A strange dog came to a preacher's house, and his three sons soon became quite fond of it. It so happened that there were three white hairs in the animal's tail. One day an advertisement was seen in the newspaper about a lost dog which fitted that description perfectly. "In the presence of my three boys," said the minister, "we carefully separated the three white hairs and removed them." The real owner discovered where the straying canine had found a home and came to claim him. The dog showed every sign of recognition, so the man was ready to take him away.
Quickly the minister spoke up, "Didn't you say the dog would be known by three white hairs in its tail?" The owner, unable to find the identifying feature, was forced to leave. The minister said later, "we kept the dog, but I lost my three boys for Christ." His sons no longer had confidence in what their father professed. He hadn't practiced what he preached.
—Our Daily Bread[1]
The words we speak of our walk are either endued with power or crushed to dust by the way we actually live out our life, particularly in difficult and inconvenient times.
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Abraham had interceded on behalf of Sodom and Lot.
Genesis 19:1-2
Lot separated from Abraham when he spotted the valley of the Jordan. Abraham gave his nephew the choice of all the land; Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom. The plains of Jordon offered lots of open space to separate from the flocks of Abraham. Lot settled near the cities of the valley. Within a few years of separating from Abraham, Lot had moved into the city and by appearance, was no longer herding livestock. His business was at the gate, he had become right at home in these cities filled with wickedness. While we know Peter called Lot righteous, we can't look at these decisions as the wise decisions of a righteous man. See what 2 Peter 2:7-8 says God was doing in Sodom:
…..and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed with the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds) then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,
By Peter's statement, we are to look at Lot as a Godly man who made some bad choices in life. I think we can all relate to that. Bad choices affect our thinking, our actions, but they don't take away our righteousness. These are choices made with worldly eyes and emotions and not filtered through the wisdom the Lord gives us. The Lord gave us a conscience for a reason and the Holy Spirit speaks to our conscience. A lifetime of poor choices leading to sin leave us drowning in the consequences from the wickedness we immersed ourselves in. Our response is often, "Lord, why are you letting this happen to me?" Or, "Why do bad things always happen in my life?"
Lot was the only righteous one. You have to wonder how Lot maintained any kind of righteous life living in this perverse place. Do you sometimes feel like you are living in Sodom? It seems like we have to be so careful how we live our day to day lives as we try to live a righteous life. Lot knew he lived in a cesspool. When these 2 angels show up at the gate he tried to shuffle them right into his home. He knew the town would go after them. The hospitality he showed was normal hospitality but the urgency was driven by his fear of what the town's people would do when they spotted the strangers.
Lot was found sitting in the gateway of the city. This 'sitting' may be performing some judicial function for the city. This is the civic center of the town. It was a place of business and social gathering. Lot bowed to these angels when he saw them. This was an act of hospitality. It was expected to offer your home to the traveler for up to three days. You were to provide shelter, food and rest.
These two angels were the two that arrived with the Lord at Abraham's tent in chapter 18. Destruction had already been determined. The Lord knew the hearts of Sodom. These angels came to Sodom to investigate and remove the righteous. It would quickly become clear to Lot (and to us as we read it) what the Lord already knew, the righteous were few. When these two angels arrived as strangers, Lot thought they were in trouble. When in fact, it was Sodom that was in trouble.
Genesis 19:3-5
Lot 'insisted so strongly' they finally decided to go with him. This 'insistence' or 'pressing' foreshadows the 'insistence' of 'pressing' of the men of Sodom when they came to the door demanding these men (v.9). Lot fed the men (angels) bread without yeast. This was unleavened bread. This is like the unleavened bread of Israel as they hurried to leave Egypt, there was no time for the bread to rise.
Note: the angels eating and appearing to be human. We are reminded in Hebrews to keep loving one another showing hospitality to strangers. In doing so, some have shown hospitality to angels when they were unaware of it. Likewise, some have missed out on that opportunity (Hebrews 13:1-2).
Leaven is representative of sin in the bible, seen as a corruption that spreads through the entire loaf, puffing it up. Sin is the corruption that runs through an individual leaving no part untouched. It likewise runs through a family, a city and culture, leaving nothing unaffected. We read this and hear this and nod our heads in agreement, often thinking of examples of others sin. As we look at our sin, or more likely ignore our sin, attempting to quiet our conscience, we think we can control just a little leaven. It's small, quiet, personal; and while it's destroyed other lives, we deceive our self into thinking we can control it. The unleavened bread had no significance to Lot, he simply hurried the meal.
Late into the evening the men of Sodom showed up at Lot's house. Word had reached all the men from every part of the city, regardless of age. Now, this probably is no intended to mean every man was there but that the mob that did show up was representative of the city. 'All' might as well have been there. This wasn't a mob just knocking on the door, they surrounded his house. This shows the widespread wickedness. They were like-minded in their evil intent. These guys were very brash, and without conscience; rude and without respect. All sense of decency and respect for another human being is gone. They cared only for themselves, for satisfying their lusts and desires.
They called for Lot to bring the men out to them. They were intent on raping them. What's happened to a culture when 'all' the men are in agreement that raping these strangers is acceptable? Leviticus revealed that homosexuality was seen as an offensive Canaanite practice:
22 " 'Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.
23 " 'Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion.
24 " 'Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled. (Lev 18:22-24).
Ezekiel uses the sin of Sodom to make a point in Ezekiel 16:49-50. He saw their sin like this:
Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. 50 They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.
Their sexual passions are not even mentioned specifically but as part of the larger category of 'detestable things'. Before the sin of homosexuality and rape, there was so more. Pride, the root of all evil makes the list. Apathy toward their neighbor. Ezekiel could have summed up their evil of rape and homosexuality, but saw these sins as being more important.
Genesis 19:6-8
Lot stepped out of his house attempting to talk some sense into these men. Imagine standing out there by yourself among all these men seeking only their perverse desires. Lot most likely knew every one of these men. The same folks he conducted business with, his neighbors and friends. Now, their true nature is revealed, their selfishness, arrogance and lusts are the sin that forms their thinking.
Now Lot offered his virgin daughters to these men in place of the two men. Lot did this because the moral code of hospitality called for him to take any and every measure to keep his visitors safe from harm. This purpose is honorable; but how could a man offer his daughters to this wickedness? He said, "You can do what you like with them." The phrase means they were free 'to do that which seemed right in their own eyes'. Their conscience would be the only boundary – what a dangerous situation for those girls. These men had no conscience.
How much sin does it take to warp a man to sacrifice his daughters to these evil beasts?
Lot also knew the Mesopotamian law called for the death of anyone violating the betrothed, of which is daughters were. It was evil to offer his daughters, but he must have seen it as a lesser evil. This is a terrible predicament. It's one we might look to God asking how He could put us in such a place. But it wasn't God who put Lot there, it was Lot's choice. These are the kinds of situations that the modest little sin, that we feel we can control, will bring us to. Jesus said in Luke 12:2-3:
There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.
When you live in a place with no moral boundaries or borders that won't be crossed and then suddenly attempt to impose those things it will never go over well. What Lot heard is similar to what we hear today, "How dare you impose your morality on me! Who do you think you are? Why do you believe your morality is better than mine?" Frankly, they had a point when speaking to Lot. He apparently had never shown any inclination to moral boundaries so they had previously noticed.
Things that should have clearly been unacceptable had somehow become an alternative. Think about what we see and live in every day. We accept things today that were unheard of 20 years ago. We see things on TV now that used to be completely shameful. Now these things don't faze us in the least. We don't even notice. Are we becoming like Lot living in Sodom? Are our values compromised from living in a sea of sin? I remember the day when it was shameful if someone saw the waistband of your underwear. Now its style; underwear are designed to be seen. But even beyond that, our electronic devices quickly prove that this world has no moral boundaries.
Genesis 19:9-11
Somehow Lot had avoided this threat and confrontation in the past. It came to the surface when he displayed a boundary, one that put them outside of his definition of decency. He set himself apart and they were unwilling to agree; to do so required them to let go of their sin. Since Lot was an outside, why hadn't these men tried to take Lot away for their perversion?
In verse seven he called them 'my friends' as he pleaded with them. In verse 9 they make it clear that they were not friends at all. He was ordered to move out of the way at his own door. They pressed in to take down the door when the angels pulled him back in. The angels struck the men outside with blindness. This word for blindness is only used one other place (2 Kings 6:18). What's amazing is that even in their blindness they don't give up. They still grope around trying to find the door!! They are so ate up with their sinful passions and driven by the flesh they are relentless in their pursuit of it.
We sometimes see this same attitude today. The radicals have no interest in reasoning or common-sense approach. God's word is clear about this lifestyle. I don't have to understand it all. I don't have to defend my position. God said it and I believe it. The gay community points its finger to the believers and says we are close minded, bigoted, hate mongers, etc. They speak this in a hateful, judgmental tone they accuse others of. We've also seen Christians say and do awful things. We've all heard it a thousand times; hate the sin and love the sinner. We are all sinners. The guilty can receive the grace of God; repent of their sins; and receive the atonement from the Lord Jesus and be saved. It doesn't matter if they've sinned in a homosexual relationship, adultery, murder, covetousness, idolatry, lying, etc.
Genesis 19:12-13
Up until the mob was struck blind, Lot had no reason to believe these men were anything but visitors. The display of power was enough for him to believe them as they spoke to him about what was coming. They had seen enough and told Lot to gather his family and get out of town. They reveal that they had come to destroy Sodom. The outcry against them was before the face of the Lord; this can be understood as 'the Lord had seen enough'.
It's interesting to note that the judgment was revealed to the righteous prior to the judgment. Also, this judgment came about because of widespread immorality. I find this interesting because it has been revealed to us in God's word that judgment is coming. His word also tells us that the righteous will be spared. And who can argue that we live in a land infected with gross immorality.
Genesis 19:14
I wonder if this is the first time his sons in-law heard lot warn them. It's sad that they scoffed at the warning and laughed off what he was saying. Has anyone ever done that to you? We are sometimes hesitant to warn others and to tell them of the gospel that leads to salvation because we don't want laughed at or scoffed at. But being laughed at will mean nothing to us when that day comes and we will know that we've warned others, offered them the gospel and done all we could do.
We don't know if the sons-in-law didn't respect Lot's warning because they didn't respect Lot, or if they didn't believe in God or they just didn't think God would destroy their city. They, along with the people of Sodom were comfortable in their sin. They thought they were in control and the life would always continue on this way. Sin will lull you into a vision of life that is short-sighted with blinders on. You don't see all that is going on around you and you don't look down the road in your life to examine where your lifestyle is leading you. Sin shows you the here and now and blinds you to the trend, inclination and ultimate outcome. The warnings given today are laughed at and mocked. They don't believe in the God of the bible or His judgment; as if that will keep them safe.
Is your life and lifestyle leading you to the kingdom of God? Do you have a clear vision of how those around you are affected by your life? Can you look five, ten years down the road and see yourself growing in righteousness? If you want a clear look at where you are headed, look back a year or two; look at where you are now. Are you moving in the right direction? Do your steps lead unwavering towards the Lord?
Genesis 19:15-17
The day had arrived and you feel the urgency when we read this passage. RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!! They angels try to hurry them but Lot hesitated. And when he hesitated, his family hesitated. Why the hesitation? Notice that lot didn't make his own way to safety – the Lord was merciful to him and the angels took hold of him and brought him out of the evil place. Is this not a picture of the rapture? Lot was snatched away to safety just before the judgment came.
Once they were out of the city, they were to run and not look back. To 'look' was to 'regard with intense longing, pleasure and respect.' They were not to stop in the plain. They were to go to the mountains for safety.
Genesis 19:18-20
Since these angels showed mercy to Lot, he pleaded for another place to escape to. He didn't want to escape the mountains for fear of some evil. Lot may have just become so urbanized he couldn't survive in the mountains. Lot pleaded to escape to a nearby city.
Genesis 19:21-22
The city was apparently slated for destruction along with Sodom but since the angels showed mercy and allowed Lot to escape there, the city was spared.
The angels were restricted from beginning their destruction until Lot was safely away from there.
Genesis 19:23-29
Morning was breaking. It had been the last dark night of Sodom. The sun came up about the time Lot entered Zoar. Then the judgment of the Lord began and he rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah. Imagine the relief of entering that safe place. However, Lot's wife wasn't relieved. In v. 17 the angel said to leave the plain and don't look back. Lot's wife looked back. The 'look' was a longing, respect and love for Sodom. At the same time, she had disrespected God's provision of salvation. She looked back to her home. In doing so, she showed where her heart was and joined Sodom in its judgment. She became a pillar of salt. This appears to be a supernatural act of God; you might see this as a monument or memorial to disobedience.
Look at Luke 17:31-33. Jesus is speaking about how things will be in the end times.
"In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. Remember Lot's wife. Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.
We must be careful not to become attached to the things and ways of the world. Guard your heart so that it doesn't become attached to this world.
We see Abraham standing on the place where he had previously stood and interceded on behalf o the righteous. He saw the destruction of the city. Then verse 29 gives us some very important information. God remembered the prayer of Abraham for his nephew; the Lord delivered Lot from Sodom because of Abraham's prayer. The Lord brought Lot out of that catastrophe.
Genesis 19:30-33
Even though Lot asked to be sent to Zoar he apparently couldn't stay there. He ended up in the mountains where the angels were going to send him to start with. Maybe the people of Zoar didn't want a Sodomite living in their town. They heard about the destruction of Sodom and didn't want Lot bringing any judgment down on them.
Lot had come a long way. As the nephew of Abraham, we saw him travel with him and live amongst him for a long time. Lot was wealthy and had many servants and large herds. Now he is hiding in a cave with his two daughters. The compromised life that Lot lived had cost him nearly everything. He may have thought at least he had his daughters with him and at least he had his dignity.
However, Lot's daughters had been brought up in the compromise and learned the lessons of immorality they lived in. They decided to trick their father into laying with them. Lot had offered his daughters to the men in the city as a compromise; for them to do whatever seemed right in their own eyes. Now we see Lot's relationship with his daughters compromised when it seemed right in the daughter's eyes to get their father to have sex with them. They may have justified their actions as maintaining the family bloodline.
It is interesting to note that even leaving Sodom in a hurry and being on the move and ending up in a cave, Lot still had wine with him.
Genesis 19:34-36
Lot got drunk enough he didn't even know what he had done. The family line continued by this wicked action in the dark of the cave. Both of these sons ended up being the father of nations that were enemies of Israel. Moab sounds like the Hebrew phrase that means 'from our father'. Ben-Ammi means 'son of my people'.
The Moabites and Ammonites were displayed in a negative light in the narrative because they would later become constant enemies of Israel. There were rare exceptions across the ages; like Ruth the Moabitess, David fled to Moab, etc.) In Deuteronomy (23:3,4) the king of Moab hired Balaam to curse Israel.
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The darkness of Sodom & Gomorrah resurfaced in that cave with Lot's daughters. Although the family had been removed from Sodom, Sodom had not been removed from the family.
- The son in laws didn't believe and perished in their unbelief.
- Lot's wife looked back.
- Lot's daughters plotted wickedness for their own benefit.
- Lot himself escaped destruction and made sure to take his wine with him, opening the door for this sin to come in.
The darkness of Sodom & Gomorrah is the darkness of the enemy and it lives on today. We usually only see this darkness in other people's lives, as Lot did. It never occurred to him that the culture around him was having its affect. He knew the Lord, yet lived as close to the world as possible. One commentary put it this way:
The enticements to yield to this syndrome have never been more powerful than they are right now because of our prosperity, cyber-options, and the powers of the media. I sense that these are crucial days politically, culturally, and spiritually. And we are the only ones who can do anything about it. And we must! God help us if while decrying sin, we are sprinting headlong after it because we will not deny ourselves (R. Kent Hughes; Preaching the Word commentary)
4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. (1 Peter 4:4-5)
In Romans, Paul speaks of those who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth, they know of God and His requirements. They neither glorified Him or gave thanks to Him. Their hearts were darkened and they were immersed deeper in the evil they pursue. They are given over to their lusts; their desires characterized by sexual impurity, homosexuality and other unnatural acts. God gave them over to a depraved mind which opened them to every kind of wickedness and evil. At the end of this (Romans 1:8-32) it says:
32 Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:32)
All through the bible, we are warned to be set apart, to not fall into the traps of the enemy. We are called to be different, holy and sanctified. We are to be guarded, without fear; as watchmen, never sleeping; humble people of prayer, but warriors for the Lord willing to defend the holy ground.
- Greed, we are a greedy nation – from the poorest to the richest, we chase more.
- Materialism sneeks up on you.
- Pleasure seeking draws you in.
- Entertainment beckons to you.
- Electronic Media (from video games, to social networks to pornography)
- Immodesty seems relevant
These were the types of things that concerned John about the early church. He said this:
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:15-17)
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." (1 Peter 1:14-16)
©2019 Doug Ford
[1] Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (pp. 430–431). Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.
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