Standing Before the Judge of All the Earth
Text: Genesis 18:16-33
Core Idea: Our God is a God who invites His people into His plan, reveals His heart of justice and compassion, and fulfills His saving purpose through the righteousness of His Son. Then, let’s stand in the gap for a world that still needs to know that the Judge of all the earth has done what is right through Jesus Christ.
INTRODUCTION
Well, we’ve been walking through the Book of Genesis – tracing how God’s plan of salvation began. And last week, we were reminded that our God is mighty to do the impossible – and yet He stoops down to meet us in our weakness, restore what is broken, and amaze us with His wonders. In fact, that is exactly what He did for Sarah. God didn’t have to appear before them again since He had already sealed His covenant with Abraham back in Chapter 17 – but He came because He wanted Sarah to hear the promise with her own ears. The truth is that, just like Abraham, Sarah would’ve been living under the weight of guilt and shame for 13 years – believing that her failure had disqualified them from God’s covenant. In fact, her heart had grown hard and cynical. So, when she heard that she would bear a son “by this time next year,” she laughed – not with joy, but with disbelief. Yet even then, God did not condemn her but comforted her – He met her unbelief with grace. He asked, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” Or, as it can also be translated, “Is anything too wonderful for the LORD?” We often struggle to believe God and His Word, not because they don’t make sense, but because they seem too good to be true. How can the Shepherd who rules the nations leave the ninety-nine to seek one lost sheep? How can the Lord who knows the worst about us still call us His beloved? How can He weave even our failures and pain into His good purposes? How can the Judge of all the earth be judged in our place? How can every tear be wiped away and sorrow be no more one day? And how could Sarah, whose body was as good as dead, give birth to the son she had longed for her entire life? Yet that’s exactly what happened. And her laughter of unbelief turned into a laughter of joy. Her heart that was filled with cynicism was now filled with awe and wonder – being confident that nothing is too wonderful for the Lord. Now, as we turn to today’s passage, we’ll see that God had another reason for appearing before Abraham. It wasn’t only to strengthen Sarah’s faith but also to disciple Abraham – to shape him into the man of faith God was calling him to be. So, with that in mind, please turn in your Bibles to Genesis 18:16-33 – and let me read this for us.
16 When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way. 17 Then the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? 18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. 19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what He has promised him.” 20 Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous 21 that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached Me. If not, I will know.” 22 The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD. 23 Then Abraham approached Him and said: “Will You sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 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? 25 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?” 26 The LORD said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” 27 Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the LORD, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, 28 what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will You destroy the whole city for lack of five people?” “If I find forty-five there,” He said, “I will not destroy it.” 29 Once again he spoke to Him, “What if only forty are found there?” He said, “For the sake of forty, I will not do it.” 30 Then he said, “May the LORD not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?” He answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” 31 Abraham said, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the LORD, what if only twenty can be found there?” He said, “For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.” 32 Then he said, “May the LORD not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?” He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.” 33 When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, He left, and Abraham returned home.
Amen. This is the Word of God for you today.
Let me categorize this passage into three parts:
· THE INVITATION
· THE REVELATION
· THE GOSPEL PRINCIPLE
1) THE INVITATION
Verse 16 tells us that after the meal, Abraham noticed the three visitors looking toward Sodom. At first, he didn’t think much of it – so he simply walked with them to see them off. But then he heard the Lord say, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?” When someone says to you, “I don’t know if I should tell you this,” it usually means they’ve already decided to tell you – they’re just saying that to say, “I want you to know that I trust you.” Then, by saying this, God was essentially inviting Abraham into His plan. In fact, God explains why He was doing this – verse 18, “Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him.” The word “chosen” in Hebrew literally means “to know.” Now, this goes much deeper than just knowing about someone – it’s knowing someone deeply and personally, which is why this word is used to describe the intimate relationship between husband and wife. Then, here, God was basically saying, “Should I hide My plan from the one I know, love, and have chosen to play a vital role in accomplishing My will in the world?” And the answer was no – which is why God revealed His heart with Abraham. Now, this is remarkable considering that God doesn’t owe anyone an explanation. As the Creator of this world, the Giver of life, the King over all things, He doesn’t need our advice or consent to move forward with His plans – He has the right to do whatever He wants. And yet He graciously lets Abraham in on His plan, not because He must, but because He loves him. Then, what this teaches us is that revelation is God’s invitation to a relationship. God doesn’t reveal His will to satisfy curiosity. Revelation isn’t just God communicating facts – it’s God opening His heart. He reveals Himself because He desires a relationship. Every time God speaks, it’s an invitation to know Him more deeply. Now, God shares another reason as to why He’s revealing His plans to Abraham – verse 19, “So that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just.” Another purpose of revelation was mission. God wanted Abraham to know His ways so that Abraham could lead others in those ways – to walk in righteousness and justice. God didn’t choose Abraham and say, “Just sit tight until the promise comes.” No, He said, “Walk with Me, reflect My character, and teach others to live as My people. In fact, this is how you’ll be a blessing to the world – guiding people to the path to life, not death.” Abraham’s privilege of knowing God’s plan came with the responsibility of passing that knowledge on.
And brothers and sisters, the same is true for us. We, too, have been invited to know God’s redemptive plan – not through angels or visions, but through His Word. It’s true that the Bible doesn’t address everything in life. It doesn’t tell us the mechanics of the universe, or every detail of history, or solve every modern dilemma we face. It doesn’t tell us who we will marry, what career we will choose, or how long we will live. But what it does tell us is far greater: it tells us everything we need to know about God’s redemptive plan in Jesus Christ. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture speaks of one story – the story of a God who pursues sinners, keeps His promises, and sends His Son to rescue us. Through His perfect life, sacrificial death, and victorious resurrection, Jesus accomplished what Abraham could only dream about: salvation for God’s people. This is what God has revealed to us. This is what we know. Then, the question is: What will you do with that knowledge? Will you hoard it and keep it to yourself? Or will you teach it to your children and share it with the world? Will you live as people who are simply informed, or as people who are entrusted? Friends, this is why God lets us in on His plan – not to puff us up with knowledge, but to send us out with purpose.
In fact, Jesus Himself confirmed this calling in Matthew 28:18-20, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Can we pause here and feel the weightiness of this truth? Think with me: Jesus’ last words to His disciples were not a suggestion but a commission. These words are meant to shape the entire life of all believers. But if we’re honest, for many of us, the Great Commission has become the Great Omission. Why is that? There are obviously many reasons. For some, it’s fear – fear of rejection, fear of not knowing what to say, fear of losing respect. For others, it’s simply busyness – our schedules are so full that the mission feels like one more thing we can’t fit in. For many, it’s a loss of awe and urgency – we’ve lost the wonder of grace and forgotten the urgency of the gospel. Add to that, we’re constantly exposed to the message of our culture – telling us to pursue comfort and worldly success. But friends, God’s purpose has never changed. From Abraham in Genesis 12, to the risen Christ in Matthew 28, and to the worship of the nations in Revelation 7, God’s heart has always been for the world – which is why we must recover the heart of the Great Commission in our lives. So, let me ask you: Has the Great Commission become the Great Omission in your life? Have you let fear, busyness, or apathy silence you? Or will you remember what a privilege it is to be part of God’s mission – and let that truth awaken in you a fresh passion to share the gospel? Let me specifically address the parents here. Richard Phillips writes, “This shows why there is no higher priority for Christian parents than to pass on the faith to our children. Far more important than their secular education, athletic exploits, musical accomplishments, or physical beauty and charm is their knowledge of the Lord and His saving ways. Christian parents must therefore raise their children in faithful, Bible-teaching churches. Yet the church should never replace the personal discipleship of parents with their children, as they lead their minds and hearts in faith to the Lord.” Parents, will you do this for your children? My prayer for our parents and really for all of us is that this call will not come to you as a burden, for this is our greatest privilege and joy. We get to tell others that Jesus is alive, that forgiveness is real, and that hope is found in Him alone. So, let’s not take this privilege lightly. Let’s go and invite others to walk in the ways of the Lord.
2) THE REVELATION
Now, what exactly did God reveal to Abraham? What was His plan? He said in verse 20, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached Me. If not, I will know.” The word “outcry” in Hebrew is worth pointing out because it’s used throughout Scripture to describe the desperate cry that rises to heaven whenever sin and injustice cause deep suffering. It’s the same word used when Israel groaned under slavery in Egypt, and God said, “I have heard them crying out” (Ex. 3:7). It’s the same word used when widows and orphans cry out for help (Ex. 22:22-23), or when Abel’s blood cried out from the ground after his brother Cain killed him (Gen. 4:10). This is important to notice because it shows us that sin is never silent. The pain caused by sin will never get lost or overlooked. It always reaches the ears of God. In fact, that’s what was happening here. The outcry of Sodom was so grievous that God Himself said He must go down to see it. Now, some of you may be wondering, “Wait, why does this sound like God doesn’t know? Why does He have to go down to see how bad the situation is if He’s all-knowing?” Well, the Bible clearly teaches that God is omniscient – in that He knows all things. So, this cannot mean that He didn’t know what was happening in Sodom. Then, how do we resolve this tension? The commentators explain that this was God’s way of revealing His thoroughness and fairness in dealing with sin. Richard Phillips writes, “The point is not that God does not know the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, but that He does. It is true that He is about to send His angels to Sodom to gather information. Here we see the strictness of God’s justice in that He will not convict anyone without the evidence coming fully to light.” In other words, God was showing Abraham that His judgment is never arbitrary or impulsive. He doesn’t act on rumor or assumption. His justice is perfect – which is why the punishment will always fit the crime. All that to say, God was basically saying, “Abraham, you can trust Me. I will never act unjustly. I will always do what is right.”
What does this mean for us? Two things. First, we can trust God’s character even when we don’t understand His ways. God is never careless, never rash, never unjust. His judgments are always consistent with His goodness. We may not always grasp how God deals with sin or suffering – we may wrestle with hard questions like, “Would God condemn those who’ve never heard the gospel?” Or “If God is good, why is there so much evil and pain in this world?” But this passage reminds us that God will never get it wrong. Our finite minds may never understand His infinite wisdom, but we can rest in this truth: the Judge of all the earth will do what is right. God was revealing that very truth to Abraham – He was basically saying, “I’m letting you in on My purposes, Abraham. You may not understand everything, but you can trust My heart. I am righteous, I am just, and I will do what is necessary to bless My people and fulfill My promises.” Then, when you wrestle with God’s fairness, remember this: God’s justice is never careless, His judgment is never unfair, and His character is never in doubt.
Second, God hears the cries of the hurting. He never ignores injustice – the cries of the hurting will reach Him one way or the other. Then, let me take a moment to speak to anyone here who may be carrying wounds because of someone else’s sin – by words that cut deep, betrayal that broke your heart, or injustice that left scars on your soul. Remember that sin is never silent. The pain you feel has not been forgotten, and your cries have not been lost. They have reached the ears of a just and merciful God – and He will never let evil go unanswered. Our God is a God of justice who will set all things right – but He’s also a Father who bends down to listen when His children cry. So, let me ask you: Where are you hurting? What wound do you carry that still cries out in your soul? Have you brought that cry before God? Do you believe that He not only hears but cares – that He not only listens but will act in His perfect time? Then, take comfort in this truth: even when others ignore you, God will never leave you alone in pain. The Judge of all the earth will do what is right – and the Father of all compassion will not fail to draw near to you.
3) THE GOSPEL PRINCIPLE
Verse 22, “The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.” Here, Abraham was probably processing all that he had heard. Then, it must have dawned on him, “Wait, but not everyone in Sodom is wicked. My nephew Lot is there. I know he’s not perfect, but he still believes in God. Then, will God destroy the righteous along with the wicked? How is that fair? How is that just?” So, Abraham approached God and asked in verse 23, “Will You sweep away the righteous with the wicked?” And then he reasoned with the Lord, “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?” Two things stand out to me. First, Abraham pleaded for the whole city to be spared. He didn’t say, “God, give me some time to lead the righteous out before judgment falls.” No, he asked, “Would You spare the whole place?” Second, he pleaded for the whole city to be spared for the sake of the righteous. Abraham must have thought, “If the righteous can suffer for the sins of the wicked, is it possible that the righteousness of a few could cover the guilt of the many? If so, how many righteous people would be needed?” Now, the word “spare” in Hebrew can also mean “forgive.” So, in essence, Abraham was asking, “God, how many righteous people would it take for You to forgive the wicked? How many would be enough for You to extend grace to the whole place?” So, he started with 50 – and God said, “I’ll spare the whole city for their sake.” I wonder if Abraham was taken aback by the answer – “Wait, God is willing.” So, he humbly pressed further – verse 27, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the LORD, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will You destroy the whole city for lack of five people?” To his surprise, God said He won’t destroy it – and Abraham became even more courageous and persistent. “How about 40?” “I’ll still forgive them.” “How about 30?” “I won’t destroy them.” “How about 20?” “I won’t do it.” “I know I’m asking a lot, but how about 10?” “For their sake, I’ll spare the city.” And we read that Abraham returned home. Now, I’m sure all of us are asking, “Why did he stop at 10? Why didn’t he go all the way to one?” Some suggest Abraham had Lot’s family in mind – counting his nephew, his wife, his daughters, their future husbands, and perhaps others, maybe the number came close to ten. Others point out that Abraham stopped asking because he had a glimpse of God’s heart. “There’s no point asking anymore because it’s clear that His heart is full of compassion. No matter what I ask, I’m confident that He’ll respond in mercy.” And yet, there’s another possibility: Abraham stopped at 10, maybe because he realized that there were none righteous in Sodom. It’s like he was saying, “Who am I kidding? Lot is not really righteous. In fact, I can’t think of anyone who is. I don’t know if there’s any point in asking for more.” We know this is true, for Sodom and Gomorrah would be wiped away from the face of the earth in Chapter 19. Either way, you might be thinking, “What then was the point of Abraham praying?” But through this, Abraham learned an important truth: that the righteousness of the few can cover the unrighteousness of many. For the sake of someone else’s righteousness, God will forgive the guilty – the gospel principle.
Now, as I mentioned, Abraham’s plea failed because there was no one truly righteous in Sodom – but that has been the consistent message of the whole Bible regarding the whole world. Psalm 14:3, “All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” Ecclesiastes 7:20, “Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.” And Romans 3:23, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” But here’s the good news: yes, it’s true that Abraham stopped, but God did not stop there – God went further. He said, “I will spare the world for the sake of one righteous person. And since none can be found, I will provide that one Myself.” John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Romans 3:19, “Through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” And 1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” Where Abraham’s intercession ended, God’s mercy continued. The world would not be saved by the collective goodness of many, but by the perfect righteousness of One – Jesus Christ. For His sake, God shows mercy to sinners like you and me. Then, let me speak to those who have never trusted in Jesus Christ – those who are still seeking, those who are still on the fence. If this is you, know that God is not asking you to prove your righteousness or clean yourself up. God knows you can’t. The Bible says none of us can. But the good news is that Jesus lived the life you and I could never live, died the death we deserved, and rose again to give us new life. The Judge of all the earth did what was right – He placed your judgment on His Son so that you could go free. All you must do is believe. Then, don’t delay. Don’t wait for a better moment. Come to Him today.
And if you are already a believer, then live like Abraham – as one who intercedes for the world. Remember – Abraham didn’t pray for fire to fall on Sodom. No, he earnestly asked for God’s forgiveness. That’s the heart of a redeemed person. In fact, isn’t this exactly what Jesus has done for us? In John 17, He prayed that we would be protected, sanctified, and brought safely home. And what’s amazing is that He didn’t just pray – He went to the cross to make that prayer a reality. So, if you received His grace, how can you not extend that same grace to others? Do you pray for your neighbors, your coworkers, your family members who don’t yet know Jesus? Do you intercede for our city – asking God to show mercy and send revival? Friends, this is our calling – to stand in the gap and to plead for mercy. Then, let’s do just that – let’s pray for others with the same humility, consistency, and boldness as Abraham, for this is what it means to live as people of grace.
CONCLUSION
Lighthouse family, our God is a God who invites His people into His plan, reveals His heart of justice and compassion, and fulfills His saving purpose through the righteousness of His Son. Then, let’s stand in the gap for a world that still needs to know that the Judge of all the earth has done what is right through Jesus Christ.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1) Why do you think God chose to reveal His plans to Abraham? What does that tell us about His relationship with His people?
2) Why do you think many Christians struggle to live out the Great Commission? What fears or distractions often hold us back? What’s one practical step you can take this week to participate more actively in God’s mission – whether through prayer, conversation, or acts of service?
3) What does the “outcry” of Sodom teach us about God’s awareness of human suffering and injustice? How does this bring comfort to those who are hurting?
4) What situations in your life or in the world make you question God’s fairness? How does this passage help you trust His character even when you don’t understand His ways?
5) What does Abraham’s intercession teach us about the heart of God? Who might God be calling you to intercede for today? What would it look like to pray persistently and compassionately for them?