We look at the life of Abraham. His call to leave his land and family and the promise he received. He has been waiting almost 25 years for the fulfillment of that promise. Abraham is promised that Sarah at the age of 90 will give birth to Isaac within the year. Now there is another turn in the life of Abraham.
We now have the story of Abraham’s nephew Lot. It involves the famous story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Even those with no bible background know what we are talking about when we mention the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. It is very well known that these were cities destroyed by God. It is the infamous fire and brimstone judgement of God passage. Someone may have never read the Bible, but just through culture knowledge they know Lot’s wife turned to a pillar of salt.
God reveals his plans (Genesis 18:16-21). We already have seen in Genesis 18 the story of 3 visitors for Abraham. One of them is the Angel of the Lord and two of them are ordinary angels. The two angels will go and meet with Lot. The Angel of the Lord, the Lord himself, reveals his plans to Abraham.
Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous 21 that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.” (Genesis 18:20) The sins of Sodom and Gomorrah are so grievous that the cities deserve God’s punishment. One of the aspects of salvation we communicate in the Gospel is, God is righteous and must punish sin.
God is revealing to Abraham, the father of promise why destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is necessary. Abraham is to raise up his family in righteousness. This is an important aspect of being the chosen one. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.” (Genesis 18:19)
Abraham pleads for Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:22-33). Are there any cities that come to your mind that you think God should destroy because there is so much wickedness there? Well not if your nephew lives there. You do not want God to completely destroy any city where you have family living there Abraham learned of God’s plan to destroy Sodom, but his own family members lived there. He begins to intercede for Sodom.
At first glance what Abraham does when he talks with the Lord, the Angel of the Lord after the two angels left them, might sound like he is haggling in the marketplace. You want $10 for that? Well, I will give you $5.
Abraham knows he is talking to the judge of all the earth Abraham is interceding for Sodom and approaching the Lord in faith. He bases his plea on the righteous character of God himself. Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:25).
When Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom, he probably knew the wickedness of the city. Abraham interceded and asked God to spare the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. What if there are fifty righteous people in Sodom, will you still destroy the city?
The LORD said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” (Genesis 18:26) What if there are 45 righteous? If there are forty 45 righteous? For 45 righteous I will not destroy it. This is repeated. What about 30, 20 and then 10?
He answered, for the sake of ten I will not destroy it.
In God’s grace he will spare Sodom and Gomorrah from destruction if there are just 10 righteous found there. The heartbreak is, there are not 10 righteous people found in Sodom. Lot’s failure to influence even 10 people is tragic. And it is a challenge to us. Have we influenced 10 people to follow the Lord?
If it were on us for our city to be spared, would we have that minimum influence? Have you led 10 people to Christ in your city?
We have the two angels visit to Sodom (Genesis 19:1-13). The two angels that left Abraham arrived in the wicked city of Sodom. Lot insisted that the two visitors stay at his house and not sleep in the city square. But the men of the city did a terrible thing. Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom—both young and old—surrounded the house. (Genesis 19:4).
The word Sodomy comes from a word that means the sin of Sodom. The word as we know it today has its origin from this passage. They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.” (Genesis 19:5)
Lot tried to stop them. They would not listen to Lot even though he went to extreme measures to keep them from sexually assaulting his guests. Lot said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing. (Genesis 19:7)
The angles struck the men who were trying to assault them with blindness. They were could not find the door. It is not only that these men were assaulting Lots visitors, but the nature of their assault. “‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable. (Leviticus 18:22) Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. (Romans 1:26-27)
There is a message of grace. The promised blessing to Abraham that all the families of the earth would be blessed is available to all. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11)
The destruction of the cities (Genesis 19:14-29). Lot will be spared from the judgement that will fall on their city Sodom. This grace extends to Lot and his family and those who were pledged to marry his daughters. So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry[a] 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. (Genesis19:14)
Lot left the city with his wife and two daughters. Flee for your lives! Don’t look back!
This is what is very famous as it is worded in the King James Version of fire and brimstone the modern versions translate as burning sulfur. The fire and brimstone fell on Sodom and Gomorrah. Then the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the LORD out of the heavens. (Genesis 19:24)
There is a parallel of how there is a rescue from eternal judgment. Lot’s wife did look back and became a pillar of salt.
It is a harsh judgment. Bible scholars place the location of Sodom and Gomorrah under what is now the Dead Sea. The judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah is an account that causes us to have a reverence for the holiness of God. To have the fear of God in us.
Abraham interceded on behalf of wicked Sodom and Gomorrah. We should spend more time praying for the lost. Those who need to receive the blessing of the future families promised to Abraham. Lot was spared as a result of Abraham’s prayers.
Believers in Christ are to be in the world not of it. The consequences of sin affect everyone. The influence and blessing of the righteous make a difference.
