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The destruction of Sodom, and the deliverance of Lot. (Verse 1-29.)
The sin and disgrace of Lot. (Verse 30-38.)
1 And 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;
[Gen 18:2, Gen 18:22, Gen 11:27, Gen 12:4, Gen 13:5, Gen 14:12, 2nd Pet 2:7]
“Lot sat in the gate of Sodom” – sitting in the gate of a city was the position of a city counsellor or city judge (see Prov. 31:23; Ruth 4:1-10); it was a position of prominence showing us that Lot had gone from “pitching his tent toward Sodom” (13:12), to “dwelling” in Sodom (14:12), to being accepted as a fine upstanding citizen in this wicked city.
2 And 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.
[Like 24:29]
3 And 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.
[Gen 18:6]
Lot knew of the wickedness of his city and how that sin loved the cloak of darkness and he feared for the safety of these visitors who had just come from Abraham’s home, but he didn’t fear it enough to protect his family from its evil influences.
His daughters were negatively influenced by the sins of their hometown just as their father who was vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked, in seeing and hearing, it vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds, according to 2 Peter 2:7-8.
4 But 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:
5 And 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.
[Gen 4:1, Judges 19:22]
“know” is used here in a sexual sense – compare 4:1
The men of Sodom were “wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly” (13:13). This city was wholly given to homosexuality to the point where its name is now synonymous with the most vile act of homosexuality. Despite the major propaganda war waged by our media to make homosexuality “gay” and just another “alternative lifestyle” or another acceptable “sexual orientation,” God calls it an abomination and sin. As doctors grope to prove that homosexuality is an inherited biological condition, God calls it a choice that a person makes to disobey him. For the Bible-believer, there is no question about how God views this issue.
Study Question
What does Leviticus 18:22 say about this matter?
What does Paul say in Romans 1:26-28 about this?
6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,
7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.
Lot called these wicked men “brethren” – the Christian who gets away from God will soon be making friends with the world – James 4:4 calls such actions “adultery” – ie. spiritual adultery is walking out on God and joining up with the world!
8 Behold 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.
[Judges 19:24]
These men wanted to Sodomize Lot’s visitors. Imagine the audacity of the Devil, these men if you will remember were servants of the LORD (angels) which just shows us how perverted the Devil is.
How could a father even imagine making the comment Lot made to these men? What must have been going through the minds of his daughters at that moment? Lot had truly drifted far from what he knew was right.
While it was and still is the custom in many countries today to protect and provide for those who have come into your home it does not supersede protecting your own flesh and blood.
9 And 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.
“he will needs be a judge” – the first complaint of a sinner when faced with his sin is “I’m being judged” or “Don’t judge me” and they will then quote Mat. 7:1 out of context. Do not ever use Mat. 7:1 as an excuse for your sin! 19:14 – “as one that mocked” – thus we see the importance of keeping a pure testimony before others or they too will mock when being witnessed to!
10 But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.
11 And 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.
[2nd Kings 6:18, Acts 13:11]
Even though these men were blinded they still tried to get inside to commit their wicked deeds. Sin will stop at nothing to destroy a person’s life.
12 And 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:
[Gen 7:1, Joshua 6:22, 2nd Peter 2:9]
13 For 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.
[1st Chron 21:15]
14 And 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.
[Num 16:21, Num 16:45, Rev 18:4, Exod 9:21]
If someone were to tell us the same thing today, we would have had the same response most likely. There is no respect for our elders today and they would laugh at us as they laughed at Lot.
Perhaps if we didn’t allow the secular world to raise our children they would have more confidence in our words and those of our heavenly Fathers.
15 And 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.
16 And 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.
[ 1st Sam 2:9, 1st Chron 16:34, Psa 25:10, Psa 31:23, Psa 32:10, Psa 33:18, Psa 34:22, Psa 97:10, Psa 145:20, Prov 2:8, Eph 2:4]
Why do we linger in places where we shouldn’t be when certain destruction will come upon us? Thank God we have a merciful God who often has to yank us to safety.
17 And 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.
[Gen 19:26, Luke 17:32]
[abroad – outdoors; away from home; scattered about]
18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:
19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:
[Gen 6:8, Exod 33:12, Luke 1:30, Acts 7:46]
20 Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.
21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.
22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
Zoar got its name from this encounter between Lot and an angel, each name in Hebrew means something. Zoar means a little city.
23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.
24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
[Deut 29:23, Psa 11:6, Isa 13:19, Jer 20:16, Jer 50:40, Eze 16:50, Amos 4:11, Zeph 2:9, Luke 17:29, 2nd Pet 2:6, Jude 7]
[brimstone = “sulphur”]
25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
This area even today looks as if it were destroyed only a few years ago by God. It will remain a wasteland forever.
26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
[Gen 19:17, Luke 17:32]
This is no fairy tale! God says what he means. How many times have we turned back from following the LORD? God is so merciful to us.
Just a single command was disobeyed! (compare Eve’s one instance of disobedience) – thus we see the importance of obeying God at all costs.
Study Question
What command did Jesus give in Luke 17:32?
27 And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD:
[Gen 18:22]
28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.
[Rev 18:9]
Abraham got up early in the morning to talk with the LORD and we should do likewise, but when he got up to pray this day he saw something he had never seen before.
What a terrible sight to see. Abraham was worried for his nephew Lot and his family and no doubt this sight moved him to prayer because we see in the next verse that God hears Abraham.
29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
[Gen 8:1, Exod 2:24, 1st Sam 1:19, Psa 105:42, Psa 136:23]
Sometimes it’s the prayer of the righteous that saves the wayward ones such as Lot. Are you still praying for those close to you that are far from God?
Had Lot not been related to Abraham he would not have been under the protection God promised Abraham. We know Lot must have been some kind of blessing unto Abraham, perhaps all he was was a link to the past.
A reminder of his family back in Ur and especially of his older brother who had past, Lot’s father and maybe he saw his brother whenever he looked into Lot’s eyes but whatever the case God because of his promise to Abraham spared Lot.
Lot was delivered because of Abraham – NEVER give up praying for your unsaved friends and relatives – you never know what God may do! It is also noteworthy that in spite of the many wrong choices Lot made, he still had a heart that was right before God
Study Question
What comment does II Peter 2:7 give about this?
30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.
31 And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:
32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
[Gen 9:21, Prov 20:1, Eph 5:18]
What else can you expect from a couple of girls who were raised up by a worldly father in a wicked city? Lot cared for the things of this world and did not invest in his children’s future by keeping them close to the godly influence found in Abraham’s presence.
33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
37 And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.
[Deut 2:9]
38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.
[Deut 2:19]
Lot fathers the Moabite nation from which Ruth is born some 800 years in the future. Up until Ruth, the Moabites remained as an whole an Idol worshipping people. Ruth was the exception.
I’m sure that was not Lot’s intent, but the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. Our compromises today will affect those who follow after us.
The Moabites & Ammonites are enemies of Israel throughout the OT
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.
Verse 1-29 – Lot was good, but there was not one more of the same character in the city. All the people of Sodom were very wicked and vile. Care was therefore taken for saving Lot and his family. Lot lingered; he trifled. Thus many who are under convictions about their spiritual state, and the necessity of a change, defer that needful work. The salvation of the most righteous men is of God’s mercy, not by their own merit. We are saved by grace. God’s power also must be acknowledged in bringing souls out of a sinful state If God had not been merciful to us, our lingering had been our ruin. Lot must flee for his life. He must not hanker after Sodom. Such commands as these are given to those who, through grace, are delivered out of a sinful state and condition. Return not to sin and Satan. Rest not in self and the world. Reach toward Christ and heaven, for that is escaping to the mountain, short of which we must not stop. Concerning this destruction, observe that it is a revelation of the wrath of God against sin and sinners of all ages. Let us learn from hence the evil of sin, and its hurtful nature; it leads to ruin.
Verse 30-38 – See the peril of security. Lot, who kept chaste in Sodom, and was a mourner for the wickedness of the place, and a witness against it, when in the mountain, alone, and, as he thought, out of the way of temptation, is shamefully overtaken. Let him that thinks he stands high, and stands firm, take heed lest he fall. See the peril of drunkenness; it is not only a great sin itself, but lets in many sins, which bring a lasting wound and dishonour. Many a man does that, when he is drunk, which, when he is sober, he could not think of without horror. See also the peril of temptation, even from relations and friends, whom we love and esteem, and expect kindness from. We must dread a snare, wherever we are, and be always upon our guard. No excuse can be made for the daughters, nor for Lot. Scarcely any account can be given of the affair but this, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? From the silence of the Scripture concerning Lot henceforward, learn that drunkenness, as it makes men forgetful, so it makes them to be forgotten.