Abraham’s Intercession

Read Genesis 18:22-33

Surely Noah’s flood made plain. That the judge of the all the Earth shall do what is just? He shall enact judgement on those who have rebelled against him and have not turned back despite his bearing with them.

Here we have a prayer of Abraham’s, a conversation between him and God. He is doing something we refer to as intercession. Speaking to someone on behalf of another person for their benefit. Here Abraham intercedes for the city of Sodom, specifically the righteous people within the city.

Here Abraham is doing the work of what we would refer to as a priest, the simple biblical definition of a priest, is someone who stands in the people’s place before God. They represent the people, speaking on their behalf to God, and also declaring to the people what God could have them do. He is a mediator between the two.

Abraham intercedes here for the righteous, that God might spare them and withhold his judgement. So Abraham serves as a picture or a shadow of Jesus himself. One who is referred to in Hebrews, as our high priest.

Few greater comforts are there, then when you are made aware of the wrath that is stored up for you, of the debt that you owe God which you can’t pay back. That there is great high priest who stands before God interceding on our behalf, and you see he does not just offer up prayers to God, he has even offered up himself.

He can offer us assurance that we shall be rescued from the wrath to come, because he has offered up a perfect sacrifice to die in our place, himself.

Now he intercedes for us, in heaven, speaking to God on our behalf so that whenever a charge is brought against us, Jesus intercedes for us and shuts it down immediately. Guilt, shame, sin wiped away completely.

Abraham could never wipe away sin, but he can show us a glimpse of our saviour's heart, which is poured out in compassion even over a city as wicked and as vile as Sodom.

The Bible paints a very vivid picture of just how wicked and depraved we are, and it is a blessing to know the truth about who we are, because then we get to witness the immense love of Jesus when he intercedes for us who are so undeserving. Praise be to Jesus, our Saviour!

Prayer:

“Jesus thank you for being the one mediator between God and man, no mediator could be so holy, so perfect and yet so loving and gentle. Thank you for interceding for us, for the price of your intercession which was your own blood. Help us to live in the truth that our forgiveness comes not because we are good people, but because we are loved by such a great high priest. In Jesus name, Amen.”