I doubt there are many people in this world that have not at one time or another tried to bargain with God. I include atheists and agnostics among these, because whether they admit it or not I am sure they have tried to make a bargain with something they consider greater than themselves.
People bargain over any number of things. A schoolboy could try and bargain with God that should he only pass his spelling test, he will be good and clean his room. A teenager might bargain with God that if only she can go out with that one particular boy she will be sure to help her mother with dinner for a week. The young man might bargain with God that if he is hired for a particular job he will stop spending so much time at the club and focus on more important things. The old lady may bargain with God that if only her husband survives the bypass operation, that she will see to it that all of her grandchildren make it to church every Sunday.
Bargaining with God is nothing new, and will continue for the rest of human history. Genesis 18 shows us one of the earliest examples of bargaining with God, and just how humorous these deals can look.
Genesis 18 shows Abraham content by his tent in Mamre, happy in his place. The Lord and two other angelic beings in human form choose this time to appear to him. Abraham was more than thrilled to humble himself before them, and then provide them with what they needed. He ran to tell his wife Sarah to make some bread and had others prepare a fine feast. I know how this feels. I had once attempted to run and tell my wife to hurriedly bake a cake for friends that were coming over to watch football, citing Genesis 18:6 as proof text that it was her duty. However, she promptly reminded me that I was not Abraham and I was not bringing the Lord to dinner, so it was going to have to wait. Her insight and wisdom can sometimes be too much.
Over the course of Genesis 18, God lets Abraham know that He had to wipe out Sodom and Gomorrah because of their detestability. God is righteous and just, and it would seem difficult to argue with Him on this matter. Yet Abraham knew his son Lot was there, and began bargaining with God not to destroy the cities.
Now Abraham knew God. He had to have known that God was just, and that when He made his mind up on a matter, that was going to be that. Abraham had to know that whatever kind of deal he could conjure up the Lord was going to be at least one step ahead. Yet Abraham insists on pleading, and though the text shows us the conversation between Abraham and God, I believe there could have been more to it than that. I imagine the conversation could have gone something like this:
Abraham: “Are you really going to destroy the righteous with the unrighteous in Sodom and Gomorrah? Far be it from you, the greatest God, to kill righteous with unrighteous. You would never do such an unjust thing! I beg you, if there are 50 righteous people down there, would you spare the cities?
God: “If I find 50 righteous people, Abraham, I will spare the city”
Abraham: (thinking) Awesome! God is going to spare the city and all that need to be there are 50 righteous people! They are good size cities, 50 righteous people shouldn’t be too hard to find. But wait a second. God was a little too quick to accept that deal. Maybe He knows something I don’t. I better make sure this is the best deal I can get.
Abraham: “Look, God, I know that I am not but dust and ashes, and I am humbled to speak to you and be in your presence. But I was thinking about something. Let’s say you get to 45 righteous people, just a little short of 50. Maybe a couple of families left for vacation, and you would otherwise have had well over 50, but now you are just short. Are you really going to destroy the cities because you came just a bit short? How about sparing the cities on account of 45 righteous?”
God: “I will spare the cities if I find 45 righteous people.”
Abraham: Alright! 45 should be doable. 50 seemed like it might be a bit much, but 45 can be found. Then again, God didn’t really argue the point with me. And he did know that secret thing about Sarah laughing to herself earlier, which makes me think I didn’t make the best deal. God is reasonable. I’m sure I can talk him down a little.
Abraham: “God, not to keep changing on you, but I’m thinking that 40 righteous would still be a good amount. 40 is a nice even number, not that I would want to be wandering the desert for that long or anything. Would you consider sparing the cities for 40 righteous people?”
God: “I will spare the cities if I find 40 righteous people.”
Abraham: Cool, cool. Finding 40 takes a little of the pressure off. Surely 40 will be easy. Then again, there was something in His voice that sounded like He didn’t expect that many to be found. There was something a little off about it.
Abraham: “Lord, please, please don’t be angry. Could we possibly knock it down to 30? I mean, 30 are still good, right?”
God: “I will spare the cities if I find 30 righteous people.”
Abraham: Good. 30 are good. I am positive God will find 30 righteous people there. Yet they do have some pretty weird laws in those cities. You do have to be rich to be there, and they don’t exactly like foreigners. The can kind of do whatever they want to a poor person, even killing them if it is in their whim to do so. Righteousness doesn’t flow out of these people at all.
Abraham: “Lord, sorry to interrupt, but did I say 30 before? I meant to go with 20. Is there any way you could see in your infinite wisdom and justice to spare the city on account of 20?
God: “I will spare the cities if I find 20 righteous people.”
Abraham: 20. That’s the number. Their laws might be reprehensible, but I am sure out of all those people, 20 righteous can be found. Of course, I did forget about one thing. They like to punt puppies. They just go ahead and punt puppies all over the place. I heard they even had a puppy punting festival. Now that’s just wrong on every level, I don’t care who you are.
Abraham: “Lord, your anger might be great at me, but I have a last request. Please, please, please, may you spare the cities on account of 10 righteous?”
God: “I will spare the cities if I find 10 righteous people.”
Abraham: I’m pretty confident on the 10. I mean, there is my son Lot, he is righteous, and I’m sure he knows 9 others like him. At least, he should…
Of course, the Lord wouldn’t even find 10 righteous in the entire cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham pleaded and begged God, and God was willing to listen to those pleas even though He knew what was right and just and what the cities deserved. He still allowed Abraham his voice, and God would not forget Abraham when it came time to destroy the cities. The Lord saved Lot, a righteous man, from the terror that befell those cities.
Bargaining with the Lord will not always produce the results that we want. Yet God is a righteous and just God, and what we want is not always best for us. Romans 8:28 tells us that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (NASB). The truth and majesty of this one scripture cannot be downplayed or dismissed. We often can run into trouble and difficult realities, much like Abraham saw in God’s desire to bring justice to Sodom and Gomorrah. But as in saving the righteous Lot, God will make things work together for good. It’s just that sometimes, like Abraham, we are all too human to see that truth in the midst of the trial.
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