
Abraham offered bold yet humble prayers to God as he interceded on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Lord spoke to Abraham about the wickedness of these cities and how there had been cries about their flagrant sin.
Their sin was so great that the Lord Himself was going to visit them. (Ref. Genesis 18:20-21) God is all-knowing and omnipresent, yet, in His mercy, He visits these cities. Although the cities were evil, the Lord is also concerned about the righteous who lived in these condemned cities, showing us His compassion and justice. Today’s world contains many cities that could be described as wicked, yet often within them are faithful believers.
Abraham Boldly Prays for Sodom and Gomorrah
As Abraham listened to the Lord, he realized that He was going to bring justice to the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. As he thought about the righteous, his nephew Lot must have been on his heart. New Testament Scripture provides insight into Lot. 2 Peter 2:8 Yes, Lot was a righteous man who was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day.[1]
Like many of us, Lot found himself in a community he shouldn’t have been in, yet he may have lacked the resolve to leave. Sin can often trap us, leaving us feeling hopeless. In such situations, we urgently need others to intercede on our behalf. As the Lord revealed His plans, Abraham boldly approached Him regarding these cities.
With courage, Abraham speaks to God. Genesis 18:24 Suppose you find fifty righteous people living there in the city—will you still sweep it away and not spare it for their sakes? 25 Surely you wouldn’t do such a thing, destroying the righteous along with the wicked. Why, you would be treating the righteous and the wicked exactly the same! Surely you wouldn’t do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?[2]
Abraham Was Humble as He Approached God
In humility, as Abraham interceded for these cities, he came to the Lord, referring to himself as mere dust and ashes. Furthermore, on two additional occasions, as he continued to pray for the people, he asked the Lord not to be angry with him while he requested God’s intercession on their behalf.
In Genesis 18:26-33, Abraham pleads with God to spare Sodom six times, decreasing the number of righteous people he requests each time from 50 down to 10. God tells him that for the sake of ten, He will not destroy the city.
Paul captured the heart of Abraham in a letter to the church at Philippi. Philippians 2:3Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.[3] Who is the Lord placing on your heart to intercede?
To learn more about bold yet humble prayer, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/interceding-like-abraham
[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.








