The judgment of the world in its sin manifested.
Here there are but two, and they as ministering angels, and just Lot is delivered, but this is because of the promise and favor to Abraham—it is grace; it is a question of the world and a remnant, and that remnant near the ruin (though delivered, so as by fire) because it had taken the world when it seemed well-watered everywhere, as the garden of the Lord, and very little like the place of fire and judgment to the eye of the flesh. God had given, men might say, all these things, so He had in a sense; what then? Man was a sinner, and relinquishment, service and promise was his place; why promise, if he had his portion, and had not to declare plainly that he sought a country? First he chooses the well-watered plain—then pitches his tent towards Sodom—then lives in it—and then is driven out, with loss of all, by judgment of destruction.