WEEK 8 Genesis 19
God
told Abraham that he was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah in chapter 18 and
now we see the drama unfold. We see Lot a man who before this seemed to be a
man of prominence (sitting in the gates was a sign of this at the time). In
spite of this, he has no ability to change the minds of the men of the city,
nor to convince his future sons-in-law to come with him. In the end, he leaves
with nothing. It is a sad tale which ends in his own daughters doing something
unthinkable.
There
is much to consider in this story, however, I want to look at what God had
promised to destroy. He promised to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Yet we see in
this story that Lot's wife is also destroyed. Over 30 years ago, I heard a preacher
talk about this. His thought was that Lot's wife was destroyed not for looking
back at Sodom with relief that they had escaped the city, but in longing for
the city she loved. In a sense, she still carried Sodom inside her and because
of the Sodom inside her, she was destroyed.
I
can't say this theory is correct, but I do believe it carries much merit. You
see the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah was not just sexual immorality, though it
was prominent, it was also injustice and oppression (Ezekiel 16:49-50). As a side
note, people on both sides of the issue want to point to one or the other as
the cause of Sodom and Gomorrah's destruction but BOTH played a part.
However,
the problem with Lot's wife was, she loved Sodom. Loving the wrong things is
the problem Jesus said people struggle with. Whether it is money(Matt. 6:24; 1
Timothy 6:10), life, family (Matthew 10:38-39), lust, or the world's system (1
John 2:15-16); love for the wrong things always brings destruction.
How
do you know what you love? Look at what you do. Remember our discussion on Noah
several days back? If you love God you are doing what he wants. If you aren't
doing what God wants then your love might be weak or misplaced.
So what is the love of your heart?
(1) And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
(2) And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.
(3) And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
(4) But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:
(5) And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.
(6) And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,
(7) And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.
(8) Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.
(9) And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.
(10) But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.
(11) And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
(12) And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:
(13) For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.
(14) And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
(15) And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
(16) And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
(17) And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
(18) And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:
(19) Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:
(20) Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.
(21) And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.
(22) Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
(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.
(26) But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
(27) And Abraham gat 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 sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
(30) And Lot went up out of Zoar, 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 unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto 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 unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou 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.
(36) Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
(37) And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.
(38) And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.
No comments:
Post a Comment