A righteous person puts God first before everything else. They strive to keep God’s laws and commandments.

I had a very sobering thought today. If there had been just ten righteous people in the whole city of Sodom, the Lord would have spared it…just ten. In Genesis 18:20-32, Abraham pleaded for the lives of the people in Sodom. And God agreed not to destroy it if just ten righteous people could be found.

But there were not even ten righteous people in that city. Lot’s own son-in-laws would not even listen to him. The only ones who were able to escape the city were Lot, his wife and their two unmarried daughters (Genesis 19:13-16).

Now, think of the direction the people in the United States are going. We live in a state of excess and self-indulgence. Where there is a blatant disregard for the Lord. God is dishonored and disrespected. His laws and commandments are ignored and even mocked. We do not like to be told that we are wrong and need to repent. We place our happiness and desires above all else. And we think we should do whatever makes us feel good whether it is right or wrong.

A cry from the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah was heard by God (Genesis 18:20-21). And a cry from the voices of the innocent is going up to God right now as well.

Consider the number of righteous people that you know. Are there ten in your family? Do you have ten righteous friends? Do you work with ten righteous coworkers?

Is God numbering the righteous in this country? How many will He find? How many of our cities will stand??

Ezekiel 16:49-50 (KJV) Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.

Romans 5:19 (KJV) For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV) If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.