Genesis 18:16-21

God chose to reveal His intention to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah to Abraham. He did so because of His plans for Abraham. He wanted to challenge Abraham to act wisely and nobly for justice.

"In this section [Genesis 18:1-21] we have an illustration of fellowship with God and some of its essential features. Fellowship is the crowning purpose of God’s revelation (1 John 1:3). There is nothing higher than this, for man’s life finds its complete fulfillment in union and communion with God. Notice the following elements:

"1. Sacred Intimacy. . . .

"2. Genuine Humility. . . .

"3. Special Revelation. - Fellowship with God is always associated with the knowledge of His will. Servants do not know their master’s purposes, but friends and intimates do. . . .

"4. Unique Association. - The man who is in fellowship with God does not merely know the Divine will, but becomes associated with God in the carrying out of that will. . . ." [Note: Thomas, pp. 161-62.]

God always thoroughly investigates a situation before passing judgment and sending calamity (Genesis 18:21).

"The Lord would not arbitrarily destroy them [the people of Sodom and Gomorah]. As a fair and just judge, He would examine the evidence and then reward their deeds appropriately. The anthropomorphic language veils the ontological reality of God’s omniscience, but the Lord seems to have been more concerned in this context with revealing Himself as a fair judge, emphasizing the importance of human responsibility and inviting Abraham to assume the role of an intercessor." [Note: Robert B. Chisholm Jr., "Anatomy of an Anthropomorphism: Does God Discover Facts?" Bibliotheca Sacra 164:653 (January-March 2007):9.]