Lingering In Sodom

Lingering in Sodom

Genesis 19:1-16

How in the world did Lot, a righteous man, wind up in such a situation – lingering in Sodom having to be dragged out of the city by God? Lot did not get to where he was overnight. He traveled down a gradual slope over a number of years making a number of wrong choices and very costly terrible decisions. Lot was not initially guilty of deliberate disobedience. But the choices he made let to the ruination of his home. Choices have consequences. How you choose determines the course of your life and your character. As we consider Lot’s decisions, ask yourself, “Am I guilty of making similar mistakes?”

I. He made what the world would call a wise business decision

A. Genesis 13:1-10 “Then Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, to the South. Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of the Lord. Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. Now the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land. So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.” And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar.

B. The Bible tells us that the valley of Siddim was “well watered” – Heb. Kallah Masqeh – or completely irrigated. Excavations of the area give evidence that barley, wheat, grapes, figs, lentils, flax, chickpeas, broadbeans, dates and olives were grown in the valley.

C. Genesis 13:11-12 “Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. 12 Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom.”

D. Lot wanted the best in life. From a natural point of view, if we are honest we cannot blame Lot. Don’t we want the best? Isn’t that what we are looking for? The best working conditions for the best salary, the best car for the money we have to spend, the best home we can afford, in a community with good schools and services. In itself wanting good things in life is not wrong.

E. There were three major mistakes that Lot made in this decision:

1. He based his decision on appearances – on the material

a. Appearances can be deceiving.

b. Jesus Christ warned in John 7:24” Do not judge according to appearance.”

c. 1 John 2:16 “For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.”

d. Don't trust appearances. Remember Satan is a great deceiver. 2 Corinthians 11:14 tells us “...Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.”

e. Satan is a pro in putting window dressing on evil to make it look good. A crystal clear glass of spring water with a few drops of cyanide looks innocent but is deadly.

f. Sadly Lot is going to find out the reality of James 1:14-15 “But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires. Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death.”

g. Someone has said Lot looked for a city built by human hands while Abraham looked for a city whose builder and maker was God.

2. He failed to realize that material things only temporarily satisfy.

a. Contrast Lot’s choice with Moses as recorded in Hebrews 11:24-26 “By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing (fleeting) pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.”