Genesis 18:16

Genesis 18:16 says, And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.  The men were going to leave Abraham and go to Sodom.  Abraham escorted them along the way.  When God's messengers have done what they have been sent to in the life of someone, they will move on.  Verse seventeen asks, And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;  God asked Himself if He should hide what He planned to do from Abraham.  Verse eighteen adds, Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?  This was the reason behind the question of God revealing His plans to Abraham.  Abraham's descendants were to become a great and mighty nation.  I don't believe this means that God was unsure of what He was going to do, but was more of a rhetorical question.  No matter how great and powerful we may be, God does not have to tell us all His plans.  Verse nineteen continues, For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.  God said that He knew Abraham and that Abraham and his descendants would keep the way of the LORD.  When Abraham and his descendants kept God's covenant, then God would keep His covenant with them.  We cannot expect God to bless us if we do not keep our covenant with Him, which we enter into when we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Salvation is not a free pass to sin but a call to live under God's guidance in all that we do.  Verse twenty declares, And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;  God was aware of the sinful nature of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Even if we call ourselves a Christian nation, God is still aware of our sinful actions.  Verse twenty-one adds, I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.  I don't believe that this means that God was unsure about what was happening in Sodom and Gomorrah, but simply means that He does not act on anything less than the truth.  Verse twenty-two states, And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.  The men went on to Sodom, but Abraham stood before the LORD.  We cannot go everywhere God sends others, but we can stand before God as they go.  In verse twenty-three Abraham asks, And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?  Abraham asked God if He would destroy the righteous with the wicked.  While God delays His judgment of the world it is because those who are His followers through Christ are still spreading the gospel.  Verse twenty-four adds, Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?  Then verse twenty-five adds, That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?  Abraham asked if God would destroy Sodom if fifty righteous people could be found.  Then, Abraham seems to question God's nature.  We may intercede on behalf of others, but we should never question God's nature.  God would save all if they would simply repent and follow Him.  Verse twenty-six declares, And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.  God agreed with Abraham's request.  He would not destroy Sodom if there were fifty righteous people there.  Verse twenty-seven states, And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:  Abraham noted his own unworthiness to speak to God.  We, of our own merit do not have the right to speak to God, but through our faith in Christ we are given this right.  Verse twenty-eight asks, Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.  Abraham now starts bargaining with God, reducing the number of righteous to forty-five.  God agreed with Abraham's request.  Sometimes, a few righteous people may keep the unrighteous from destruction, and we should always pray for the lost to be saved.  In the next few verses Abraham continues to bargain with God for the sake of the righteous in Sodom.  Verse twenty-nine says, And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty’s sake.  Then verse thirty asks, And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.  Verse thirty-one adds, And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake.  Then verse thirty-two concludes, And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.  Abraham reduced the number of the righteous from fifty to ten, and God accepted his plea.  Even though the number was reduced, the outcome was not changed.  If we plead with God for others, we must realize that unless they accept God's gift of salvation, they will still face everlasting punishment.  Verse thirty-three declares, And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.  After God finished talking with Abraham, God went on His way and Abraham returned home.  If we are making intercession for others, we must acknowledge that there will come a time when we have done all that we can do and then leave it in God's hands.