Nothing can be more instructive than to trace the history, and note the outcome of the lives of others. No two lives of God’s people, running side by side, afford us more searching lessons than those of Abram and Lot.
After years of apparently happy fellowship in a pilgrim path with God, quarrels and dissensions arose between the servants of the two men, and so Abram and Lot parted company: Abram, to continue the pilgrim and stranger’s path, the walk of faith with God; Lot, to tread the path of worldly wisdom and self-seeking.
As to Lot, it would seem that ever since the journey to Egypt for succor in a time of testing and failure, the world and its glitter had awakened in him new thoughts of earth’s riches and advantages. THE OBJECT THE HEART IS SET UPON, IS THE OBJECT THE FEET WILL PURSUE. So it was with Lot. Reader, WHAT is the object of YOUR heart?
As the FIRST step in open departure, Lot is seen pitching his tent toward Sodom. He does not at once go right into the prosperous, but wicked city. Conscience is not yet fully asleep, though Satan is steadily luring him on after the gilded bait. Soul declension having set in, it is only a matter of time till we find Lot and his family dwelling in that city.
The prophet Ezekiel tells us that the city of Sodom was noted for several things, among them being fullness of bread; that is, it was a rich city with an abundance of the good things of this life, so that self and its great demands could gratify every lust. It was also a city given over to idleness, where people took life easy, and went in for what they considered a good time. Once in Sodom, Lot is no longer known as the companion of the odd and peculiar man Abram; but is recognized as Justice Lot, one of the Judges of the city.
Shortly after he came into Sodom, God in his providence, allowed Lot’s self-chosen ease to be disturbed, and he became engulfed in Sodom’s wars, was taken captive by the enemy, and recovered only by the noble efforts of Abram. But the hold that his heart’s objects had secured on him, blinded his eyes to God’s rebuke, and so he returned to the city to DWELL there permanently—alas! alas! till the day of its overthrow.
From a human standpoint, one would say that Lot had made a GRAND success of his venture in Sodom; worldly honor, fame, respect, and, we can believe, some of this world’s wealth had come to him. As to his children, whatever the advantages open to them in the doomed city, Lot’s sin is seen in remaining within such a stronghold of wickedness.
BUT THE REAPING TIME CAME AT LAST very unexpectedly, and this was the moment when the sad results of Lot’s departure from God were to be seen.
WHAT A REAPING TIME was Lot’s for his folly, unbelief, disobedience and covetousness! His testimony is powerless to deliver sons-in-law, or anyone, from the doomed city; for all turn a deaf ear to his pleadings, and the story of the coming judgment appears to them as a mere jest. He must depart and leave them to perish with Sodom.
Christian reader, mark well the effect upon one’s family, relatives, and acquaintances of a worldly course; the soul that fails to walk with God—a living testimony against the many forms of evils about him—will be utterly unable to deliver others.
O, let us take to heart what we see here! God’s judgment is soon to fall upon this poor, ungodly world. What, O what! will be the state of our sons, our daughters, our relatives, then? Will they be delivered from the rod of God’s wrath? Or will they, through our worldliness, our unfaithfulness, our indifference, go on unwarned, unblest, unsaved, to perish in their sins? God forbid!
The wealth of years of toil for which Lot had sacrificed untold spiritual blessings and eternal rewards, must be abandoned to become food for the devouring flames. So too, my reader, will it be with you, if you have gone in for making money, and adding to your earthly store.
What power, what testimony, what fruit, can come of the life, that to the unsaved, appears to consist in the abundance of the things it possesses? O remember! “Thou fool!” was the brand of the Savior, the great Searcher of Hearts, upon the man to whom the sum of life was to “take his ease, eat, drink and be merry” (Luke 12:1919And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. (Luke 12:19)).
Then, too, the wife of his bosom, constrained by divine grace to be led out of the doomed city, looks back at the object of her affections, is turned into a pillar of salt, and perishes with Sodom. Only he himself and two daughters, of that entire circle escape, and that with their bare lives.
Dear reader, see the fruit of a lifetime’s toil go up in smoke—property, sons, sons-in-law, wife—ALL, ALL, swept away by the consuming judgment of God, into a lost eternity where “the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:4646Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:46)). What has the unhappy man left to him? Where is now his worldly distinction? Where are now his earthly joys? Who can measure the loss to Lot’s soul, when the time comes to count up eternal riches?
Is my reader going on in conformity to the world? What idols are you cherishing? Is it gold, pleasure, power, earthly prosperity that make you smell of Sodom? If so, are you not just like the covetous, pleasure-seeking, unconverted all about you? Are YOU in spirit living in Sodom, where ease-loving, money-making, old habits, former lusts, temper, style, deportment do not indicate your true conversion to God? If so, this is really terrible!
You are a sad hindrance to the progress of the gospel and the salvation of souls. Your testimony falls powerless upon those to whom you speak or hand tracts, because there is little about you to make them think you believe what you are talking about.
O, I pray you, face before God these plain and simple truths, and, like the Psalmist, may the blessed Holy Spirit of God lead YOU to think on YOUR ways, and “turn your feet unto His testimonies” (Psa. 119:5959I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. (Psalm 119:59)); yea, I pray you, make haste to keep His Word (John 14:2323Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. (John 14:23)).
“Likewise, also, as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.” (Luke 17:28-3128Likewise 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. 30Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. 31In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. (Luke 17:28‑31)).
Once more, fellow-Christian, let me ask you, WHICH OF THESE TWO MEN’S COURSES ARE YOU FOLLOWING? Are you like Abram, living day by day in separation from the world and its ways, trusting and obeying God, and guided by His Word? Or, are you, like Lot, LOOKING AT PRESENT, EARTHLY GAIN, bent on money-making, pleasure-seeking, occupied with creature confidences, human hopes, and earthly expectations? WHAT effect does YOUR life produce on those nearest and dearest to you? The Lord Jesus is coming soon to inflict judgment upon all who are strangers to His grace. A question for you now is:
When at home in those mansions above,
And the saved all around me appear.
I want to hear somebody tell me:
“It was YOU that invited me here.”