There He goes again - God, asleep at the switch!
Ever messed up big time? Sodom and Gomorrah sure did. However they weren’t sweating it because God wasn’t paying any attention – or so it might seem. Had no one leaked the bad news, Mrs. Lot may never have gotten that salty complexion and the twin cities may never have had to apply for federal disaster aid.
Look what God says to Abraham:
"Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know." (Genesis 18:17-21)
Okay, maybe it’s nitpicky. But I’m dumfounded that God has to “go down” and “see” whether what was leaked to Him was true or not.
QUESTIONS SCRIBBLED ON MY HEART’S WALL:
1. Why does God have to “go down” and check it out in the first place? Isn’t God Omniscient (all-knowing)? Doesn’t God, from His perch in heaven, already know whether their corruption is true or not? Even from my own living room I can see the mayhem in Egypt today. Is God paying any attention there either?
2. The context for this is that God has appeared physically to Abraham. With God are two other angelic-like beings. Could it be that when God makes these pre-incarnate (pre-Christ) type physical appearances that He, by virtue of the finite, is self-limited? In other words, although He is boundless God, is it possible that in the confines of the human moment that omniscience is blurred – thus evoking enough uncertainty that troubling circumstances are best confirmed first-hand?
3. The Genesis 18 instance of God “coming down to see” is not the first time God checked up on mischief first-hand. Genesis 11 documents the Tower scandal. Remember that? Verse 5 records: “But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.” Could it be that when our mischief becomes so outrageous, God finds himself, not so much in a position of general doubt, but rather in a position of grievous disbelief? Is His personal notice of some things really for the purpose of confirmation (to decry) or is it for lamentation (to cry)? This consideration brings me to a personal heart-search: “What is the purpose of my interest in a ghastly rumor about someone’s fall? Why do I have to check it out? Is my personal interest just an act of spiritual voyeurism? Am I seeking to embolden my own righteousness by confirming someone else’s unrighteousness? When a dirty rumor is confirmed, am I apt to join in the voices that decry . . . or am I more apt to breakdown and cry?
4. Regardless of why God had to “come down and see”, I find it comforting that it takes more than mere rumor to upset the Almighty. Before God goes nuclear, He at least takes an 8-count and checks things out personally. All this brings me to a line-up of self-search questions: How many times do I make rash and quick judgment of others based solely on rumor? I want to trust what others tell me – surely, they have no reason to lie, exaggerate, or embellish. Sometimes there’s even a bit of religious peer pressure to jump on the bandwagon with them; and if you hesitate, you’re sometimes misjudged as wishy-washy and sin-tolerant. I’m sorry but I just don’t immediately buy-in to negative rumors . . . even from the best of my friends. When they hit my inbox, I feel spammed. Winter weather warnings begin going off in my conscience – danger . . . slick ice here . . . watch your step! Far too often, the rumors only contain part of the story. So why jump to conclusions? Hitching a ride on the old bandwagon seems to serve only empower those who have already drawn their conclusions? Even Jesus warns, Murmur not among yourselves. (John 6:43). And if The Almighty can exercise restraint, why shouldn’t I?
5. Let’s dig even deeper here – buckle that seatbelt and keep your arms in on this ride: Could it be that God’s restraint was actually a “strategic delay” to facilitate grace? Read Genesis 18 carefully and notice that the two other angelic beings were dispatched on toward Sodom and Gomorrah. The third “angel” – the Lord – lingered behind with Abraham. It was here that Abraham interceded to spare the innocent. In His omniscience, I’ve gotta believe that God already knew what He knew. Perhaps He didn’t need to see the cities first-hand after all. Perhaps all that God really wanted to see first-hand was the heart of Abraham – and whether Abraham was a rash, rushed, judgmental Band-Waggoner or whether he was truly a man of faith who could exercise wisdom and restraint. Perhaps God needed to see first-hand whether Abraham was truly deserving of being the father of a line of people through whom the Promised Deliverer would come.
My Prayer: Lord, when rumors hit my inbox, will I pass the test? May I never throw someone under the bus through my own rash and impulsive itch to believe the worst. Slap me hard if I ever succumb to the pressure of others “just believe them”. Help me to know what my business is and isn’t and give me the wisdom to know the difference. Thank you Lord that you see all things. Nothing is hidden from you. Help me to be a reflection of your justice that’s impartial and your love that’s abundant.
