Bargaining with God (Genesis 18)

 Bargaining with God

Abraham was a friend of God, but he also feared God and had great respect for Him. He kept His law and taught his household to go in the ways of the Lord.

But when God told Abraham that He was going to investigate Sodom, where his nephew Lot was, and judge it, Abraham responded to God.

He was very bold towards God.

[Gen 18:22-25 NKJV] 22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD. 23 And Abraham came near and said, "Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24 "Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare [it] for the fifty righteous that were in it? 25 "Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

Respect towards God in prayer does not exclude boldness or even a kind of bidding with God.

Abraham asked God to spare the city if there were only 50 righteous there. 

He came near. He asked would you? He appealed to God’s own character and mercy. He used words like ‘Far be it from You’ even though God told him His purposes. 

He appealed to the fact the righteous would die with the wicked in that city. And God could well have done that, but Abraham interceded for the city and prayed for it. 

In this prayer Abraham showed his care for his nephew, but also his great boldness towards God.

He appeals to the title ‘Judge of all the earth’ and His justice in this prayer. He knew this was a judgment scene and he stood forth as a bold speaker bringing arguments to the great Judge and appealing to Him. 

And God answered. But Abraham did not simply keep it at this. He realised that Sodom was wicked and He wanted more. And he asked for it.

[Gen 18:26-33 NKJV] 26 So the LORD said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes." 27 Then Abraham answered and said, "Indeed now, I who [am but] dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: 28 "Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for [lack of] five?" So He said, "If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy [it]." 29 And he spoke to Him yet again and said, "Suppose there should be forty found there?" So He said, "I will not do [it] for the sake of forty." 30 Then he said, "Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?" So He said, "I will not do [it] if I find thirty there." 31 And he said, "Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?" So He said, "I will not destroy [it] for the sake of twenty." 32 Then he said, "Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?" And He said, "I will not destroy [it] for the sake of ten." 33 So the LORD went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.

He went on for quite a long time.

In these requests both his boldness and his humility is seen.

He is requesting this from the Judge of all the earth. And he is basically bargaining with God. As seen before he uses bold language and stepped forth to God. He speaks as if he is defending Sodom and his nephew Lot in a judgment scene.

But at the same time we see him saying things as I who am but dust and ashes and let not the Lord be angry and I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord and I will speak once more.

He spoke with boldness but at the same time he knew his position. He knew he was basically just mere ‘dust and ashes’ who weighed nothing before the great King of the universe. He would die like all men and he was but mortal. He was standing before the eternal life-giving Judge, the Lord. And he of all people had taken it upon himself to speak to Him.

This he knew well. But he also knew that he was allowed to be bold, that he could request stuff from God effectively.

And so he speaks and he brings the bargain down to ten people.

But he was not bold because he thought he was worthy. This is seen in his humility.

He looked at God as merciful and kind and humble Himself. He doesn’t listen because we are so amazing and impressive to Him, but because He is our Father who loves us and lends an ear to us.

It is this kind of attitude we should have in prayer. We should know what we are compared to God, that is nothing, but at the same time we should know His fatherly tenderness and be bold because of that. Our boldness should not come from a high perception of self, but because of a right perception of God. 

This is the spirit of Abraham.