This transcript is autogenerated. 

The sum of this passage is simply this, when God told Abraham he was about to judge the wicked Abraham interceded with him asking him to judge fairly and therefore not destroy the righteous people alongside the wicked. That's the sum of what's going on here. It all has to do with God not choosing to judge the righteous alongside the wicked. God will judge the wicked but will not judge the righteous as if they are wicked along with them.

Some have suggested that this whole chapter is about illustrating the progression of Abraham’s relationship with the Lord. So let me just outline that, because I think this is an important point of what is going on here. This is what normally will happen with someone as they develop a relationship with God or even with another person for that matter. Way back up in Ch 18 Vs 1 God appears and reveals himself to Abraham that's how it all starts. Abraham welcomed God's revelation and fellowship between them results from that. To the point where the Lord sat down with him and they fellowship together. As a result of that fellowship Abraham got further revelation and greater understanding of the will of God. And that's the way this always works.

When you're a friend of God you do what he tells you to do and as that relationship develops, he gives you more and more and more revelation of himself and inspires and motivates you to get out there and do more in His service. I think that may explain why some Christians don't know God more than they do. It is simply because they don't spend time in His company, and they don’t read their Bible and they don’t get out there and do His will. Abraham response to being exposed to God’s potential judgement on his fellow human beings was to intercede on their behalf. God's judgement is revealed, and Abraham responds to that in such a way so that God reveals more truth to him. He ends up being an intercessor for his fellow man, isn’t that an interesting progression.

I like to make another observation about this that often gets overlooked. Yes, it is true, God will ultimately judge, but he will remove the righteous before he judges. So why doesn’t God judge the UK or America, or wherever it is you happen to live today. If he judged Sodom, then why doesn't he judge the world today.

I think there are all kinds of answers that can be given to that. Primarily it is not the will of God that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. God according to Peter in Second Peter chapter 3 says, “God is patiently wanting all people to come to Christ”, and that's part of the answer.

On the one hand God is giving people plenty of time to turn to him, but on the other side the Christian church worldwide is called to bring truth justice and compassion to the people in his name in many ways.  Hundreds and thousands of Christian organisations have been formed to try to stem the tide of unrighteousness across the world. Who knows how many organisations there are that help fight abuse, alcoholism, addiction, and bring aid, worldwide. 

All these groups have their place, but intercessory prayer is maybe the main way God still saves and wins people to Jesus Christ. Alongside explaining the Word of God in such a way as people know what God plan and purpose is. But that's another issue, I do not doubt the organisations are needed and are helpful in reducing the effect of evil practices wherever we find them. If we wiped out all these issues and people still didn't know Jesus Christ, we still would have a problem until people come to faith in Jesus Christ and walk in the truth of the Word of God. So, pray the people come to know the Lord and then continue to get to know him better. We have a revival of interest in the Word of God all around the world everywhere but in North America and Western Europe today.

The greatest thing a believer can do for their fellow citizens today is to win people to Jesus Christ and teach them the Word of God. I believe that folks to the depths of my soul.