So now that we understand that our hearts and our lives can speak for us, we should also know that it could speak against us. Evil is evil no matter who it is in and God has all the right to judge what He sees. We might all be familiar with the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, two ancient cities that were destroyed by God because of their sin. But before destruction God always warns. But He will always send His Word to a heart that is pure enough to receive Him.
In this story God was communicating with Abraham. Now Abraham was not filled with the Holy Spirit. He was actually of pagan descent, from a line of idol worshippers. So why is it that God was speaking to him? I am sure God could have found someone who at least believed in Jehovah to talk to. But would they have listened? Abraham was at a place with God where he just listened and obeyed. Because of the disposition of Abraham’s heart, God could trust to share with him what He had planned to do in Sodom. Let us read the script and find out more
Genesis 18:17-21
17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
God had seen the sin in Sodom and Gomorrah and had planned on destroying it. But Abraham’s relationship with God made him approved to hear from Him. He became privy to information that no one else on earth was privy to. Abraham knew God’s character and knowing that could plead for mercy for the cities. Likewise, our relationship with the Father will allow us to receive a word from Him.
Genesis 18:22-33
22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.
30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.
32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.
33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.
If you continue on into the 19th chapter you will learn that Abraham could not even find ten righteous in Sodom but was able to save some of his family from destruction. They were not found among the righteous, but because of Abraham’s prayer they were saved. At this point in the lesson, we need to examine the judgment of God. Sodom and Gomorrah represent the world. When the Lord executes judgment, He does not suddenly move to anger once a situation takes place, but His judgment is based on His foresight and foreknowledge. God thinks far beyond the natural mind. His judgment is determined by the disposition of character. The Father has never suddenly passed a sentence without examining the heart of the individual as was stated before in 1 Samuel 16:7 and God’s determination concerning David.
There are those today who have done wrong in people’s lives and have no remorse toward God. Consider that I have specifically stated – no remorse toward God. Someone may say why would my remorse be toward God and not the individual that was done evil. This is extremely important, and must be thoroughly understood. If I have committed evil against a person, I must know that my evil is not isolated to that person or persons, but this is now a sin against my God. Consider the following scripture:
2 Corinthians 4:2
But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
In the Old testament when the Ten Commandments were set in stone and given to the people, any one who broke one of those commandments: Thou shalt not commit adultery, murder, bear false witness, lie, covet, etc. these actions were not held to the individuals on earth but it became a sin against God. If I am saved, born again in Christ, I now represent my Father who is in Heaven. It is a man’s disposition of the heart that gets God’s attention. God will suffer so long with us and will allow our own life to testify against us. Using a simple scenario—let’s say I, as a saint, encounter an individual and do wrong to him whether it is disrespect, abuse, lie, cheat, whatever and have no remorse toward the situation. I continue on and eventually come across another individual and again do wrong in their life or to their personage and so on with the next person. But because there is no present or immediate consequence I seem to continue to get away with the evil I have done in these lives until I die. But what does God’s Word say?
Ecclesiastes 8:11
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
God knows that my spirit convicted me, yet I override my conscience because I was able to continue to do evil in each individual’s life without prompt punishment. So now I stand before God, as He rehearses all of these encounters and even showing when the conviction took place. What would be my argument now, as I stand waiting, and watch others being judged and cast into Hell? For many of us, Hell may be the only consequence for all unrighteous. We must examine our own life—is there anything in your life that God can see that is righteous that He would not destroy you? Can you testify that you have lived holy and content for 45 days out of the 10 to 20 years of being saved? When we stand before a holy God in the Day of Judgment, realizing that we have lived a lifestyle of sin, all pride will be done away with when we are in His presence. There will be no argument to justify the sin that we have done in this flesh. There is now no chance to repent for disobedience. God may seem to withhold judgment as we do our wrong as we think He does not see, on the contrary, He sees everything. There will come a time when we may try to pray, but judgment will have already been passed. God may reveal judgment by turning you over to your enemies, who have no mercy.
The Lord showed Abraham that He is not an unjust God, but He knew that there was no righteousness in the city. He had already seen what they would do— judging the heart and not the situations. Just because the environment changes, does not mean the character of the person has changed. A situation can reveal where the heart is. God will see that you will never serve Him. Some have already set their judgment by God, where some are predestined for Hell. These are not scare tactics, but a very true reality. We can plead for mercy, yet God sees the heart will never change. Therefore, when judgment is carried out, it was not because of one situation, but was established upon the disposition of the heart.
