GOD of the Old Testament vs. GOD of the New Testament Part IV

Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:16-32)

For the sake of time and the purpose of this post, I want to focus on verses 22-32.

²² Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD. ²³ And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? ²⁴ Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it? ²⁵ Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
²⁶ So the LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.”
²⁷ Then Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: ²⁸ Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?”
So He said, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.”
²⁹ And he spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose there should be forty found there?” So He said, “I will not do it for the sake of forty.”
³⁰ Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?” So He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
³¹ And he said, “Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?” So He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.”
³² Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.”

Sodom was a wicked and vile place. Obviously these people were even more wicked than the other people in the region. We know idolatry was the norm, we also know many of these religions sacrificed their children to false gods. Homosexuality was practiced by many in that region, but Sodom stood out above the rest in their evil behavior.

God knew what they were doing and He determined to destroy this wickedness. However, we see He is still willing to spare the city if there are a handful of righteous men here. God is willing to show mercy on what was the most evil of cities on the earth at that time.

Does this sound like a tyrant, or a loving God willing to go after a single lost sheep?