In Genesis chapter 18 we read about three travellers towards Sodom and accompanied by Abraham. God was ready to be just, for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Beyond the use of Sodom and Gomorrah as fearful examples of divine judgement … Jude 7 claims that the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was on account of their sexual immorality.’ Beyond the guarded conversations between the Lord, the angels and Abraham, the Lord includes Abraham in the divine plan. Abraham as a friend of God and members of the divine council persuades God to stay His Hand on behalf of the few righteous people. According to the prophet declaration, ‘Surely the Lord God does nothing, without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.’

The refection is that God was not being unfair to the people of Sodom. God did not really plan to destroy the good with the wicked. The truth is that God’s fairness stood out. We could only know God like Abraham because God chose to reveal Himself to him. God says, Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? God brought Abraham into relationship hence, God reveal Himself to Abraham. One of the weakness of the seductions of today’s culture is that it has ‘pre-conceived ideas of what God ought to be like, or what we want him to be like. But the only way we can truly know Him is as he reveals himself to us. Only in the Bible do we find out what He is actually like.’

Our knowledge of God like that of Abraham should make us to grow and as well make us to take a big step forward in our journey with God and people. Abraham’s concerns turned to pleads with God and not about person defence or justification. God showed to Abraham that asking for anything is allowed with the understanding that God’s answer come from God’s perspective. The answer Abraham received shows that God who destroys Sodom is fair, he is just and he is merciful. God is a fair judge. He is not corrupt. He did not just smite the cities without a word and without a prophet (Gen 18:16-33). God explained to Abraham, ‘the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous.’ God as a fair judge weighs the evidence. Even on Abraham’s terms the city of Sodom fails the judgement.

God is not only fair, God is also a just judge, and a merciful judge (Gen 19:1-29). God will always protect the tiny righteous remnant of the city. Beloved if you love and trust God, He will do everything necessary like He did to Lot to spare you from judgement.

Abraham’s negotiation with God and prayer for Sodom was a failure because not even ten righteous people could be found hence, only three escaped. Nobody deserve to be destroyed like in Sodom if only we can all return to God in genuine repentance. Beyond the Old Testament, let us look at what the New Testament make of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Jesus speaks about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah more than anyone else. In Luke 17 Jesus is talking about his triumphant return to judge the world. Jesus said, “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulphur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed” (Lk 17:28-30). Beloved, the destruction of Sodom is just a foretaste. God Who is fair and just is coming again.

An Abraham as residence in Sodom invites us to abandon the values and attachments of this world in order to be ready for Christ’s return. His return will be suddenly, and when he comes, there will be no second chance. To escape a worse fate even than Sodom as a foretaste of coming judgement, receive Jesus into your life today (Luke 10:8-12). The deeper underlying sin of Sodom was the rejection of God just as most of the world has rejected God. Everyone deserve the judgement but there is rest when we come to Jesus, name above all names. Remember Lot’s sons-law dismissed God message as old fashion, so primitive, as a joke and were destroyed with the rest. They believe in a god who is love, not a God Who judges. As a person, church, or a nation, are you like Lot’s wife, you have started well, but you are in danger of turning back? Lot’s wife attachment to the world blinded her to the coming judgement. Are you like Lot himself, prepared to escape? Beloved, God is able to save you, ask God for your forgiveness and receive his mercy in giving Jesus to die for you on the Cross.

As Abraham in each one of us as residence in Sodom, will you pray even as Jesus taught His disciples in Luke 11. God remembered Abraham and in the end his prayer was effective because of him some lives were saved. Using the Scottish Psalter, let us pray that rulers of Sodom will hear the voice of heaven’s eternal Lord. Let us pray that men, women, and youth of Gomorrah will bend their ears submissive to God’s Word. Let us pray that we will stop mocking God’s name with honours vain but to keep God’s holy laws in Jesus name.