Will God destroy the righteous with the wicked?

Genesis 18:20-26

20 And the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave,

21 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.”

22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord.

23 And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

24 Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it?

25 Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

26 So the Lord said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.”

We remember the account of Sodom and Gomorrah, of their sin and God's judgment.

But let's focus our attention on verses 23-25 mainly, then see the Lord's response in verse 26.

Notice Abraham's question in verse 23.

“Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?"

Now see his second question at the end of verse 25.

"Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

We have the account of Noah to answer this question.

Perhaps Abraham knew a traditional, oral account of this, or perhaps not.

But Abraham knew God's character.

Abraham asking for God's mercy, which he is familiar with, to extend to those people in Sodom and Gomorrah.

And we see this conversation go on until God tells Abraham, for ten people He will spare them.

No doubt Abraham thought for sure there would be ten people.

However, we know that only Lot and his daughters are saved.

And see these verses in the next chapter.

Genesis 19:27-29

27 And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord.

28 Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace.

29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt.

Abraham was concerned for these people, including Lot and his family.

And God was merciful, going beyond what Abraham asked for.

The Lord saved the only righteous people He found, for Abraham's sake.

There are probably many lessons to be learned here, but for now I want us to see two things.

God's judgment will come and He will destroy the rebellious and the wicked.

Eternal destruction is to be destroyed forever, gone totally, never to return.

At the same time, God will save His righteous children.

Just as He brought Noah through the flood, Lot out of Sodom, Israel out of Egypt, and us out of darkness and sin.

Our God does judge and He does have wrath and it will be unleashed at the right time.

The lake of fire is not meant for us, for people, though we are all sinners.

It is meant for Satan and the demons (rebellious angels).

But people who choose rebellion and immorality will suffer in that destruction.

Choose the Lord and life, He will deliver us and keep us safe from the wrath that must occur.

This world is corrupted and it will be burned up, but we will be kept safe.

Then God will create a new Heaven and a new Earth for us.

An uncorrupted world, where He will dwell with us.

This is His promise to us.

As He gave a newly cleansed world to Noah, the Lord will give us a brand-new Heaven and Earth.

Remember God's character, He delivers His children.

To answer Noah's first question:

The Lord does not destroy the righteous with the wicked.