ABRAHAM SERIES: GOD REMEMBERED ABRAHAM

In Genesis 18, Abraham interceded for Sodom, where his nephew Lot resided, and persuaded the Lord to spare the city if ten righteous people were living in it; however, there were not. Consequently, Genesis 19 shared the judgment of God on Sodom and Gomorrah for their grievous sins.

According to the story, two angels who were sent to Sodom were met by Lot, who rose from his seat at the gate when he saw them approaching. He extended an invitation to them to spend the night in his house, which at first they rejected, but after Lot’s vehement urging, they consented to do so.  

After the angels ate their meal and before retiring for the night, the house was surrounded by old and young men who wanted Lot to send the angels, whom they thought were men, out to them so that they could have a sexual encounter with them. Refusing to do so, Lot went outside and attempted to dissuade the crowd from their actions by offering his two virgin daughters in their stead. Rejecting his offer, the crowd attempted to break into Lot’s house, but the angels rescued Lot, pulled him into the house, and struck the crowd with blindness, disabling them from finding the door. 

Safe in his house, the angels informed Lot that God sent them to destroy the city, and Lot was instructed to bring his family members, sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone else out of Sodom. Following their instructions, Lot went to his future sons-in-law and revealed the imminent destruction of Sodom, but they did not believe him.

In the morning, the angels took the hands of Lot, his wife, and his two daughters and escorted them out of the city. They were told, “Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.” Being fearful, Lot asked if he and his family could go to a small nearby city named Zoar, and the angels agreed not to destroy it, so Lot and his family would be safe there. As Lot and family entered Zoar, God rained brimstone and fire from heaven upon Sodom, Gomorrah, and the other cities of the plain. Unfortunately, Lot’s wife did not obey the instructions, and she became a pillar of salt when she looked back.

Also, early that morning, Abraham went to the place where he and the Lord had last spoken to each other. Looking in the direction of Sodom and Gomorrah, he saw the ascending smoke, which was a sign to him that there were not ten righteous people in Sodom. In His mercy, God remembered Abraham and allowed Lot and his family to escape without harm.

This chapter ends by revealing that Lot feared for their life in Zoar, so he and his daughters went into the mountains and lived in a cave. Additionally, thinking their family line would end, Lot’s daughters got him drunk and each daughter committed incest with him and became pregnant. The eldest daughter had a son named Moab, and the younger daughter had a son named Benammi, both of whose ancestors became Israel’s hereditary enemies.

Before sharing nuggets for this blog, I would like to offer some additional insight. In biblical times, when an individual sat at the gate of the city, it typically meant that they were recognized as a respected elder with authority, wisdom, and governance power. Since Lot was found at the gate, apparently over the years after his rescue by Abraham from being a prisoner of war, he gained a position of prominence in Sodom.

In the Orient, protecting a visitor who is in your home is considered a sacred obligation, which Lot attempted to do. Unfortunately, the lives of women (Lot’s two virgin daughters) were not highly valued, for they were offered as pawns in exchange for the men’s safety.

Since the Lord did not say to Abraham that He would save the life of Lot and his family if there were fewer than ten righteous individuals in Sodom, when Abraham saw the smoke ascending over Sodom, no doubt he was concerned about the lives of his family. Furthermore, the scripture does not say whether Abraham ever met with Lot in the future.

Here are the nuggets I gained from Genesis 19:

God will tolerate sin, but for a time.

Sometimes your safety is the result of the intercession of the righteous.

It is valuable to have righteous individuals praying for you.

A genuine covenant relationship with God provides great dividends.

Disobeying instructions can cause your demise.

Oh, but for the mercy of God, your life can be snuffed out.

Choose to be hospitable when others are not.

Sin will lead to destruction.

Erroneous thinking leads to faulty actions.

Family members who reject wise counsel will not prosper.

When danger is imminent, move quickly.

When you receive divine instruction, follow it rather than trying to alter it.

God is not in favor of sexual immorality and unnatural desires.

When God is not consulted, ungodly decisions and actions are often made.