BRAGADAYJAH 50

When the visitors rose to depart, Abraham decided to accompany them part of the way; and as they set their face towards Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham walked with them. As they went the Lord began to turn his thoughts toward Abraham. And the Lord said, “Shall I not confide in Abraham to tell him what I am about to do to Sodom? Did I not choose him to be the father of many nations which shall become my people? “Therefore,” said the Lord, “I will confide in him.” But the Lord could not ignore the fact that the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah was great and their sin most grievous, God decided to see if there was one iota of goodness in those twin cities. The Lord already knew the state of the cities, but knowing the sentence he was about to pass he decided to re-examine the evidence before passing sentence. Accordingly once God told Abraham what he was about to do, Abraham asked God, “will you destroy the city if there is found within it fifty righteous persons?” In interpleading with God Abraham boldly pointed out that God being a just God, his justice ought not to allow him to destroy fifty righteous persons even though the thousands were wicked. No doubt impressed by Abraham’s logic and his advocacy, God promised he would not destroy the city if fifty righteous be found there. Abraham was clearly a clever debater. Where did he get his cleverness from? Having gained a concession from God he now throws up a straw man and asks God, You will not destroy it for fifty, but would you destroy it for lack of five? Abraham was rolling the dice and playing the odds with the odds maker; but God was really toying with him and parried by saying, “No Abe, I will not destroy it for the sake of forty and five.” More