Intercessions to Save the People of God from Impending Wrath

Interceding for more people to be salt of the earth is one sure way to save the land, our country, and all of our loved ones.  Let’s not stop at ten.  More importantly, let’s become salt of the earth!

 

The story of Abraham teaches us about intercession and the reality of God’s judgment.

Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry which has come to me; and if not, I will know.”
^{Genesis 19:20-21}

Abraham knew that Lot and his family were in Sodom so he interceded on their behalf to avert the impending disaster.

Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; wilt thou then destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from thee to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from thee! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”  ^{Genesis 19:24-26}

Abraham was comforted in the response but he started adding up the folks that he knew who were righteous in Sodom and realized that he didn’t know 50 so he pressed on.

Abraham answered, “Behold, I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.  Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Wilt thou destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”  ^{Genesis 19:27-29}

Abraham was again consoled as the city would be spared for the sake of the 44. However, Abraham thought, what if some of those who I thought were righteous were not? He interceded further.

Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it. ^{Genesis 19:31}

Abraham was happy as the city would be spared for the sake of the 40. However, Abraham renewed his count and petitioned for the sake of 30, again the answer was mercy.  In the end, Abraham stopped at 10 with the hope that there were 10 righteous men and women.

Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place. ^{Genesis 29:32-33}

God did not find 10 people who were righteous and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed.

Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; and he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. But Lot’s wife behind him looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord; 28 and he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and beheld, and lo, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace. So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelt.  ^{Genesis 20: 24-29}

Takeaways

1. Intercession is about standing in the gap and praying with love for the salvation of others.
2. For the sake of ten righteous people cities, and nations would be saved.
3. Committed Christians are salt of the earth. If there are enough of us who stand with God against the world, the flesh, and the devil, it protects our families, neighborhoods, cities, and nations.