Gen 18 : Praying Through Questions

Guest: Dr. Steven Mann. In Genesis 18, Abraham stands before God and does something remarkable: he prays not by making requests, but by asking questions. As God reveals His intention to judge Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham responds with a series of probing questions about justice, mercy, and the fate of the innocent.

Is this the Bible’s first prayer of intercession? Is Abraham praying, arguing, or seeking justice? And what does this extraordinary encounter teach us about the role of questions in our own prayer lives?

In this episode:

• Why questions play such a central role in Genesis 18
• God’s opening question: “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?”
• How questions invite reflection and deepen relationships
• Whether Abraham is praying, bargaining, arguing, or interceding
• The connection between prayer and the pursuit of justice
• What Abraham’s boldness reveals about his relationship with God
• Why questioning God can be an expression of faith rather than doubt
• The surprising rarity of intercessory prayer in the Hebrew Bible
• What Genesis 18 teaches us about praying for others today

The episode centers around Dr. Mann's study, "Ask and You Shall Intercede: The Peculiar Perlocutionary Power of Asking God Questions." Bulletin for Biblical Research 29.2 (2019): 208-224.