Lessons of Sodom and Gomorrah

Before Abraham’s visitors departed from him, they shared with him the purpose for which they came. The sins of the people in Sodom and Gomorrah were so great that they cried out to God in heaven so loudly that God decided to come down and see for himself.

God is omnipotent. He knows all. He knew the sins of the people in Sodom and Gomorrah and he knew what he was going to do. He did not have to visit the cities in person and he did not have to go by Abraham on his way there. He did so out of love.

Abraham’s nephew, Lot, Lot’s wife, and his two daughters were living in Sodom. Abraham intercedes with God on their behalf. He haggles with God trying to get God to grant pardon to Sodom and Gomorrah if righteous people could be found there. He started with fifty and worked all the way down to ten. Would you spare the towns if ten righteous people could be found? God agreed, knowing that not even ten righteous people lived there. God departed from Abraham and Abraham returned to his tent.

Later that evening, two of the travelers reached the city of Sodom and found Lot waiting outside of the city gates for them to arrive. Lot urged them to spend the night in the protection of his house and offered them the same hospitality Abraham did. After some discussion they agreed and took up shelter in Lot’s home. But the news of the traveler’s arrival reached the wicked men of the city and they came looking to have their way with the strangers.

Lot interceded on behalf of the angels with the men of the city, begging them to leave his guests alone. When the crowd persisted, Lot was willing to sacrifice the virtue of his virgin daughters to save the angels. When the men persisted, the angels rescued Lot and blinded the crowd so they could not find their way into the house.

The angels led Lot, his wife, and his two daughters safely out of the city of Sodom and had them flee to a nearby city for protection. When dawn arose, the fury of God was released on Sodom and Gomorrah. The cities and the entire area were destroyed because of the great wickedness there. As fire and brimstone fell from heaven, Lot’s wife looked back at the cities and turned into a pillar of salt.

Intercession is the pleading of one for another. In this story we see two different kinds of intercession; intercession for self and selfless intercession. Abraham interceded for himself because he did not want his nephew to be killed. He did this under the false pretense of pleading for the righteous people of Sodom, hoping that his nephew would be among those saved. God did not grant Abraham’s intercession, but did give him enough time to get a warning to his nephew that the angels were coming. That is why Lot was waiting outside of the gates of the city for them to arrive.

Lot selflessly interceded on behalf of the angels with the wicked men of Sodom, to the point he was willing to sacrifice his own daughters to save them. His selfless intercession was rewarded when the angels led him and his family by the hand out of the city before its destruction.

The primary purpose of intersession is to seek God’s mercy and grace for another. Intercessory prayer reflects the Christian belief that individuals can approach God to ask for the assistance needed for another. We are a community, a family. Love is an action, not a feeling. We love one another when we seek the good of another. It isn’t just Jesus and me, but God and his whole family.

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” – 1 Timothy 2: 1-4

It is good and pleases God when we love each other enough to intercede for the good of one another. We love one another when we put the needs of another before our own. Be selfless in your intercession and be willing to sacrifice something dear to you for someone who needs it more than you do.