The Razor’s Edge; Genesis 13:1-11
The Eskimo’s are among the greatest hunter’s of the world, but there is one animal that is the most difficult for them to catch. This animal has the greatest intellect, keenest smell, and the sharpest eyesight. And yet for the Eskimo’s to survive they must trap and kill this animal before it destroys their way of life. The animal I speak of is the white wolf.
The white wolf has a sense of smell that can detect the presence of a human up to 2 miles away. It’s suggested that his eyesight is so great that if man had the same eyesight he could read a newspaper from 150 yards away. It is their eyesight, sense of smell, and their cunning that make them the most difficult animal to bring down.
And yet, the Eskimo’s have devised a tactic that never fails. And it is similar to the tactic that the devil uses to attack Christians. The Eskimo’s say there is no sense in going against all the ability that the white wolf possesses. The devil says there no sense in going against the power of God in you.
To bring down the white wolf, the Eskimo’s take a knife and sharpen it to a razor’s edge, put it outside and let it freeze, dip it in blood, freeze, again and again until there is a thick coat of blood on the knife. Then they go out into the wilderness and plant it in the ground blade up.
The wolf scenting what is on the blade, and sensing that there is no danger, believes he has a free lunch. There is nothing to be alarmed about, so he makes his way to the knife. The blood has drawn him to it, and he licks it and nothing happens, he licks again and again. But with each lick he is working his way closer and closer to what’s going to destroy him.
How many Christian’s have been tempted to give into sin, tempted to mix God’s standards with the world’s, tempted to take that lustful glance, that first drink, to tell that little white lie, to cheat on a test, to cheat on their taxes, or to cheat on their spouse. and have taken that 1st, 2nd, 3rd lick not knowing that their getting closer to what’s going to destroy them.
Now, the white wolf gets comfortable and licks faster and faster as he tastes the frozen blood. Then he gets to the blade and slices his tongue but doesn’t even know it, because he is numbed by the bloody ice. Now he is tasting his own blood, but he continues to lick until the blade is clean and his tongue is shredded. He never walks more than a mile before he bleeds to death and the hunter has won.
The devil has planted blades all around us. And all he wants you to do is to get comfortable with the first lick. No one will ever see, no one will ever know. Your safe, there is no harm. But with every lick you’re getting closer to the blade, to destruction, to death.
The blades that Satan offers appear to be beautiful, desirable, something to be longed for, something that will bring satisfaction & pleasure. But they will destroy your life. Countless Christians have been overcome by things that Satan has set in front of them and they lost everything that was truly dear to them, their home, marriage, family, and friends. I can handle it.
1 Corinthians 10:12, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” Let me share a story with you of a man that took that 1st lick and he felt comfortable with his position in life so he took that 2nd lick 3rd and so on, and it destroyed his life and he almost lost his soul. The man’s name is LOT. Genesis 13:1-11…
I. He was a Righteous Man
2 Peter 2:8, “For that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds.” In studying his life I was surprised to see that, because Lot is an example of a Christian who tried to live as close to the world as possible, while still being a child of God. But there are a few things that we can look at.
1. He left a land of idol worshippers with Abraham. Gen. 12:1-4 (Ur – Haran).
2. He was hospitable to the angels of the Lord. Gen. 19:1-7
3. He risked his life to save his son’s-in-law. Gen. 19:12-14
Even though the Bible says he was righteous we can clearly see that he made some very foolish decisions and he was forced to face the consequences. That ought to be a warning to all of us. We are all vulnerable, we all can be tempted and overcome by sin. 1 Corinthians 10:12, “Therefore let him that thinks he stand, take heed lest he fall.”
Often we are the most vulnerable when we believe we are the strongest. When we think we have obtained. When we think we’ve conquered temptation. Maybe that’s why Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Now I don’t know that Lot was overcome by his pride, but I do know that you and I will be if we are not careful to be humble.
Paul W. Powell, “Pride is so subtle that if we aren’t careful we’ll be proud of our humility. When this happens our goodness becomes badness. Our virtues become vices. We can easily become like the Sunday School teacher who, having told the story of the Pharisee and the publican, said, ‘Children, let’s bow our heads and thank God we are not like the Pharisee!
What was it that brought about the problems of his life?
2. He Chose by his Natural Desires
The Bible says that Abraham and lot became very wealthy, Abraham with cattle, silver and gold. Lot with flocks, herds, and tents. They possessed so much that the land was no longer able to bare them & there was division among their herdsmen.
So Abraham told LOT to choose which way he would go and Abram would go the other direction. Genesis 13:10-11… I can picture LOT standing on a mountain looking all around. He saw the green grass, well watered, like the garden of the Lord. (No preparation would be necessary, his flocks would be well provided for). His decision was based on ease.
I wonder how many people have made major decisions in life based on their job, money, or location. Based on their natural desires rather than God’s will.
Like the white wolf that was controlled by his hunger for blood, Lot allowed his natural desires to control him in making his decision. He didn’t pray, seek the Lord, or ask for guidance. He just saw that it was well watered, he saw a place where his flocks and herds could be taken care of. His decision was based on ease and comfort and so he moved to Sodom.
Questions to ask yourself before making a decision.
1. Is this biblical?
2. Will it help accomplish my goals?
3. Is it wise stewardship of my resources?
4. Will it glorify Christ?
Lot chose by his natural desires rather than seeking God’s will in his life. So he moved toward Sodom & Gomorrah - then noticed what happened.
3. He Became Desensitized to their Sin
2 Peter 2:8, “For that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds” (Tormented, but after a period of time he became numb to it). Just like the white wolf who sliced his tongue on the razor’s edge but didn’t know it because his tongue was numb.
Now let me show you the steps that Lot took…
Genesis 13:12, “Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom.” Gen. 14:12, “Lot… was living in Sodom.”
Gen. 19:1, “Lot was sitting at the gate of Sodom.” – he became a leader of the city
Gen. 19:8, when the men of the city came to get the angels who were staying at Lots house… “Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them.”
Could you imagine coming to a point in your life where your willing to give your daughters to men who are so depraved? Remember he came to this point in his life over a long period of time in which he was exposed to their wickedness.
Gen. 19:36, “So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father.”
Satan knows that when you are constantly bombarded with all kinds of different perversions you will become desensitized by them, you may even begin to see them as normal.
(Nazi Germany – Hitler constantly had his armies watch films portraying the Jews as rats and said they were infecting the world and said they needed to be destroyed). They were being brainwashed, after a period of time they had become desensitized.
We are being bombarded by all kinds of sin today… and as a nation we have been desensitized… and we are seeing the effects on our society, our communities, our schools, our children & our churches.
Just look at the changes that have taken place in our society in the last 50 years. Just look at the changes in television: I love Lucy… (pregnant, separate beds, no sexual innuendos) Now it seems the only thing they talk about on TV is sex – violence – no moral value – Andy Griffith. In our schools 50 years ago they had daily prayer, creation was part of the curriculum, and the Bible was read… In some churches today sin is not condemned it is honored. Gay men being ordained as ministers.
Satan just wants us to begin to accept the world’s standards as a normal way of life. Then he knows he’s got us were he wants us. We say things like, “That’s not so bad.”
“Sin will take you farther than you want to go, it will keep you longer than you want to stay, and it will cost you more than you want to pay.”
4. He Paid the Price
Before LOT left Sodom the Bible never says that he took part in their sin, but we do see that he had become desensitized by their sin, but he paid a price.
1. He lost his belongings (his substance was great)
2. He lost his home
3. He lost his wife – turned back (She loved the world)
4. He lost daughters (son’s-in-law).
5. He lost his moral compass
Lot is an example of a Christian who tried to live as close to the world as possible with the mistaken idea that it wouldn’t affect him. As a result, he lost everything. He lost his family, his possessions, and his integrity. He lost it all.
Many Christians that are doing the same thing. They are trying to live as close to the world as possible without being affected by it. They are living a tightrope existence, attempting to live with one foot in the world and one foot in God’s kingdom. But the fact is, it can’t be done. That kind of life will inevitably lead to a fall.
Luke 9:62, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” Matthew 6:24a, “No man can serve two masters…” The point is you can’t live for self and the world, while at the same time trying to please God. It is a spiritual impossibility.
And if you try to live for both, like Lot, your going to loose it all.
5. He was Delivered by God from the Ungodly
I believe He delivered him for 3 reasons:
1. Abraham prayed for him. (Gen. 18:23-33). If Abram had not prayed for him LOT would not have been delivered Gen. 19:29. We ought to be praying for others… Our prayers can make a difference, Abraham’s did. (MAKE A LIST OF PEOPLE).
2. God is patient - 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
3. Lot heeded God’s warning – The angel’s warned him and he left. He tried to warn others, but they stayed. 1 Corinthians 10:12, “Therefore let him that thinks he stand, take heed lest he fall.”
Maybe you have begun to accept the sin of this nation as normal, but God has not. Maybe you have taken that 1st lick yourself and thought you were safe, no one was watching, you got away with it, now your hungry for more, watch out destruction lies ahead.
But it’s not too late; you can still turn back to God, 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
