December 6, 2024

Passage Read: Genesis 17-20
Meditation Verses: 18:20-21

Thought

The Lord is judge of all the earth. If He has spoken to other peoples to warn them or rebuke them or teach them, we don't really know. He chose Abraham and his descendants to be witnesses on the earth, to teach the world about Himself, that all men might come to know Him through them. For the most part, He left the rest of the nations to themselves. But here, the outcry against Sodom is so great that He is moved to do something about it. Of course, He doesn't act on hearsay, but confirms with His own trusted agents whether things are as bad as people say. He is the judge of the whole earth, and He judges justly, based on the truth. And the truth is, not even ten righteous people could be found in Sodom!

Application

For fifty people, I wouldn't spare Sodom, given how wicked they have become! Rid the earth of them because of all the evil they have done to others! Warn the righteous to flee the city! But apparently, they all had, only Lot remained. The righteous really are a preservative for the wicked, but in a sense, they are also a cause for the continued suffering of others, because God is willing to spare the wicked from destruction on account of the presence of the righteous. That makes me want to exit a place that is given over to violence and wickedness, so that I won't be a hindrance to their elimination. If only men were as diligent as God to identify and mark the wicked for judgment. I have no authority to execute judgment on the wicked, but I can rebuke them and warn them of coming judgment if they don't repent. I need to speak up at least for the sake of their victims, if not for their own sakes.