What role does intercessory prayer play, as seen in Genesis 19:28 and beyond? Smoke on the Horizon “[Abraham] looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land of the plain, and he saw that smoke was rising from the land like smoke from a furnace.” (Genesis 19:28) When God Remembers the Intercessor “So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, He remembered Abraham, and He brought Lot out of the catastrophe that destroyed the cities where Lot had lived.” (Genesis 19:29) Key Lessons From Genesis 19:28-29 • Intercession is personal: God links Lot’s rescue to Abraham’s prayer, not to Lot’s merit. • Intercession precedes action: Abraham prayed in Genesis 18:23-32 before judgment fell. • Intercession moves God to mercy within judgment: total destruction was warranted, yet Lot is spared. • God “remembers” the intercessor: divine memory here is covenant faithfulness responding to prayer. • Results are tangible: Lot physically escapes; intercession changes real-world outcomes. Intercessory Prayer Across Scripture • Moses stands in the gap for Israel (Exodus 32:11-14; Numbers 14:17-20). • Samuel deems prayerlessness a sin against the people (1 Samuel 12:23). • Job’s fortunes turn when he prays for his friends (Job 42:10). • Ezekiel records God’s search for a man to “stand in the gap” (Ezekiel 22:30). • Christ is the ultimate Intercessor—“He ever lives to intercede” (Hebrews 7:25; Romans 8:34). • Believers are urged to “make petitions, prayers, intercessions” (1 Timothy 2:1) and to “pray for one another” (James 5:16). What Intercessory Prayer Does • Appeals to God’s character—justice tempered by mercy. • Creates a legal plea before the heavenly Judge (Genesis 18:23-25). • Shields others from wrath, granting space for repentance or rescue. • Invites partnership with God’s redemptive purposes. • Transforms the intercessor, cultivating compassion and faith. Putting It Into Practice • Identify those under threat—spiritually, morally, physically—and bring them by name before the Lord. • Ground each request in God’s revealed attributes: righteousness, mercy, covenant loyalty. • Persist; Abraham negotiated multiple times (Genesis 18:27-32). • Expect concrete answers; intercession is not theoretical. • Give thanks when God “remembers” and acts, strengthening faith for future pleas. |
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