Thursday 8 August 2013

Abraham, defender of the innocent

Genesis Chapter 18

In this chapter God pays a second visit to Abraham, presumably not long after the last chapter.

I note that Abraham is resting by the door of his tent when 3 strangers arrive. 

The first thing he does is tell Sarah to get into the kitchen and make some food!  (*Typical bloke” says half the population!!)

The men say that they will come back next year when Sarah is holding her son – Sarah has a chuckle about this and gets asked why did you laugh? I’m getting a bit of a theme here – God is most definitely having a bit of a laugh.


Next is a poignant bit – decides to warn Abraham that he plans to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because word of their evil deeds has reached as far as heaven.
When God tells Abraham that he will destroy Sodom and Gomorrah as they are wicked. Abraham negotiates with God that God will do the right thing and not destroy good people along with the wicked. 
“Should not the judge of the earth do right?”
God promises that if he finds 50 good people living there then the cities would be spared.

Abraham then negotiates him down to 10, if only 20% of God's original offer are good, the entire city would escape judgement.

I have to say that I admire Abraham for arguing and negotiating with God - there are a number of Bible characters who know God well enough to argue. 


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