Genesis 18 – 3 Men, The Lord, Going to Sodom & Gomorrah for Justice

Genesis 18 – 3 Men, The Lord, Going to Sodom & Gomorrah for Justice

The LORD appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre, Abraham saw three men. He bowed to them, and offered them hospitality. They stayed and accepted. So Abraham served them with food Sarah prepared as they ate under the tree. The LORD said in a year Sarah would have a son. She overheard and laughed to herself. The LORD asked why did Sarah laugh, “Is anything impossible for the LORD?” She denied laughing, because she was afraid, but God said, “No, you did laugh.” The men got up and looked over Sodom as Abraham was walking with them to see them off. The LORD said He should hide what He’s going to do from Abraham, then the LORD told Abraham that the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah is immense, and He will go down to see it. The men turned and went to Sodom while Abraham remained standing before the LORD. Abraham asked if God would really sweep away the righteous with the wicked. Then Abraham asked God to spare the city if there were 50, 40, 30, 20, and finally 10 righteous people in it, and the LORD agreed not to destroy it if there were that many righteous there. The LORD departed when He was finished speaking, and Abraham returned to his place.

You cannot lie to God. He knows all things, and can see all. God is faithful to His people even when they struggle to believe that His promises are true. You may know what God has promised for His people, but when you look at your life it’s hard to believe that what He says is true  – through faith in Christ you’ve been adopted, through faith you have God as your Father, that Christ will be with you to the end of the age, that God will grow you in the likeness of Christ, that He loves you, and that Jesus is coming back for you. When your heart screams unbelief, preach the gospel to yourself and take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.