Gen 19:4-23 | KingComments | STEP | The visit did not go unnoticed in Sodom. The complete depravity of the inhabitants, that dwells in every age group, is expressed in all its horror. They call upon Lot to bring out his visitors, that they may indulge in their degrading passions upon them, and may act as “men with men committing indecent acts” ( ). Their way of life becomes proverbial, so that audacious, unabashed sinners are said to “display their sin like Sodom; they do not [even] conceal [it]” ( ; cf. ). This scandal is even characteristic of the whole region ( ). What happens in Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around it leads the apostacy to a high point. It is about the most brutal shamelessness directed against all that is natural given by God. They have left their original nature. That is rebellion and apostacy. It is fornication and added to that the going after “strange flesh”, which is completely contrary to the natural order of God. The unbound, free lifestyle and legalization of homosexual practices propagated by liberals in our day and age is similar to the practices of Sodom and Gomorrah and the whole region around them. What God has done with these cities shows how He judges this behavior. This should be a warning to anyone who lives like this or accepts it as normal and may even be committed to general acceptance of this way of life. “The punishment of eternal fire” ( ) shows that God’s judgment on this never comes to an end. All apostates will be affected by this judgment. The unclean spirit manifesting itself goes too far for Lot. His name as host is at stake. He cannot allow this to happen with his visitors and tries to keep them from their wrongdoing. In his approach to them he calls them “my brothers”. He has fallen to such a low moral level that he considers himself to be their family. In that position he really is, as we can see from the alternative he offers them. It’s really unbelievable – but it’s in the Bible, so it’s true – but Lot finds his name as a host more important than his name as a father. As a kind of compensation, he offers his two daughters to the vermin, with whom they can do whatever they want. However, the men of Sodom do not want Lot to equate him with themselves. Lot may still be so integrated in their society and have worked so hard for a ‘Livable Sodom’, but he is and remains an alien to them. This is a point of light in the midst of the spiritual darkness, even though it is that small. Let’s not make a hard judgment about Lot too quickly either. How many believers who have all their interests in the world sacrifice their children to preserve their so-called good name? Busy as they are with their own worldly interests, they don’t care about the way their children spend their time. And without knowing it, those children become addicted to the Internet, surf the dirtiest sites around and get entangled in a web that completely destroys them mentally and physically. The angels use their power to keep Lot from this folly. They pull him inside the house and strike the men of Sodom with blindness ( ). They did not want to hear, now the eyesight is also taken away from them. It is a harbinger of the darkness in which they will be forever.

‏ Genesis 19:4-23

The Men of Sodom and Lot

The visit did not go unnoticed in Sodom. The complete depravity of the inhabitants, that dwells in every age group, is expressed in all its horror. They call upon Lot to bring out his visitors, that they may indulge in their degrading passions upon them, and may act as “men with men committing indecent acts” (Rom 1:27). Their way of life becomes proverbial, so that audacious, unabashed sinners are said to “display their sin like Sodom; they do not [even] conceal [it]” (Isa 3:9; cf. Jer 6:15a).

This scandal is even characteristic of the whole region (Jude 1:7). What happens in Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around it leads the apostacy to a high point. It is about the most brutal shamelessness directed against all that is natural given by God. They have left their original nature. That is rebellion and apostacy. It is fornication and added to that the going after “strange flesh”, which is completely contrary to the natural order of God.

The unbound, free lifestyle and legalization of homosexual practices propagated by liberals in our day and age is similar to the practices of Sodom and Gomorrah and the whole region around them. What God has done with these cities shows how He judges this behavior. This should be a warning to anyone who lives like this or accepts it as normal and may even be committed to general acceptance of this way of life. “The punishment of eternal fire” (Jude 1:7) shows that God’s judgment on this never comes to an end. All apostates will be affected by this judgment.

The unclean spirit manifesting itself goes too far for Lot. His name as host is at stake. He cannot allow this to happen with his visitors and tries to keep them from their wrongdoing. In his approach to them he calls them “my brothers”. He has fallen to such a low moral level that he considers himself to be their family. In that position he really is, as we can see from the alternative he offers them. It’s really unbelievable – but it’s in the Bible, so it’s true – but Lot finds his name as a host more important than his name as a father. As a kind of compensation, he offers his two daughters to the vermin, with whom they can do whatever they want.

However, the men of Sodom do not want Lot to equate him with themselves. Lot may still be so integrated in their society and have worked so hard for a ‘Livable Sodom’, but he is and remains an alien to them. This is a point of light in the midst of the spiritual darkness, even though it is that small.

Let’s not make a hard judgment about Lot too quickly either. How many believers who have all their interests in the world sacrifice their children to preserve their so-called good name? Busy as they are with their own worldly interests, they don’t care about the way their children spend their time. And without knowing it, those children become addicted to the Internet, surf the dirtiest sites around and get entangled in a web that completely destroys them mentally and physically.

The angels use their power to keep Lot from this folly. They pull him inside the house and strike the men of Sodom with blindness (Job 5:14-15). They did not want to hear, now the eyesight is also taken away from them. It is a harbinger of the darkness in which they will be forever.

Lot Must Flee

The angels tell Lot why they came. Lot, perhaps because of what he has just seen, attaches so much importance to this message, that he warns his sons-in-law. But they regard his warning as a joke. They don’t take Lot seriously. They also don’t know Lot as a serious guy. It’s not a bad thing to tell a joke once, but anyone who always is playing the funny man shouldn’t expect to be taken seriously when it matters.

Of course, it is also unbelievable when someone tells us that the world is going to be judged, while he does everything he can to make life in the world as easy as possible. He who feels politically responsible and does his utmost to enjoy the world as much as possible should not believe that he is plausible when he comes up with a message of judgment about all this. Lot is someone whose whole attitude shows that life in the world fills his entire horizon, whereas nowhere in his life does faith appear to be a present factor.

Also, it doesn’t seem that Lot himself is in a hurry to get away. The angels must urge him to hurry. How hard it is to let go of the stuff you may have worked for as hard as you can, and which means so much for you. His stuff is not part of his life, it is his life.

Lot Flees

The angels take Lot and his wife and daughters by the hand and drag them with them. Wife and daughters are also given the opportunity to escape judgment because the LORD wants to save Lot. This shows the enormous grace of God. This grace is also abundant when Lot begs not to have to go to the mountains. That is so close to heaven. Only people like Abraham live there. A man like Lot doesn’t feel at home there.

He would like to live in a city. It only has to be a small city – “Zoar” means ‘small’ or ‘insignificant’ – as long as it looks like a city. The thought of a tent, to be a pilgrim, is not attractive to him. He has breathed in the air of the city and it is in the depths of his lungs. And again that enormous grace is shown. His request is granted: he may go to the city of his wish.