3 He said, "If I have found favour in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. 4 Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. 5 Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way -- now that you have come to your servant."

"Very well," they answered, "do as you say."

6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. "Quick," he said, "get three seahs of fine flour and knead it and bake some bread."

7 Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. 8 He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.

9 "Where is your wife Sarah?" they asked him.

"There, in the tent," he said.

10 Then the LORD said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son."

Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, "After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?"

15 Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, "I did not laugh."

But he said, "Yes, you did laugh."

20 Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous 21 that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know."

22 The men turned away and went towards Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD. 23 Then Abraham approached him and said: "Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing -- to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

26 The LORD said, "If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake."

27 Then Abraham spoke up again: "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, 28 what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city because of five people?"

"If I find forty-five there," he said, "I will not destroy it."

29 Once again he spoke to him, "What if only forty are found there?"

He said, "For the sake of forty, I will not do it."

30 Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?"

He answered, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."

31 Abraham said, "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?"

He said, "For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it."

32 Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?"

He answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it."

33 When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home. (NIV)

Waterloo Hall - 26th August 1999

This chapter beautifully describes the manners and customs of Abraham's nomadic life:

his enthusiastic hospitality of the visitors and his clear respect for them. This is a theophany in which the Lord appears to His friend. Its purpose was to re-affirm God's promise, and also to take Abraham into His confidence regarding Sodom and Gomorrah, and to provoke a truly remarkable act of intercession - vv23 ~ .

It is a remarkably straightforward account. It moves unselfconsciously from the men as speakers to the LORD as speaking. As the narrative develops so does our understanding of the role of these visitors.

In v 22 the men turn away and go towards Sodom, but Abraham remains standing before the Lord. After the intercession in v 33 the LORD ends the conversation and leaves.

It is this naturalness in the Lord's presence that strikes us.

I suggest three sections :

and

Each section introduces a different aspect of God's dealings with His friend - and Abraham's response to those dealings.

As children of God we enjoy an even closer relationship to God and therefore the principles that are contained in this chapter are as relevant to us.

(a) The presence of God was REAL

God's presence takes many forms - but all who know Him recognise it as real.

Here we have God entering the everyday circumstances of Abraham.

That is a constant reality about God and His dealings with us.

On the one hand these were the expected responses of a nomad to guests,

but they reveal both a naturalness of conversation and the attitudes associated with reverence for God.

(a) It was not a new promise but it was now an IMMEDIATE one

Barrenness had turned to old age

(c) It was a promise that seemed genuinely laughable

Genesis 17:17

Not just doubt but incredulity

The lesson of this promise renewed is clearly stated in the Lord's question

Abraham's response was REAL faith - faith that faces the impossible.

Only God Himself could fulfil what He had said.

I can understand Sarah's laugh ... so can God ... so can Abraham - it is the human reaction to the impossible and to God.

One of the most remarkable features of the life of faith is the way that God took Abraham into His confidence

"Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?"

The reasons for this are given :

(1.) Because Abraham was the recipient of the covenant

(2.) Because he was chosen by God

(3.) Because God had confidence in Abraham's keeping of His way

Abraham was part of God's plan, he was chosen to promote that covenant way,

he had a share in the ministry of that covenant.

God delights to share with us His purposes.

He has committed to us the ministry of reconciliation.

So the Lord explained to Abraham the condition of Sodom and Gomorrah and provoked from him that remarkable outburst of intercession - it is a part of God's purpose and plan that we PRAY - intercede fervently for the lost and those under judgement.

Notice :

1. Abraham had an interest in Sodom - LOT

2. But he had a greater interest in the justice and character of God

Does our desire for His justice outstrip our personal needs?

3. He reckoned himself to be nothing - but nevertheless kept on asking

4. He kept on until he had interceded on behalf of just ten.

In this remarkable account when the LORD meets Abraham and is hospitably received by him :

PRESENCE leads to PROMISE

PROMISE leads to PURPOSE

And - in Abraham's reactions :

WORSHIP leads to FAITH

FAITH to INTERCESSION

http://www.green-bd.freeserve.co.uk

dgreen_uk@bigfoot.com