In my reading this evening, I came across a scripture that
gave me pause:
Genesis 18:20-21 - "And the
Lord said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and
because their sin is very grave, I will go down now and see whether they have
done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if
not, I will know.""
Reading further, we discover that God
looked for 10 good people in Sodom and Gomorrah and could not find that number.
Abraham cried out and interceded for salvation of the cities and those within
it, if only 10 righteous people could be found in those cities. God agreed in
His mercy. But the condition was so severe that not even 10 people could be
found who called on the name of the Lord. So God destroyed it all.
The Word says that this chain of
events was kicked off by an "outcry" that was great. This word “outcry”
in Hebrew literally means a distress signal or a cry of grief. A most sincere
cry for help. God chose to honor the outcry. He took action and credited the
outcry. "Because the outcry...is great..." He went to judge the
accuracy of the outcry and found it to be valid. In response, God first
purposed to have mercy, and then He brought justice.
So here's my question: Who was
crying out?
Possible answers might include the
righteous. Or those being abused and oppressed. Or Creation. Or angels
stationed there.
I don't know if we can prove an
answer, but I believe there are implications whatever the reality was (and is).
Let us explore the possibilities: If angels cried out, then they are certainly
crying out today, are they not?! We can say the same for Creation. We know that
all of Creation groans and also anticipates the "children of God to be
revealed" (Romans 8:19-22). Even the blood of Abel, after being murdered,
cried out from the ground for justice and God heard and responded (Genesis
4:10-12). If it was the abused and oppressed crying out, then once again, we
have the assurance that those cries are heard today. Consider that nearly all of
the oppressed were not crying out to God specifically, for there were less than
10 godly people in the entirety of the cities. The implication here would be
that God hears the cry of even the ungodly against injustice and sin. How much
more does He attend to the cries of the righteous who call on Him by name!
This brings us to the final group
whose cries might have been those cited by our Lord as reason for Him to
respond with action: The righteous 9, or 8, or 1. Implications abound. What
power in the cry of so few who cry to God! With what fervor they might have
been crying out! In this, we once again affirm God's attentiveness to cries
against injustice and sin, as well as the power God grants the prayer of those
who call on His name.
The overarching implication is
this: Our God sees. Our God hears. Our God judges justly. Our God cares. And
wherever injustice and sin abound, an outcry to God abounds. And wherever an
outcry to God abounds, God's presence and power abounds. And wherever God's
presence and power abounds, justice and righteousness will most certainly
abound. Though we may endure heavy setbacks and the intense struggle against
sin and injustice may seemingly carry us past our abilities to fight the good
fight, victory is ours. Yes, victory is ours because victory belongs to our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and those who call on Christ belong to Him.
Praise our Lord who works for justice and righteousness on
this earth and for eternity, and for His grace to save all who call on His name!
Some questions to think
about:
In Genesis 18:20, who do
you think was crying out and what made their cry so great?
Where do you see Sodom and
Gomorrah today? (apply this on both micro and macro levels)
With whom do you most identify:
Are you currently in a position more like Lot (living among the oppressed and threatened
by that oppression)? Like Abraham (living away from the immediate oppression,
but in a position of knowledge)? Like someone else?
Have you ever been
discouraged by the oppression, sin, and injustice that you have become aware
of? What does this passage speak to you about your situation?
When is it right to cry
out for justice? When is it right to cry out for salvation (for the sinful oppressors)?
Is it possible to cry out for both at the same time?
What is your specific role
in this today?
Take Action! Consider
these 3 ways:
1.Join me in the fight: www.AsOurOwn.org/takeaction
2.Join the discussion by
sharing this post or commenting below.
3.Join the outcry and lift
up prayers of intercession in the name of Christ today.
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