Review of Genesis 19

by Victor Fawole

DIVINE DELIVERANCE FROM DREADFUL DESTRUCTION

Welcome back to “No Bible, No Breakfast”, our spiritual discipline geared towards valuing the Word of God above our necessary food. So far, we have been blessed by the goodies embedded in the pages of the book of Genesis. In Genesis 18, we read about Abraham’s encounter with three angels, whom he beautifully entertained. I love how we were able to learn Abraham’s model of Personal Financial Devotion.

I’ll divide this review into three major parts:

• Godless Modality
• Godless Morality
• Godless Mentality

Let us move on:

1. GODLESS MODALITY

Gen. 19:1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

Let us flash back to Genesis 18. Abraham had entertained three angels. However, two angels were sent to Sodom, while the third Angel, remained with Abraham while he interceded for the righteous in these cities. Lot saw something distinguishing about them that indicated authority and righteousness.

Lot sat in the gate of Sodom… Notice the downward slope in Lot’s life. He went from looking toward Sodom (Gen. 13:10), to pitching his tent toward Sodom (Gen. 13:12), to living in Sodom (Gen. 14:12), to losing everything when Sodom was attacked. Even after the deliverance by Abraham, Lot went back to Sodom and here, he was sitting in the gate of Sodom. This indicates that he had become an influential leader in a corrupt land. Wow! At this point, it is not out of place to say that “Sodom moved into Lot”. He has made himself “brothers” with the evil men (v. 7). That, is godless modality!

There are many differences to observe between Abraham and Lot. Let us check out a few of them:

• Abraham lived as a “sojourner” and built “tents”, being ready to move at the Lord’s command; Lot lived as a “citizen” (although he wasn’t – v. 9) and built a “house”, being resolute to remain where his senses led him.
• Abraham ran to meet the heavenly visitors; Lot did not run to meet them.
• The angels accepted Abraham’s offer of hospitality immediately; Lot had to “press upon them greatly” before they accepted.
• Abraham desired to offer his son to God as a sacrifice; Lot desired to offer his daughters to the Sodomites to satisfy their sexual lusts.
• The message to Abraham was joyful – God would give them a son; the message to Lot was frightening – God would bring judgment.

2. GODLESS MORALITY

Gen. 19:4-5 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

The bible emphasizes that they are “men”. The men of the city, even the men of Sodom… This clearly indicates their homosexual lusts. The fact that both the old and young were involved indicates that the lifestyle of homosexuality was promoted and practiced even among kids.

• Their immorality was prevalent, as it involved all the people from every quarter!
• Their immorality was polluting, as Lot found it detestable!
• Their immorality was persistent, as they wouldn’t even listen to Lot!
• Their immorality was pugnacious, as they were willing to forcefully have their way!
• Their immorality was punishable, as the angels needed no further evidence for the execution of the wrath of God!

3. GODLESS MENTALITY
The downward spiral that Lot experienced through his affinity with Sodom really affected him a lot. His mentality had been damaged. It’s such a sad story.

A. It affected Lot’s FAITH
Let us not forget that the Bible recognizes Lot as a righteous man (2Pet. 2:7,8), for righteousness is by faith, not by works. However, his “Christian” walk and testimony were nothing to write home about. You will notice:

• His Worthless Witness
  The angels gave Lot the chance to witness as an “emergency evangelist”. God still gave grace to as many as would listen and escape the coming wrath. Mr. Lot went out with a megaphone.

Gen. 19:14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, and said, “Up, get out of this place, for the Lord is destroying the city.” But he appeared to his sons-in-law to be joking.

What a shame for the emergency evangelist! His salt had become tasteless! (Matt. 5:13)

• His Weak Will
  There was something about Lot in this story, and I pray that none of us will ever get to this point in Jesus’ Name. He had become so used to Sodom that he was reluctant to start moving.

Gen. 19:15-16 When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.” But he hesitated. So the men grasped his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, because the compassion of the Lord was upon him; and they brought him out and put him outside the city.

This lack of urgency is a sign of a heart that is far from godly desires and close to fleshly desires. If not for the “compassion of the Lord upon him”. Oh… Despite his worldliness, he was still God’s beloved! We will also notice his spiritual dullness as he was ready to stop moving.

Gen. 19:20 now behold, this town is near enough to flee to, and it is small. Please, let me escape there (is it not small?) so that my life may be saved.”

This speaks of Lot’s failure to trust the Lord’s protection and provision in the mountains. He chose Zoar, which was as sinful as Sodom, although much smaller in size. Lot got out of the heart of Sodom, but he could not get Sodom out of his heart. He had lost his “great possessions” that initially caused a separation from Abraham. So, why didn’t he choose to return to Abraham? Hmmmmmn…

B. It affected Lot’s FAMILY
Not only were Lot’s “Christian” walk and testimony nothing to write home about, his family was a mess. Living in the immorality-promoting Sodom had a harmful effect on his family. Their mentality had been influenced by the culture of Sodom. His compromise affected far more than himself.

• His Wife

Gen. 19:26 But Lot’s wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

She left Sodom physically, but her heart remained in Sodom. She became a memorial of disobedience! (Luke 17:32)

• His Daughters

i. His daughters had a doubtful perspective (Gen. 19:30-32)

They did not trust God to provide husbands for them. They used their debased logic. Saying that their father is old means they would never believe God’s promise to give Abraham a son in old age. Saying that there was no other man on earth was clearly an exaggeration, as there were men in Zoar. They learnt to rationalize sin using debased logic from their father who was willing to defile his daughters in replacement for the angels.

ii. His daughters did disgraceful practices (Gen. 19:33-36)

They shamelessly mastered their plans. They employed drunkenness as a tactic. They have probably seen their father misbehave numerous times, in his drunken state during their time in Sodom. They got their father so drunk that he had no knowledge of what was transpiring! The tactic worked again the following day. With Noah and Lot, we’ve seen the connection between alcohol and sexual immorality. Drunkenness is a sin. Please avoid it!

iii. His daughters produced doomful progeny

Gen. 19:37-38 The firstborn gave birth to a son, and named him Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day. As for the younger, she also gave birth to a son, and named him Ben-ammi; he is the father of the sons of Ammon to this day.

Their descendants would become very problematic bitter enemies for Israel (1Sam. 14:47, 2Chro. 20:1-30), just like the descendants of Ishmael. In fact, God placed a ban on them entering the assembly of the LORD…

Deut. 23:3 “No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the LORD; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall ever enter the assembly of the LORD…”

Lot’s life ended in ruin in regards to the past, the present, and the future – and all because of his love for the world and the compromises that came with that love. Lot was saved, but his life and his family’s lives were wasted from heaven’s point of view. And worst of all, there is absolutely no evidence that any of his family got saved!

Dear Gogolights, let us hold fast the profession of our faith, and be a shining light in this world.

Grace to you, Church!