Divine Justice and the Power of Intercession

Genesis 18:22–33 (NASB95) 

22Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before the Lord. 23Abraham came near and said, “Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24“Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? 25“Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?” 26So the Lord said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account.” 27And Abraham replied, “Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes. 28“Suppose the fifty righteous are lacking five, will You destroy the whole city because of five?” And He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” 29He spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose forty are found there?” And He said, “I will not do it on account of the forty.” 30Then he said, “Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak; suppose thirty are found there?” And He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” 31And he said, “Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord; suppose twenty are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it on account of the twenty.” 32Then he said, “Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak only this once; suppose ten are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it on account of the ten.” 33As soon as He had finished speaking to Abraham the Lord departed, and Abraham returned to his place. 

Abraham stood before God and pleaded for Sodom. He did not turn away from the city’s wickedness or ignore its fate. Instead, he stepped into the role of intercessor. Abraham asked if God would spare the city for the sake of fifty righteous people, then forty-five, then forty, all the way down to ten. Each time, God agreed. Abraham’s boldness was matched by humility. He appealed to God’s justice, asking if the Judge of all the earth would do what is right. Abraham’s concern was not only for the righteous but for the whole city. He showed compassion for those who did not deserve it. This is the calling of God’s people. We are to stand in the gap, praying for others, even when they are far from God. 

God’s response reveals the power of righteousness. He would have spared Sodom if only ten righteous people could be found. This shows that even a small group of faithful people can have a preserving effect on a society. Righteousness is not about numbers. It is about influence. God values the presence of the faithful. Their prayers and lives can hold back judgment and bring hope to the darkest places. God’s justice is not blind or harsh. He listens. He weighs every plea. He shows mercy where He can. 

The church today must learn from Abraham. We are called to intercede for our communities, our nation, and our world. We must not give up on those who seem lost. Our prayers matter. Our faithfulness can make a difference. Even when we feel like a small minority, God sees and honors the presence of the righteous. He calls us to pray, to act, and to trust His justice. Let us be people who stand before God on behalf of others, even in the most unlikely places.