Then Abraham approached him and said: ‘Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?’”

Genesis 18:23-25 NIV

Why did Abraham bargain with Father God in regard to Sodom and Gomorrah? Abraham’s intercession for the reprobate cities of the plain, in which Lot also lived, contains a wealth of instruction in connection with our own practice of prayer as we learn to intercede. Prayer is a royal privilege for God’s children, and undoubtedly it peaks when it becomes intercession.

As long as we plead for the blessings of the Lord for ourselves, some selfishness can remain even in the most holy and tender prayer. However, the father who prays for his house, the mother for her child, the king for his people, the pastor for his congregation, and just like Abraham, intercession makes it easier to forget ourselves and our own sorrows and needs. Just like Abraham, they bear the name of someone else to the throne of grace.

We must also be careful here. We as people have a tendency to jump to negative conclusions about others rather than assuming the best about them. When we do this, we ascribe to them bad intentions and evil purposes that may not be true. We also reveal something about ourselves, for the faults we see in others are often a reflection of our own.

Consider this story. A bishop was sailing for Europe on one of the great transatlantic ocean liners. When he went on board, he found another passenger was to share the cabin with him. After going to see the accommodations, he came to the purser’s desk and asked if he could leave his gold watch and other valuables in the ship’s safe. He explained that he had been to his cabin and had met the man who was to occupy the other berth. Judging from his appearance, he was afraid the man might not be a very trustworthy person. The purser accepted the responsibility and remarked, “It’s all right, Bishop, I will gladly take care of them for you.” Then he added, “The other man has been up here and left his valuables for the same reason!” Jesus makes the point that we are generally far more tolerant of our own sin than we are of the sin of others. It is a good thing to help your brother with the speck in his eye, but not before dealing with your own plank.

Abraham Wanted to Spare the Righteous

Abraham asked, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 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? 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. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (Genesis 18:23-25 NASB).

Who speaks to Father God that way? Abraham did, because he understood something profound about the character of God. He was not arguing against God’s justice; he was appealing to it. He knew that the Judge of all the earth would do what is right, and he anchored his intercession in that truth.

Abraham Interceded for His Family

Abraham’s nephew Lot lived in Sodom. God did spare Lot and his two daughters, perhaps as a direct result of Abraham’s request. “Thus it came about, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot lived” (Genesis 19:29 NASB). Abraham certainly wanted to see his own extended family protected from God’s judgment. There is something deeply instructive here. Our intercession for others, even when we cannot see the outcome we hoped for, may be accomplishing more than we realize.

Abraham Had Compassion for the Wicked

Abraham had compassion for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. While he understood God’s judgment of sin, Abraham asked God to spare the city even if there could be found as few as ten righteous people. “Then 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’” (Genesis 18:32 NASB).

Apparently, fewer than ten righteous people were found, since God did destroy the cities, sparing only Lot and his two daughters. God also planned to rescue Lot’s wife, but she died when she disobeyed God and turned back to look at the city as it was being destroyed.

Abraham’s compassion for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah reveals the heart of a man who cared greatly for others, including those who did not follow God. Though Sodom’s citizens were wicked, Abraham did not wish to see their destruction. Just like Abraham, we are called to have great compassion for others, including those whose lives do not follow God’s ways. We must also ultimately accept God’s judgments, even when His decisions are not our desired choices.

Father God sometimes says no to our requests, too, even when we pray with good intentions. The Lord may have other plans that we do not understand, yet which are part of His perfect will. Let us also consider how God did answer Abraham’s request by rescuing Lot and his daughters. Although Abraham’s mediatory work did not result in the sparing of the cities, it did bring about the salvation of Abraham’s nephew.

This is the nature of intercession. We do not always see the full fruit of our prayers. We do not always receive the answer we hoped for. But intercession is never wasted. It draws us closer to the heart of God. It softens our own hearts toward those for whom we pray. It accomplishes purposes we may not see until eternity.

Abraham approached God on behalf of others. He forgot himself. He bore the names of the wicked before the throne of grace and pleaded for mercy. He appealed not to his own righteousness but to the righteousness of God. This is our calling too. Prayer is a royal privilege for God’s children. Let us use it not merely for ourselves, but for others. Let us intercede. Let us draw near. Let us ask. For the Judge of all the earth will always do what is right, and He hears the prayers of those who call upon His name.