Destruction And Deliverance: Dual Outcomes Of Sodom And Gomorrah Series

Last week we spoke from Genesis 18. We are reminded about how important our involvement is in the plan of God and how God works in and through our lives to accomplish His will. It’s amazing how Abraham spoke face-to-face with God and how he interceded for his nephew Lot and his family.

Today we will be looking at Genesis chapter 19. In review, we know that Abraham and Lot traveled together to Canaan but then they went their separate ways when their herds and flocks became too big for the area. Lot chose to move east to the city of Sodom because the land was well-watered, green, like the garden of Eden, and good for grazing. From a business perspective, Lot made a very wise choice. However, from a spiritual perspective, it was a poor decision as we will see how corrupt and lawless Sodom had become and how it affected him and his family.

Lot married a Canaanite woman, raised a family, and became a ruling elder in Sodom. In other words, he chose to blend in with his surroundings instead of standing out and over these 20 years, his relationship with God waned. He covered it up with his wealth and success.

But Abraham loved his nephew and as we heard last week, stood face-to-face with God interceding for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah as well as for the surrounding cities. There were actually six cities in this valley and it’s hard to imagine that there weren’t even 10 righteous people to be found. Maybe Abraham was wondering “How is God going to rescue Lot from the impending judgment?” If you have your Bible, please turn with me to Genesis 19. And I have asked Daniel Hayes to read the passage for us:

Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting at the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he stood up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. 2 And he said, “Now behold, my lords, please turn aside into your servant’s house, and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.” They said, “No, but we shall spend the night in the public square.” 3 Yet he strongly urged them, so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he prepared a feast for them and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. 4 Before they lay down, the men of the city—the men of Sodom—surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter; 5 and they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them.” 6 But Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him, 7 and said, “Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly. 8 Now look, I have two daughters who have not had relations with any man; please let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever you like; only do not do anything to these men, because they have come under the shelter of my roof.” 9 But they said, “Get out of the way!” They also said, “This one came in as a foreigner, and already he is acting like a judge; now we will treat you worse than them!” So they pressed hard against Lot and moved forward to break the door. 10 But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. 11 Then they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, from the small to the great, so that they became weary of trying to find the doorway.

12 Then the two men said to Lot, “Whom else do you have here? A son-in-law and your sons and daughters, and whomever you have in the city, bring them out of the place; 13 for we are about to destroy this place, because their outcry has become so great before the LORD that the LORD has sent us to destroy it.” 14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, and said, “Up, get out of this place, for the LORD is destroying the city.” But he appeared to his sons-in-law to be joking.

15 When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.” 16 But he hesitated. So the men grasped his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, because the compassion of the LORD was upon him; and they brought him out and put him outside the city. 17 When they had brought them outside, one said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the surrounding area; escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away.” 18 But Lot said to them, “Oh no, my lords! 19 Now behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your compassion, which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, for the disaster will overtake me and I will die; 20 now behold, this town is near enough to flee to, and it is small. Please, let me escape there (is it not small?) so that my life may be saved.” 21 And he said to him, “Behold, I grant you this request also, not to overthrow the town of which you have spoken. 22 Hurry, escape there, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” Therefore the town was named Zoar.