Gênesis 19
Bob Utley · Citado em PreceptAustin
Gênesis 19
Utley has a suppositional statement - "the two angels came to Sodom in the evening" They had left Abraham and YHWH on the mount overlooking the Dead Sea in the evening and arrived some 40 miles distance in just a few minutes (ED: SUPPOSITION)—they are Angels!!! (ED: FACT) They are human in form, speech, and dress, as is evident from Gen. 18:2,22; 19:10,12,16. They always appear as males except possibly Zech. 5:9. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed down (shachah; Lxx = proskuneo) with his face to the ground - Bowed (shachah) is translated in the Septuagint with the verb proskuneo (pros = before + kuneo = kiss or adore) which means to prostrate oneself in homage before another often in the sense of worship or reverence. In either case it is surprising that the angels let him fall down before them, because when the apostle John fell down to worship at the feet of the angels in Revelation, each of the angels told him "Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours." (Rev 19:10+, Rev 22:8-9+) Perhaps they did not say anything because they had not yet revealed themselves as angels and this not so much a sign of worship as it was an act of reverence to 2 men that impressed Lot as having significant authority. Henry
Gênesis 19
Utley - "as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom" We can see something of the progression of Lot's wickedness by the fact that in Gen. 13:11 he is said to have moved to the plains of Sodom and Gomorrah the nomadic shepherd has moved into the city. He has apparently become one of the elders of the city which is implied in the phrase "in the gate of" in Gen. 19:3 he is obviously aware of the homosexual activities of the inhabitants, which he had probably observed several times in Gen. 19:7 he goes so far as to call them "brothers" later on he is reluctant to leave the city and his material possessions God help us—Lot seems to have tried to change them (Gen. 19:9) but, as so often happens, their evil influence affected him, his wife, and his daughters! As Abraham had done, Lot also arose to greet them and bowed down. Whether these are common cultural gestures (which is probable) or a recognition of their origin is uncertain. Sodom (05467)(Sedom) was a Canaanite city, usually paired with Gomorrah, located in the area of the Dead Sea and the Jordan river; both cities destroyed by God in judgment R D Patterson - (See TWOT page 618) A city on the southern end of the Dead Sea, it marked the southeastern geographical limits of the Canaanites on a boundary which started from Gaza on the southwest. Sodom was apparently located in a fertile area, as evidenced by Lot's choice of it as his dwelling place (Genesis 13:10ff.). It no doubt became an important commercial center and therefore the coveted object of powerful kings, a factor which may lie behind the famous battle described in Genesis 14. Its precise location is quite uncertain. Some have held that it is covered by the shallow waters in the southern embayment of the Dead Sea (J. P. Harland, "Sodom and Gomorrah," BA VI, 1943, pp. 41-52). The view that the hill site Bab ed Dhra' was a shrine of the cities of the plain is defended by Paul Lapp ("Bab ed Dhra' Tomb A 76," BASOR 189: p. 14). See Smick, Archaeology of the Jordan Valley, pp. 48-51. For Sodom in the Ebla Tablets, see Freedman, D. N., BA 41:149-159. (ED: See also Sodom and Gomorrah Revisited - David Howard JETS, 1984) Sodom is best remembered, however (together with Gomorrah), as a standing example of God's judgment against unbridled sin (Genesis 18-19; cf. 2 Peter 2:6; Jude 7). Accordingly, Moses warned Israel that apostasy can bring on destructions of a like intensity (Deut. 29:22; cf. Deut. 32:32). The prophets repeatedly compared Israel's wanton sin and apostasy to the sin of Sodom (Isaiah 1:19ff.; Isaiah 3:9; Jeremiah 23:14; Lament. 4:6; Ezekiel 16:46ff.; Amos 4:11). Had not the Lord left a remnant in Israel, they would have utterly perished as Sodom and Gomorrah (Isaiah 1:9). But only in two places is the destruction of Admah and Zeboim the smaller cities of the plain mentioned—Deut. 29:23 and Hosea 11:8. It would seem that Hosea was referring to the book of Deuteronomy! Jesus similarly characterized his hearers (Luke 10:12) and predicted that at his return the world would be as in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah (Luke 17:29f.). Sodom and Gomorrah are mentioned in the recently found Ebla tablets according to preliminary reports. Apparently they were at various times in alliance with the great kingdom to the north. This may give a logical reason for the raid of the eastern kings against the southern cities in the somewhat later times of Abraham. Bibliography: Smick, E. B., Archaeology of the Jordan Valley, (perform a search for "Sodom" for all the hits in this book) Baker, 1973 Sedom - 39x/38v - Sodom - Gen. 10:19; Gen. 13:10; Gen. 13:12; Gen. 13:13; Gen. 14:2; Gen. 14:8; Gen. 14:10; Gen. 14:11; Gen. 14:12; Gen. 14:17; Gen. 14:21; Gen. 14:22; Gen. 18:16; Gen. 18:20; Gen. 18:22; Gen. 18:26; Gen. 19:1; Gen. 19:4; Gen. 19:24; Gen. 19:28; Deut. 29:23; Deut. 32:32; Isa. 1:9; Isa. 1:10; Isa. 3:9; Isa. 13:19; Jer. 23:14; Jer. 49:18; Jer. 50:40; Lam. 4:6; Ezek. 16:46; Ezek. 16:48; Ezek. 16:49; Ezek. 16:53; Ezek. 16:55; Ezek. 16:56; Amos 4:11; Zeph. 2:9 NOTE: Clearly Jesus and other writers in the NT believed in the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah as described in Genesis 19. Matthew 10:15 “Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city. Matthew 11:23 “And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades; for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day. 24 “Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.” Luke 10:12 “I say to you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city. Luke 17:29 but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Romans 9:29 And just as Isaiah foretold, “UNLESS THE LORD OF SABAOTH HAD LEFT TO US A POSTERITY, WE WOULD HAVE BECOME LIKE SODOM, AND WOULD HAVE RESEMBLED GOMORRAH.” 2 Peter 2:6 and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; Jude 1:7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. Revelation 11:8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. Related Resources: Have We Found Sodom? - interesting article The Destruction of Sodom and the Future Judgment Did a Space Rock Destroy Sodom and Gomorrah? Sodom and Gomorrah: What Was the Primary Sin? Contradictions: Who Destroyed Sodom? Smick, Archaeology of the Jordan Valley, pp. 48-51 Bowed (prostrated himself) (07812) shachah means to bow down, to prostrate oneself, to crouch, to fall down, to humbly beseech, to do reverence, to worship. The idea is to assume a prostrate position as one would in paying homage to royalty (Ge 43:28) or to God (Ge 24:26, Ps 95:6). To bow down (Qal) to bow down; (Hiphil) to depress (fig); (Hithpael) to bow down, prostrate oneself, before superior in homage, before God in worship, before false gods, before angel. It describeS Joseph's brother's sheaves which "bowed down to my sheaf.” (Ge 37:7) When God told Abraham to sacrifice his son, he told his men to remain for they would go to "worship (bow down) and return to you." (Ge 22:5) Joshua bowed down to the "Captain of the host of the LORD," (Joshua 5:14) a preincarnate appearance of Messiah. In Josh 23:7, 16 Joshua warned Israel NOT to bow down to the idols of the land, but in Jdg 2:12, 17, 19 but tragically that is exactly what they did when Joshua died! The English word prostrate is defined as being stretched out with one's face on the ground in adoration or submission. It is not just that the person has fallen down but pictures them lying at length or with their body extended on the ground and so lying in a posture which is reflective of genuine humility and/or adoration. Septuagint of Genesis 18:2 is proskuneo (from pros = before + kuneo = kiss or adore) means to prostrate oneself in homage before another in the full sense of worship, not mere reverence or courtesy. When Jesus Christ was born into this world, He was attended and worshipped by angels. (Lu 2:13f). Proskuneo represents the most common Near Eastern act of adoration and reverence and also carries the idea of profound awe and respect. Some believe that the root word kuneo may be related to kuon which is the Greek word for dog and which then could be picturing a dog licking his master's hand. The word proskuneo literally means to kiss toward someone, to throw a kiss in token of respect or homage, to prostrate oneself in homage, to do reverence to, to adore and so to worship and show respect. In the ancient Oriental (especially Persia) the mode of salutation between persons of equal rank was to kiss each other on the lips. When the difference of rank was slight, they kissed each other on the cheek. When one was much inferior, he fell upon his knees touched his forehead to the ground or prostrated himself, and as he was bowing down he would be throwing kisses toward the superior. It is this latter mode of salutation that is intended by the Greek writers in the use of the verb proskuneo . Vine says "This word is found in modern Hebrew in the sense of "to bow or stoop," but not in the general sense of "to worship." The fact that it is found more than 170 times in the Hebrew Bible shows something of its cultural significance. It is found for the first time in Gen. 18:2. The act of bowing down in homage is generally done before a superior or a ruler. Thus, David "bowed" himself before Saul (1Sa 24:8). Sometimes it is a social or economic superior to whom one bows, as when Ruth "bowed" to the ground before Boaz (Ru 2:10). In a dream, Joseph saw the sheaves of his brothers "bowing down" before his sheaf (Ge 37:5, 9-10). Shāḥâ is used as the common term for coming before God in worship, as in 1Sa 15:25 and Jer. 7:2. Sometimes it is in conjunction with another Hebrew verb for bowing down physically, followed by "worship," as in Exod. 34:8: "And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped." Other gods and idols are also the object of such worship by one's prostrating oneself before them (Isa. 2:20; Isa. 44:15, 17).(Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words) ''There is a dangerous absence of awe and worship in our assemblies today. We are boasting about standing on our own feet, instead of being broken and falling at His feet. For years Evan Roberts prayed:''Bend me! Bend me!'''God answered finally in the form of the GREAT WELSH REVIVAL!!! Shachah in the Pentateuch - Gen. 18:2; Gen. 19:1; Gen. 22:5; Gen. 23:7; Gen. 23:12; Gen. 24:26; Gen. 24:48; Gen. 24:52; Gen. 27:29; Gen. 33:3; Gen. 33:6; Gen. 33:7; Gen. 37:7; Gen. 37:9; Gen. 37:10; Gen. 42:6; Gen. 43:26; Gen. 43:28; Gen. 47:31; Gen. 48:12; Gen. 49:8; Exod. 4:31; Exod. 11:8; Exod. 12:27; Exod. 18:7; Exod. 20:5; Exod. 23:24; Exod. 24:1; Exod. 32:8; Exod. 33:10; Exod. 34:8; Exod. 34:14; Lev. 26:1; Num. 25:2; Deut. 4:19; Deut. 5:9; Deut. 8:19; Deut. 11:16; Deut. 17:3; Deut. 26:10; Deut. 29:26; Deut. 30:17; James Freeman - Borrow Manners & customs of the Bible page 26 - GATE - The gateways of walled cities, as well as the open spaces near them, were popular places for meeting or gathering, and often the elders of the city met there to judge the affairs of the city (see Genesis 29:18 Dowry), as shown in Genesis 34:20, “So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their city to speak to their fellow townsmen.” Some gates had arched structures that provided shade, and often open tents for shade were placed around the outside area. Seats were also provided to sit upon, most especially for the elders and judges. Eli the prophet was sitting at the gate to Shiloh when he learned that his sons Hophni and Phinehas had been killed by the Philistines and the ark of God taken. “When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man and heavy. He had led Israel forty years” (1 Samuel 4:18). Anyone at the gate of a city could easily see all who came in and went out, and could easily spot strangers to a small city, and so Lot readily saw the two angels when they came to Sodom. In a similar sense, when the Jews in Damascus were trying to capture the newly converted Saul, they set watch at the city gates: “After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him” (Acts 9:23–24). By command of God, courts of justice were established at the gates of every city: “Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the LORD your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly” (Deuteronomy 16:18). The courts were usually presided over by elders of the city, as shown in Deuteronomy 21:18–19: “If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town,” and in Deuteronomy 25:6–7: “The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel. However, if a man does not want to marry his brother’s wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to carry on his brother’s name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me.’ ” Lot sitting at the gate may have meant that he was an elder or judge in the city. See also Double Gates (2Sa 18:24) page 228, Market at the Gate (2Ki 7:1) page 262, When believers live in conformity to this corrupt world, tragic consequences result. -- Steven Cole Illustration: W. H. Griffith Thomas: Like Lot, much of the American church has moved into downtown Sodom. We’re so surrounded by its stench that we don’t notice it any more. A ship in the water is perfectly right, but water in the ship would be perfectly wrong. The Christian in the world is right and necessary, but the world in the Christian is wrong and disastrous. Not arguing for a separate class of “carnal believers” (ED: THERE ARE ONLY 2 CLASSES - BELIEVERS AND NON-BELIEVERS! SEE DISCUSSION OF THE DANGEROUS TEACHING OF "CARNAL CHRISTIAN"); yet in this story we see a man – Lot - whom the Scriptures characterize as “righteous” involved in a life of compromise with moral depravity. The bad life choices that Lot has made are now going to come home to roost. Earlier we saw some of the consequences as Abraham had to rescue Lot and the inhabitants of Sodom from the attack by the coalition of kings in Genesis 14. Now we see more of the tragic consequences of his conformity to the world. THOUGHT: The takeaway is clear, dear disciple of Christ - And ("kai" - This Greek conjunction clearly links the two commands in verse 2 to the important exhortation in Ro 12:1+) do not be conformed (suschematizo in the present imperative with a negative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) to this world, but be transformed (metamorphoo in the present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2+) Phillips paraphrase is a classic - “don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within." Saints are to be like boats in the water. That is our design. But when water (world) gets into the boat, that is disaster (as indicated by Genesis 19)! This truth is illustrated by a submarine which is fully functional in water but is ruined if water comes within. A submarine on the ground (out of the water) is useless and is not accomplishing its mission. When it is in the water it must be insulated (not isolated) from the water. If the water ever gets into the submarine then there is cause to sound the alarm. Believers are to be insulated from the world (like Daniel in the midst of idol infested Babylon) but not isolated from the world (cf Jn 17:15). Are you in a holy huddle or are you actively pursuing your calling to be salt and light in the world (Mt 5:13+) among those who are dead in its trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1+) and need to be thrown a "life preserver," the life saving Gospel of Jesus Christ, which they may grab hold of or sadly refuse and drown forever in the eternal abyss. We cannot save them but we can throw them a life preserver! How many "life preservers" have you thrown out this past year? Thousands are dying daily and headed for a Christless eternity. Play this adaptation of Fanny Crosby's great old hymn Rescue the Perishing and be sure and watch all of the video, especially if you need a little motivation to throw out a "life preserver" this week! ILLUSTRATION - There's an old story about a farmer who was an atheist and he was a proud atheist and he would flaunt his atheism and in one particularly good harvest season he wrote a letter to the editor of the newspaper. The letter went something like this: I plowed my fields on Sunday. I planted on Sunday. I cultivated my crops on Sunday and I hauled in my crops on Sunday but I never went to church on Sunday. And yet I have brought in more bushels per acre than any God-fearing Christian farmer in this area, even those who never miss a single Sunday. A very boastful, proud letter. The editor put it in the newspaper but then underneath he wrote his own comment that said: God doesn't always settle His accounts in October. In the nineteenth chapter of the book of Genesis, God is going to settle His accounts with the city of Sodom. Sodom and Gomorrah. A city that has become a by-word. By the very speaking of the name Sodom, it has come to mean a highly wicked group of people. The Bible tells us that God is slow to anger. Aren't we happy for that? God has a long fuse. God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But we have also seen that, though God is merciful and kind and loving, there reaches a point where God in justice, in righteousness, must act in judgment. And He does so here in the nineteenth chapter. (Skip Heitzig) ILLUSTRATION - Lot would be like the person who says or wants to say, I'm a Christian, I believe in God, these things are important to me, but you never really see it in his day-to-day life. In the late 1800s there was an interesting political group, the Mugwumps. The Mugwumps were a New York state group of Republicans who voted for, he became President Madison at the time, voted for Madison who was a Democrat because they saw political and financial corruption in the Republican party with James Blain as their candidate. They just decided, let's swing the entire state toward Madison and they became known as the Mugwumps. They're fence-sitters. They say they're one thing but they act a very different way come election time. And so Lot was like a Mugwump. His mug was on one side of the fence, his wump was on the other, you never knew where he stood spiritually, teetering back and forth. But we see him sitting at the gate. (Skip Heitzig) James Smith - THE HISTORY OF LOT Genesis 19:1-22 The history of Lot is the history of a backslider. When he turned away from Abraham he turned aside from faith. When he sought the well-watered plains he was seeking his own glory. While seeking his own interest his testimony as a believer in the Lord was despised. Then came failure and flight, but being the Lord’s he himself was saved as by fire, though all his works were burnt (1 Cor. 3:14, 15). Look at the— I. Choice He Made. “He chose the plain of Jordan, and pitched toward Sodom” (Gen. 13:10–12). Those who walk by sight and not by faith will always be influenced by appearances. The choice of Moses was the choice of faith (Heb. 11:24, 25). If we follow the dictates of our own hearts we will be sure to pitch toward Sodom. II. Position He Occupied. “Lot sat in the gate of Sodom.” Having become a companion of the Sodomites, he now becomes a partner with them. When a Christian can find pleasure in the fellowship of the ungodly he will soon become a sharer of their iniquity. Worldly advancement is no evidence of growth in grace. Mixing with the world often means helping the ungodly (1 Chron. 19:12). III. Message He Received. “The Lord hath sent us to destroy this place” (Ge 19:13). Wicked places and wicked things must all be destroyed. If all your wicked things were destroyed would you lose anything? How would it affect your plans and purposes? If our heart interests are entangled with the wickedness of this world we will suffer loss. Set your affections on things above, then, when every wicked place is destroyed your inheritance will remain untouched. IV. Testimony He Bore. “Lot went out and spake unto his sons-in-law; … but he seemed as one that mocked” (Ge 19:14). Our testimony for God will always be a mockery if we are living the selfish life. Who will believe that sin is bitter if we roll it under our tongue as a sweet morsel? Neither earnestness nor eloquence will make up for inconsistency. It is the life that is the light. V. Reluctance He Showed. “While he lingered the men laid hold upon his hand” (Ge 19:16). We are always slow to obey the call of God when our lives are entangled with the affairs of the world. The young man went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions (Matt. 19:22). Many perish in the full light of knowledge for lack of decision. Escape for thy life—tarry not. VI. Request He Offered. “Behold this city is near; let me escape hither” (Ge 19:20). He thought the appointed mountain of refuge too far away. Why should he wish to be saved as near the city of doom as possible? Why should we wish to be saved, and nothing more? Is there not a lurking unwillingness in the minds of many of God’s people to flee to the distant mountain of entire separation? Lot was saved, but he was still near enough the place of death to fill him with fear (v. 30). VII. Favour He Enjoyed. “I cannot do anything till thou be come thither” (Ge 19:22). How precious even a poor backslider is to God! Judgment cannot fall on Sodom till he is outside. But think further how the presence of this worldly-minded believer among the ungodly was hindering God from carrying out His own purposes. Until he came out from among them the work of God was at a standstill. QUESTION - Total depravity - is it biblical? ANSWER - Total depravity is a phrase or name that is used to summarize what the Bible teaches about the spiritual condition of fallen man. It is the “T” in the acronym TULIP, which is commonly used to enumerate what are known as the five points of Calvinism or the doctrines of grace. Because the name “total depravity” can cause people to have wrong ideas about what is meant, some people prefer to use terms like “total inability,” “righteous incapability,” “radical corruption” or even “moral inability.” Yet what is important is not the name assigned to the doctrine but how accurately the doctrine summarizes what the Bible teaches about the spiritual condition of fallen man. No matter which name you use to refer to “total depravity,” the fact remains that when properly understood it is an accurate description of what the Bible does teach on this important subject. While often misunderstood, the doctrine of total depravity is an acknowledgement that the Bible teaches that as a result of the fall of man (Genesis 3:6) every part of man—his mind, will, emotions and flesh—have been corrupted by sin. In other words, sin affects all areas of our being including who we are and what we do. It penetrates to the very core of our being so that everything is tainted by sin and “…all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” before a holy God (Isaiah 64:6). It acknowledges that the Bible teaches that we sin because we are sinners by nature. Or, as Jesus says, “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.” (Matthew 7:17-18). The total depravity of man is seen throughout the Bible. Man’s heart is “deceitful and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9). The Bible also teaches us that man is born dead in transgression and sin (Psalm 51:5, Psalm 58:3, Ephesians 2:1-5). The Bible teaches that because unregenerate man is “dead in transgressions” (Ephesians 2:5), he is held captive by a love for sin (John 3:19; John 8:34) so that he will not seek God (Romans 3:10-11) because he loves the darkness (John 3:19) and does not understand the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:14). Therefore, men suppress the truth of God in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18) and continue to willfully live in sin. Because they are totally depraved, this sinful lifestyle seems right to men (Proverbs 14:12) so they reject the gospel of Christ as foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:18) and their mind is “hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is unable to do so” (Romans 8:7). The Apostle Paul summarizes the total depravity of man in Romans 3:9-18. He begins this passage by saying that “both Jews and Greeks are all under sin.” Simply put, this means that man is under the control of sin or is controlled by his sin nature (his natural tendency to sin). The fact that unregenerate people are controlled by their selfish, sinful tendencies should not come as a surprise to any parent. What parent has to teach his or her child to be selfish, to covet what someone else has or to lie? Those actions come naturally from the child’s sin nature. Instead, the parent must devote much time to teaching the child the importance of telling the truth, of sharing instead of being selfish, of obeying instead of rebelling, etc. Then in the rest of this passage Paul quotes extensively from the Old Testament in explaining how sinful man really is. For example, we see that 1—no one is without sin, 2—no one seeks after God, 3—there is no one who is good, 4—their speech is corrupted by sin, 5—their actions are corrupted by sin, and 6—above all, they have no fear of God. So, when one considers even these few verses, it becomes abundantly clear the Bible does indeed teach that fallen man is “totally depraved,” because sin affects all of him including his mind, will and emotions so that “there is none who does good, no not one” (Romans 3:12). There is a common misconception regarding total depravity. Total depravity does not mean that man is as wicked or sinful as he could be, nor does it mean that man is without a conscience or any sense of right or wrong. Neither does it mean that man does not or cannot do things that seem to be good when viewed from a human perspective or measured against a human standard. It does not even mean that man cannot do things that seem to conform outwardly to the law of God. What the Bible does teach and what total depravity does recognize is that even the “good” things man does are tainted by sin because they are not done for the glory of God and out of faith in Him (Romans 14:23; Hebrews 11:6). While man looks upon the outward acts and judges them to be good, God looks upon not only the outward acts but also the inward motives that lie behind them, and because they proceed from a heart that is in rebellion against Him and they are not done for His glory, even these good deeds are like “filthy rags” in His sight. In other words, fallen man’s good deeds are motivated not by a desire to please God but by our own self-interest and are thus corrupted to the point where God declares that there is “no one who does good, no not one!” Since Scripture is very clear that all of man is affected by sin and so much so that “no one seeks after God,” then how can anyone possibly become a Christian? The answer is that God must overcome man’s depravity in such a way that man is able to recognize his spiritual state and his hopeless condition apart from the grace of God. Man’s spiritually blind eyes must be open and the bondage of sin that renders him hopelessly enslaved must be broken so that he can respond in faith to the gospel message and the atoning work of Christ on the cross. Some Christians believe that God accomplishes this through some type of universal grace whereby God brings man to a condition where he has the ability to choose or reject Him. Others believe that for a man who is “dead in trespasses and sins” to be able to understand and respond to the gospel in faith, he must first be born again or regenerated by the Holy Spirit (John 3:3). It is only after God infuses spiritual life into a dead sinner that he can “see the kingdom of God.” Those that hold this view see this as being a sovereign act of God, whereby men are born again “not of the blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13). However, even when the doctrine of total depravity is properly understood, many people will reject the doctrine, but that fact should not surprise us, since the world generally thinks of man as being basically good. Therefore, the idea that man by nature is a depraved sinner runs contrary to most modern religious, psychological and philosophical views of the basic nature of man. But the fact is that the Bible does teach the depravity of the human heart, and the root cause of man’s problem is not the environment he is raised in but his wicked and selfish heart. Properly understood, the doctrine of total depravity will destroy the hopes of those who place their faith in any type of works-based system of salvation and will recognize that God’s sovereign grace is man’s only hope. While the doctrine of total depravity destroys man’s self-righteousness and any misconceptions about man’s ability to be saved through his own free will, it leaves one asking the same question the disciples asked of Jesus in Matthew 19:25-26: “Then who can be saved?” Of course the answer remains the same: “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:25-26). As the first of the five doctrines of what is called “Calvinism,” the doctrine of total depravity correctly focuses man’s attention on the rest of these “doctrines of grace” which declare the wondrous work of God in the salvation of sinners. GotQuestions.org QUESTION - What is the significance of a city gate in the Bible? ANSWER - Besides being part of a city’s protection against invaders, city gates were places of central activity in biblical times. It was at the city gates that important business transactions were made, court was convened, and public announcements were heralded. Accordingly, it is natural that the Bible frequently speaks of “sitting in the gate” or of the activities that took place at the gate. In Proverbs 1, wisdom is personified: “At the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech” (Pr 1:21). To spread her words to the maximum number of people, Wisdom took to the gates. The first mention of a city gate is found in Genesis 19:1. It was at the gate of Sodom that Abraham’s nephew, Lot, greeted the angelic visitors to his city. Lot was there with other leading men of the city, either discussing the day’s issues or engaging in important civic business. In the Law of Moses, parents of a rebellious son were told to bring him to the city gate, where the elders would examine the evidence and pass judgment (Deuteronomy 21:18-21). This affirms that the city gate was central to community action. Another important example is found in the book of Ruth. In Ruth 4:1-11, Boaz officially claimed the position of kinsman-redeemer by meeting with the city elders at the gate of Bethlehem. There, the legal matters related to his marriage to Ruth were settled. As Israel combatted the Philistines, the priest Eli waited at the city gate for news regarding the ark and to hear how his sons fared in the battle (1 Samuel 4:18). When King David ruled Israel, he stood before his troops to give instructions from the city gate (2 Samuel 18:1-5). After his son Absalom died, David mourned but eventually returned to the city gate along with his people (2 Samuel 19:1-8). The king’s appearance at the gate signaled that the mourning was over, and the king was once again attending to the business of governing. The city gate was important in other ancient cultures, as well. Esther 2:5-8 records that some of the king’s servants plotted at the king’s gate to murder him. Mordecai, a leading Jew in Persia, heard the plot and reported it to Esther, who gave the news to the king (Esther 2:19-23). The Persian court officials were identified as being “at the king’s gate” (Esther 3:3). To control the gates of one’s enemies was to conquer their city. Part of Abraham’s blessing from the Lord was the promise that “your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies” (Genesis 22:17). When Jesus promised to build His Church, He said, “The gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18). An understanding of the biblical implications of “gates” helps us interpret Jesus’ words. Since a gate was a place where rulers met and counsel was given, Jesus was saying that all the evil plans of Satan himself would never defeat the Church. GotQuestions.org Steven
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Utley - This implies that every single man in the town, both young and old, had become homosexuals, or at least, bisexuals. As God told Abraham to train up his children, Gen. 18:19, we see the negative aspect of that as the people of Sodom have trained their children in evil. Here is a good example of the sins of the fathers being passed on to their sons (cf. Deut. 5:9-10). The last phrase translated "from every quarter" is literally "to the last man". The term is used for things in between (e.g., Gen. 47:21). The evil of Sodom that the angel (i.e., YHWH) had mentioned in Gen. 18:20-21 was true. There were not even ten righteous men (cf. Gen. 18:32). John
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Utley - Josephus, in his book Antiquities of the Jews 1:11:3, says that these angels were beautiful creatures and excited the lust of the men of Sodom. The Bible often speaks of the sin of homosexuality, which was apparently common in Canaan (cf. Lev. 18:22; 20:13). It was also common in the Roman Empire of Paul's day (cf. Rom. 1:26, 27; 1 Cor. 6:9; 1 Tim. 1:10). Genesis 19:6 But Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him, Lot: Judges 19:23 Genesis 19 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries LOT SEEKS TO PROTECT THE TWO MEN But - Term of contrast. Change of direction, in this case Lot trying to change the minds of the men outside. Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him - One has to commend Lot here. Think about it. A mob of lusting men clamoring at his door. Lot could have easily been mobbed and cast aside. Two words are here used for door, the first (pethach) which is the opening or entrance at which Lot went out, while the second (deleth) is the actual door proper, which Lot promptly closed. Genesis 19:7 and said, “Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly. Ge 19:4 Lev 18:22 20:13 De 23:17 Judges 19:23 1Sa 30:23,24 Ac 17:26 Ro 1:24 1Co 6:9-11 Jude 1:7 Genesis 19 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries LOT PLEADS WITH THE LUST FILLED SODOMITES and said, “Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly - This is so sad! Lot calls the Sodomites brothers, which is another clue to how much of Sodom had gotten into Lot! Do not act wickedly (ra'a - be bad, evil) is translated in the Septuagint with ponereuomai which means to commit sin where the related noun poneros describes evil with intent to harm. Bob Utley comments that "Lot is accusing the men of an immoral intent (cf. Gen. 19:9). He is acting as an ethical mirror to the intended sexual violence which encompassed two evils - (1) violation of hospitality (ED: THAT'S AN UNDERSTATEMENT!) (2) sexual perversion Genesis 19:8 “Now behold, I have two daughters who have not had relations with man; please let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever you like; only do nothing to these men, inasmuch as they have come under the shelter of my roof.” I have two daughters: Ex 32:22 please let me bring them out: Ge 19:31-38 42:37 Judges 19:24 Mk 9:6 Ro 3:8 therefore: Ge 18:5 Judges 9:15 Isa 58:7 Genesis 19 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries HEINOUS "HOSPITALITY" Now behold (hinneh), I have two daughters who have not had relations (yada; Lxx - ginosko - experiential knowing) with man - See related comments in Ge 19:5. We can give Lot a little credit in that the two daughters were still virgins in this depraved city! That's the good news, but the bad news is he know is willing to sacrifice their virginity. From Compromise to Confusion! Please let me bring them out to you, and do (command) to them whatever you like; only do (jussive sense ~ like a command) nothing to these men, inasmuch as they have come under the shelter of my roof - You have got to be kidding! What did Lot just say to the men? "do not act wickedly" And yet what is Lot doing with this perverted offer? That's rhetorical. Clearly Lot is acting wickedly! Read that phrase again (I am a father with 2 daughters and can barely believe my eyes!) - "do to them whatever you like." Conflict with Wickedness Cannot Be Resolved by Alternative Wickedness -- Paul Apple This passage demonstrates the "power" of depravity to take you down spiritually, for here we see Lot, a believer, offer his engaged virgin daughters to a mob of gay men in order to spare the two men (who he does not know to be angels) from the mob’s desire to rape them! John
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Utley - Iben Ezra says that it means "blindness of eye and mind," which seems to fit the latter part of this verse, which says they continued to grope around looking for the doorway as if confused (e.g., Exod. 3:20). The blindness here (BDB 703) is different from Lev. 22:22; Deut. 28:28 (BDB 734). This one denotes "blinded by a bright light." This miracle of blinding the Sodomites would now clearly identify the two "men" as supernatural messengers of God, but even so, Lot's family hesitated later when told to leave. His sons-in-law thought he was jesting and refused to follow his urgent pleas. One would have thought being struck blind would cause the Sodomites to back off, but it did not. In fact they wearied themselves (Lxx - paraluo - became feeble, weakened) which is another indication of how powerful the lust of the flesh is when it given full reign (see note below)! THOUGHT - Believers need to be very cautious in "toying" with sins thinking that it is not such a big deal! By it's very nature, sin is deceptive and if you are deceived, you don't even know it (Heb 3:13+; See also Deceitfulness of Sin). And you may end up doing something that in your right mind (saved mind = sophron) you would never dream of doing! John
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Utley - Some assume that Lot's daughters were already married (BDB 542, KB 534, Qal ACTIVE PARTICIPLE, cf. the Septuagint and the Targums), but others believe they were only betrothed (cf. Josephus, the Vulgate, Rashi, and TEV). NET NOTE - The language has to be interpreted in the light of the context and the social customs. The men are called “sons-in-law” (literally “the takers of his daughters”), but the daughters had not yet had sex with a man. It is better to translate the phrase “who were going to marry his daughters.” Since formal marriage contracts were binding, the husbands-to-be could already be called sons-in-law. And said, “Up, get out of this place, for the LORD will destroy (shachath) the city.” - Clearly Lot believed the angels and gave these two urgent commands to his sons-in-law in a vain attempt to convince and motivate his future sons-in-law. (Lot's) backslidden life nullified his testimony when the crisis came. -- William MacDonald But he appeared to his sons-in-law to be jesting - NET = "But his sons-in-law thought he was ridiculing them." In the Piel stem it can also mean mocking. It seems Lot did not have a lot of influence on these two men, for his salt had become tasteless (Mt 5:13+)! Compromise with the world system had destroyed the effectiveness of his witness. The marriage contract of the sons-in-law would soon be broken by fire and brimstone! NET NOTE - These men mistakenly thought Lot was ridiculing them and their lifestyle. Their response illustrates how morally insensitive they had become. S Lewis Johnson makes a good point - You see, the Christian man because of his worldliness has lost his testimony in the midst of the unsaved. It’s always that way. If you want to reach the lost, you have to be different, not the same, different. It is Abraham who is able to reach those who are outside of Christ, not Lot. Thompson adds "In the end, Lot lost much - his reputation, his wife, his family, his money and his home, Everything he once deemed as important was wiped out at the = judgment of God. Thompson Lot’s message of God’s pending judgment had no credibility because his testimony had no credibility. Now he is talking about God’s judgment and those closest to him think it is funny. Wenstrom - Lot’s sons-in-law were unbelievers indicating that Lot had violated a spiritual principle taught in the Word of God that no believer was to marry an unbeliever. (2Co 6:14-15+) Jesting (06711)(tsachaq) means to laugh, toy with, make sport (Ge 39:14,17). To laugh outright in merriment or scorn, mockery or derision (Ge 21:9). Tsacaq conveys the idea of laughter, whether in joy or incredulity. The stronger Piel stem connotes positively, play and sport, or negatively, mockery and derision. Tsachaq expresses an attitude toward something promised (a son in their old age) that seemed impossible - Abraham laughed in faith (Ge 17:17), but Sarah laughed in unbelier (Ge 18:12, 13, 17). In Ex 32:6 tsachaq may have sexual or immoral overtones (cf Ge 26:8). There is an interesting play on the Hebrew word jesting (or laughed) (tsachaq) in Genesis 17-19 for it is used of 3 different individuals and gives rise to the name of a fourth individual - first of Abraham laughing (I think in joy) (Ge 17:17), next of Sarah laughing in disbelief (Ge 18:12, 13, 15) and finally of Lot's potential Sodomite son-in-laws "laughing" in mockery (Ge 19:14). And in light of all this laughing we see the name Isaac (Yitschaq - "he laughs") derives from (tsachaq) (Ge 17:19)! Gilbrant -A primary root, the verb tsāchaq, which means "to laugh," is used thirteen times in the Qal or Piel stems. All uses are in Genesis and Exodus, except for one use in Judges. An alternate form with similar meanings, sāchaq, occurs thirty-six times in later portions of Scripture. The Qal stem of tsāchaq denotes the action of laughter, and all six occurrences are in the account of events surrounding the birth of Isaac. When God announced to Abraham that he and Sarah would have a son, the ninety-nine-year-old fell to his face and laughed, thinking that it was impossible (Gen. 17:17). Sarah had the same reaction some weeks later when she overheard the Lord (in human form) announcing the same incredible promise (Gen. 18:12). Her laugh, like her husband's, was one of disbelief, and God pointed out her lack of faith (Gen. 18:13ff). A year later, however, the promised son was born, and Sarah's incredulous laugh turned to a laugh of joy (Gen. 21:6). Even the name of her newborn son Isaac meant "laughter." In the Piel stem, tsāchaq can mean "to play," "to make sport," "to mock." The word often has a negative connotation. When Lot tried to warn his sons-in-law of the impending destruction of Sodom, they refused to take him seriously, assuming that he was simply jesting with them (Gen. 19:14). On the day Isaac was weaned, Ishmael was observed mocking him—an offense which ultimately led to the expulsion of him and his mother from Abraham's household (Gen. 21:9). The same spirit of mockery can be seen in the episode where the blind Samson was brought to the Philistine festival so that he could entertain and amuse the crowd, giving them an opportunity to taunt their old enemy (Judg. 16:25). The Piel usage sometimes has strong sexual overtones. By claiming Joseph tried to seduce her, Potiphar's wife accused him of toying with the whole household and with her (Gen. 39:14, 17). When Isaac had claimed that Rebekah was merely his sister, the deception was uncovered when the Philistine king observed him "sporting" with her, obviously in the manner of a marriage relationship (Gen. 26:8). This gives a broad hint at the activities of Israel in the account of the golden calf, where Exo. 32:6 says that the people "rose up to play." (Complete Biblical Library) Tsachaq - 13x/12v - caressing(1), entertained*(1), jesting(1), laugh(4), laughed(2), make sport(2), mocking(1), play(1). Gen. 17:17; Gen. 18:12; Gen. 18:13; Gen. 18:15; Gen. 19:14; Gen. 21:6; Gen. 21:9; Gen. 26:8; Gen. 39:14; Gen. 39:17; Exod. 32:6; Jdg. 16:25 Alarmists "Get up, get out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city!" But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking. —Genesis 19:14 If a person sees a house on fire and does everything he can to rescue the occupants, he is heralded as a hero. And that’s the way it should be. Why is it, then, that a Christian who accepts what God says in the Bible about hell and tries to warn people is ridiculed as an alarmist? We read about a similar situation in Genesis 19, which tells of the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham’s nephew Lot was warned by God that Sodom and Gomorrah would be destroyed. He urged his sons-in-law to leave the city, but his plea fell on deaf ears because they thought he was joking (v.14). But Lot was right. Judgment did come. One of these days God’s wrath will again be poured out on the wicked of this earth. As believers, we’ll be delivered from His wrath because our sins have been forgiven. Therefore, it’s our responsibility to do for others what someone did for us—sound the warning and give the alarm! Unbelievers must be told of the only way to escape punishment. They may ridicule our message and make fun of us, but that doesn’t change the facts. (WATCH THIS POWERFUL VIDEO - RESCUE THE PERISHING) Rescue the perishing, duty demands it— Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide; Back to the narrow way patiently win them, Tell the poor wanderer a Savior has died. —Crosby The Gospel includes both a welcome and a warning Genesis 19:15 When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.” Urged Lt: Ge 19:17,22 Nu 16:24-27 Pr 6:4,5 Lu 13:24,25 2Co 6:2 Heb 3:7,8 Rev 18:4 Genesis 19 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries Related Passage: Genesis 18:25 “Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?” THE ANGELS URGE URGENCY! When morning dawned - This is the next morning after the sad Sodomite scenario of the previous evening. One wonder how Lot slept that night! The angels urged Lot, saying, “Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away (saphah) in the punishment ('avon) of the city - Note that the entire city is guilty and awaiting dispensation of their punishment. The first for uses of swept away (saphah; Lxx - sunapollumi) refer to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah giving us an interesting picture of Jehovah "sweeping away" sinners and in effect "cleaning house!" (cf Samuel's warning to Israel - 1Sa 12:25+). It is notable that we see the same verb saphah here as we saw in Abraham's intercession in chapter 18, a finding which would seem to link his intercession causally with Lot's rescue Genesis 18:23-24+ Abraham came near and said, “Will You indeed sweep away (saphah; Lxx - sunapollumi) the righteous with the wicked? 24 “Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away (saphah; Lxx - apollumi) and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? Swept away (destroyed) (05595) saphah means to scrape or sweep away, to snatch away, to catch up, to destroy, to perish, to be captured. The basic image of the root seems to be that of sweeping—both the process of heaping things together and of sweeping them away. The root is usually used in a hostile sense, particularly in contexts of judgment. David spent much of his life being swept away before his enemies, later, facing God's judgment for sin, he avoids the choice of being swept away before his enemies (1 Chron. 21:12-13). The judgment of God against sin is the subject of several contexts. Saphah described the fate of those in the rebellion of Korah when Moses "spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, or you will be swept away in all their sin.”(Nu 16:26+) Sunapollumi - from sun/syn = with, speaks of an intimate association + apollumi = from apo = away from or wholly + olethros = state of utter ruin <> ollumi = to destroy <> root of apollyon [Re 9:11] = destroyer) means to destroy together. The destruction in this context is one of losing their lives but not to causing them to cease to exist. Apollumi as it relates to men, speaks not of the loss of being per se, but is more descriptive of the loss of well-being. Apollumi then has the basic meaning of describing that which is ruined and is no longer usable for its intended purpose. The failure of the rest of the inhabitants of Jericho to possess eternal life by faith resulted in utter ruin in this life and the life to come, a life of eternal uselessness. Apollumi in no way speaks of cessation of existence (cp, annihilation) as some "scholars" falsely teach! See Eternal Punishment. Saphah - 18x/18v - add(2), captured(1), destroy(2), heap(1), perish(2), remove(1), snatched away(1), sweep away(2), swept away(6). Gen. 18:23; Gen. 18:24; Gen. 19:15; Gen. 19:17; Num. 16:26; Num. 32:14; Deut. 29:19; Deut. 32:23; 1 Sam. 12:25; 1 Sam. 26:10; 1 Sam. 27:1; 1 Chr. 21:12; Ps. 40:14; Prov. 13:23; Isa. 7:20; Isa. 13:15; Isa. 30:1; Jer. 12:4 Genesis 19:16 But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the LORD was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city. hesitated: Ps 119:60 Joh 6:44 the LORD : Ex 34:6 Nu 14:18 De 4:31 1Ch 16:34 Ps 34:12 86:5,15 103:8-10 Ps 103:13 106:1,8 107:1 111:4 118:1 136:1 Isa 63:9 La 3:22 Mic 7:18,19 Lu 6:35,36 18:13 Ro 9:15,16,18 2Co 1:3 Eph 2:4,5 Tit 3:5 brought: Jos 6:22 2Pe 2:9 Genesis 19 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries Related Passage: Psalm 103:8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. ANGELS TO THE RESCUE But - Term of contrast which is a change of direction. Lot should have been exiting, but instead he was procrastinating, forcing the angels to grab him and carry out a second rescue (cf Ge 19:10)! He hesitated (mahah) is translated in the Septuagint ih the verb tarasso which literally means shaken and figuratively refers to mental and/or spiritual agitation so that the person is disturbed, unsettled, agitated. Lot was a combination of all these emotions and become immobilized. He clearly seemed to believe the warning as he passed it on quickly to his future sons-in-law. One reasonable interpretation is that Lot had moved into Sodom and Sodom (the love of the world) had moved into his heart creating a reluctance to leave his lifestyle and all he had accumulated. He was not willing to sing This World (Sodom) is Not My Home! Lot had a treasure issue, as Jesus alludes to in Mt 6:21+ explaining "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Even a secular song knows better than Lot, as in the song "The Gambler" the lyrics go "Know when to hold them; know when to fold them; know when to walk away and know when to run.” Lot's about to lose the "Lotto" of life! Delayed obedience is complete disobedience and could have resulted in Lot's death had not God mercifully intervened. Bruce K. Waltke writes, “Lot felt more secure inside an evil city that outside of it with God” (Borrow Genesis: A Commentary - page 278) Warren
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Utley - "Anywhere in the valley" literally means "five cities." This referred to five major cities in the Jordan plain: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar, which is also called Bela (cf. Gen. 14:2). Escape (be saved)(04422) malat means primarily to escape, to flee and then to save, deliver or rescue. Malat is used within the context of fleeing for one's life as Lot was urged to do (Ge 19:17, 19, 20, 22). The usual emphasis is on the role of Yahweh in deliverance (Ps. 22:5, Ps. 107:20; Ps. 116:4;) God's salvation is for the righteous (Pr 28:26; Job 22:30) but his judgment on sin cannot be escaped (1Ki 19:17; Amos 2:14-15). Deliverance is possible only for those who call on him (Joel 2:32) as the protecting, delivering God. By contrast, escape is not found in the strength of a horse (Ps 33:17), the might of another nation (Isa 21:6), riches (Job 20:20), or in one's own understanding. Malat - 85v - ertainly rescue(1), deliver(7), delivered(9), escape(26), escaped(25), escapes(3), gave birth(1), get away(1), lay(1), leap forth(1), left undisturbed(1), rescue(2), rescued(4), retain(1), save(8), saved(2). Gen. 19:17; Gen. 19:19; Gen. 19:20; Gen. 19:22; Jdg. 3:26; Jdg. 3:29; 1 Sam. 19:10; 1 Sam. 19:11; 1 Sam. 19:12; 1 Sam. 19:17; 1 Sam. 19:18; 1 Sam. 20:29; 1 Sam. 22:1; 1 Sam. 22:20; 1 Sam. 23:13; 1 Sam. 27:1; 1 Sam. 30:17; 2 Sam. 1:3; 2 Sam. 4:6; 2 Sam. 19:5; 2 Sam. 19:9; 1 Ki. 1:12; 1 Ki. 18:40; 1 Ki. 19:17; 1 Ki. 20:20; 2 Ki. 10:24; 2 Ki. 19:37; 2 Ki. 23:18; 2 Chr. 16:7; Est. 4:13; Job 1:15; Job 1:16; Job 1:17; Job 1:19; Job 6:23; Job 19:20; Job 20:20; Job 22:30; Job 29:12; Job 41:19; Ps. 22:5; Ps. 33:17; Ps. 41:1; Ps. 89:48; Ps. 107:20; Ps. 116:4; Ps. 124:7; Prov. 11:21; Prov. 19:5; Prov. 28:26; Eccl. 7:26; Eccl. 8:8; Eccl. 9:15; Isa. 20:6; Isa. 31:5; Isa. 34:15; Isa. 37:38; Isa. 46:2; Isa. 46:4; Isa. 49:24; Isa. 49:25; Isa. 66:7; Jer. 32:4; Jer. 34:3; Jer. 38:18; Jer. 38:23; Jer. 39:18; Jer. 41:15; Jer. 46:6; Jer. 48:6; Jer. 48:8; Jer. 48:19; Jer. 51:6; Jer. 51:45; Ezek. 17:15; Ezek. 17:18; Ezek. 33:5; Dan. 11:41; Dan. 12:1; Joel 2:32; Amos 2:14; Amos 2:15; Amos 9:1; Zech. 2:7; Mal. 3:15 Jon Courson (See Jon Courson's Application Commentary: Volume 1) - Throughout Scripture, the Lord continually calls His people to the mountains… With Abraham, who was ready to sacrifice his son in obedience to the Lord’s command, He calls us to Mt. Moriah, the Mount of Devotion. With the Israelites, who gathered to receive His commandments, the Lord calls us to Mt. Sinai, the Mount of Instruction. With Moses, who viewed the Promised Land, He calls us to Mt. Pisgah, the Mount of Vision. With Elijah, whose prayer brought down fire from heaven, He calls us to Mt. Carmel, the Mount of Passion. With Peter, James, and John, who beheld the glory of the Lord, He calls us to Mt. Hermon, the Mount of Transfiguration. The most important mountain to which God calls us is to Mt. Calvary, the Mount of Crucifixion, of death to self. As is our tendency, Lot was fearful to make such a journey. Genesis 19:18 But Lot said to them, “Oh no, my lords! Ge 32:26 2Ki 5:11,12 Isa 45:11 Joh 13:6-8 Ac 9:13 10:14 Genesis 19 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries A SAD COMMENTARY ON LOT'S HEART But Lot said to them, “Oh no, my lords! - This speaks of Lot's failure to trust the Lord's protection and provision in the mountains. And so much for Lot's gratefulness for being rescued! One would have thought surely now he will obey without hesitation! That was not to be! NET NOTE on my lords - The second person pronominal suffixes are singular in this verse (note “your eyes,” “you have made great,” and “you have acted”). Verse 18a seems to indicate that Lot is addressing the angels, but the use of the singular and the appearance of the divine title “Lord” (אֲדֹנָי, ’adonay) in v. 18b suggests he is speaking to God. Steven
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Utley - "Behold, I grant you this" This is literally the Hebrew idiom "lift the face" (VERB, BDB 669, KB 724, Qal PERFECT plus "face," BDB 815). It comes from the judicial realm. If a judge "lifted the face" of an accused to see who he/she was, then his impartiality was jeopardized (cf. Lev. 19:15; Ps. 82:2; Pro. 18:5). The judge must be no respecter of persons. Lot, afraid that he could not make it to the mountains, asked for Bela (Zoar, BDB 858, the root means "to be insignificant"), which means "small" (BDB 859 I), "to be spared." The angels, surprisingly, approved his request (it seems in a sense all three angels represented YHWH's personal presence). This city was large enough to have a king, as is recorded in Gen. 14:2. This may theologically be another way to show the power of intercession (i.e., Abraham in Gen. 18:22-33). Overthrow (02015) haphak is found in association with the expression of God's anger and wrath upon unrepentant Sodom and Gomorrah: Genesis 19:21, 25, 29; Deut. 29:23; Isaiah 13:19; Jeremiah 20:16; Jeremiah 49:18; Jeremiah 50:40; Amos 4:11; Lament. 4:6. Perhaps the use of this verb will shed light on the exact nature of the catastrophe. That it was a volcanic eruption seems unlikely. On the other hand, to translate hāpak in these instances as "annihilate" would suggest the disastrous effects of an earthquake, accompanied by lightning which ignited the natural gases of the Jordan Valley area, producing the terrible inferno (and cf. Job 28:5). By extension, God promises the same treatment to Jerusalem (2 Kings 21:13); Nineveh (Jonah 3:4); the unbelieving nations (Haggai 2:22, parallel with shāmad) and generally "the wicked" (Proverbs 12:7). Man is also capable of "overthrowing" (i.e. reducing to vassalage) another city (1 Chron. 19:3; 2 Samuel 10:3) or even mountains (Job 28:9, something God does too, Job 9:5). Katastrepho (kata = down + strepho = turn) in classical Greek katastrephō means “to upset or overturn” something, “to destroy or ruin” something or someone, or “to turn away or mislead” someone (cf. Liddell-Scott). The Septuagint uses katastrephō to describe destruction brought as a result of God’s displeasure and judgment (Genesis 13:10; 19:21,25,29; Deuteronomy 29:23). Usually, then, katastrephō has a negative sense. In the NT Katastrephō pictures the “overturning” of the tables by Jesus of the money changers in the temple (Matthew 21:12; Mark 11:15). Haphak in the Pentateuch - Gen. 3:24; Gen. 19:21; Gen. 19:25; Gen. 19:29; Exod. 7:15; Exod. 7:17; Exod. 7:20; Exod. 10:19; Exod. 14:5; Lev. 13:3; Lev. 13:4; Lev. 13:10; Lev. 13:13; Lev. 13:16; Lev. 13:17; Lev. 13:20; Lev. 13:25; Lev. 13:55; Deut. 23:5; Deut. 29:23; Genesis 19:22 “Hurry, escape there, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the town was called Zoar. for: Ge 32:25-28 Ex 32:10 De 9:14 Ps 91:1-10 Isa 65:8 Mk 6:5 2Ti 2:13 Tit 1:2 called: Ge 13:10 14:2 Isa 15:5 Jer 48:34 Zoar: i.e. little, Ge 19:20 Genesis 19 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries JUDGMENT WAS DELAYED UNTIL LOT WAS SAFE Hurry, escape there, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there - Notice the sovereign God makes absolutely sure that Lot is preserved and will not let His angels do anything until he arrived at Zoar! One can imagine the angels adding "And don't leave a forwarding address Lot!" This passage is reflective of God's absolutely amazing grace that He would withhold judgment until righteous Lot was extracted and safe. THOUGHT - One possible consideration from this passage is that the church will be extracted before the tribulation begins. In other words God was destroying Sodom, but would safely remove Lot (he had to be seized - which reminds me of the Greek word harpazo which describes seizing of believers at the rapture). When God unleashes His righteous wrath in the Revelation 6-19, it would seem reasonable to believe that He would safely remove the Bride of Christ. What is the rapture of the church? | GotQuestions.org Skip Heitzig adds - God Differentiates in Judgment Between the Godly and the Ungodly (1) Flood - saved the 8 (2) Hailstones on the Amorites (Joshua 10), (3) Those marked are spared (Ezekiel 9:4, 6), (4) 144,000 believing Jews (Revelation 7:3), (5) Rapture of the church (6) God doesn't destroy the righteous (2 Peter 2) Bob Utley on "I cannot do anything until" The destroying angels are under orders to spare Lot and his family. This reflects either (1) the grace of YHWH or (2) the power of intercessory prayer (i.e., Ge 18:22ff) INTERCESSORY PRAYER Therefore the name of the town was called Zoar - What is so significant about Zoar? If we compare Genesis 14:2,8+, we see that Zoar is clearly linked with the four cities which God overthrew (see Dt 29:23+). It therefore likely that Zoar was not exactly a mecca of godliness, but in fact was probably a lot like Sodom, just a much smaller version and was to be destroyed along with the other 4 cities, Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim. This would explain why Lot desired to go to Zoar. It would therefore appear that this one righteous man resulted in sparing of Zoar which ultimately was related to Abraham's intercessory prayers in Genesis 18 (e.g., “Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it?...So the LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account.”" - Ge 18:24,26+). The LORD now found one righteous man in Zoar and so he spared it! The upshot is that Lot got out of the heart of Sodom, but he could not get Sodom out of his heart! NET NOTE - Heb “Therefore the name of the city is called Zoar.” The name of the place, צוֹעַר (tso’ar) apparently means “Little Place,” in light of the wordplay with the term “little” (מִצְעָר, mits’ar) used twice by Lot to describe the town (Ge 19:20). G Campbell
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Utley - "the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven" It seems rather unusual that the term "YHWH" is used twice here. Jewish commentators call the term the plural of majesty, while Christian commentators see something of the Trinity here (see SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY. As a matter of fact, the Council of Sirmium commented on this verse as follows, "God the Son brought down the rain from God the Father." We learn from Gen. 14:10 of the presence of tar pits in this region and apparently, somehow, through lightening or raining fire (cf. Ezek. 38:22; Luke 17:29; Rev. 14:10; 19:20; 20:10), God caused this entire region to ignite and explode (cf. Jude 7). Again note the supernatural preservation of Zoar. This is similar to Goshen being protected from the ten plagues. Fire is always associated with the cleansing judgment of YHWH. See SPECIAL TOPIC: FIRE Henry
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Utley - "He overthrew those cities" This Hebrew term "overthrew" (BDB 245, KB 253, Qal IMPERFECT with waw) means to turn upside down and thereby destroy. Sodom's destruction is used throughout Scripture to denote divine judgment (cf. Deut. 29:23; Isa. 13:19; Jer. 49:18; 50:40; Amos 4:11). This destruction was the personal judgment of YHWH. He would do the same to the Canaanite cultures that Joshua would face in the conquest of Canaan. Some have compared Sodom's lot to the fire bombing at Dresden in WWII, but clearly it is not truly comparable because their are ruins indicating Dresden was not totally obliterated. Note that the historicity of the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah is emphasized throughout Scripture (Deut. 29:23; Isa. 13:19; 49:18; Jer. 49:18; 50:40; Amos 4:11; Lk. 17:28 29; 2 Pet. 2:6; Jude 7). QUESTION - Have the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah been found along with evidence they were destroyed by a meteor? ANSWER - Genesis 19 tells the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot, Abraham’s nephew, lived in Sodom with his family. His daughters were engaged to local men. Lot was sitting at the gate of Sodom, the area where financial and judicial transactions took place, when two angels came into town. Lot invited them to stay with his family. After a rather exciting evening, the angels made sure Lot, his wife, and his two daughters left before God destroyed the city (Genesis 19:13). As they fled, the angels warned them, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the valley; escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away” (Genesis 19:17). Lot ran, his daughters close behind. “But his wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26). She lagged behind. She turned and watched the flaming sulfur fall from the sky, consuming everything she valued. Then it consumed her. The Hebrew for “looked back” means more than to glance over one’s shoulder. It means “to regard, to consider, to pay attention to.” The Scriptures don’t say whether her death was a punishment for valuing her old life so much that she hesitated in obeying, or if it was a simple consequence of her reluctance to leave her life quickly. Either she identified too much with the city—and joined it—or she neglected to fully obey God’s warning, and she died. We’re fortunate to receive similar warnings. Ephesians 4:22-24 tells us to take off the old self that is ruled by sin and be renewed, putting on the new self that is in the likeness of God. Similarly, 1 John 5:16 says that willful, deliberate sin can lead to death. Lot’s wife wasn’t able to accept that. What she chose to value in her heart led her to sin, which led to her death. The Bible isn’t clear whether Lot’s wife was covered in the salt that rained down with the brimstone or if her remains were dusted with a coating of salt later. But it is interesting that she is described as a “pillar.” The Hebrew for “pillar” refers to a garrison or a deputy, that is, something set to watch over something else. The image of Lot’s wife standing watch over the Dead Sea area—where to this day no life can exist—is a poignant reminder to us not to look back or turn back from the profession of faith we have made, but to follow Christ without hesitation and abide in His love (Luke 17:32). GotQuestions.org Genesis 19:26 But his wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. looked: This unhappy woman, says the Rev. T. Scott, "looked back," contrary to God's express command, perhaps with a hope of returning, which latter supposition is favoured by our Lord's words, "Let him not return back: remember Lot's wife." She was, therefore, instantaneously struck dead and petrified, and thus remained to after ages a visible monument of the Divine displeasure. Ge 19:17 Pr 14:14 Lu 17:31-32 Heb 10:38 and: Nu 16:38 Related Passages: Luke 17:31-32+ “On that day, the one who is on the housetop and whose goods are in the house must not go down to take them out; and likewise the one who is in the field must not turn back. 32 “Remember (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) Lot’s wife. (See note below) A PILLAR OF SALT NO TURNING BACK DISOBEYED Just to clarify, the picture above is not completely accurate. Why? Because Lot had to arrive in Zoar BEFORE God poured out the wrath (cf Ge 19:23,24) but the picture shows him still walking away from Sodom. But his wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt - NET - "But Lot's wife looked back longingly" NLT = "But Lot's wife looked back as she was following behind him." She let Sodom physically, but her heart remained in Sodom! Note his wife tarried and apparently fell way behind as explained by Hughes below. The verb for looked (back is added by NASB) is the verb nabat which can describe anything from a mere glance (1Sa 17:42) to a careful, sustained, and contemplation (Isa 5:12; Ps 74:20; Ps 119:6, 15, Hab 1:5). The Septuagint translates nabat with the verb epiblepo which means to gaze at (in her case I think it was to gaze longingly), to look intently or to look with close attention! Lot's wife had earthly, horizontal vision, not heavenly, vertical vision and as a result she lost her life temporally and probably eternally (as she is never described as righteous.) It is interesting that today in the Dead Sea region there are many pillars of salt. A number of these have from time to time been called “Lot’s wife” by the Arabs. See Wikipedia on Lot's Wife THOUGHT- Lot's wife needed Vertical Vision! She was like those in Php 3:19+ "whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things," not like those in Php 3:20,21+ who "eagerly wait (apekdechomai in present tense = as our lifestyle! - used in a similar sense in Ro 8:23,25+, Heb 9:28+) for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself." How's your vision beloved? Is it 20/20 spiritually speaking? Is it primarily "vertically" or "horizontally" directed? Your "vision" will make all the difference in this world and the one to come! (See 1 Ti 4:8+, 2 Cor 4:18+). R Kent
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Utley - Readers are not sure exactly what happened here, but it is obvious that Lot's wife's heart was still in Sodom and she reaped a just recompense (cf. Luke 17:32). She became a memorial of disobedience! Not only was Lot's wife affected by their time in Sodom, but also his daughters, which is evident from Gen. 19:30-38. This remarkable happening is stated matter-of-factly, with no suggestion that it was a special miracle or divine judgment. Lot's wife "looked back" (phrase might even be rendered "returned back" or "lagged back") & was destroyed in the "overthrow" (Ge19:25,29) of the city. So clearly from the NT allusion by Jesus in ((note Christ's reference to this in Lu17:32,33) Lot's wife sought to keep her comfortable life in Sodom rather than to lose it with the result that she lost her life physically & almost assuredly eternally. She did not endure to the end (cp Mt24:13 cp Heb3:18,19). Interestingly there are many great deposits of rock salt in the region & one is probably Mrs. Lot! Steven Cole (The Tragedy Of Worldly Believers) - A Presbyterian pastor reported that he was talking with a colleague about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. She said, “Well, if that’s the way God really is, then I’m not going to believe in Him!” That’s strange logic! If God is a holy God who pours out His wrath on unbelieving sinners, then we had better believe in Him! You may not like the idea of a holy God who judges unrepentant sinners. But your not liking it doesn’t change who God is! The fact is, you cannot believe in Jesus Christ, even as merely a good teacher, and not believe in the awful terrors of hell, because Jesus spoke often and plainly about it. In fact, Jesus used this story of Sodom’s destruction, which overtook them as they went about their daily routines, to warn us of God’s final judgment. He said, “But on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.... Remember Lot’s wife” (Luke 17:29–30, 32+). Jonathan Edwards, in a sermon on the text, “Remember Lot’s wife,” points out the numerous descriptions of hell given in Scripture: blackness of darkness, a never-dying worm, a furnace of fire, a lake of fire and brimstone, etc. He explains that the reason so many metaphors are used is because none of them are sufficient to represent the awful misery of that place. He then states, You have therefore much more need to make haste in your escape, and not to look behind you, than Lot and his wife had when they fled out of Sodom; for you are every day and every moment in danger of a thousand times more dreadful storm coming on your heads, than that which came on Sodom, when the Lord rained brimstone and fire ... out of heaven upon them; so that it will be vastly more sottish in you to look back than it was in Lot’s wife. (THE FOLLY OF LOOKING BACK IN FLEEING OUT OF SODOM) There were probably many in Sodom who said, “If that hypocrite Lot is a believer, then I don’t want any part of it.” They perished in their sin. Perhaps others thought, “I’m a better person than that phony Lot,” and maybe they were better. But they perished that awful day. Others said, “I believe in a God of love, not a God of judgment.” They found out that their belief didn’t change who God is. They perished. The only ones who were saved were those who were the objects of God’s compassion (Ge 19:16), who heeded the urgent warning of the angels and fled for their lives. I once preached a funeral service where the family had printed on the memorial bulletin John 3:16. But it was printed as follows: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall have eternal life.” But they left out some crucial words: “whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” Either you have eternal life through faith in Jesus or you shall perish! I urge you as the angels urged Lot, “Escape for your life!” Flee to Jesus Christ and you will not perish in the day of God’s judgment! "Lot's Wife's" Pillar at Mt Sodom QUESTION - Why was Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt? ANSWER - Genesis 19 tells the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot, Abraham’s nephew, lived in Sodom with his family. His daughters were engaged to local men. Lot was sitting at the gate of Sodom, the area where financial and judicial transactions took place, when two angels came into town. Lot invited them to stay with his family. After a rather exciting evening, the angels made sure Lot, his wife, and his two daughters left before God destroyed the city (Genesis 19:13). As they fled, the angels warned them, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the valley; escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away” (Genesis 19:17). Lot ran, his daughters close behind. “But his wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26). She lagged behind. She turned and watched the flaming sulfur fall from the sky, consuming everything she valued. Then it consumed her. The Hebrew for “looked back” means more than to glance over one’s shoulder. It means “to regard, to consider, to pay attention to.” The Scriptures don’t say whether her death was a punishment for valuing her old life so much that she hesitated in obeying, or if it was a simple consequence of her reluctance to leave her life quickly. Either she identified too much with the city—and joined it—or she neglected to fully obey God’s warning, and she died. We’re fortunate to receive similar warnings. Ephesians 4:22-24 tells us to take off the old self that is ruled by sin and be renewed, putting on the new self that is in the likeness of God. Similarly, 1 John 5:16 says that willful, deliberate sin can lead to death. Lot’s wife wasn’t able to accept that. What she chose to value in her heart led her to sin, which led to her death. The Bible isn’t clear whether Lot’s wife was covered in the salt that rained down with the brimstone or if her remains were dusted with a coating of salt later. But it is interesting that she is described as a “pillar.” The Hebrew for “pillar” refers to a garrison or a deputy, that is, something set to watch over something else. The image of Lot’s wife standing watch over the Dead Sea area—where to this day no life can exist—is a poignant reminder to us not to look back or turn back from the profession of faith we have made, but to follow Christ without hesitation and abide in His love (Luke 17:32). GotQuestions.org QUESTION - What does it mean to “remember Lot’s wife” in Luke 17:32? ANSWER - In speaking to His disciples about a coming time of great destruction, Jesus mentioned what happened to Lot’s wife and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. “Remember Lot’s wife!” He said. “Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it” (Luke 17:32–33). The story of Lot and his wife is found in Genesis 19. God had determined to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness (Genesis 18:16–33), and two angels warned Abraham’s nephew Lot to evacuate the city so he and his family would not be destroyed. In Genesis 19 we read, The two [angels in the form of] men said to Lot, ‘Do you have anyone else here—sons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here, because we are going to destroy this place. The outcry to the LORD against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it’” (Ge 19:12–13). At dawn the next day, the angels hurried Lot and his family out of Sodom so they would not be destroyed with the city. When Lot hesitated, “the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the LORD was merciful to them. As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, ‘Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!’” (Genesis 19:16–17). As the family fled, “the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens” (Genesis 19:24). But, then, in disobedience to the angel’s command, “Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt” (Ge 19:26). Lot’s wife lost her life because she “looked back.” This was more than just a glance over the shoulder; it was a look of longing that indicated reluctance to leave or a desire to return. Whatever the case, the point is she was called to desert everything to save her life, but she could not let go, and she paid for it with her life. In Judaism, Lot’s wife became a symbol for a rebellious unbeliever. Jesus cites this story in Luke 17, as He describes a future event: “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it” (Lk 17:28–33). When “the Son of Man is revealed,” it will be time for people to flee. There will be no time to take anything along. If you see the sign when you are on the roof (a rooftop deck with exterior stairs was a common feature of houses at the time), you should not even take time to go into the house to gather up your possessions. You need to get out and “don’t look back.” Lot’s wife is the example of what will happen if you do. If you try to save your life (that is, your things that your life is made up of), you will lose everything. Leave it all to save your life. The scenario is similar to a person who wakes up in the middle of the night to find the house in flames. That person might be tempted to run around and gather up valuable items, but the delay might prevent escape—all the things will be lost, as well as the person’s life. It is better to leave it all behind and get out with your life. The principle is clear, but the exact referent is more difficult to discern. The revelation of the Son of Man is the event in view in Luke 17. Mark 13:14–16 records much the same message without the mention of Lot’s wife. There, the sign is “the abomination that causes desolation” (see also Matthew 24:15–18). Finally, Jesus mentions a similar situation in Luke 21:20–21: “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.” The above passages are open to several different approaches to interpretation, centered on when this will take place. If we are correct that all of these passages describe roughly the same event(s), it would seem that “the day the Son of Man is revealed,” “the abomination that causes desolation,” and “Jerusalem surrounded by armies” all refer to the signal that it is time to flee. Outside of Luke 17, the warnings to flee are found in the context of the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem (see Luke 21:5–7 and Mark 13:1–4). In Matthew 24:1–3, Jesus also deals with the destruction of the temple, except there the disciples also ask specifically about “the sign of your coming and the end of the age.” So, at least some of the prophecy was fulfilled in the first century with the destruction of the temple, but that does not preclude a future, fuller fulfillment at the second coming. The wording in Luke 17, in which Jesus speaks of the revelation of the Son of Man, certainly seems to suggest the second coming (see Colossians 3:4). Jewish believers in the first century faced persecution from Rome, often at Jewish instigation. As long as Christians were considered a sect of Judaism, they enjoyed religious freedom as Jews. However, as they were denounced by Jewish leaders and no longer considered part of Judaism, the full force of Roman expectations applied to them, including the requirement to affirm the creed “Caesar is Lord” and offer sacrifices to Caesar. If Christians failed to do this, they could be punished, imprisoned, or even killed. As a result, believing Jews faced continual pressure to “go back to the temple.” The book of Hebrews encourages believing Jews to remain true to Christ and not return to the Old Covenant system of the temple, priests, and sacrifices. Hebrews explains that the Old Covenant has passed. There may have been some believing Jews in Judea who still had some attachment to the temple. In Luke 17, Jesus warns that there will come a time when they see a symbol of impending judgment, and they will need to get out of the area as quickly as possible. Just as God rained down wrath on Sodom and Gomorrah, He will judge Jerusalem. The coming wrath is no time for divided loyalties. While many believed that God would never allow the temple to be destroyed, Jewish Christians knew that the usefulness of the temple had passed and its days were numbered. They could stay on in Jerusalem and witness of the resurrected Christ, but when they saw that judgment was about to fall, they knew to get out. Eusebius in his Church History records that they did escape. By abandoning everything and getting out of the city, the Christians not only saved their lives but also gave testimony to the fact that the Old Covenant had been replaced by the New. A similar sentiment is expressed by Jesus in other contexts, although Lot’s wife is not mentioned. Jesus said, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). In context, Jesus is talking about people who want to follow Him but are hindered by their concern for other things. It is not just that they look back, but they have divided loyalties, like Lot’s wife. Jesus also used the statement “whoever wants to save his life shall lose it” in a number of different contexts (Matthew 10:39; 16:25; Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24; 17:33). Regardless of the specifics of the context, following Jesus requires turning our backs on the “life” that this world offers. Attempting to “save your life” is the same as “looking back.” Attachment to our “old life” will cause us to lose our lives, and Lot’s wife is the illustration and example that we would do well to remember.GotQuestions.org Genesis 19:27 Now Abraham arose early in the morning and went to the place where he had stood before the LORD; early: Ps 5:3 to the: Ge 18:22-33 Eze 16:49,50 Hab 2:1 Heb 2:1 Genesis 19 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries ABRAHAM ARISES EARLY Now Abraham arose early in the morning and went to the place where he had stood before the LORD - Presumably this is the morning after the encounter with the 3 men in Ge 18:2ff. One wonders how Abraham slept that night knowing destruction was coming and knowing his nephew Lot was in the line of divine fire? The place where he had stood before the LORD is the place he had interceded with the LORD for the city of Sodom (Ge 18:22-33). Bob Utley - "to the place where he had stood before the Lord" This is an idiom for being in the presence of Deity (cf. Gen. 18:22; Lev. 9:5; Deut. 10:8). F B
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Utley - Notice that Lot was spared because of the intercession of Abraham, the possessor of the covenant promise (cf. Ex. 2:24). This verse accentuates the preeminence of Abraham. Warren