Word of the Day: Worldly
Relating to, or devoted to the temporal world: not religious or spiritual.
We start this story with Lot. His name means: covers up or hides, Lot was adopted by Abraham, his father was Abraham's younger brother. He grew up in the land of Ur, a spectacular city in ancient times, and near the Persian Gulf. This is also the city which God asked Abraham to depart from to his journey to the Promise Land.
Abraham became very wealthy owning cattle, silver, and gold; and Lot had flocks, herds, and tents. All this wealth was the occasion of shortage of land meaning that there was not enough space for them to continue to stay together. This is when Lot lifted up his eyes towards Sodom and Gomorrah before it was destroyed. Sodom and Gomorrah was well watered everywhere meaning that it was pleasant to Lot's eyes
Genesis 13:5–9
5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.
6 And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.
7 And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.
8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.
9 Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.
Lot decides to install himself towards Sodom and later on becomes a citizen of this town. Sodom was wicked and corrupt before the Lord.
Genesis 13:10–13
And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.
Lot was taken captive during a battle with the king of Elam against Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham comes in with his trained servants to rescue him and wins the battle. The King of Sodom comes to meet him and offers him goods, but Abraham having good convictions refused to take anything from that king by saying: I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, Wow very impressive!!
Genesis 14:14
And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.
Genesis 14:21–24
21 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
24 Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.
The Lord decides de destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness. Abraham intercedes for Sodom and asks the Lord if He is going to destroy the righteous with the wicked. The Lord says He will not destroy the city if there are 10 righteous people in the city.
Genesis 18:20
And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
Genesis 18:32
And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.
The story becomes sad when we find Lot once again in the city of Sodom specifically at its gates. He was treated with honor due to his relationship with Abraham, and he must have been given a high political position. He was someone who fit in well with the customs of the city's people. For their wickedness did not bother him at all. This picture illustrates the carnal Christian who does not get bother to sit at the table of the scornful. Lot had a relationship with these people. He was part of their parties, their weddings and so on… Lot marries a woman from Sodom and has two daughters. He was a just man but very ineffective. He was not the salt or the light from that city. He did not win souls, did not share his God with them.
Genesis 19:1
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;
Matthew 5:13-16
3 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
So the Lord sent two angels that came at night, and when Lot saw them he right away bowed himself with his face to the ground. He invited them into his house. At first they refused, but Lot insisted due to the reputation of the city. The angels later accepted the invitation, and Lot had a feast for them. We have to remember that the angels were there primarily to deliver Lot and his family out of Sodom. Before they went to bed, the men of the city had surrounded the house because they wanted to know (carnal way) them. But instead Lot offered his daughters.
Genesis 19:4–8
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.
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.
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.
The angels were also there to destroy the city, and Lot was told to get his family for they were going to be consumed with sulphureous vapors. God being the merciful God He is, waited until Lot was out to destroy the city.
Genesis 19:15–16
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.
Their requirement for freedom was for them not to look back. His wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. She was probably looking back at her beloved possessions. Lot never won his family for the Lord. His wife did not believe the Lord's commandment (not to look back). Instead of a wife, Lot had a pillar of salt, and that was what she really was inside just a pillar of salt. Later on, his daughters got him drunk, seduced him, and got pregnant. He had lost his respect. Although he was a righteous man, he did not represent himself as a Godly man and ended up losing his family. The moved to the watered city had great consequences.
Genesis 19:17
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.
Genesis 19:26
But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
Genesis 19:31–38
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.
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 first born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.
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.
Conclusion: Be careful about the relationships you may have outside of your family, keep in mind that your kids are watching. They learn what they see from us, not what we speak.
I have added some verses down below for those who are not sure if heaven is your future home. Please share with me if you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior through this post. I will be happy to rejoice with you!
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Romans 10:9–13
*Please let me know if this post has been a blessing to you through a comment, for it would be a blessing for me to know.
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