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Title: The LORD Ponders Telling Abraham
Scripture: Genesis 18:17
The LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?” That question stops you cold. God is about to rain fire on Sodom, yet He pauses and considers His friend. The Creator of heaven and earth treats a man as someone who deserves an explanation. We are hearing the inner life of the triune God, and it includes room for a human being.
Moses writes this so we will feel the weight of privilege. Abraham is a foreign nomad with no city, no army, no title, yet he is brought into the divine council. The reason given is covenant: “Abraham shall become a great nation… and all nations shall be blessed in him.” God ties His own plans to this one man and therefore tells him what is coming. When you are united to Christ by faith, the same privilege is yours. You are not a bystander in this story; you are brought to the table where God speaks.
Notice what triggers the disclosure. God has just promised Sarah a son, proving again that He keeps His word. Then, without delay, He turns to judgment. Mercy and justice sit side by side in God’s heart, and Abraham is allowed to see both. This means you should not be surprised when the Lord shows you hard things about the world. He may show you corruption in your city, abuse in a family, or decay in a church, and He does it so you will intercede, not retreat.
Abraham’s response proves the trust is real. He does not bow silently; he argues, he bargains, he pushes. That is the boldness that grows when God draws you close. You may think prayer is about accepting whatever happens, but biblical prayer wrestles with God over what ought to happen. The Lord wants partners, not puppets. So speak plainly about the evil you see, and keep asking for mercy, even for places that seem beyond hope.
Take this home: God has hidden nothing final from you. In Christ He has told you the day of judgment is coming, and He has told you how sinners are spared, by the Substitute provided. Your job is to stand in the gap like Abraham, pleading with neighbors, praying for your children, calling the church to repentance. The fate of cities is tied to the presence of even ten righteous people, so get busy being salt where you live. The LORD still listens to friends who talk to Him.
Prayer: LORD, thank You for telling us what You are doing. Make us bold like Abraham, pleading for mercy and living as the righteous remnant You can count on. Amen.
