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Here, World, Take My Children - part 2 of 3 History (Continued) Lot had a very "democratic" home. The children "did their own thing" while Dad was busy making money and securing his position. Mrs. Lot even encouraged the children to follow every fad and style. They made friends with the wicked and accepted their morals, and it is amazing that two of the daughters were still virgins! The godly precepts of Uncle Abraham were almost forgotten, and their teachers were sex-crazed liberals. Two of the daughters had married wicked men, and the sons mentioned in 19:12 were also lost. Notwithstanding the presence of the compromiser, Lot, Sodom became more wicked and depraved until the Lord tells Abraham in Gen. 18:20 that its sin cried out for judgment. In answer to Abraham's prayer, the Lord agreed that He would spare Sodom if He could find only ten righteous people in the city. Since Lot had not won his family, there were not even five righteous in the city--perhaps only backslidden, carnal Lot was saved (II Peter 2:6-8). In Gen. 19, the two angels the Lord sent to inspect Sodom and warn Lot, arrived and met Lot at the city gate, where legal matters and business were transacted. Lot, knowing their danger of molestation and death, insisted that the angels, who appeared as men, go to his home. Deep in Lot's nature was the customary habit of hospitality, and to this tradition he would sacrifice everything, even his own children. After the meal, a mob of perverts from every part of the city surrounded Lot's house demanding the strangers. The fires of unnatural lusts burned unrestrained in both young and aged, indicating the proportions of this society's wickedness. They forgot hospitality and decency in their display of depravity. This was the moral filth in which Lot had chosen to rear his family. Lot stepped outside to face the mob, called the wicked "brethren" and pled the laws of hospitality and the protection of his house. When this failed, he offered his two virgin daughters as substitutes for his guests! Lot sacrificed holy standards on the altar of established tradition. He had no right to do wrong, even to protect a guest. He could not have known the mob would refuse his offer and insist on their perversion with his guests. The mob threatened Lot, then rushed him with the evident purpose of raping Lot, then the two guests. The angels rescued Lot, smote the mob with a type of blindness, then announced God's judgment on Sodom. Lot was given an opportunity to go and warn his married daughters and their husbands, but he had been such a poor testimony, they thought he was joking. After this failure, the angels urged Lot to take his wife and virgin daughters and flee the city, and when they were reluctant to leave, the angels forcefully evicted them--"the Lord being merciful" in answer to Abraham's prayer. Lot had so cursed his wife with his materialism that in disobedience to God she looked back to what she loved and was turned to a pillar of salt. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of their wickedness. Only Lot and his daughters were delivered. His girls were out of Sodom, but Sodom was not out of them. They got their father drunk on successive nights and both conceived by him. Lot fathered both the Moabites and the Ammonites, the ancient enemies of Israel, by his own daughters. -Pr. S. Chad Ross Published with permission from William W. Hall, D.D. March Newsletter 2006 | Much Too Hard | Here, World, Take My Children part 2 of 3 Pastor's Journal March 2005 | His Fullest Riches | God's Breath part 3 of 3 |
Biblical Counseling for Leaders
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