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Genesis 19b

The escape

Here we are again with the continuing saga of Abraham’s family. 

So Lot went to warn his relations.

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Genesis 19:

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What can I say?  Haven’t the continual warnings of a soon-coming second advent made so many a bit blasé?  It’s never going to happen, they think.  What each generation has failed to take into account over the last 2001 years is that it is NOT the second coming that looms large, but our death which comes at an end of so short a life!  “Three score and ten” (70) is still a good innings even today, for the average life expectancy for the world is around 40.  And also, the end of civilisation as we know it may come at any time, for this has occurred with tremendous regularity throughout history. 

Not just Sodom and Gomorrah, but many other cities and nations have suddenly ceased to exist over the millennia due to the workings of Satan as the destroyer.  For he can control the weather and many other forces which affect our planet’s wellbeing, including fire, earthquake and flood.  Localised disasters are his speciality.  Where God’s protection is not considered or asked for, there we may expect great catastrophes from time to time, for Satan’s plan is to entice as many into sin that he can and then kill them before they can repent in answer to God’s pleading.

Where there are no righteous there is no protection at all.

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Genesis 19:

23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. 24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; 25 and He overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

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Poor Lot!  He loved cities so much that the thought of living in the mountains scared him.  So he asked Jesus to change His plans, and because our God is an accommodating Person as much as He can be, the angel was told to say “Yes”.  But this was man’s way!

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Genesis 19:

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Why? 

And what has this to do with us?

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Luke 17:

32 Remember Lot's wife. 

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One of the fugitives ventured to cast a look backward to the doomed city, and she became a monument of God's judgment.  Many have puzzled over this story, and yet it is quite simple.

If Lot himself had shown no hesitancy to obey the angels' warning, but had earnestly fled toward the mountains, without one word of pleading or remonstrance, his wife also would have made her escape.  (See the story of  “Christiana’s Progress” – Pilgrim’s wife).  The influence of Lot’s example would have saved her from the sin that sealed her doom.  But his hesitancy and delay caused her to lightly regard the divine warning.  While her body was upon the plain, her heart clung to Sodom, and she perished with it. 

She rebelled against God because His judgments involved her possessions and her children in the ruin.  Although so greatly favoured in being called out from the wicked city, she felt that she was severely dealt with, because the wealth that it had taken years to accumulate must be left to destruction, and her children and grandchildren perish.  Instead of thankfully accepting deliverance, she presumptuously looked back to desire the lives of those who had rejected the divine warning.  Her sin showed her to be unworthy of the gift of life, for the preservation of which she felt so little gratitude.

Jesus tells us that that is how it will be with many in the last days.  Lost, because they would not obey on an instant!  Lost because WE do not accept God’s word as final and urgent.  Lulled into inactivity by our lack of commitment, they never make the decision to become obedient Christians. 

Because He does not want that to happen, He often tries our faith now to test our character.  Not for His benefit, but for ours so that we may see ourselves.  Those who in times of emergency are willing to make sacrifices for Him are the ones whom He will honour with a partnership in His work.  Those of us who are unwilling to practice self-denial in order to carry out God's purposes will be tested, that our course may appear to human eyes as it appears to the eyes of Him who reads the heart. 

When the LORD sees us restricting our imaginary wants, practicing self-denial, not in a mournful, regretful spirit, as Lot's wife left Sodom, but joyfully FOR CHRIST'S SAKE, then the work of warning will go forward with power.

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Genesis 19:

27 And Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD: 28 and he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. 

29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and [therefore] sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelt. 

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The visitation of God's “wrath” upon Lot's wife (i.e. His inability to protect her because of her choice) hurried the remaining three on their way from the city.  But Lot, not desiring to flee to the mountains, had pleaded with the LORD to spare a small city a few miles from Sodom where he could live.  What unbelief he showed! His faith was very weak but Christ will not quench a “smoking flax”.  Isaiah 42:3.   So the Son of God in His mercy was able to protect Zoar, in answer to Lot's petitions.  However, the result of their going into Zoar is plainly recorded in the Scriptures, for all the cities surrounding Sodom were corrupted with the sins of the Sodomites.

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Genesis 19:

30 And Lot went up out of Zoar [eventually], and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters. 

31 And the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a [justified] man in the earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth. 32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.”

33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. 34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go you in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.” 35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.

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As the story unfolds we can see that it was not Lot’s direct fault that this incest happened.  But it WAS the result of his living in the city and exposing his daughters to the loose morals of that area.  They stayed only for a short time in Zoar because he found that iniquity prevailed there as in Sodom, and he feared to remain, lest the city should be destroyed.  He made his way to the mountains and took up residence in a cave, stripped now of all the possessions for which he had dared to expose his family. 

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Genesis 19:

36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. 

37 And the firstborn bore a son, and called his name “Moab” [the seed of the father]: the same is the father of the Moabites to this day.  38 And the younger, she also bore a son, and called his name “Benammi” [son of my kindred]: the same is the father of the children of Ammon to this day. 

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But the curse of Sodom followed him to the mountains.  The sinful conduct of his daughters was the result of the evil associations of that vile place.  Its moral corruption had become so interwoven with their character that they could not distinguish between good and evil.  They must have thought that there were no Christians left, and so did what was right in their eyes to preserve his family.  But Lot's only descendants, the Moabites and Ammonites, were vile, idolatrous tribes, rebels against God and bitter enemies of His people forever, steeped in selfishness.  They often fought with Israel in Bible times, but are mentioned in the last days as being close to God’s way.  See note 1.

How wide in contrast was the life of Abraham to that of Lot! Once they had been companions, worshiping at one altar, dwelling side by side in their pilgrim tents; but how widely separated now! Lot had chosen the city for its pleasure and profit.  Leaving Abraham's altar and its daily sacrifice to the living God, he had permitted his children to mingle with a corrupt and idolatrous people. 

Yet he had retained in his heart the life of the Son of God, for he is declared in the Scriptures to have been a “just” man although his righteous soul was upset by the vile conversation that greeted his ears daily and the violence and crime he was powerless to prevent. 2 Peter 2:8.  He was saved at last as “a brand plucked out of the fire” (Zechariah 3:2), yet stripped of his possessions, deprived of his wife and older children, dwelling in caves, like the wild beasts, and covered with infamy in his old age. 

He gave to the world, not a race of righteous men, but two idolatrous nations, at enmity with God and warring upon His people, until, their cup of iniquity being full, they were allowed to destroy themselves as nations.  How terrible were the results that followed one unwise step!  In contrast, the Jews of Abraham’s line look like saints.

Says the wise man, “Labour not to be rich: cease from your own wisdom.” Proverbs 23:4.  “He that is greedy of gain troubles his own house; but he that hates gifts [unearned profits] shall live.” Proverbs 15:27.  And the apostle Paul declares, “They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.” 1 Timothy 6:9. 

When Lot entered Sodom he fully intended to keep himself free from iniquity and to command his household after him.  But he failed miserably.  The corrupting influences about him had an effect upon his own faith, and his children's connection with the inhabitants of Sodom bound up his interest in a measure with theirs.  The result is before us. 

Many of us are still making a similar mistake.  In selecting a home we look more to the earthly advantages we may gain than to the moral and social influences that will surround ourselves and our families.  We choose a beautiful and fertile country, or move to some flourishing city, in the hope of securing greater prosperity; but our children are surrounded by temptation, and too often they form associations that are unfavourable to the development of piety and the formation of a right character. 

The atmosphere of lax morality, of unbelief, of indifference to religious things, has a tendency to counteract the influence of the parents.  Examples of rebellion against parental and divine authority are ever before our young people; many form attachments for false religionists and even unbelievers, and cast in their lot with the enemies of God. 

In such conditions, the blessing of home schooling becomes apparent.  No matter how badly we may teach, with the aid of the Spirit our worst will be much, much, better than the best the world has to offer.

In choosing a home, God would have us consider, first of all, the moral and religious influences that will surround us and our families.  We may sometimes be placed in trying positions, for many cannot have their surroundings just as they would.  But whenever duty calls us into such a place, God will enable us to stand uncorrupted, if we watch and pray, trusting in the grace of Christ.  However, we should not needlessly expose ourselves or our children to influences that are unfavourable to the formation of Christian character.  When we voluntarily place ourselves in an atmosphere of worldliness and unbelief, we displease God and drive holy angels from our homes. 

Under those circumstances, no amount of Bible reading will bring about a change.  We must first do our duty, then claim the promise.

Bye for now,

Ron. 

P. S.  I would just like to remind you that these observations on God’s word are as I see it.  You may have another view which I wish you would share with us.  Anything based on God’s word is welcome.

Some of the comments in these readings are adapted from books in my library.  No recognition is given because they are not intended as authorities, but are used because they express my understanding clearly. All the ideas expressed in these readings, right or wrong, are my own.

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Daniel 11:

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