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(4) } DEFINITE PRAYER, “Peradventure ten shall be found there,” v. 82. Prayer is the simplest and yet the mightiest instrument put into the hands of men by Almighty God (Jas. 5:16) . “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avalleth much.” What mighty things have been wrought through the prayers of God’s people will be revealed when God’s books are opened. There is an inspiration in the conscious knowledge of the power to command the blessing of God. To pray with faith that the favors we desire will be be stowed. If we have the mind of God we can pray aright. Through the blood of Christ we have access and can come boldly. (Heb. 4:16). Abraham intercedes for the whole city. He has a sym pathetic heart. He does not pray for the righteous only, but for the whole population. He is bold, yet reverent. His long life of fellowship with God has moulded and ma tured his spiritual life. He is businessrlike. He sets a definite number and pleads for it. God answers, “yes.” Abraham commences with fifty and moves down the scale until he reaches ten, believing that Lot must have saved at least ten people. God’s mercy reached further than Abraham’s prayers, for God reached down and saved Lot and his family even though the ten righteous could not be found. • • • ■ (4) DESTRUCTION OF SODOM, “Then the Lord rained upon Sodom brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven,” 19:24. This chapter tells the story of shame and sin and judg ment. Lot had no testimony in Sodom because he lived there. His sons-in-law had no confidence in him. Con trast Lot’s prayer with Abraham’s. Unbelief marks it. The end of Lot was shame upon himself and his daughters. Topics for Study (1) Why was the son of Hagar an enemy of the prom ised seed? (2) What relation has the title which Abraham gave to one of the three men, to Jesus Christ? (3) Why did the. sons .of Abraham reject the same Lord when He came in the flesh? (4) Does God reveal secret things to some of the saints? (5) What is the essential thing to insure real fellow ship with God? (6) Would God have saved the city if Abraham had held to the request? (7) What saves the wicked cities of America? 18:1, Our life in. relation to God can be summed up in four words—sonship, worship, stewardship, fellowship. The believer is at once a, son, a subject, a servant, and a friend of God. The last-named relationship marks the later period of Abraham’s life, and seems to be (as COMMENTS always) associated with growth and FROM THE maturity of spiritual experience. He is COMMENTARIES the only one to whom this designation is given in the Old Testament.—Griffith Thomas. V. 8. The prominence given to hospitality in the New Testament is also to be pondered (Rom. 12:13; 1 Tim. 3:2; 3 John 5-7). Abraham indeed “entertained angels unawares” (Heb. 13:2). What an unspeakable, privilege it is to have God as our Guest, and for us to be His guests (John 14:23; Rev. 3:20). —Griffith Thoma3. V. 17. Fellowship with God is always associated with the knowledge of His will. Servants do not know their master’s purposes, but friends and intimates do. Our Lord taught this plainly to His disciples (John 15:15).—Griffith Thomas.
And in the meat-offering, is a type of Christ as a Man,— Bread of life—food for His people. The slain calf typifies the sacrifice of life to sustain life. Is it not wonderful that God will come down and dwell with men? And is it not wonderful, indeed, that He will allow men to refresh Him and have fellowship with Him? Abraham had refreshed the Lord and now the Lord re news His promise to Abraham. Sarah is to have' a 'son. There is nothing too hard for the Lord. (Jer. 32:17) “Ah Lord God! Behold» thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched ont arm, and there is nothing: too hard for thee.” (Num. 11:23; Eph. 3:20) (2) THE DIVINE DIVIJLGENCE, “And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which-1 do?” The three take up their journey toward Sodom and Ab raham went with them to bring them on their journey. Two of the men press on but one tarries (and He is Jeho vah ) to tell His friend Abraham the purpose of His visit to Sodom. Friendship demands confidence. Abraham is the friend of God, and God has no secrets from His own (Psa. 25:14) “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.” (John 15:15) “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant know- eth not what his Lord doeth; but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” Here we have something more wonderful than any fairy tale,—God standing alone with Abraham and . making known to him His great purpose of coming judgment upon the cities of the plain. Put alongside of this picture the Lord Jesus and His lit tle group of disciples on the hill overlooking Jerusalem as He unfolds to them His great purpose in connection with the destruction of that doomed city and its sin-blinded in habitants. (8) DRAWING NEAR TO GOD, “And Abraham drew near,” v. 23. Contrast the two pictures: Abraham sitting at the door of his tent, visited by the angel messengers:—Lot at the gate of Sodom unconscious of the two angels hurrying to bring the sad news of its destruction! Lot had pitched his tent toward Sodom. He had not purposed to become a resident of the city, but his face was that way. And now Sodom is his home. He is a righteous man, vexed with the sins of the ungodly world about him, and yet he is without the courage of his convictions, and too weak to move out. Does the context suggest that Lot’s wife was a stumbling block to him? Was it her love for a worldly life that in duced him to live within the precincts of its perils? and allied her daughters to the vile, sensual Sodomites? Was this verified by her longing look as she turned her head back to the burning city and lost her life? Abraham approaches God in perfect confidence (Heb. 1 0 : 2 2 ) “Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” What a beautiful habit it is—this drawing near unto Him! How it refreshes the soul. Thank God for the new and living way which He hath consecrated for us through the vail, that is, His flesh (Heb. 10:20). The first essential in intercession is found here. There is no use in praying unless we draw near, for otherwise we cannot prevail. How blessed to know the foundation of access to Him, and to feel the solid ground beneath us when we come to plead for others.
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