Genesis 19 Pulled Out
Two of the men (angels) who met with Abraham arrive in Sodom. Lot takes them to his home for safety. They end up pulling him out for his true safety.
We move into the valley where Lot has chosen to live. Not as an outsider but in the very city God is going to destroy. He is the ONLY ‘righteous’ man there. Abraham’s bargain was for 10. So, we know what that means.
This story is FULL of depravity. I’m wondering if this city was THAT HORRIBLE on any given day or if there was a spirit stirred up against God’s angels. We are told that “ALL the people to the last man surrounded the house” where the two visitors were. All I can say is, WOW!!! And, how did Lot escape this kind of attention when he first moved to the city? I’m almost afraid to ‘walk into the story’ of such a wicked place. But ‘walk’ we will.
♥ ♦ ♥
Lot is sitting just inside the city gates of Sodom. He is contemplating how he got here. His heart is troubled by the behavior of his fellow citizens, but not enough to actually leave the city. His wife is from Sodom. She would ‘die’ if she was deprived of its culture and availability to get anything you want from the market place. She is a ‘tried and true’ city girl. Lot’s two daughters follow closely in their mother’s footsteps. Besides, where would he go? This is his home now. “It’s not so bad; once you get used to it” thinks Lot.
As evening draws near and Lot continues his musings, two men approach from the hills. There is nothing in particular that visibly distinguishes them from any other travelers that pass this way, but Lot’s spirit senses something special about them. They are also not carrying any bundles or leading any laden animals. They MUST be from nearby; or not REALLY nearby. Lot watches as they approach the city.
As the men near the gate, they make as if to pass on into the city. Lot’s spirit nearly hurls him from his seat and straight into their path. Lot bows down with his face to the ground in honor and respect. “My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet” (verse 2) offers Lot.
The two men know who Lot is, even though he doesn’t know their names. One small part of the reason that they are here is to judge Lot. Has he willingly joined in with the sins of Sodom? Or is he still a man who fears God?
“Thank you for your offer but that is not necessary. We will spend the night in the city square” answers one of the men.
“That would be most unwise. It is not safe in the city square at night. My home is just over there” Lot points towards his house.
The men look toward the direction Lot is pointing. It is just inside the city walls, a short distance from the gate. “We will be careful and none will dare hurt us.”
Lot’s eyes are pleading with an urgency not seen since the time of the flood on the faces of those trying to escape their fate. “Please! It is NOT safe here for ANY man from outside the city. There is depravity of untold proportions in the city square at night. Please, I beg of you. For your own safety and my peace of mind, come into my home now for protection.”
The two men look at one another and nod their acceptance. “We will do as you have said.”
Lot breathes a huge sigh of relief. He moves quickly through the edge of the city to his house. As soon as everyone is inside, Lot bars and bolts the door. He is hoping that they made this trip unseen.
The hopes of Lot are not to be granted. Already the news of the two travelers is circulating throughout the city. Granted, they are physically handsome, but the reports circulating exaggerate their beauty, enticing EVERY man in the city to seek them. Even men who would normally be quite content with the ‘offerings’ of their own home join in the search for the two travelers.
Inside the house, Lot is offering water to wash the men’s feet and wine with bread to refresh them. Lot has also asked his wife to prepare a meal for their visitors. Lot’s wife prepares a feast for their two honored guests. Talk that evening included news of Abraham and how he fared. Another topic the men were interested in was the state of the city. Lot was afraid to go into specifics as he is convinced that these men would judge him for not doing something to change it or for remaining in the midst of such evil.
“Why did you not want us to sleep in the city square?”
“The young people gather there at night and have been known to be unkind to strangers” Lot says while in his heart he has other words for what happens in the night. “Murder, assault, robbery, sexual attacks…” All of these occur to the unsuspecting in the city at night. Even those who are expecting it, things can grow life threatening in the blink of an eye.
As everyone was readying for bed, pounding is heard against the door. Lot quickly goes to the door. “Go away, for the door is shut for the evening.”
Instead of quieting, the pounding intensifies. “Bring them out!” shouts reverberate through every crack and crevice.
Hoping to pacify the town’s people, Lot carefully unbolts the door and slips out; shutting it securely behind him. Before he could speak, he was assaulted again by the voices of the men surrounding his house.
“Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them” (verse 5).
Lot is not surprised by their words but their numbers and fervor frighten him. This mob is out of control! He has to do something to stop this. Something BESIDES giving in to their demands! “I BEG you my brothers, do not act so wickedly,…”
Lot sees that his words have had no effect, so he makes them another offer. “…Behold, I have two daughters who have no know any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do NOTHING to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof” (verses 7-8).
The men refuse to listen. They are ready to break down the door. “Stand back!” they shout. One of the leaders of the mob voices another idea. “This fellow came to sojourn, and he has become a judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them” (verse 9a).
The pushing and shoving started in earnest at that moment. Everyone was in a frenzy to get to Lot and the men inside his home. It was as if there was NOTHING more important in their lives than having these three men crushed beneath the weight of their depraved minds.
The men inside the home, whom Lot was trying to protect with his own life, reached through the door and into the crowd. They snatched Lot from the teeth of the mob and drew him back into the house. Once he was safely inside, they shut the door behind him. Then they struck ALL the men outside the house with blindness. They became confused as they tried to find the door. They began groping one another trying to find the door. Their efforts wore them out and produced no success until finally all fell away from Lot’s home and returned to their own homes.
The men had made up their minds concerning the city. All that was left to do was to offer safety to Lot and his family. Included in that “family” were the men pledged to marry his daughters; who he had just offered up to protect the men.
“Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city, bring them out of this place. For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it” (verses12-13).
Because the men had left Lot’s door, he was able to slip out in the night and go to the house of his sons-in-law who were to marry his daughters. “Up! Get out of this place, for the Lord is about to destroy the city” (verse 14) pleaded Lot. But the men refused to listen. They thought Lot was playing some kind of joke on them.
Lot spent the half the night trying to convince his sons-in-law to join him but he wen back to his home empty handed. He spent the rest of the night worrying about what was to come. How would God judge the city? Would he escape? Would his house be spared?
When morning dawned, the angel had to get Lot moving. “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city” (verse 15).
Lot was torn! How could he leave the city? How could he stay? There must be something he could do. Angels finally had to force Lot and his family from the city. The men each took a hand and dragged Lot and his family bodily from the city. They had no need of doors or gates. They simply deposited Lot, his wife, and their two daughters outside the city.
Once safely outside the city, the men gave Lot and his family their ‘marching orders’. “Escape for your live. Do NOT look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away” (verse 17).
Lot couldn’t fathom going into the hills! There was no civilization there. He had to plead his case once more. “Behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life. But I cannot escape to the hills, lest the disaster overtake me and I die. Behold, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there – it is not a little ones? – and my life will be saved!” (verses 19-20).
The angel nodded his head. He agreed to Lot’s compromise. “Behold, I grant you this favor also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you arrive there” (verse 21).
Lot and the angels parted company that moment. Lot fleeing for his life and the angel waiting for Lot to reach the city of Zoar; the one he had specified in his plea.
Lot and his daughters kept going as FAST as they could. Lot’s wife, however, turned to look back with a longing look at the city she once called home. As a punishment for that, God turned her into a pillar of salt. She would forever be gazing in the direction of the city she couldn’t leave; even to save her own life. Lot had to firmly compel his daughters forward when their mother turned back. If not, they would have fallen at her feet.
They have finally reached the town of Zoar. No sooner were they inside the city gates when the sky opens up with the likes of something that had never seen before. Fire, meteors, ash, and everything in between. The whole valley was on fire; all but Zoar. When it was all over, not even a blade of grass stood in the valley; beyond Zoar.
The people of Zoar immediately feared Lot and his family. They were not openly hostile towards them, but Lot could feel that day coming. He would leave Zoar as soon as the fires died down.
While Lot wrestled with leaving the city and the judgment of God, Abraham went to his spot each morning. He KNEW judgment was coming from the moment he parted company with the men. He had hoped that the Lord would find ten righteous men in the city, but he wasn’t even certain there would be that many.
The morning Lot and his daughters reached Zoar, Abraham was on top of his rise. He watched as the heavens opened up and began to rain down fire and brimstone on the valley below. He prayed for his nephew Lot too. All he could do was leave him in the Lord’s hands. There would be NO going and getting him this time.
♥ ♦ ♥
I have a question regarding Lot’s sons-in-law. Were they included in the mob at his door? If so, did Lot’s offering to turn over his daughters to the mob have any impact on them? God tells us that ALL them men of the city were there; both young and old. To me, that would include these two men. Lot was better off without them!
Our world today is FILLED with acts that we would have recoiled against only a short time ago. Some of my own children are living out these acts and calling them “good” and “normal”. We are told that those how do this are in GRAVE danger; figuratively and literally.
Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter!
Isaiah 5:20
Father God, I KNOW we are in terrible times. Much of what went on in Sodom is happening in our world today. Judgment can’t be far off. YOU know the timing Father; NO ONE else. Not even Jesus. But what You HAVE shared with us makes me think that it won’t be long. I didn’t live in Sodom, so I can’t really compare then and now. Only what I can glean from Your word.
Regardless of the time, there WILL be those who refuse to go; calling it a big joke. There will be those who turn back at the last minute. There will be those who are dragged kicking and screaming. And there will be those who stand ready. Some will be watching from a distance while others will be in the thick of the battle. ALL who belong to You WILL be saved from it though. They will be SAFE in Your arms; even if they have to physically walk the path. We are in YOUR hands for ALL eternity!
