Run For Your Life

"And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed." (Genesis 19:15-17)

It has been said, with great truth, that God is the God of a second chance. These verses declare His mercy. I believe we could also assume that He is also the God of the last chance, as a study of Genesis nineteen confirms.

Many preachers have used this story of Lot’s removal from Sodom as a type of the Church being raptured before the Tribulation Period. No one can disagree that the moral condition of the world and particularly our own country closely parallel the gross sin of Sodom and it’s impending judgment.

Within this parallel of Sodom and the world, there is also a close resemblance between Lot’s life and the Church of today. God’s message to Lot, goes forth to His body to come out from the world, its lust and greed before it is too late.

Like Lot, much of the Church has been silenced and backsliden, so the message from God’s angel is echoed by today’s prophets and preachers.

Chapter eighteen recalls the account of the angels traveling to Sodom via the camp of Abraham and explaining to him their destination and reason. They told Abraham that, "...Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and because their sin is very grievous." (Genesis 18:20)

The word cry used in this verse does not mean to weep. Its meaning is to ’announce or convene publicly’. The people of Sodom had no shame. They, with a proud arrogance practiced, promoted and defended their debauchery. Completely devoid of any type of restraint, moral, religious or political. Like today, the sins of Sodom have been resurrected within our nation. They are protected by our political leaders, promoted by our television and recording celebrities, practiced by any willing participant and defended with the abominable cliché, "Don’t judge me."

Is it any wonder why the true prophets of God weep over an unsuspecting and seemingly unconcerned church. Proclaiming aloud the wake up call that Jesus is coming! Repent! Crying out to God for a genuine move and revival to ready His bride for His return.

Like Lot though, many in the Church sit idly by, in the midst of a wicked world system.

The Warning

In verse fifteen of our opening scripture the angels come to Lot with an announcement that has grown very unpopular to today’s Church member. It was a message of coming judgment. Unlike today’s messages of peace and prosperity, God sees the sin of our land and is giving what may be the final call to some of us to run for our lives unless we be "consumed in the iniquity of the city."

God’s message is simple. If we do not lay down our idols and repent of our secret sin, He has no other choice than to allow us to be consumed (perish) with those He directs His judgment towards. Spiritually as well as physically. Had Lot rejected the warning of the angels, his end would have been as the Sodomites.

There is a time of divine ultimatum when we must make a decision to remain in our sin or repent and follow God in holiness and purity.

Notice that the angels "hastened" Lot to get his family together and get out. Time was up. Yet in verse sixteen, Lot lingered (question, hesitate, be reluctant) He may, as many of us, still think we have plenty of time. Or, don’t even believe in a rapture or judgment any more. Messages about the rapture and any type of judgment have fallen by the wayside in most churches. "Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant..." (2 Peter 3:4)

Lot may have tried to argue that this warning of judgment violated everything he had heard preached at his local church. Maybe he should get a second opinion, or take some time to judge this prophecy.

There are multitudes in the church whom Sunday after Sunday sit under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, but linger holding on to secret sins and the lust of worldly things, rejecting the mercy and the grace of God. Nonetheless, judgment is coming, and like the sons and sons-in-law of Lot, along with their wives were consumed in the iniquity and death sentence of the city of Sodom. Dropping off into a fiery eternity despite the grace and warning of a visible visitation from God.