Genesis 19 is a sad picture. It is also a timeless message. It is a microcosm of the battle being fought in every nation, every community, every church, every family, and every individual today. The battle went poorly in Sodom and Gemorrah , Admah, Zeboim and Zoar in the days of Lot. According to Gen. 18:32, there were not even 10 righteous people in the valley of Siddim. The destruction of Sodom and three other towns remains an ongoing testimony to God’s feelings toward homosexuality, amongst other sins. The wickedness of that place was such that it has been preserved in a word – SODOMY – so that men are without excuse and judgement will be no surprise. But it is more than that: it is a picture of wasted potential; a picture of a family losing the battle. The problem in a nutshell was this: Lot’s family not only lived in Sodom, Sodom also lived in Lot’s family.
Because Sodom lived in Lot’s family, respect for parents declined. In Gen. 19:14 it says Lot went to warn his sons-in-law. They thought it was a joke. Lot was partly to blame for that, but nonetheless they should have taken notice. I had an instructor who told me of his and his sibling’s obedience to his father’s command not to smoke, even though the father was a smoker. Why? Parental respect is right! When the world lives in one’s heart respect for parents declines, because if there is no respect for God’s authority. Why respect them? Oftentimes when parents’ advice is listened to, it is too late and lives are wrecked by folly. God’s view of this matter is seen in Lev. 20:9, where it lists the cursing of mother or father a capital offence! Paul in Rom. 1:30 includes disobedience to parents as part of the degeneration of man, and so he says in Eph. 6:1-3 that children are to obey their parents in the Lord for this is right.
Because Sodom lived in Lot’s family, there was a reluctance to flee evil. The angels had to lead Lot and his family out of Sodom by the hand (Gen. 19:15,16). Remember what they were leaving – a city filled with immorality, pride, affluence, idleness, lack of concern for the poor and needy (Ezek. 16:49)) and unrighteousness (an attitude which flagrantly disobeys God will not limit itself to one area). Yet they could not bring themselves to leave. We are told to flee certain things: fornication (1 Cor. 6:18); idolatry (1 Cor. 10:14); love of money (1 Tim. 6:10,11), and youthful lusts (2 Tim. 2:2). In short, the Christian is to flee worldliness (Jas. 4:4). We might think this is a message for the world, and it is, but the New testament writers kept telling Christians to get the world out of them. Too many Christians are reluctant to distance themselves from activities and associations clearly evil. God’s view is found in such passages as Gal. 6:7 and 1 John 2:15-17.
Because Sodom lived in Lot’s family, fear reigned instead of faith. The angel told Lot he and his family would be safe in the mountains but he was too afraid to go there (vs. 19,20). He wanted to go to Zoar. Conditioned by Sodom he wanted to go to a sister city of Sodom. He had little faith that God would be able to save him in the mountains so he bargains with God. God allows him to go there, but then (v.30), as it turned out, he was afraid to dwell in Zoar in the lowlands surrounded by destruction and so he goes up from the plain into the mountains anyway. The world has the same effect on backsliding Christians. The world cannot offer solace or peace of mind – it can only encourage and breed fear. It promotes a “certain fearful looking for of judgement” (Heb. 10:27). Proverbs 28:1 says, the wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion. If one is not living right, his fears are justified. If he does not repent his worse fears will be realised one day. I’ve asked a number of backslidden Christians over the years about what they think about their eternity – it’s different from asking the average Joe on the street who is too ignorant to have any real concerns – the backslidden Christian will often say something to the effect “I try not to think about it”. God’s view is found in such passages as Matt.10:28 and John 14:1.
Because Sodom lived in Lot’s family, love for the worldly was stronger than the will to obey God. God told them not to look back. Why this command? It would seem it is a directive implying utmost haste and no dilly-dallying. Lot’s wife was so enamoured with Sodom she couldn’t help herself but look back and was crystallised into a pillar of salt. (Reminds me of the preacher who was sick of people turning around to see the clock on the back wall and so he put a sign under the clock which read, Remember Lot’s wife.) Where did it begin? Back in Gen. 13:9-11 when choices were made about where to live. They looked through the eye of sight rather than the eye of faith. Concerns about physical prosperity took precedence over spiritual concerns. God’s view? Jesus reminds us with the words Remember Lot’s wife (Luke 17:32). Although these words were spoken to impress upon the minds of the early Christians the urgency to get out of Jerusalem because of its impending destruction, they have a metaphorical application for us as well to keep our eyes firmly fixed on the prize of the high calling of God.
Because Sodom lived in Lot’s family, Sodom’s values had taken root in their actions. Note verses 5-8. Lot was willing to offer his daughters to the lust of the mob. That may have been a so-called honourable custom of hospitality to protect visitors, but it is an heinous and so-unpaternal a thing in the sight of God – attempting to overcome one sin with another. That’s the values of the world. (eg. a mother-to-be thinks she will be a bad mother or will not be able to provide for the child to a certain standard and so she aborts the child) and even when Sodom was destroyed its influence was still very much alive in the hearts of Lot’s daughters: they did the unthinkable and committed incest with their father. Where did they learn that as an option?! They had imbibed too long of the values of Sodom, and so sin became an option. When you lie down with the dogs you rise up with the fleas. Lot’s descendants, the Moabites and Ammonites, became a plague to the descendants of Abraham. Where did it all begin? – it began the day that Lot set his face toward Sodom. God’s view is that we must be in the world (John 17:15). He doesn’t want us living in a secluded monastery. We must be in the world but the world must not get in us. The church is like a ship:- a ship does alright in the ocean, but when the ocean gets in the ship it is in trouble.
Lot was a righteous man (2 Pet. 2:6-9), and the Lord delivered him, but the cost of bad decisions was high. Seek first the Kingdom.