Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “The Law and the Covenants,”
pp. 370–373, in Patriarchs and Prophets.
Abraham’s patient and tenacious plea with God on behalf of the
people of Sodom (Gen. 18:22–33) should encourage us to pray for the
wicked, even though they appear to be in a hopeless condition of sin.
Furthermore, God’s attentive response to Abraham’s insistence, and
His willingness to forgive for the sake of only “ten” righteous men is a
“revolutionary” concept, as pointed out by Gerhard Hasel:
“In an extremely revolutionary manner the old collective thinking,
which brought the guiltless member of the guilty association under
punishment, has been transposed into something new: the presence of
a remnant of righteous people could have a preserving function for the
whole. . . . For the sake of the righteous remnant Yahweh would in his
righteousness [tsedaqah] forgive the wicked city. This notion is widely
expanded in the prophetic utterance of the Servant of Yahweh who works
salvation ‘for many.’ ”—Gerhard F. Hasel, The Remnant: The History
and Theology of the Remnant Idea From Genesis to Isaiah, 3rd ed.
(Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 1980), pp. 150, 151.
“All around us are souls going down to ruin as hopeless, as terrible,
as that which befell Sodom. Every day the probation of some is closing.
Every hour some are passing beyond the reach of mercy. And where are
the voices of warning and entreaty to bid the sinner flee from this fearful
doom? Where are the hands stretched out to draw him back from death?
Where are those who with humility and persevering faith are pleading
with God for him? The spirit of Abraham was the spirit of Christ. The
Son of God is Himself the great Intercessor in the sinner’s behalf. He
who has paid the price for its redemption knows the worth of the human
soul.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 140.
Discussion Questions:
 Only the rainbow and circumcision are called “sign of the cov-
enant.” What are the common points and the differences between
the two covenants?
 Though called of God, and though often used in the New
Testament as the example of what it means to live by faith,
Abraham at times faltered. What lessons should we learn and not
learn from his example?
 Some people argue against the idea that God will punish the
lost, saying that this act would be against God’s love. How do we,
as those who believe that—yes, God will punish the lost—respond
to the argument that He doesn’t?