Lot in an Ungodly World
When Lot “pitched his tent toward Sodom” (Genesis 13:12), he was making a financial decision, not a spiritual decision. This area, in the Jordan valley, was “well watered everywhere” (13:10). Unfortunately, he would lose everything he had (including his wife) some twenty-four years later.
The men of Sodom were “exceedingly” wicked (13:13; that adverb is used four times in reference to Sodom). The cry of the city went up before God (13:21). He had “destroyed” the world during the days of Noah (that verb is used five times in that context). He will “destroy” Sodom; the verb is used eight times in chapters 18 & 19 (18:28).
We learn about God’s justice in 18:22-33, esp. verse 25. We see of God’s nature – His love, patience, mercy. The same is true of Abraham. Abraham did not want to innocent to perish with the guilty. In this whole discussion, Abraham does not mention Lot and his family but perhaps he had Lot and his family in mind – apparently the five of them: Lot, Mrs. Lot, two daughters, and two sons-in-law.
When the angels visit Lot, the Sodomites surround the house (19:4). Moses writes as if the whole city was involved: “young & old” ; “all” the people ; “from every quarter.” The Sodomites wanted to “have relations” (literally: “know”) the visitors. This verb is used 948 times in the Old Testament; fifteen are referring to sexual relations (see 4:1). This is not “rape” as some want it to mean. Other passages use other verbs for the idea of forcible sex, i.e., “rape” (Genesis 34; Judges 19; 2 Samuel 13). This was homosexuality.
In verse 8, Lot does something few fathers could even contemplate – he offers his two daughters for the sexual gratification of the Sodomites in lieu of his visitors. Lot apparently saw heterosexual immorality as less worse than homosexuality.
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In verse 11, God struck the men with blindness. Lot’s own sons-in-law think he is joking when he warns them about the destruction of the city (vs 14). Not unlike people today who think God’s wrath is a joke. God’s command for Lot and his family not to look back (verse 17) was not a joke either! Lot’s wife learned that that seemingly insignificant command was a “salvation issue” (vs 26).
At sunrise, God rained down “brimstone” and “fire” (perhaps a figure of speech, called a hendiadys, in which two terms are used to describe one concept; i. e., “burning sulfur” NIV). That last time God caused rain was in 7:4. That was not pleasant either.
Lot does not come out of this story looking very spiritually-minded. But, we do get an idea of Lot’s personality in the account. He uses the word “please” six times, both with the Sodomites (verses 7-8) and with the angels (verses 18-20).
But, even more so, Peter tells us that Lot, himself, was “righteous” and his soul was “troubled” or “tormented” because of the Sodomites’ behavior (2 Peter 2:7-8). In fact, the verb “tormented” is in the imperfect tense, which shows that his neighbors’ behavior was an on-going pain in Lot’s heart.
Lot shows us how dangerous it can be for our families to “pitch our tent” in an “exceedingly” ungodly community. We may get out alive but it may not be unscathed! It is far better to take a financial loss now and be stronger later.
–Paul Holland
