In the heat of the day, as Abraham sat within his tent sheltering from the burning sun, three travel-stained men drew near. With true Eastern hospitality Abraham ran forth to greet them, and besought them to rest awhile until he could minister to their needs. "Let a little water be fetched and wash your feet, and rest yourself under the tree" (Gen. 17.4). Of his store of the precious fluid he would share enough to cleanse and soothe their tired and sore feet. Hurriedly he and Sarah set about the task of preparing cakes baked on the hearth, a tender calf, butter and milk, which, when ready, was spread before them under the shade of the tree. With deferential respect for his guests, Abraham stood by to minister to their requests. In this way Abraham showed that he knew these were no ordinary visitors, and as master of the establishment, it was a token of great regard to stand and serve while they sat and ate. The repast ended, they called for Sarah, and in an extraordinary manner referred to a long-cherished promise that had been made to Abraham by God. "I will return to you the vigour of your youth, and Sarah shall have a son" said the spokesman of the little band. Sarah, within earshot, but inside the tent, heard the words and "laughed within herself". For many years her maternal desire had been unsatisfied. What wonder then, as she heard these words, that she should smile, half-expectant yet half-incredulous? Had she not waited now too long? That little laugh, half-stifled, and her muttered words, reached the speaker's ears. "Wherefore did Sarah laugh? Is anything too hard for the Lord?" asked that remarkable guest. And so at long last, after many expectant years, the hopes of her whole life came to pass. Those aged wrinkled arms clasped to her breast flesh of her own flesh, and maternal hopes were satisfied. Several times that "promise of all promises" had been renewed, and here, beneath the shade of the Mamre tree, the messenger of God reaffirmed it by word of mouth. What recompense was that for "entertaining angels unawares" (Heb. 13.2)! Not only was the Covenant reaffirmed but the approximate date was set when the promised child without whom the covenant could never be fulfilled, should arrive. But this was not the sole reason for their call at Abraham's tent. They had other, sterner business to perform. Refreshment ended, they rose to go, and Abraham, deeply moved, accompanied them some distance on their way. Then began that most remarkable conversation between the three. The prompting question, which is recorded for our benefit, "Shall I tell Abraham what I am about to do? I think I can trust him with the news!" To this end spoke the principal member of the three. In poetic language, the Lord had "come down" to see if the sin of Sodom was as great as its "cry", and if so, to destroy it with fire. Would it not seem strange to Abraham's ears if He who stood pledged to "bless", was now compelled to destroy some of those families of the earth that dwelt on every hand? Had God not promised several times that in him and in his seed all nations should be blessed? And has God not just re-affirmed his Covenant, and dated the birth of his son? If then the time for the arrival of the offspring were come, could not God defer those punitive measures upon those cities of the plains until the Seed were grown, and had time to work reform? Thus the question might have presented itself to Abraham had he not been told. "I know him" said the angel of the Lord "I know 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 has spoken of him" (v19). Something ingrained in the parents' faith-built character would mature in the children's life when the process of development was complete. The "faith of Abraham" (Rom. 4.12,16) will become the faith of all his seed and "All Israel shall be saved" when God's due time is come. What a testimony was that! "I know him!" Alone in all the world, in that far day, to hold true faith in God! Alone and childless, yet promises reaching into eternity were centred in this man. The eye of God could see in this lone man those deep responses of faith that led him on, step by step, until he laid the darling of his life upon the wood of the altar and raised his hand to strike the sacrificial blow. That underlying faith has passed from father to sons, and through it all, when grown mature, "the Lord will bring upon Abraham that which He has spoken of him". A progeny, numberless as the sands of the seashore, shall yet be blessed for their great father's sake, because he passed to them the ability to believe in God.

Two members of that little band went on their way, and came, at even, to Sodom's gate. 'Righteous Lot' sat there and invited them beneath his roof. The wickedness of Sodom broke out, because of the angels presence there and summary measures were needed to hold the Sodomites in check. Bounteous harvests that brought fullness of bread made pride of heart and carnal sin to grow. The other guest remained behind, and "Abraham stood yet before the Lord". Then began the plea of a mortal man before the Judge of all the Earth! There is no story of those early days to be compared with this. Touched by a feeling for his human kin, this righteous man begged respite again and yet again for Sodom's sinful folk "Will you also destroy the righteous and the wicked," he asks, "Perhaps there may be fifty with the city who are not utterly overcome with sin." Will you not spare the city for their sake?" Will not the Judge of all the earth, who holds the the scales of Justice for others' acts, himself do right? Bold, courageous words are these drawing Divinity to the bar of its own Courts and Laws! Immediate came the response, "I will not destroy the city for the fifty's sake!"

The old man knew the city's guilt and knew his quota was too high. Again he puts his plea. Wilt thou destroy the city perchance forty such be found.., or thirty... or twenty. . . or even ten . .? With each reduction and renewal of the plea, the heavenly visitor concurred, until at last he said "1 will not destroy the city for ten's sake" (v.32). Not even ten were found; but only one, and he, an alien in their midst! With morning's early dawn he was urged forth, before the blow of Justice fell. The Judge of all the Earth did right. In later days God told His people He had seen "good" in taking them thus away. Some vestige still remained of innate good, to which, in resurrection days, appeal can then be made; some broken chords, which, when righteousness prevails, can be repaired and made to vibrate in unison once more.

"Shall mortal man be more just than his Maker?" is a query we must ask as we see the aged pilgrim pleading for his kind. Was Abraham more sympathetic to sinful men than God? Must God be moved by human plea before compassion could be shown? Had God relented of His purpose to bless all the peoples of the earth, or did He exclude these cities of the plain? That God was compassionate as well as just is true beyond all dispute. The Plan to bless the world is His ‑ it tells of His great love. But how did the justice-loving patriarch stand when fronted by such baleful sin? Would he say Sodom got no more than it deserved when retribution fell? Would he say it served them right? Abraham was not more compassionate than God, though Abraham's compassion was deep and strong. He pleaded that justice might be done, and that the righteous (if there should be any) should also have their deserts. But the plea he used asked for mercy in ascending scale. He asked for mercy for a whole city, for fifty's sake, for forty's sake ‑ nay even for ten's sake.

And the Judge of all the Earth agreed ‑ the Judge of all the Earth had Abraham at the bar, to find how far in him tender mercy would temper strict justice. And the Judge found him sympathetic down to the degree of ten men in a city ‑ ten men for a city: ten men to redeem a city from its just fate. This was the spirit of the Covenant itself. Abraham too would see men blessed. Abraham believed it and let the spirit of the Promise soak in an saturate his soul. And so while justice must be satisfied ‑ this he knew quite well ‑ the temper of the soul, catching Divine intent, grew merciful and kind. The outcome of this Divine Spirit led in due time to the gift of God's Son (John 3.16) ‑ and Calvary! But in those early days, the flow that had become a river of love at Calvary was but a tiny stream. It grew as ages passed; and still it grows; and as it grows it has borne those noble souls along who catch the Spirit of the Lord.

Today we live in an evil world and the cry of the weak and oppressed rises up to heaven. Sin of various kinds stalks the earth. Again, God has come down to make scrutiny for righteous men. How easy it would be for us to say "it serves them right", as tidings come that some other land or people is in distress. It may serve them right indeed, but it ill becomes the children of the Lord to hold that thought. Nations may have slighted and perverted their opportunities ‑ they may have made false choice of leaders; or wrongly applied principles of action, but no nation is utterly responsible for that. No nation can have full one hundred percent responsibility under conditions like these. Measured responsibility they certainly have ‑ and for that they must be called to account. But none save the Judge of all the Earth is competent for that. He only can assess the guilt of man or nation. The safer thing for us to seek is the spirit of Abraham's faith ‑ the spirit which would plead for mercy for ten men's sake and rest content that He who is the Judge of all the Earth will do no other than what is right.

It will not be an easy thing to remain in proper balance of heart and mind, as evil after evil is committed in the Earth, unless the Spirit of the Covenant controls our every thought. The scales of Justice belong to God ‑ and He will hold the balance true. But God will temper the severity of Judgment with His mercy, at the time the guilty one repents, and forsakes his wicked ways. His plighted Covenant with Abraham and his seed speaks blessing and mercy for all the nations of the Earth. If, like faithful Abraham, we live within the spirit of this Oath-bound Pledge, allowing it to soak in and saturate our hearts, we too will think in mercy of the many that Satan has deluded, no matter who they are. It will permeate our thoughts; it will creep into every part of our body and make us more like Him who died for all. We speak at times of Christ like character and its development. There is no method so clear and sure to attain that end, as to be caught up in the spirit of the Oath and pledge of Abraham's God, who stands today, as then, sworn to bless all the nations of the earth.

That ancient episode in Abraham's life affords much food for thought. It shows that the Almighty God was working out His plan and was seeking Abraham's help to make His promise come true. But Abraham could not be the source of them unless the spirit of the Covenant and the spirit of his God directed him through and through. And God made test of Abraham to see if compassion for a sinful city was active in his heart. God chose a time and place to make that test. Where brazen sin had reared aloft its ugly head, Abraham passed his test acceptably. God's confidence in him was well placed. Sin's ugly head in all its forms is raised again today. The present international situation affords a test, to determine what spirit we are of. The visitation of Divine wrath must certainly come upon the aggressive nations of the world, but that is only a passing phase of the Divine Plan. God is waiting to be gracious, in His own way, to one and all. God's Spirit is still the Spirit of that ancient Covenant. He waits to bless all the nations of the earth. The Spirit of that Covenant must possess and control us too in all we say and do. It may be easier today to "blame" than "bless", to be "vindictive" than "vindictive", but all who are Abraham's seed must be possessed not only of Abraham's inheritance, but of the Spirit which, if needed, would plead for all the fallen sons of men.

TH