When we dissect the BELOW text we can identify two noticeable eras paralleled in the text along with three people categories belonging to each era, namely the 1. SODOMITES, 2. LOT’S FAMILY and 3. LOT’S WIFE. It’s worth looking at the conduct and the choices made by people of each category, as they stand monumental warnings for all generations. How are these periods which are apart from centuries connected with each other? Let us explore together.
28 “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were EATING and DRINKING, BUYING and SELLING, PLANTING and BUILDING. 29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. 32 Remember Lot’s wife! Luke 17:28-32
A. ANCIENT SODOMITES vs. MODERNDAY SODOMITES
1. SODOM, A PROSPEROUS CITY
“Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the valley of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord.” Genesis 13:10-12
Lot saw it right. Indeed Sodom was a dazzling city with class, luxury, splendor, abundance and financial prospects. But sadly prosperity was just one side of the coin.
PROSPEROUS CITIES OF OUR DAY
When we lift up our eyes, what do we see? We see the world in all it’s splendor, thriving towards prosperity, success, development and technology. Man’s towers reaches the heaven with breathtaking infra structure, beautiful landscapes, mesmerizing shopping malls, mouth-watering treats and delicacies. Yes man is EATING , DRINKING, BUYING, SELLING, PLANTING and BUILDING just like Jesus said. So what’s wrong with it?
2. SODOM, A SIN CITY
“Now the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the Lord.” Genesis 13:13
Despite its wealth, Sodom was a morally corrupt, lawless, sin city. Sodomites’ treatment of Lot’s visitors (Genesis 19:4-9) clearly show that the society was shameless, degenerate, violent and entirely sex-perverted.
SIN CITIES OF OUR DAY – SIN ON SALE
Disguised in the covering of prosperity, the cities of OUR DAY are packed with all kinds of perverted immoral pleasures, just like Sodom. Scripture clearly says God made man, male and female but Man keeps redefining and experimenting with his gender to a spectrum of rainbow varieties. Whatever it is or whoever it is the SELLERS and SERVICE PROVIDERS in the sin cities of our day ensure customer satisfaction. The desire for pleasure and entertainment over rides the principles and values resulting in a sky rocketing divorce rate, drug addiction, prostitution and so on. Sodomites didn’t practice immorality in the closet but out in the open, just like Hollywood, TV, movies and media are fanning the flames of immorality in OUR DAY inviting and luring people into a dangerous trap.
3. SODOM, AN ARROGANT CITY
“Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me.” Ezekiel 16:49-50
ARROGANT CITIES OF OUR DAY
Just like the days of Nimrod people are making a name for themselves, building for themselves, TOWERS, the higher the towers go the prouder and Godless people have become. People are increasingly mocking God and rejecting God and the rising atheism in the world is a clear evidence. The more people move away from God people are increasingly becoming wicked with an exceeding crime rate, violence and bloodshed with no respect or mercy for the needy.
POINT TO PONDER
Are we aware of the spiritual landscape of our surroundings?
Can we discern the current of moral corruption underneath the prosperity and success?
As the sin of OUR DAY is ripening, let us be vigilant and stand against all sorts of evil that comes to us in luxury’s and pleasure’s clothing.
1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. 2 Timothy 3:1-5
B. ANCIENT LOT’S FAMILY vs. MODERNDAY LOT’S FAMILIES
WHERE HAVE YOU PITCHED YOUR TENT? DOES IT EVEN MATTER?
1. LOT’S FAMILY PITCH THE TENT
There is a lot we can learn by looking at how Lot, a reputed spiritual man chooses the place to pitch his tent. He immediately lifts up his eyes, analyzes the prospects of the land (Genesis 13) and makes his choice. The immoral status of the city and its possible disastrous influence over his family was not taken into consideration. Unlike Abraham there’s no mention of Lot “Building an alter” after pitching the tent.
“while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom”. Genesis 13:12
2. LOT’S FAMILY MIGRATE TO SODOM
May be at first looking at the moral corruption of the city the family decided to reside outside the city walls separated from the city itself but not for too long. Very soon Lot’s family change their residency status from “Sojourners” living outside the city in tents to “permanent residents” of Sodomite Luxury apartments.
“But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house.” Genesis 19:3
3. LOT’S FAMILY BLENDS IN
Totally disregarding God’s instructions to be separated they start totally blending in with the Sodomites. As the story goes they not only live among the Sodomites but Lot’s daughters intermarry the Sodomites.
So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters. He said, “Hurry and get out of this place, because the Lord is about to destroy the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was joking. Genesis 19:14
POINT TO PONDER
Lot’s family dwelled outside the city in a tent, but slowly ended up in a house in the city, blending with the Sodomites. When it is time for you to pitch the tent for your family, what do you take into consideration? In a family compromise does not happen overnight, instead it creeps in gradually, little by little, like a snake creeps into a bird’s nest. The story of Lot’s family proves that God will not tolerate a double lifestyle from His people. Those who are trying to live in two worlds must make a decision. We cannot keep one foot in the world and one in the Kingdom of God.
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. James 4:4
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
C. ANCIENT LOT’S WIFE vs. MODERNDAY LOT’S WIVES
1. A COLD HEART
“Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,” Matthew 24:12
Unbelief was not the cause for Mrs. Lot’s tragic story. She did not refuse the message like her married or engaged daughters and their husbands. She believed the warning and actually started on her way. But there was no enthusiasm in her heart for coming out of Sodom. Her heart had become Lukewarm for the calling of God .
Are you still zealous for the calling of God? or your first love for God is gradually fading away?
2. A DIVIDED HEART
“But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.” Genesis 19:26
Why did she look back? It was evident that her will was divided. The voice of God was calling her to come out of that place of lust and destruction to be separated but the voice of Sodom takes over and Lot’s wife stand a tragic example of a divided heart.
Have you paused your walk with God?
Are you having cold feet, second thoughts?
Are you looking back at the world that you left behind for Christ?
Do you seek the Kingdom of God and it’s righteousness with all your heart just like the merchant who sold everything he had to own the precious pearl? (Matthew 13:45-46)
3. A LINGERING HEART
“On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back.” Luke 17:31
In Luke 17:28 Jesus mentions two interesting words, “Buying and selling” to describe what the Sodomites were doing when the disaster struck them. Sodom was stacked with hypnotizing merchandize. It seems the glamourous life style, social events, parties, luxury apartments, designer Jewelry clothing brands, shoes and handbags had an immediate effect on Mrs. Lot. Sadly the desires of Sodom captivated her heart. It’s not just Mrs. Lot who shifts to Sodom but Sodom shifts to her heart and takes permanent residence and she secretly falls in love with the lustrous pleasures and indulgences of Sodom and finally shares the materialistic mindset of the Sodomites.
Are you still attached to the fine things of this world?
Are you trapped in the vicious cycle of collecting material possessions?
What is truly at the core of your heart?
Are you wedded to Christ or the desires of this passing world?
POINT TO PONDER
Even the professing Christians of our day are so blinded by the false teachings that they are expecting God to perform a money miracle to indulge in the materialistic desires. As the scripture says very clearly we cannot serve two masters, (Matthew 6:24) either we need to choose the world and it’s desires or the Kingdom of God and it’s righteousness. There is no middle path in the Kingdom of God, either we are in or we are out. Partial surrender is no better than disobedience.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 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. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-17
Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; Revelation 18:4
Choose God. Choose Life.
Shalom!
