After reading Genesis 18 and recounting the wonderful picture of Jehovah and Abraham fellowshipping and conversing; which culminates in the exact promise of a son for he a Sarah; we get to what is one of the saddest chapters in the Bible. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah destruction has been used and re-used to predict the destruction and condemnation of homosexuals. While it is clear that there was great wickedness in the valley cities, there is another reason I find this to be one of the saddest chapters in the Bible. The Life of Lot, nephew to Father of Our Faith, Abraham is a stark reminder of what sin will do to a life. Remember that Lot chose Sodom in Genesis 13. He chose it with his eyes and heart of greed. The choice is similar to the senses used by Eve to make her decision to eat. Now if you didn’t know anything about the rest of the story, you might think he chose wisely. Genesis 13:12 says that Lot moved his tents as far as Sodom. But it also says in verse 13 that the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked against the LORD. Later in Genesis 14, we find the Abram has to come to the rescue of his nephew, for he was taken prisoner. Genesis 14:12 now says that Lot was “living in Sodom.” Even after Abraham rescues Lot and family from the enemies, Lot returns to Sodom. We move forward to Genesis 18, God hears the “outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah and that their sin is exceedingly grave.” Pretty much sin unto death stuff. The LORD does not hide the thing He has planned to do to Sodom [all valley cities]. Abraham, like Moses in the future will intercede on behalf of Sodom – starting with if there are 50 righteous will you destroy? God is holy and just, He says no, this intercession continues all the way down to 10 righteous people; again God says He won’t destroy the cities if 10 righteous are found – but there were more righteous before the Flood [8] than now. Genesis 19, two of the men [angels] go down to Lot and Sodom. verse 1 says that Lot was “sitting at the gate.” To sit at the gate is a reference to being a city official or person on prominence in the town. Lot has moved closer and gotten more entrenched in the lifestyle of the Sodomites. He is now sitting at the gate, free as you please to be there. But when he sees the two men come, obviously recognizing them as from the LORD, he tries to get them to come stay with him, but the want to stay in the square – most likely filled with all “local activity.” Lot convinces them to stay with him, then all the town wants to come in and take them away and have relations with them – find now the solution for Lot – “Hey here is my virgin daughters, take them and do what you will, but leave these men alone.” WHAT how far has Lot fallen into this gross situation? He even calls the Sodomites “My brothers.” Genesis 19:12 – get your son-in-laws and family out of here, we are about to destroy this place. Lot’s prospective sons-in-laws shrug him off as if he were joking. When morning comes, the men [angels] literally have to pull Lot and family out of the city – even with impending destruction, Lot hesitated to leave. We know that Lot’s wife looked back at what was home and became a pillar of salt. Lot goes to Zoar for he fears the mountains, yet Zoar was just as fearful to live, so when we find Lot and his daughters clear of Sodom they are living in a cave in the mountains. Lot was saved because of the intercession of Abraham and the compassionate hand of the LORD.
Note the downward spiral of Lot; chose Sodom with his eyes and heart of greed. Went and camped by the city, then he moved his tents inside the city, then he becomes a city official, well sort [Genesis 19:9] they only let him think he was one of them. Finally, God has to literally extract Lot out of the grips of sin to save him from total destruction. What was Lot thinking! Oh, wait a minute, that’s what Jesus did to me too. The sad testimony of Lot is that through incestuous relations with his daughters, two nations Moabites and Ammonites become thorns in the side of Israel for hundreds of years. Sin is powerful, it is engulfing and it is deadly. Mere man cannot escape its clutches – it takes divine intervention through the prayers of the saints and the omnipotent power and mercy of God – Let us take heed!
Least we miss this – Abraham interceded for Lot not Sodom and Gomorrah!
preachbetweenthelines 