God readily hears the intercessory prayers of believers.

Prayer is a spiritually powerful activity in which any Christian can engage. In prayer we speak to God, and He hears and grants anything we ask in keeping with his will (1 John 5:15-16.) At the moment of Jesus‘s death, the curtain in the temple, separating the Holy of Holy‘s from the Holy Place, was torn in two from top to bottom (Matthew 27:50-51), signifying the access we have to God in prayer through the intercession of Jesus Christ. This lesson is about intercessory prayer, which is prayer offered for others, rather than for oneself. We study today the biblical account of Abrahams amazing intercession on behalf of the people in the exceedingly evil city of Sodom.

GOLDEN TEXT: Romans 8:26  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

…….The word intercession means to intervene which is defined as this: to come between so as to prevent or alter a result or course of events. The Holy Spirit is the connection to God giving us everything we need before we ever know we need it. The greatness of walking in the Spirit is this, before I ever come to the realization that I need a doctor, times there is a possible wreck in our path, or tragedy in the life of a loved one, the Spirit has already felt the effects and has taken the situation to the Father for help! What a tool to take advantage of! Too often times we find ourselves not walking in the Spirit, fulfilling every wrong desire of the mind, staying mentally distracted from what God desires for us. Oh what life we could live if we would simply live through Him in the Spirit!

…….Sometimes the best prayers are the ones that never come from words, but simply sitting or kneeling, shut away in quietness while focusing and listening to the Lord. Some of my greatest times are spent quietly with the Lord.

ABRAHAM HEARD GOD’S JUDGEMENT

A. God Considers Abraham

…….Think about the timeline in scripture here, the Lord has appeared to Abraham in the form of man to speak with him about having a son with his wife Sarah who has always been barren. Abraham was so in tuned with the Lord that the Lord desired his presence. Not only did He consider Abraham as a close friend but also wanted to make him the staple of Gods lineage. After the Lord fills them in on His plans with their future He begins to tell them of the upcoming destruction of Sodom, the place Abrahams nephew Lot lived.

…….Also, in order to build the correct foundation for this story it is important to understand how prominent and successful Lot was. Genesis 13:2  And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.

13:3  And he (speaking of Abraham) went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai;

13:4  Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.

13:5  And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.

13:6  And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.

……..Maybe Lot wasn’t quite as successful at Uncle Abraham was, but he was successful enough that his possession and herdsmen were having confusion between one another, which very likely came from comparisons of heard and manpower. If you don’t understand anything else please understand that Lot was a successfully blessed man because of his relationship with an uncle who had an approval of the Lord. He could have easily been another pillar for the kingdom of God.

18:16  And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

Gen 18:17  And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

18:18  Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

18:19  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.

…….I love that part “For I know him”. The Lord knew Abraham and was not only confident, but absolutely positive that he was going to live right. Parallel to His servant Job prior to the testing, God knew that Abraham would not give up nor would he utterly fail. Abraham was a friend of God.

B. God Shares His Plan

18:20  And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

18:21  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.

…….The Lord loved Abraham in such a way that He was willing to forewarn him about the destruction of this evil city prior to taking action. The Lord was concerned about the feelings of Abraham.

ABRAHAM PLEADS FOR GOD’S MERCY

A. Abraham Seeks Gods Mercy

18:22  And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.

18:23  And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

…….Even though the Lord already knew there was absolutely no one righteous in the city, even Lot himself had become accustomed to their lifestyle, He still allowed Abraham to plead with Him to have mercy on a few that may be present.

18:24  Peradventure (if not, perhaps) there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

18:25  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?

18:26  And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

18:27  And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:

…….Since Abraham lived neighboring to Sodom, there is no doubt that he already knew of the wickedness present. What he did start doubting is the number of righteous people living in the city. Now He starts to negotiate, and listen to the Lords response.

18:28  Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.

18:29  And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty’s sake.

…….This is the love of God for those who love Him, He never had to tell Abraham His plans but He opened a door for Abraham to further plead with God to have mercy on the behalf of Lot.

B. Abraham’s Pleading Continues

18:30  And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.

18:31  And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake.

18:32  And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.

18:33  And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

…….If we have time let’s read the beginning of chapter 19. 19:1  And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

19:2  And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.

19:3  And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.

19:4  But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: 19:5  And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

19:6  And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,

19:7  And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.

19:8  Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.

19:9  And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.

19:10  But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.

19:11  And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

19:12  And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:

ABRAHAM WITNESSES JUDGEMENT AND MERCY

A. God Judges Wickedness

19:24  Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;

19:25  And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

19:26  But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

…….Though Abrahams intercession succeeded there were still stipulations and opportunity of obedience. Though Lot was able to escape destruction with his wife and daughters, his wife still insisted on disobeying the command of the angels.

…….Let’s take a look at how evil Lot and his family had become even after the destruction of his home and city: Gen 19:30  And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.

19:31  And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:

19:32  Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.

19:33  And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose…..the next night the other daughter did the same exact thing. Listen now to what their sins produced: Gen 19:37  And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.

19:38  And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.

…….The Moabites and Ammonites would later become even evil just as the country their parents were negatively impacted by. No one will ever know how far sin will take them, until it has taken every single good thing and nothing is left but shame and destruction.

…….Prior to Lot’s life of sin he was blessed just like Abraham with much cattle and possessions, and was blessed to be able to chose whatever land he would desire to live in.

B. God Remembers Abraham

19:27  And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD:

19:28  And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.

19:29  And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.

…….Lot made it out of Sodom only because Abraham desired for his life to be spared. Even though there was absolutely no one righteous in the city, but because of his relationship with the Lord Lot was spared.