Righteousness. A difficult word to explain. A difficult concept to fully grasp. Certainly connected to faith. Perhaps one could say it’s a faith that is evident through one’s good works. However you lean in your understanding of ‘righteousness’, we read in Genesis 18 about God’s desire to save people. Yes, we see God’s desire to rid the world of sinfulness and wickedness, but we also see God’s desire to save…and if just 10 righteous (faithful) people could be found in two cities, God would spare them from His wrath.
Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah was great, God down came to “see”. This doesn’t tell us that God isn’t omniscient (all knowing) but that He doesn’t act simply out of complaints (nor should we). God is thoughtful, thorough, and, with what appears to be some haggling by Abraham, God demonstrates His true nature of desiring salvation of people. Oh, if only the wicked would repent. Instead, they seek to justify their sin and take pride in it. But God will not be mocked. Not by Sodom, not by Gomorrah, and not by wickedness today.
PRAYER: “Almighty God, have mercy upon us. Through the sending of Jesus You demonstrated Your desire to save all people. Forgive us in our sinfulness, not just our deeds but our lack of faith. Give faith to all the wicked so they turn from their ways. Help those of us who live only by Your Grace to share the forgiveness we’ve received with others and to tell of Your marvelous love and salvation. In the powerful, precious name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.”
Immanuel Now 
I was first stopped in the text reading by Abraham’s instant acknowledgement and care for unknown visitors and how we are not likely to respond this way, to those who knock on our doors (neighbors). Perhaps that was a cultural response … but obviously God-ordained since we know the resto of the story! For Abraham, an important message was to be delivered … he would have a son (life would change and be much different) in the passing of one year. I, too am reminded through this that this “Holland-desert” in which I currently reside will most likely be very different at this time next year.
Then, after reading your post, I considered that maybe God’s message to Abraham in first allowing their discussion on saving righteous ones in those dominantly wicked cities, right down to even saving 10 righteous was to prepare Abraham for what lay ahead of him … Being able to trust God implicitly when he is asked to sacrifice his own son Isaac. God told him that ten were precious to Him but showed him and US that even one is important to Him. I know that the Isaac story is a picture, foreshadowing, type (whatever you call it) of Jesus’ coming as our redemptive Lamb, but I was struck by the thought that God had prepared Abraham through his visitors, his discussion with God regarding the righteous among the wicked as well as assuring him that only a few righteous mattered to Him. Interestingly, to me is that Abraham did not ask God if He would save the cities if there were only ONE righteous.
BTW, Glad you have returned to writing this week!
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