When we read about God judging people and nations in the Bible, we often perceive God as an unapproachable ruler ruling with an iron rod ready to strike the wrongdoers. In the early record, we come across a personal encounter of Abraham with God, and God was on His way to judge Sodom and Gomorrah. Sodom and Gomorrah, in summary, was a place filled with violence and sexual sin. The victims had cried to God and God always hear the cry of the weak and oppressed (Genesis 18:20) and His judgment was near. Abraham summed up His courage and engaged a conversation with God. What about the righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah? Abraham raised the concern and ask the Lord if there are 50 righteous people will God judge them together with the sinners? Is God less compassionate than Abraham? Of course not. God stated that He will spare the place if there were fifty righteous Genesis 18:26. Abraham stated to lose confidence as there might be less righteous people then he thought. So he negotiated with God for less. The numbers were reduced from fifty to ten. Ten must be a possible number and Abraham was contented with that before the LORD left. As we know the record. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed and only Lot was saved. There were less than 10 righteous. This story reminded us that it is not the Lord's mercy that should be called into question but how little righteous people there can be in a nation. We often perceive there must be some righteous people in a nation but the scripture insists that there are truly little or none righteous. Let us not think too highly of humans and their righteousness but to remain humble before a perfect God.

May we start to have a right view of God that indeed He is merciful and righteous hence in His mercies He is withholding judgement for many nations now and His righteousness will ensure that justice will be carried out in the proper time.