When we consider the beginning of this section, we find that they walked a considerable distance, from the oaks of Mamre which is somewhere near Hebron. It says that the Lord looked toward Sodom, but from our indications, even though He looked there, there is no indication that anybody could have seen Sodom from Hebron. And yet, they went to a place where they could look down toward Sodom and Gomorrah in the plain.
Now I think this is another example of Abraham’s generous hospitality when he not only walked Christ to the door of the tent, but he apparently walked with Him for about ten miles till they could finally get to a place where Abraham, the man, could then see through a cleft in the mountains down to the plains where Sodom and Gomorrah would be in view. So he was generous to a fault, even to the point of walking ten miles with his guest after feeding them a very fine meal.
It might be good to note as to why the Lord told Abraham what He was going to do. I think that there are two reasons. One of them is right here and we will get to that in a second. The other one I think has another basis to it and it is in John 15.
Remember, Abraham was the friend of God. What the Lord did was done in the spirit of friendship. Friends disclose their minds, their innermost being with one another. There is a sharing of things because there is a loyalty that is extended between friends that probably does not exist in other kinds of relationships. A person can expose their strengths and weaknesses to a friend and a friend will accept the other person in spite of the weaknesses. And a friend will reprove in a right attitude the weaknesses of his friend. Because there is that relationship that is special and a special kind of loyalty between friends. We will see something about this when we get to Lot. There is a contrast there.
What Christ did was, I think, first of all done on the basis of their friendship. He was about to do something that was going to affect some of Abraham’s loved ones in a very serious way.
The second reason for this, I think, is equally important. The one that is mentioned right in the context and the basis for this revelation begins in verse 18.
Abraham was going to grow into something very great—a great nation. Now in order to do this of course Abraham had to have a son, and those sons had to have children. In other words, there had to be a family if there was going to be a nation. There had to be a family grown great if there was going to be a nation. So how could a family grow great and carry out God’s will if that family does not follow in the footsteps of their father, Abraham?
God was going to work out His purpose through Abraham and his seed, that is, Abraham and his descendants. Now that purpose could not be worked out unless Abraham’s children were like Abraham. So God called Abraham in order that He teach his children. Now the King James Version says, “for I have known him that he may command his children.” That is not wrong. However, it is archaic enough of an expression that it gives someone using today’s English language a different impression. “He called Abraham in order that.” It makes it more [unclear]. In order that there would be more progeny, seed, descendants that would be like Abraham, following in his path.
So why would He tell him about Sodom? It is a veiled admonition; it is a warning. “Abraham, you better do what I called you for.” And it was a warning to the children of Abraham that “you better do what I called you for or else you are going to end up like Sodom and Gomorrah.” Now that is serious, because Sodom and Gomorrah were going to be a permanent memorial to the children of Abraham of what happens to the ungodly. That is the lesson.
Yes, Abraham I am going to bless you with a child, but I have called you in order that you might teach him, and that he might teach his children, and … . . .
