Lot and a Wicked City

From: Messages of God's Love: 1936

Genesis 19:1-17¹And 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; ²And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. ³And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. ⁴But 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: ⁵And 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. ⁶And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, ⁷And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. ⁸Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. ⁹And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. ¹⁰But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. ¹¹And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door. ¹²And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: ¹³For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it. ¹⁴And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. ¹⁵And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. ¹⁶And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. ¹⁷And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. (Genesis 19:1‑17) Luke 17:28, 29²⁸Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; ²⁹But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. (Luke 17:28‑29)

Lot lived with his uncle, Abram, and had many sheep and cattle. After a time there was not room for all, so Abram told Lot to choose where he would like to go. Lot looked about and chose a plain near a city, called Sodom. The land was pleasant, but the people in the city did very wickedly. Yet Lot made friends with them and went to live in their city.

Once there was war, and Lot and his family were taken captives and carried away. Abram heard of his trouble, and, with his servants, went and saved Lot and all he had and brought them back. Still Lot stayed among the wicked people. At last all became so sinful, both old and young, that the Lord said the city must be destroyed. He sent two angels to tell Lot to leave. Lot then tried to warn the people of the danger, and for them not to act so wickedly, but they would not listen to him. In the morning the angels hurried Lot, his wife, and two daughters out of the city; told them to flee to the mountains and not to look back. Lot’s wife looked back, and a strange thing happened. She became a pillar of salt, left on the plain, while the others went on God sent fire from heaven upon Sodom and all in it died. They had not been sorry for their evil ways.

“The Lord..... is long-suffering..... not willing that any should perish, but that all should conic to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9⁹The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9).

ML 07/19/1936

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