Summary of Genesis 18:16-33:
Abraham just got done hosting God and two other men. He says that Abraham will become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. They will keep the way of the Lord and the generations afterwards as well.
God announces His plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because it is so wicked. But Abraham intercedes and pleads with God not to, arguing that God cannot kill the righteous along with the wicked, treating them the same. Abraham says what if there are 50 righteous people? So God agrees that if He finds 50 righteous people He will not destroy them. Abraham keeps pleading with God, asking for 45, 40, and so on down the line till the number agreed upon is 10. Abraham returns home.
BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 12, Day 2: Genesis 18:16-33
3) That God walked with Abraham, and God hid nothing from Abraham. God has faith in Abraham to walk in His ways and to teach his children to do so as well.
4) Lot lives in Sodom, his nephew. Abraham is compassionate. God listens and shows mercy.
5) Abraham knew that God was righteous and would not destroy righteous believers because God would do what is right.
6) We can ask God to do what is right because we know God is good to do so. We also see how God answers prayers and requests here.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 12, Day 2: Genesis 18:16-33
We see the power of prayer firsthand. Because Abraham was bold and asked for God what was on his heart, a whole city was spared. Think of what you are hesitant to ask God and ask! He can do anything, especially if we ask.
End Notes BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 12, Day 2: Genesis 18:16-33
God reveals to Abraham what is about to happen to Sodom and Gomorrah for two reasons:
- Because God would bring forth a great nation from Abraham
- Because Abraham would teach his descendants about the One, True God
We can only assume what a huge outcry this was against Sodom and Gomorrah for God to want to destroy them. Possible sources of outcry include creation, angels, victims inside the cities, and God’s holy nature.
Obviously God knows the outcries are true against Sodom and Gomorrah since God knows everything. He says this for our purposes only so we know He is a just God. (Psalm 19:9, Revelation 16:7)
We can infer the two men were the angels whom will address Lot in Genesis 19.
What We See As Abraham Asks God to Spare Sodom and Gomorrah
- Abraham draws near to God, as we should
- Abraham reminds God of who He is
- Abraham understands God’s nature
- God agrees
- Abraham is specific in his prayer (note the number of righteous people found)
- Abraham asks with the right heart
- Abraham is humble
This is a powerful passage of those before Jesus still being conformed in his image (Romans 8:29),
If Abraham persisted from 50 down to 10, why stop at 10? Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because only 4 righteous people (Lot’s family) were found. Would history have been different if Abraham had persisted? Perhaps Abraham himselfe believed that there were surely more than 10 people who were righteou there.