ABRAHAM'S SUCCESSFUL INTERVENTION

Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

Understanding important truths from the Bible…. 

ABRAHAM’S SUCCESSFUL INTERCESSION 

Genesis 19:29 NKJV

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 which Lot had dwelt. 

Reading Genesis 18-19 I have always taken for granted that Abraham’s intercession was for Sodom and that he failed.  The translation I use for devotional reading heads the section of Genesis 18:22-33 with the following, Abraham Intercedes for Sodom.  And though there is a secondary way this is true it is not the primary intent of Abraham.

Abraham recognized one of the three who visited him as Yahwey after He identified Himself in Genesis 18:14.  In verses 25 and 27 and forward, Abraham addresses the Lord in this manner.  He begins his intercession based on the justice of God, Genesis 18:25. 

His intercession is directed toward a specific purpose.  He seeks God’s sparing the righteous and to assure this he asks for the city to be spared destruction.  In every instance he seeks relief for the righteous with the relief of the city being secondary. 

But not even ten righteous are found in the city and it is destroyed.  Lot, his wife, and their two daughters are led outside the city.  Lot’s wife who is lost in the transit and the conduct of the two daughters convince us that there was only one righteous person in Sodom. 

Always at this point I,  and I suppose many others, have considered Abraham’s intercession to have failed.  Some have even suggested that he stopped his intercession too quickly.  This needs no comment as it is an idle and unnecessary speculation. 

I must admit that today for the first time I am struck by the statement in Genesis 19:29.  This statement leaves the reader with but a single understanding. 

Abraham’s intercession was as James describes believing prayer, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”  We are told in verse 29

, that God removed Lot when all around was destroyed not for Lot’s sake but, “God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out.”

I know that I must rethink my understanding of Abraham’s intercession.  It appears as if it (this intercession) was a complete success.  Abraham’s request for the righteous to be spared was fulfilled in Lot’s safety. 

Application:

1.  Your failure to see the answer to your prayer can be because you do not look in the right place.
2. Intercession for friends and loved ones to be delivered from destructive behavior and places is necessary and beneficial.