I Have Chosen Him to Do Righteousness and Justice – Genesis 18

William Carey was a plodder who came to be known as the father of modern missions.  His plodding work was conducted in India, “and stands as a distinguished example of how God can use a small, righteous minority to have a significant impact on a fallen world. His impact can be assessed in terms of (1) the thousands of Indians who came to Christ through his ministry, (2) the establishment of an effective missionary work in India, and (3) the mission organizations he inspired (fourteen in England alone by 1834). As a plodder, Carey realized that a person’s impact for Christ might not be realized for some time.” (Walton) Abraham was meant to be such a “plodder” for righteousness and justice.

[1] And the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. [2] He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth [3] and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. [4] Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, [5] while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.” [6] And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.” [7] And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. [8] Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

[9] They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.” [10] The LORD said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. [11] Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. [12] So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” [13] The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ [14] Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” [15] But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

[16] Then the men set out from there, and they looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way. [17] The LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, [18] seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? [19] For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” [20] Then the LORD said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, [21] I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.”

[22] So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD. [23] Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? [24] Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? [25] Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” [26] And the LORD said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

[27] Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. [28] Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” [29] Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” [30] Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” [31] He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” [32] Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” [33] And the LORD went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place. (Genesis 18, ESV)

We’re not told how much time has elapsed since Yahweh’s appearance to Abraham to reconfirm His promise and give him the sign of circumcision.  But Abraham is dwelling in tents near the oaks of Mamre and his allies Mamrie, Aner, and Eshcol (14:13).  In the heat of the day three men appear at Abraham’s tent and he offers hospitality (a little water and some bread, though he has Sarah and his servants prepare a huge meal).  Abraham apparently recognizes that these are not mere men, but Yahweh and two angels (it is unlikely that this is the triune God taking human form, as we will see in chapter 19 that there are two Yahweh’s, one in heaven and one on earth, the earth Yahweh being the Son of God).

Surely Abraham has told Sarah that a son has been promised to them, who will be named Isaac (“he laughs”), but here Yahweh makes this promise in Sarah’s hearing that this will come to pass within the year.  She laughs as Abraham had done (17:17), because it seems impossible, but Yahweh challenges this.  Then, as He begins to leave, He converses with the two angels about whether He should reveal to Abraham should be made privy to what He is about to do, because, He says, “Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation.” 

Yahweh says He has chosen Abraham so that he may “command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”  Fulfilling Yahweh’s covenant is dependent on Abraham’s righteousness and justice.  And Yahweh is about to determine what is just for Sodom and Gomorrah.  So He “consults” Abraham about His determination to destroy these two cities.

Abraham challenges Yahweh’s justice if He destroys these cities and yet there are many righteous people in them (Abraham is, of course, considering his nephew Lot who is living in Sodom).  It is not right, he argues, to destroy the righteous with the wicked.  God will not, as we will see, destroy the righteous with the wicked, but will rescue the righteous from that judgment.  But He agrees with Abraham not to destroy the cities if ten righteous can be found living in them.

Walton points out:  “In this chapter we discover another way in which Abraham’s family will serve as a channel of grace: Their presence as a righteous minority in a wicked world will still God’s hand of destruction. But the issue is not necessarily simply a question of “acquit or destroy” — more subtly, it may involve the question of “now or later.” When does God decide that no more time will be given for reform?  If there were fifty righteous, would God spare the city for a time to see if that righteous minority could have an impact in the city and turn it around? What opportunity will be given for the minority to bring about change? How small can the minority be and still be allowed to have an impact?”  Lot has been a righteous minority in Sodom, without much affect.  What affect have we had as a righteous minority?  What has our plodding for righteousness and justice accomplished?