READ Genesis 18:16-33
One overarching lesson from this series has been that living by faith was not easy for Abraham. He often struggled, doubted, and wrestled with trusting God, yet through all this, God worked to build in him a refined, tested faith. In this passage, Abraham struggles with how to reconcile his faith in God with God’s impending judgment of two cities. He is not alone, as many of us today also struggle to understand God’s judgment in the context of His character, our world, and our future.
1. Understanding God’s Judgment
We have to be honest and admit it – we all believe judgment is necessary. We may hide from this truth in places of peace or comfort, but it is nearly impossible when we open our eyes to the amount of violence, oppression, and injustice in the world. The real issue is that we disagree on who is qualified to judge and for what acts judgment is called for. God’s judgment is based on a complete and accurate perspective of the situation, something humans could never achieve. He reveals to Abraham that he not only hears injustice as an “outcry” but that he goes “down to see” it (v. 20-21). God is concerned about setting things right, as the Hebrew term for judgment (misphat) means in this passage. Even if it is hard to receive, would we not prefer a Judge who was perfectly just, exhaustive in knowledge, indiscriminately attentive? Our God is also patient in executing judgment, even amid the outcry of evil in our world.
2. Responding to God’s Judgment
God does not only want Abraham to understand judgment, but he also invites a response. We read in v. 25 that he “stepped forward” to make a case before God. Instead of rejecting him, God graciously invites Abraham’s response as an expression of genuine faith:
Interrogate (v. 25) - Abraham voices his struggle and even questions God’s character. What does God say? “You’re right.” “You’re right to care about justice!” We should never be afraid to express our honest struggles to God.
Intercede (v. 26-32) - Abraham intercedes not only for his nephew Lot and his family but for the entire city to be spared. He does so with great humility and reverence. God wants his people to intercede. His job is to judge; our job is to intercede.
Entrust (v. 32) - At the end of our pleading, we must entrust ourselves to God. Abraham’s inquiry ends at a certain point, likely because he’s heard all he needs to validate his trust in God.
3. Escaping God’s Judgment
Abraham learned something important in his interaction with God that enabled him to trust God’s role as judge and His righteous judgment. God explains how his judgment will work. Not only would the righteous not be swept away with the wicked, but He would “spare” the whole place, everyone “for their sake” (v. 26). The translation “spare” is not strong enough and could accurately be translated as “forgive.” The God of righteousness, who has every reason to carry out firm judgment upon sinners, makes a way of forgiveness for all. The righteousness of the few is imputed or covers the wickedness of the many.
The tension is at the heart of the whole Bible. As the grand story of the Bible moves forward, this interaction will reframe the story: Will there be a righteous remnant to spare the wicked, provide an escape from God’s judgment, or intercede for them? This tension, “imbalance” in God’s judgment, is only resolved in Jesus Christ. The Gospel confirms that we are forgiven and spared from judgment on account of the vicarious substitution of Christ. He bore the full judgment of God in our place. We find escape from the judgment of God, not by our righteousness but by faith in the righteousness of another, Jesus Christ our Lord.
QUESTIONS
What about the sermon most impacted you or left you with questions?
Do you struggle with the idea of a God of judgment? Explain in your own words why - even if we struggle with it - that a God of perfect judgment is far better than the alternatives.
How can living in a place of peace or comfort shield us from the necessity of judgment?
What does Abraham’s interaction teach us about what kind of prayer life we should have? Which part (interrogate, intercede, or entrust) do you find most naturally in your prayer life? Which one do you struggle with?
How do you tend to play the judge over others? What does this reveal about your own heart?
How does the reality that you escaped judgment because of Jesus’ righteousness impact how you should judge others? What should compassionate judgment look like for fallible people like us?