Jan's Bible NotesGenesis 19
1 "Sitting in the gate" in that time and that culture is where business was done, where judges made rulings. So had Lot kept himself apart from this sinful city, or was he accepted and involved? We wonder if Lot was a godly example, or if he had become like them. We will soon see. What time of day was it?
2-3 We don't know if Lot knew who his visitors really were. He offers them hospitality. What does he do when they at first refuse?
4-5 Why didn’t he want them to spend the night in the square? What happened? How many men were involved? Were just a few of them homosexuals? Was this about one man being attracted to another man, or was this about lustful sex, gang rape, and perversion? Homosexual men, for the most part, seem to prefer many sex partners.
What does the Bible say about homosexual behavior? Lev. 18:22, 20:13, Deut. 23:18, and Rom. 1:24-28 are quite clear and graphic; God condemns this behavior, as He does all sin. Lev. 18:22 groups this sin with incest and bestiality, forbidding all those practices and adding in 24 that those things defile a person and a nation. How did God describe Sodom's sin in 18:20? Since this is the only incident we are shown about Sodom, this must be the behavior that caused God to say that. Does the Bible say that believers are to be tolerant of this behavior, or of any sinful behavior? Is God tolerant of sin?
What does it say about homosexuals, as individuals? John 3:16, Rom. 5:8, I Tim. 1:15. Are those who engage in homosexual behavior any worse than sinners who engage in any other kind of sin? Some think that homosexuality is worse because it is referred to as an abomination; however, a check of Strong's Concordance shows that many sins are referred to as an abomination, even sins that we would not consider repulsive (Lev. 11:23, Deut. 24:3-4, Prov. 11:1, 12:22, 15:8-9). God finds all sin disgusting (even we if don't). Is it wrong if someone has homosexual impulses but controls them? Is that any different than someone with a hot temper that controls his mouth?
The Bible teaches that ANY sex outside of marriage (heterosexual, monogamous, faithful) is wrong.
7 How does Lot address them?
8 What disgusting thing does Lot try to do? What does this say about Lot, and about the values of Sodom? What has happened in his life since moving to Sodom? Has he influenced his neighbors for the Lord? Have they influenced him away from the Lord? How does this apply to us? Is it possible to remain strong for the Lord when fraternizing with unbelievers who freely engage in gross sin? Compare Abraham's reputation in Gen. 23:1-6. If you find yourself surrounded by people who are a bad influence, what can you do to stay strong in your faith and close to the Lord?
9 Has Lot really been accepted by them? When you compromise, you end up not fully accepted or respected by either group. In Rev. 3:16, Jesus said He would rather we were hot or cold, not lukewarm. Why do you suppose He said that?
10-11 What do the angels do? What might this picture, spiritually? Sin that is indulged in and unrepented of brings what?
12 How many does Lot have? Lot's family numbers at least seven (at least two sons and at least two daughters), but might we assume ten, based on Abraham's talk with God, 18:32?
13 Now Lot must understand who his visitors are.
14 What does this tell us about Lot? Because of his compromise and his chosen lifestyle, has he even been able to influence his family for the Lord?
15-16 Why do you suppose Lot hesitated? All of them had to be literally pulled out. What does this tell us about how they felt about the city and their life their? about how much they believed or feared God?
17 What were they specifically told not to do?
18-21 What does "lord" mean? Ruler, master, the one in control; to call them "lord" and to say "no" to them is a contradiction in terms! Do we ever say "no Lord!" Does Lot have faith that God can protect him anywhere and everywhere? Lot contradicts and argues, his wife disobeys. How does this reflect on their relationship to God? Lot has a "better" idea; can our plan ever be better than God's plan? But don't we often ask God to implement our plan? Isn't that extremely audacious? Is this showing faith in God? Sometimes God even gives us our way; is that because He has seen that our way was actually better than what He had planned? Be careful what you demand from God; He just may give it to you.
22 How might this apply to a future aspect of judgment? The great tribulation, the day of God's wrath (Rev. 6:17) won’t begin until the righteous (all believers--the church, those who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit) are removed, II Thes. 2:1-10. The man of lawlessness will not be revealed until the church is removed. 7-8, the indwelling Holy Spirit, the restrainer, will be taken out of the way, and THEN the lawless one will be revealed. (The Holy Spirit will continue to operate on earth as He did in the Old Testament, but He will no longer indwell believers. Only the church, the bride, the body of Christ, has been given the indwelling Holy Spirit.)
23-25 Fire and brimstone. Geologic evidence rules out the possibility of volcanic activity, but a great earthquake is possible, resulting in an enormous explosion. The area is known for sulpherous gases and asphalt seepage. Lightning could easily have then ignited the entire area. It is not necessary to assume a miraculous, supernatural rain of fire and brimstone, although that is possible. Was God cruel to destroy these cities? Did they have knowledge of God? Compare Gen. 14. Yet compare Mt. 10:15, 11:23-24. Those living in the cities of Israel who rejected Jesus Christ will be judged more harshly than those living in Sodom and Gomorrah; why? 11:23. Light creates responsibility. Those who witnessed the miracles and ministry of Jesus and rejected Him will be held more accountable than those who committed gross sin but had less light, Luke 12:47-48. We think that Hitler and Jeffrey Dahmer will be judged the most harshly, because of the enormity of their crimes, but the Pharisees, the Jewish religious leaders who rejected Jesus, will probably be judged more harshly than them, because God had revealed Himself to them through the Law and the prophets and they rejected Him.
26 Lot’s disobedient wife. Had God made His will clear? How did she feel about Sodom? How are we to feel about the world? Are we so caught up with the temporary pleasures of the world that, if Christ were to call His church home, we would look back longingly? One of the reasons God allows hardships and tragedies in our lives is to cause disenchantment with this world, to turn our eyes longingly toward heaven. On the other hand, we might ask ourselves, is our desire to leave this world and go to heaven based mostly on escapism, or a desire to see Jesus and to be with Him forever?
Luke 17:26-33. What time period is this talking about? The return of Christ at the end of the tribulation (which is not the same as the rapture of the church, which has already taken place). What do 26-30 tell us about the people on earth when Christ returns? Is it sinful to eat, drink, marry, buy, sell, plant or build? Is that ALL there is to life? So what attitude did people have in Sodom, and at the time of the flood? What is the application for us? I John 2:15-17.
27-29 Abraham sees the destruction.
30-38 Lot and his daughters.
31-32 31, is this true? Hadn't they just come from Zoar? Didn't they know about their relative Abraham? Why would she say such a thing? Had the angels said anything about God destroying all mankind? Perhaps they hadn't listened, or only heard what they wanted to hear, or twisted what they heard to suit their own purposes. Did any of Lot's family show an interest in listening to and obeying God's words? Did they seem to have any concept of trusting God? We see how Sodom had influenced their thinking and standards. What had they seen, heard or experienced that had dulled their morals so that they could come up with such a plan, and carry it out? Apparently incest was common and accepted in that city. What warning can we take for ourselves? What can happen to our children when we compromise with the world? 32, can we ever justify doing something wrong to accomplish something that we think ought to happen? Is that trusting God?
33-36 What do we see about Lot's character here? Easily persuaded, no problem getting him to drink, no moral strength. Apparently they knew this about him. Where did they get the wine? Now we see what they thought was important to take when they left, or perhaps they picked some up in Zoar.
37-38 What part will these two sons play in Israel’s future? Enemies, I Sam. 14:47.
Do you think Lot was a believer? Was he saved, was he righteous? Do we see anything in this story that would make us think so? It would be easy to assume he is not, except for II Pet. 2:6-9. But the fact that he had personal convictions was not as strong an influence on his family as the surrounding culture. Do all believers look and act like believers? Do all have visible "fruit" in their lives? Compare Mt. 13:22. Some Christians believe that at the rapture, only believers who are living for the Lord will be taken, but Lot's story refutes this, as well as I Thes. 5:10. Sometimes the Bible uses "sleep" to mean "dead," such as in 4:13-15, but here the word "asleep" is "at rest" (lethargic) as opposed to those who are "awake" (vigilant).
Some Christians teach a concept called “lordship Christianity," which says that if you trust Christ as your Savior, but He is not your Lord also, you are not truly saved. Lot's story, taken with II Pet. 2:6-9, refutes this teaching. Lot was a believer, but apparently God was not Lord of his life. If lordship is the issue, how much does Christ have to be Lord of your life? Are any of us totally yielded, especially at first, when we have just believed in Christ? Isn't this usually a gradual process of maturation? If I have believed in Christ but He is not yet my Lord, how will I know when I am really saved? I can say one day, "I now make you my Lord," but saying the words doesn’t make that happen. It generally takes God's discipline, over time, to bring about the yieldedness that God wants from us. The Bible clearly teaches that we are saved through faith alone, not by works or obedience. John 1:12, 3:16, Eph. 2:8-9.
Copyright 2003 Jan Young