Sodom and Gomorrah

• 1^st – The LORD appreared to Abraham… vs. 1-15 (5 points)
  • 1^st – The terebinth trees of Mamre… vs. 1
    • It is important to note WHERE this took place…
      • This is WHERE Abraham went after he separated from Lot in – Genesis 13:18
      • Where He built an alter after God promised him descendants like the dust of the earth…
      • The promise God had now given him 4 times – Genesis 12:2 / 13:16 / 15:5 / 17:19
    • It is important to note WHEN this took place…
      • The Lord appeared – niphal / sequential / imperfect – this was a continuation of the story!
      • This encounter takes place 3 months AFTER Abraham was circumcised – Genesis 17:23
      • God had given Abraham the covenant when he was 99 years old…
      • Isaac was born was he was 100 years old – this was 9 months before the birth of Isaac…
      • Meaning Sarah was PREGNANT – but she did not KNOW it yet!
  • 2^nd – Three men were standing by Abraham… vs. 1
    • Two of them were Angels – Genesis 19:1 – the same Angels who went on to Sodom…
      • The third was none other than God Almighty – the word Lord used here is Yahweh!
      • For the 2^nd time (Melchizedek being the first) – God meets face to face with Abraham!
      • John 8:56 – “Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”
    • There was no great announcement – no trumpet blast – no forewarning…
      • On a day like any other – while resting in his tent – Abraham was visited by the Lord!
      • So often we are looking for God to meet with us – speak to us – direct us…
      • Yet we expect Him to do it in extraordinary ways – the voice of heaven…
      • More often than not God meets us where we are – in simple very un-extraordinary ways!
      • I Kings 19:12 – “After the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice…”
  • 3^rd – A culture of hospitality… vs. 2-8
    • Abraham invited the three men to come and rest themselves…
      • Abraham INVITED them to wash / rest / and be comforted (all imperative) – he insisted!
      • His idea of giving them a SNACK – a little water / bit of bread – was a FEAST!
      • Sarah baked fresh cakes with butter and milk – Abraham cooked a whole cow – SNACKS!
      • We are not told that Abraham knew who the 3 men were – at first…
      • It is possible he knew but more likely that he was just being a very hospitable host!
      • Hebrew 13:2 – “Entertain strangers… some have unwittingly entertained angels.”
    • OUR Christian culture of hospitality…
      • We are called to care for others – even strangers…
      • Not that we are likely to ever entertain angels literally – but you never know!
      • When we take the time to give food the hungry and drink to the thirsty…
      • By doing so we show the Love of God to others – the goodness of God – John 13:35
      • Through which we give them the opportunity to know Jesus – Romans 2:4
      • More than that – we when we care for strangers we are actually ministering to Jesus!
      • Matthew 25:40 – “[Jesus] will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’”
  • 4^th – God told Abraham – Sarah would have a son… vs. 9-12
    • The Lord asked Abraham – where is Sarah – she was listening inside the tent…
      • The Lord confirmed – in person – Sarah will have a son in the time of life (9 months) …
      • Now – Abraham and Sarah were well past their childbearing years…
      • They were OLD – and if you did not get the point – WELL advanced in AGE…
      • Sarah was past the age of childbearing (Hebrew – she had gone through menopause)
      • There was absolutely no chance they could have a child – Impossible!
    • Therefore – Sarah laughed…
      • Sarah had not been able to have children when she was younger…
      • How much more would she not be able to have kids now that she was VERY old…
      • So – she chuckled to herself in disbelief!
      • I love that Sarah had so little faith in what God could do…
      • She looked at the circumstances and saw that what He said was impossible…
      • That means it was not her great faith that allowed God to do a Great work…
      • God does not do extraordinary works with Extraordinary men and women of faith
      • He does extraordinary works – through ordinary / often doubtful / men and women!
  • 5^th – Is anything to hard for the Lord… vs. 13-15
    • Sarah laughed – and God HEARD her (she denied it out of fear) …
      • Abraham had also laughed – Genesis 17:17
      • But just as God working in the heart of Abraham – so that he believed…
      • He now worked in the heart of Sarah – so she also came to TRUST the Lord!
      • Hebrews 11:11 – “Sarah herself also bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.”
      • Please note that Abraham could not CONVINCE Sarah to put her TRUST in the Lord…
      • He was SERVING the Lord – literally – when God met Sarah and revealed her DOUBT!
    • The response of the Lord – is anything too hard for the Lord!
      • Too often we look at God in terms of our abilities…
      • We think something is impossible – because WE cannot do it…
      • Or we think it is impossible because WE cannot understand how it could be done…
      • God is not limited by our abilities or understanding – God has no limitations at all!
      • Luke 18:27 – “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”
• 2^nd – Negotiating with God… vs. 16-33 (3 points)
  • 1^st – Shall I hide (piel – intensive / causative) from Abraham what I am doing… vs. 16-19
    • After they finished their SNACKS (no rice) – Abraham went along with them…
      • The LORD questioned how much of what was about to occur to reveal to Abraham…
      • The Lord was about to go down and destroy Sodom and Gomorrah!
    • His conclusion – Abraham would one day be the Father of a great nation…
      • It would be through Abraham that Jesus would be born – the blessing to all nations…
      • But God KNEW (perfect) Abraham – and in order for him to command his children…
      • For Abraham to be able to teach them to keep the WAY of the Lord – righteousness…
      • It was important to take the opportunity to include Abraham in His plans!
      • Often as parents the answer we give to our kids is – because I said so…
      • We do not include our children in our decisions either because…
      • We do not think that they are capable of helping…
      • Or we want to keep them safe from the difficult decisions of life…
      • Yet it is by including them that we teach them how to walk with the Lord!
      • If we never let our children see our challenges – they can never see God provide!
  • 2^nd – The wicked and the righteous… vs. 20-33
    • The cry against Sodom and Gomorrah was GREAT – and their sin was very HEAVY…
      • The Lord wanted to see it – and KNOW if what He had heard was true!
      • Therefore – the two ANGELS who were with him departed for Sodom!
    • Abraham asked the Lord – would you destroy the righteous with the wicked…
      • Interesting that Abraham said – city – not cities…
      • Likely he was thinking specifically of Sodom where his nephew Lot lived…
      • Surely if Lot was there had to be other righteous men as well!
    • Would you not spare the city for the sake of the 50…
      • Abraham understood what was about to happen…
      • No doubt he had heard himself about the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah…
      • He knew the God was about to judge these cities because of their sin…
      • His argument is not that they were not wicked – it was certain they were…
      • His argument is would God treat the righteous in the cities as the wicked!
    • The Lord answered – I would spare all the cities for the sake of 50…
      • The Lord is just – for that matter He is the definition of Justice!
      • The Lord will not punish the righteous for the sins of the wicked!
      • The world today is far more wicked than Sodom and Gomorrah…
      • Billy Graham once said – If God does not judge [the world today] – apologize to Sodom…
      • Yet the Lord will not judge the righteous with the wicked…
      • The great hope we have is that the Lord will come and take us home (rapture) …
      • Before He judges this world (the Great Tribulation)!
      • I Thessalonians 1:10 – “Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”
  • 3^rd – Standing in the gap…
    • Abraham took (hiphil) it upon himself to speak (piel) with the Lord to spare the cities…
      • He was just dust and ashes – but the was trying to save Sodom from becoming ASHES! 
      • He asked what if there were only 45 – then continues – what if there were only 40…
      • He adds – do not be angry for me speaking (piel) again – but what if there were only 30…
      • Understanding his boldness to be speaking to God – what if only 20…
      • Speaking one last time – do not be angry (jussive) – what if there were only 10!
    • The Lord answered Abraham each time…
      • He would not destroy it – even for the sake of ten!
      • But there were not even 10 righteous in the city – there was only ONE – Lot!
      • Like Abraham the Lord has allowed us to be a part of His plan…
      • We have the opportunity to stand in the gap between sinners and the savior
      • We can give a lost world the answer it needs – Jesus…
      • The question is do we stand in the gap – do we tell others about Jesus!
      • Romans 10:13-17 – “How shall they hear without a preacher… faith comes by hearing…”
• 3^rd – The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah… vs. 1-11 (5 points)
  • 1^st – Physically – Beautiful cities on the lush plains around the Dead Sea – Genesis 14:3
    • Where Lot choose to go because it was green and well-watered – Genesis 13:10
      • Salt Sea – or Dead Sea is 64km long – 16km wide – 400 meters below sea level…
      • The Dead Sea is divided into the upper and low ends…
      • Lower end 3-6 meters deep – Upper end up to 430 meters deep
    • Location of the cities – south or north…
      • One possibility is on the southern shore – near the south end of the Dead Sea…
      • Recent archeological discoveries – ruins wealthy cities – agricultural surplus…
      • It also has great asphalt (tar) deposits – Josephus called it the Asphalt Sea…
      • There is also a possible location north east of the Dead Sea – Tall el-Hammam
      • There is no concrete evidence as to which location is correct…
      • Because of the devastation – no one occupied the area for 700 years afterwards!
  • 2^nd – Lot was sitting at the Gate – position of authority… vs. 1-3
    • This suggests that Lot was not just a resident of Sodom – but a leader…
      • Lot left Abraham in Genesis 13:10 and choose to move to the rich plains of Sodom…
      • The next time we saw him in Genesis 14:12 – he dwelt in Sodom…
      • Now we see him in a position of authority in Sodom…
      • We see here the slow compromise of Lot conforming to the world!
      • If you stick a frog in hot water – it will jump right back out…
      • But if you stick a frog in cold water – then slowly increase the heat…
      • You will boil him without him even knowing he was in danger!
      • It is the same with comprise – we do not just decide one day to love the world…
      • It is slow process that step by step leads us away from Jesus!
    • Lot insisted that the 2 men (Angels) come in and spend the night with him…
      • These are the same men who had been with The LORD and Abraham the day before…
      • The Angels planned to spend the night in the town plaza…
      • After all they came to see if the sin of the city was as great as they had heard…
      • We do not know if Lot knew who these men were at first…
      • But knowing how sinful the city was and insisted strongly they stay with him!
    • He did serve them unleavened bread – bread without yeast…
      • This is the first mention of unleavened bread in the Bible…
      • We do not read about it again till the Passover in Exodus 12…
      • Unleavened bread is a picture of the sinless (no yeast) sacrifice of Jesus Christ!
      • That Lot had communion with them suggests Lot knew exactly who they were!
  • 3^rd – A city ripe for judgment… vs. 4-5
    • Young and old alike came to the house of Lot…
      • The wickedness and immorality – was not limited to one generation…
      • Bring out the men – hiphil (causative) imperative – so we may know them!
      • There are some who argue the sin of Sodom was a LACK of HOSPITALITY…
      • But there can be no doubt – to KNOW – is a euphemism for sex – Genesis 19:8
      • They wanted to have the two men so they could sexually abuse them!
    • The sin of homosexuality…
      • The Bible plainly condemns the sin of homosexuality – Leviticus 18:22
      • Even more – the Bible attributes homosexuality as a sign of a cultural depravity…
      • When a culture has open homosexuality – it has rejected the knowledge of God!
      • Romans 1:25-27 – “Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies… That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires… and the men, instead of having normal sexual relationships with women, burned with lust for each other.”
      • We are pressured today to accept homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle…
      • There are even some churches that are ordaining homosexual pastors…
      • There are those who try to argue people are born that way (no scientific evidence) …
      • Yet God makes it VERY clear that it is an abomination – it is sin…
      • We are not to conform – we are not to condone sin – through we love the sinner!
  • 4^th – The plea of Lot… vs. 6-8
    • Please – my brethren – do not do so wickedly…
    • Lot had brought these men into his home – he wanted to protect them…
    • Instead he offers his two unmarried daughters to the mob – to do with as they wished…
    • This passage is difficult to understand – we cannot imagine a Father saying this!
    • A consequence of living for the world – is sacrificing our kids to the world…
    • Perhaps not as bluntly as Lot – but as we live in the world our children watch…
    • If we are living for the world – then they will follow our example…
    • Do our kids see us always caught up in the cares of this world…
    • Do they see us living our lives for Jesus just on Sunday – or every day!
  • 5^th – Keeps acting as our judge… vs. 9-11
    • It would appear that Lot had never lost his faith in God…
      • II Peter 2:7-8 – “God rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a good man who was sick of all the immorality and wickedness around him. Yes, he was a righteous man who was distressed by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day.”
      • He had been troubled by the sin of Sodom – perhaps even speaking out against it…
      • Yet being part of the world – he was ineffective in reaching them for God!
      • If I stand on a chair – you can pull me off – easier than I can pull you up!
      • We must be very careful about our fellowship with the world
      • It is far easier for them to pull us down – then to pick them up
      • I Corinthians 6:17 – “Therefore, come out from them and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you.”
    • The mob then turned their anger and venom on Lot – we will do worse to you!
      • And they attached Lot and tried to break down the door…
      • But the Angels blinded the mob – though that did not stop them for looking…
      • They mob wearied themselves trying to blindly find the door!
      • That was all the proof the Angels needed – judgment was coming!

• 4^th – Trapped by the World… vs. 12-26 (3 points)
  • 1^st – Unwilling to go… vs. 12-14
    • The Angels told Lot the LORD had sent them to REALLY (piel) destroy the city…
      • He was to go and take his sons-in-law – daughters – any one he cared for out from the city!
      • He had the 2 daughters who were not married yet – but he also had married daughters…
      • He went and told their husbands – but to them he seemed to be joking…
      • They could not believe Lot that judgment was only hours away!
    • As in the days of Lot…
      • Luke 17:28-30 – “As it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold… but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.”
      • So many people today are just going about their daily lives – oblivious…
      • They assume they have all the time in the world – tomorrow will be just like today…
      • They do realize that Jesus is coming soon – judgment is right around the corner…
      • It is our opportunity to share with them – to warn them…
      • They may mock us – they might not believe – but then again they might and be saved!
  • 2^nd – Hesitant to go… vs. 15-23
    • At dawn – the Angels URGED Lot to hurry (hiphil) – lest they be consumed with the city…
      • Even though he knew judgment and destruction were coming…
      • Perhaps it was because he still had family – he hoped would come along…
      • Perhaps it was because his heart was still there in Sodom!
    • Do not store up treasures on earth…
      • Where your treasure is there is your heart also – Matthew 6:21
      • We do not choose where are heart is – we do choose where we put our treasures…
      • Wherever we put the majority of our treasures – that is where we will also find our heart…
      • Are we focused on the things of the Lord – or caught up in the concerns of this world!
    • Lot still lingered (hithpalpel – reflexive) …
      • The Angels took Lot – his 2 daughters who were there – and his wife by the hand…
      • In order to get Lot out of the city they had to be forcibly removed!
      • Yet Lot was STILL not quite able to let go of the world…
      • Even having been forcefully removed from the city he wanted to stay close…
      • The Angel commanded him to flee to the mountain – Lot resisted…
      • He asked if he could just flee to the small nearby city of Zoar!
      • Lot was lot to hurry – they would spare Zoar – but could not do anything till Lot was safe!
      • Often – we try to reason with God – how far away from sin do we need to be…
      • Can we at least look at sin – how about touch – just a light touch…
      • We do not want to be in the world – just really close – is that OK God…
      • There is no compromising with sin – there is no middle ground!
  • 3^rd – Determined to go back… vs. 24-26
    • The Lord rained down fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah!
      • Brimstone [גָּפְרִית] – may refer to Sulphur that is common in the area…
      • The best interpretation of this apocalyptic event – a meteor shower – (from the heavens)
      • That ignited the asphalt (tar) and Sulphur in the area completely destroying everything…
      • To the point where nothing – not even a blade of grass – remains to this day!
    • The wife of Lot (we never learn her name) …
      • Looked back (hiphil / imperfect) – chose to KEEP looking back – she stopped fleeing…
      • Therefore – she was covered in the erupting tar and salt explosions – pillar of salt
      • She was un-willing to leave the world behind – and it cost her life!
      • The danger of living life on the fence – is falling off on the wrong side…
      • It is not worth the danger to play around with the love of this world…
      • It is far too easy to fall in love with this world – miss Jesus – be left behind!

• 5^th – In the World but not of the World… vs. 27-38
  • 1^st – Abraham went to the place he met with the LORD (previous day) … vs. 27-29
    • He looked towards Sodom and Gomorrah and saw the destruction…
    • Abraham was not invested in – caught up in – the world…
    • Because he put his treasures in the Lord – he lost nothing…
    • But the Lord remembered Abraham – the conversation – and so He saved Lot!
    • Abraham could not save everyone in Sodom – but he did save one!
  • 2^nd – The price of compromise… vs. 30-38
    • Lot went out from Zoar to the mountains…
      • Apparently terrified by the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah…
      • Lot and his two daughters relocated up to a cave in the mountains!
    • The daughters apparently believed that everyone had perished in the destruction…
      • Their solution was to both get pregnant by their father…
      • On two different nights they got Lot drunk – he did not know what happened…
      • The older gave birth to a son/brother – Moab – father of the Moabites…
      • The younger gave birth to a son/brother – Ben-Ammi – father of the Ammonites…
    • Lot was a righteous man…
      • Yet he lost all of his possessions and his home…
      • And he lost his married daughters in the destruction of Sodom…
      • He lost his wife when she went back to Sodom…
      • And he lost his last 2 daughters to the immorality of Sodom…
      • His decision to live Sodom – in the end – cost him everything!
    • If we want to live for this world – we lose!
      • Only the one who loses his life for Jesus – preserves it…
      • It is when we live for Jesus – not hold onto the things of this world – we find true life!
      • John 12:24-25 – “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.  He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
      • Only when we are willing to let our life go – do we truly find life in Jesus!
      • Then we will find the ultimate reward – not only eternal life with Jesus…
      • But a full and fulfilling life while we wait for His soon return!