Saturday 19 September 2015

Psalm: Psalm 93

Background

The men, having been refreshed at the tent at Mamre, journeytowards the city of Sodom. This city, about which we heard earlier(Genesis 13:13) when Lot chose to travel thatway, was already a corrupt and Godless place.

Abraham walks with the men to set them on their way, and againwe have the voice of the Lord, first of all speaking to himself(verses 17-18), should he or should he not tell Abraham what wasabout to happen there? The decision is that if Abraham is to betruly the father of the people then he must be told. So he hearsnot only about the judgement on Sodom (something which has alreadybeen fixed), but also that the Lord is going first to test the citywhich already has incriminated itself.

Abraham, wrestling with the horrendous thought that the wholecity will be destroyed, is moved by compassion. He has aconversation with the Lord, asking how many righteous people needto be living in Sodom before the city can be saved. Theconversation begins with quite a large figure and the assurance isgiven, but Abraham continues to be anxious, perhaps he remembersthat many folk there are his own kinsfolk through Lot his nephew'sfamily. If there are 30 righteous will you save the city? Hereceives the assurance he needs, but still he is uneasy and inverse 32 says "Oh let not the Lord be angry and I will speak againbut this once. Suppose ten are found there" and receives the Lord'sreply "for the sake of ten I will not destroy it". The die is cast,Abraham goes back to his home and the Lord goes on the way.

To Ponder

• How do you react to God's somewhat ruthless decision to destroya city because of the corruption of its people?

• To what extent should Abraham as a man of faith even think ofquestioning God? Do you question God? If so how, and what is God'sresponse?

• What situations in today's world can be equated with thesituation in Sodom when it comes to human decisions about warfareand destruction?