The scriptures conclude that Abraham was the friend of God (2Chronicles 20:7; Isaish 41:8; James 2:23; cp. Genesis 18:23-33 with Exodus 33:11). That said, however, what would it look like, if one was God’s friend? In January of 2006 Israel Houghton released his song Friend of God, which was nominated for Song of the Year. In the recording he says “I am a friend of God, he calls me friend.” The context, if introductions are considered, is that Abraham was called righteous, because he believed God, so trusting God seems to be what makes us his friend (James 2:23). We may add to this, according to the You Tube presentation, the fact that Jesus called his disciples friends, because he made known to them what the Father had made known to him (John 15:15). “In spite of all that we have done, if we’ll only believe… he calls us friend!”
Is this true? I love the words of the song, and I love the emotions singing it brings to the surface of my person. Nevertheless, am I a friend of God, simply because I believe? Jesus tells us: “You are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you!” (John 15:14), which is the context of John 15:15 (referred to above). What does Jesus command us to do according to John 15? “This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you, (and) greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:12-13). Abraham and Lot were both accounted righteous by scripture, yet only Abraham was called the friend of God!
What did Abraham do? In Genesis 13 we find Lot to be an aggressor, seeking to take advantage of Abraham, but Abraham defused the tense situation by separating himself from his nephew, and offering him first choice of the land. Once again Lot took advantage of his uncle, and keep in mind, Lot is considered righteous by the scriptures (2Peter 2:7-8). After Lot had chosen his path and mingled himself politically with the citizens of Sodom, war was declared upon the city by cities in Mesopotamia, and Lot was taken prisoner. Nevertheless, Abraham rescued his nephew, his family and his goods, at the risk of his own life and wealth, but he had lifted up his hand to the Lord, the Most High God (Genesis 14:22), whom Abraham claimed was solely responsible for Abraham’s victory.
Finally, we have the text before us, where Abraham spoke face to face with the Lord, his God (Genesis 18:16-22). The Lord and the two men with him rose up from their meal, and Abraham walked with them to see them on their way. The Lord spoke with him, mentioning how inappropriate it would be to hide what he intended to do, seeing how Abraham would become a great nation, and all the nations of the earth would be blessed in him. Not only so, but, Abraham, himself, would be obedient, commanding his children after him to preserve the way of the Lord, doing righteousness and behaving lawfully among his neighbors (Genesis 18:16-19).
Then, the Lord revealed the reason to Abraham why he had come. Sodom and the cities of the plain were very wicked, and he had come out of heaven to judge the city. In other words, the Lord intended to destroy Sodom and the cities allied with her (Genesis 18:20-21). At this point the two men left the Lord and headed toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing with the Lord (Genesis 18:22), and he attempted, once again to save Lot and his family out of the trouble he was in. Abraham did so, pleading with the Lord, asking, if it would be true to his character, if he destroyed the righteous with the wicked (Genesis 18:23).
Abraham didn’t deny that Sodom was a wicked city. Yet, he attempted to save the wicked for the sake of the righteous. This was his prayer, and according to the scriptures, such a prayer is according to the will of God, because God will not answer a prayer affirmatively, if the prayer is against his will. Abraham presumed correctly that it was against the integrity of the Judge of the world to treat the righteous, just as he intended to treat the wicked. What if there were fifty righteous, would the Lord destroy them with the wicked? And, the Lord replied, he wouldn’t destroy the city for the sake of the fifty righteous (Genesis 18:24-26).
Abraham continued his negotiation and prayer with the Lord, asking if there were only five less or forty-five righteous would he still destroy both the wicked and the righteous together (Genesis 18:27-28); then forty (Genesis 18:29); then thirty (verse-30) and twenty (verse-31)? However, each time Abraham interceded with him, the Lord consented to his prayer, saying he wouldn’t destroy the city for the sake of forty-five (verse-28), forty (verse-29), thirty (verse-30) or even twenty righteous people found there (verse-31).
Finally, Abraham, praying the Lord wouldn’t be impatient with him, asked if he would destroy the city, if he found only ten righteous folks in the city: vis-à-vis Lot, his wife, and his two daughters at home (four righteous people) and his sons-in-law who married his daughters (plural; cp. Genessis 19:14), presumably three daughters with the three sons-in-law would have amounted to ten righteous people in the city. Abraham assumed the Lord would find these ten there, and the city would be saved. Therefore, Abraham left off interceding for the city and returned to his place, while the Lord went his way toward Sodom (Genesis 18:32-33).
Smoodock's Blog 