in a catastrophe, we can say with confidence that God will not cast off His faithful people in a fit of rage against the ungodly. Indeed, this message is repeated in the parable of the wheat and tares, where Christ reassures us that the wheat will not be ripped up violently and destroyed with the weeds. Because we have God's promise that He will do all things for our good and His glory, we know that regardless of whether we live or die, we remain safe in Him.

We also learn from Abraham's persistence that God delights in our communion with Him. Rather than scold Abraham, God continues to listen to his requests and to respond with tenderness. Ultimately, not even ten righteous were to be found, and the city was destroyed after Lot and some of his family members were allowed to escape. But the fascinating barter between God and Abraham, grounded in God's great love for his people and in Abraham's intimate knowledge of God's nature, provides a pattern for our intercessions on behalf of the ungodly of this world and on behalf of Christians who live in the midst of a violently wicked people.

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Almighty God, Ruler of all the peoples of the earth: Forgive, we beseech thee, our shortcomings as a nation; purify our hearts to see and love the truth; give wisdom to our counselors and steadfastness to our people; and bring us at last to that fair city of peace whose foundations are mercy, justice and good-will, whose Builder and Maker thou art; through thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Prayer found in The Pastor's Prayerbook by Robert Rodenberry. New York: Oxford, 1960)