Genesis 19:15-38

1. Genesis 19:15-38 Conclusion of Sodom, Gomorrah, and Lot

2. Genesis 19:15-22 15 As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.” 16 But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. 17 And as they brought them out, one said, “Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away.” 18 And Lot said to them, “Oh, no, my lords. 19 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. 20 Behold, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there—is it not a little one?—and my life will be saved!” 21 He said to him, “Behold, I grant you this favor also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. 22 Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

3. Genesis 19:23-26 23 The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar. 24 Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven. 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. 26 But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

4. Genesis 19:27-29 27 And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord. 28 And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace. 29 So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived.

5. Genesis 19:30-38 30 Now Lot went up out of Zoar and lived in the hills with his two daughters, for he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. 31 And the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to 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 offspring from our father.” 33 So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father. He did not know when she lay down or when she arose. 34 The next day, the firstborn said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine tonight also. Then you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father.” 35 So they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. 36 Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. 37 The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day. 38 The younger also bore a son and called his name Ben-ammi. He is the father of the Ammonites to this day.

6. Main Point • These verses conclude the Sodom and Gomorrah story • It also concludes Lot’s story • Lot loses all honor • Thus, as one commentator notes, he becomes dishonored by those who should love him most

7. Application Points • Take Warning • We have seen repeated warnings • Warning from the angels, and also frm Lot • Yet before we need to remember the separation of Lot and Abraham • Lot seeing the Dead Sea Valley and all of it’s richness, chose to dwell there • The valley had darkness within it • Should he have recognized this when the Eastern kings defeated the Dead Sea Kings? • Instead of turning away from the Dead Sea cities he remained

8. Application Points • Take Warning (2) • Just as then, so it is now • Lot’s story reminds us of the temptation of sin • Just as with Eve in the garden… “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise…” • So it is with Lot in the valley • Sin dresses itself up so that it looks as though it will nourish us • It dresses itself up to look nice • It dresses itself up with dark wisdom

9. Application Points • Take Warning (3) • We see the results of sin over and over again • Adam and Eve it led to judgment • For Lot it led to judgment • Sin itself looks so good, but as we eat it, it goes into us and poisons us • All the promises of sin are half-truths at best • This is why sin is so prevalent, because it makes sense to us • But where does it lead? Does it lead to life? Joy? Godly wisdom?

10. Application Points • Take Warning (4) • No, because the wages of sin is death • It leads to brokenness between God, ourselves, each other, and the world • How can we find joy in something so destructive? • Yet we continue to… • If we continue in such states then we are deserving of no less judgment than that of Sodom and Gomorrah • Sometimes we think they are judged just because of lot and the angels • But they were deserving of so much more, as is evident by the angels being there to find out the truth

11. Application Points • Take Warning (5) • Imagine a place of such treatment of individuals it eh norm • It isn’t as though this were a chance occurrence…it was their lifestyle • When we se judgment come against Sodom and Gomorrah it is for far more than just this episode • It was because these people delight in darkness, find peace and joy in their unrighteousness • They were doing exactly as God does not desire and glorifying in it

12. Application Points • Take Warning (6) • This means these individuals had been doing this for a long time • This was ingrained in their society • Despite this, God di not judge them immediately for their sins • Until the land, the innocent, the bloodshed, the unrighteousness became so great • Only then does God act • God was patient with them • We often assume God only warned them one day, but why assume this? • When they were defeated by the Eastern kings was it not a warning? • God was gracious bringing salvation through Abraham

13. Application Points • Take Warning (7) • Despite the warning in being conquered and redeemed they shunned God • The king of Sodom treated Abraham poorly in comparison to Melchizedek • Would not gratitude be the right response? • Yet there is none • To say they had not been warned is folly • Even up until the end, Lot was outside the house reasoning with them • Instead of listening to Lot, they were angered

14. Application Points • Take Warning (8) • The response of those who are warned is very often one of hostility • If we are judging hypocritically, then perhaps they have a point • But if we are warning by calling sin what it is, then the response should not be anger but repentance • Continually in the story they had the option to repent, but they never do • This leads to the final aspect of the story…Lot himself • There’s no reason for Lot not to also perish • He delays, he stalls, he is faithless

15. Application Points • Take Warning (9) • God does save Lot • He doesn’t do it because Lot was necessarily righteous or worthy • No, the text reminds us it is by God’s mercy • In this we find the truth of God’s salvation • God will show both grace and mercy to whom He will for His own purposes • Is there a reason for Lot’s salvation, and for the events that unfold?

16. Application Points • Take Warning (10) • Well, the possible reason for it came generations later • When a young barren woman would leave her land of Moab, and come to Canaan • She will be faithful to her mother-in-law, faithful to her God • She will bear a son named Obed, and Obed would father Jesse, and Jesse would father David, and from David would come Christ • Ruth doesn’t exist unless Lot escapes • Somehow, through the act of dishonor, God brings honor • If Sodom remains, Lot’s daughters marry Sodomites, if Lot escapes, he is dishonored, but hundreds of years later…Ruth

17. Application Points • Take Warning (11) • Does this justify evil deeds? No • Instead it reminds us that even our evil God can turn into good • It means we are a free people who can choose, and in our choices have ramifications, but those ramifications will not confound God • Take warningfrom the judgment • Take warning by recognizing what sin is • Take warning to not follow the temptations of sin, but instead turn in repentance and faith

18. Application Points • Take Warning (12) • Likewise, be encouraged by our God who is leading us into the future where His full glory will be revealed • There is a reason though the reason may not be clear to us in the moment • It may be that hundreds of years from now God will be greatly glorified through our struggles • We should find our joy knowing that God can, and will, be glorified in this life through us • That we have the capacity through salvation and His Spirit in us to be turning ever more into vessels of righteousness

19. Application Points • Take Warning (13) • Take warning, then, against these things • TO not allow them to overcome you in a flood or fire and brimstone • Turn toward God in repentance and faith • Know the salvation which comes to the righteous • Know the warning of not finding faith in Him, for the unrighteous shall face judgment, and the judgment is deserving • But thanks be to God for His mercy, grace, His prophets, His Word made Flesh so that though we should deserve judgment, we can escape it through His Son Jesus

20. Application Points • The Gospel of Christ • Origins • Fall • Redemption • Glorification