08/22/2021
The Attributes of God
{part {36}
(The Holiness of God) – {part 13}
By way of introduction, I want to read verses 12-13of Genesis chapter 13.
Genesis 13:12-13
(12) Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward S***m.
(13) But the men of S***m were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
But the men of S***m were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
1. God destroys the cities of S***m and Gomorrah
This morning we will be continuing our study on the Holiness of God and for this morning I want to look at another example of God’s holiness on display in his wrath toward sin.
And again, the example that we will be looking at this morning like others that we have looked at, are examples that the world would point to, to show injustice on the part of God.
This morning I want to look at the destruction of the cities of S***m and Gomorrah.
Originally, I had skipped over this example but considering our culture today I thought it would be good to look at it.
And anyone familiar with this account from scripture is aware that at the heart of the wickedness of these cities was the sin of homosexuality.
Sadly, in our society our culture has shifted from a position of disapproval to a total embrace of any such behavior.
And in the last several years as a nation we have seen a more drastic shift in public approval than ever before, which has led to not only the embrace of homosexual relationships, and the endorsement of homosexual marriages in some states to, transgender and any and all other forms of sexual immorality.
Which shouldn’t be any real surprise because once you do away with the foundation of moral behavior and redefine what is moral and what is right and say that there is no absolute standard for what is right and wrong then we open the door to all manner of immorality.
There is no where to draw the line if we don’t have an absolute standard by which we can judge.
Society would have you to believe that we as a society have the right to determine what is right and wrong.
As Christians we believe that God has the absolute right to determine what is right and wrong and that He has revealed that in His word.
And by the way God’s standards don’t change.
You often hear, you must change with the times; well God doesn’t change and what God calls sin hasn’t changed.
God’s word hasn’t changed.
As mere human beings we don’t have the right to question what God determines to be wrong or redefine what God has said is sinful.
And even if the majority deems something as good and right doesn’t mean that it is, especially if God has already condemned in His word.
The disapproval as a society has quickly shifted from those who commit such an act, to those who would stand against or who would speak out against any such behavior.
It is not even enough to be neutral on the subject but rather if you don’t embrace it then you are labelled as a bigot and homophobic.
Everywhere you look we see this idea being forced upon us as a normal way of life and as good and moral behavior.
Even in children’s cartoons, and many tv shows and movies and in commercials and advertisements this idea is being pushed as normal and something that should be embraced.
I’m sure all of us are aware that the month of June is now celebrated as national Pride month.
And every major retailer and every major industry, from amazon to google to Facebook and to every major brand were promoting this idea of normalization and acceptance of whatever sexual preference you choose.
Everything is promoting the pro LGBTQ movement.
And in case you didn’t know that stands for Le***an, gay, bisexual, transgender and q***r or questioning in case you’re unsure of your sexual perversion.
And now I think they have added the letters I and A at the end as intersexual and asexual.
And I’m sure that it will go on because as we have already said once you reject the biblical standard of morality, marriage and sexuality then you open the door to any and all forms of sexual immorality and perversions.
Even the city of Ashland and our Mayor Matt Perkins came out with a statement proclaiming the month of June to be diversity month; saying we celebrate all Ashland citizens from all races, religions, and sexual orientation.
If you haven’t realized it yet those who stand on biblical convictions are in the minority.
And any opposition to these actions is considered hate.
And sadly, it’s probably only going to get worse.
But what is almost more appalling is the shift in the realm of so-called Christianity on the issue.
More and more you hear how certain denominations, or prominent so-called Christians speaking in favor of Gay rights, and putting their endorsements on what God has said is sinful.
Even the current Pope not that he carries any weight in my opinion has come out in favor of Gay unions.
Of course, this is just one of many things that the pope or the catholic church has said that goes against the Bible. But they don’t give a lot of weight to what the scripture says any way.
And there has also been splits in major Christian denominations over this issue, I believe the Methodist being one of them and maybe others also.
But isn’t it a sad testimony to claim the name of Christ, and claim to be a Christian which is to be Christ like and say what offends God is not offensive to you?
Or what a sad testimony is it for a Pastor who is commissioned to preach the word of God to endorse or place their blessings in marrying Gay couples of which God has clearly condemned in His word.
The only union of marriage that God has placed his blessing upon in his word is the marriage of a man and a woman which He instituted in the book of Genesis.
I have a problem with someone claiming to be a Christian who so easily disregards his word, and when it is presented to them, they say I don’t believe God is that way, or that my God is not so judgmental.
One quote I seen the other day on this issue was quote “the god I know is different than the god of most people who identify as Christians know… the god I know is not a judgmental god. He is an unconditional love god.”
This kind of idea makes since you are willing to confess that your not worshiping the God revealed in scripture and that your not following Christ, but to claim that you are and yet deny the very revelation he has given of himself in scripture contradictory.
Then there are those who try to look at passages like the one we’re going to look at this morning and try to explain away the clear teachings in the word of God in order to fit with their own opinions or to be more acceptable with the teachings of the world.
That doesn’t really mean what it says, God’s not really that harsh.
They say I think that God just wants men to be happy, in fact it is God who made them.
The problem is that you won’t find anywhere is God’s word where He says he wants men to be happy especially when it means defying his commandments.
God doesn’t command men to do what feels right or good but to obey His word.
God doesn’t want men to do what makes them happy but rather He commands all men to be Holy.
God expects men to do what pleases him not the other way around.
Acts 17:30-31
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
God commands all men everywhere to repent.
From the very words of Jesus except you repent you shall all likewise perish.
This kind of teaching however is offensive to the world, and the account of God’s judgement that were about to read of is appalling to many but the question we must ask is it just.
Is God right to judge sinners in the way He does?
It seems as a bit hypocritical as a society that it is ok to be offended at the beliefs of Christians or offended because of what God’s word says about the sin of man, but at the same time say that Christians have no right to be offended at what is clearly revealed as sin in the word of God.
And more significantly that God has no right as creator to be offended at the sin and rebellion of man against His commands.
All sin is an offense to our Holy God.
So, this morning we want to pick up the story in Genesis Chapter 18, but before I do that, I want to read verse 13 again of Genesis chapter 13 which we have read already which sets the stage for their destruction.
Gen 13:13
(13) But the men of S***m were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
This verse sounds much like the pronouncement that God mad of man before He destroyed the world before the flood because of their great sin and wickedness.
And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
But here we see the men and we understand that this doesn’t just mean just the men, but the women also, were wicked and exceedingly sinful.
Not just somewhat sinful but wicked and exceedingly sinful.
Which certainty shows the poor lack of judgement in Lot pitching His tent toward S***m.
And this should be a warning to us as well, regardless of how strong we think we are or what temptations we have we need to forsake the company of sin.
It is one thing to try to be a light and try to witness the gospel to sinners, but we don’t dwell in the company of sinners and their sinful habits.
1 Corinthians 15:33
Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
And we could draw the parallel that all sin corrupts good manners and good conduct, and this was certainly the case with Lot and His family.
He certainly suffered great loss as a result of his choices.
2 Peter 2:6-9
And turning the cities of S***m and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds
But in Chapter 18 we pick up the story of where God is speaking to Abram or Abraham as God later names Him, about how he was going to destroy the cities of S***m and Gomorrah.
And from the first couple of verses of Chapter 18 we see where three men came unto Abraham to tell him that they shall bear a Son which would become the promised seed.
And the three men who appeared to Abraham was the preincarnate Christ, God himself appearing in the form of a man, and then two angels also in the form of men.
And after Abraham made a feast and God delivered the news of this promised seed, this promised Son, we see the narrative changes in verse 16 when the two angels leave toward S***m.
And we will pick up the story there.
Genesis 18:16-33
(16) And the men (the two angels in the form of men)rose up from thence, and looked toward S***m: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
(17) And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
(18) Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
(19) For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
(20) And the LORD said, Because the cry of S***m and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
(21) I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
And well stop reading there for a moment.
And the LORD said, Because the cry of S***m and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous
Despite the mercy shown to S***m through Abraham in chapter 14, S***m still has not repented of its sin.
Before we read from chapter 13 that their sin was exceedingly great, and here it is said to be very grievous.
This certainly gives us some explanations as to why God would choose to destroy these cities and should make us fear as a nation when we see sin running rampant in our land and laws being made to embrace what God has called sin.
If we keep going down this road of sin as a nation, we can certainly expect God’s judgement on our nation as well, and I believe we are already seeing it today.
We certainly can’t expect God to bless us as a nation if we neglect fear and obey him.
If God will not spare his chosen nation Israel for their sin and rebellion what makes us think that God will spare America.
(21) I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
Another thing that we must point out that should be obvious to us all is that God didn’t need to go down to S***m in order to learn something that He didn’t already know.
As we have already seen in this study that God is Omniscient; all knowing and Omnipresent; everywhere present at the same time.
God doesn’t learn new things because He already knows all things and
the eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Proverbs 15:3
God already knew the wickedness of these cities as we read back in Gen 13:13
And also, God said in verse 20 before he went down the cry of S***m and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous.
So, we know that God wasn’t going down in order learn something He hadn’t already known before, but to judge.
This was His purpose all along and we understand that God went down in the since that he sent these two angels in His place.
The wickedness of these cities had reached the end of God’s longsuffering and the point of no return before His judgement was going to fall.
There is a point when the mercy and longsuffering of God runs out for the wicked and unbelievers.
But in verse 22 when begin to see Abraham attempting to intercede on behalf of these wicked cities.
And I really and truly believe that this should be the heart of every true believer when we realize what God saved us from.
We ought to plead the mercy of God that sinners would be saved.
We never know what God’s will is or who he might save, so we must never stop praying and never stop interceding for sinners, they may very well be the elect of God.
Wasn’t that the heart of Jesus on the cross praying for the very ones who hung Him there?
Father forgive them for they know not what they do.
If Jesus can pray for sinners how much more ought we to pray for sinners?
Wasn’t that the Heart of Stephen imitating the Lord Jesus Christ after the angry Mob picked up stones and stoned him to death?
Just before death he cried with a loud voice Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.
If Jesus can pray like that for sinners, if Stephen can pray like that, if Abraham can plead the mercy of God and intercede for sinners are we so hard hearted, so indifferent that we can’t also cry out to God asking for him to show forth His mercy to save even the greatest of sinners knowing that he is indeed able to save them.
Is it not God’s will to use our prayers to accomplish His sovereign will?
God expects us to pray and the prayer of the righteous availeth much.
If we were Armenians and if salvation was left in the hands of men maybe there would be no need to pray for those who appear too far gone, too deep in sin, too stubborn, too hard hearted to ever receive the gospel.
But the truth of the matter is this, we were all too far gone, we all had impenetrable hearts of stone, we all were dead in trespasses and sins, and the truth of the matter is, we could never be saved if our salvation was left in the hands of men.
But as we know were not saved by the power and persuasion of man, but by the effectual working power of almighty God.
And if we truly believe that, then we should be the most prayerful, the most hopeful and the most evangelical people on the face of the earth because we know that there is no sinner so great, no sinner too far gone, no sinner too hard hearted that can resist the effectual saving power of Almighty God when He draws him by is Omnipotent power.
May we never stop praying for our loved ones, may we never stop praying for the lost and may we never lose hope, because God is certainly able to save them.
May we also pray and intercede for sinners.
And we understand that salvation is not of any merit of man, and God certainty owes no man salvation, and it may not be God’s will to save those for whom we pray for, but we also understand that God is not unrighteous in bringing judgement on those whom he chooses not to save, because we all deserve death for our sins.
When we pray for sinners were not praying for justice but for God’s mercy.
And as we said before mercy can’t be demanded, and God can’t be said to be unrighteous in withholding it when it is his will to give it.
But as believers we can take great comfort in knowing that our God delights in showing mercy.
Micah 7:18
Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
There is certainly no God like our God who pardons iniquity and passes by our transgressions.
How thankful we should be that our God delights in mercy.
That is our hope when we pray that God would delight in mercy and save them by his mighty power, but we must understand that is not always his will to do so.
And as we will see it was not God’s will to save these cities, but God was willing to save the righteous.
Even though our prayers may not always be answered in the way we expect them to be we can take comfort in knowing that what God does is good and right, and that is the very basis for which Abraham pleaded with God.
Abraham pleaded with God on the basis of the goodness and the righteousness of God.
(22) And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward S***m: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
(23) And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
Such an idea would be in direct opposition to the perfect character of our Holy God.
Abraham knew and understood the righteousness of God.
And He goes on in verse 24.
(24) Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
(25) That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
This is such an amazing verse of scripture and should be the confidence of every believer.
Abraham had perfect confidence and assurance in the perfect unchanging character of God.
Abraham wasn’t wrong in his assessment of God, but He was in his assessment of the city of S***m.
We have this confidence that God will not slay or punish the righteous with the wicked.
We can be sure that it is far from God to do after this manner.
God will never act unjustly or act in a way that is unrighteous toward man, nor can He, because it would be against his nature to do so.
This is our confidence in salvation because we have been justified by Christ therefore, we can never be condemned on the basis of our sins again.
If God could act unjustly, we would have no hope at all.
Our Confidence, as was the confidence of Abraham is this; that the Judge of all earth shall do right.
(26) And the LORD said, If I find in S***m fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
(27) And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
Abraham knew he had no merit in himself by which to plead His case but pleaded solely upon the basis of the mercy and righteousness of God.
Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
(28) Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
(29) And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty’s sake.
(30) And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
(31) And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake.
(32) And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.
(33) And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.
Another thing to note here is that God through the pleading of Abraham never changed His mind, God didn’t decide to do something other than what He had before prepared to do.
I had a Catholic social studies teacher that brought this account up to me once by asking a question something to the effect that isn’t it strange that God’s mind can be changed not to do something that he before had planned to do.
And He brought up this occasion and said see Abraham changed the mind and the purpose of God.
But the truth of the matter is that this is not what happened here, again as we have already said God is all knowing.
There was never any question in the mind of God as to how many righteous people there were in the city.
God already knew from eternity past that there were not 50 righteous, and there were not 45 righteous, and there were not 40 righteous, nor was there 30 righteous, nor was there 20 righteous and not even ten righteous.
God’s purpose was never to destroy the righteous with the wicked.
In this example we don’t find God’s mind being changed but Abraham’s.
And someone will ask the question then why God allowed Abraham to go on and on pleading for what God had already intended to do.
And one answer could be that this was God’s intended purpose to change the heart and mind of Abraham.
In this Abraham was given assurance in the goodness and righteousness of God, Abraham was more assured that God in no wise destroy the righteous with the wicked.
These series of questions and answers establish beyond doubt the justice of God’s judgment.
Abraham was being conformed to the will and purpose of God.
And Abraham through this was also given confidence in the Justice and judgment of God in destroying these cities because there were not even ten righteous to be found, and really, we are only sure of one which was Lot.
And we know that lot was only righteous through Faith, as was Abraham.
Whether or not Lot’s wife or his two daughters were considered righteous by faith or not or whether they were to be spared because of Lot we can’t say for sure.
But the point was this Abraham was given an even greater confidence that the Judge of all the earth shall do what is right and I believe He was given peace with God’s decision to destroy these cities because God was just in doing so.
And really this is the same purpose and heart of our prayers.
People often raise the question if you believe in the Sovereignty of God why pray.
And the answer is we don’t pray to change the mind of God; we pray because God has commanded us to pray, and it is His desire for us to come to him in prayer and our prayers rather than changing God changes our hearts and conforms our will to his will.
And we see in verse 33.
(33) And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.
And this brings us into chapter 19 of Genesis.
Genesis 19:1-29
(1) And there came two angels to S***m at even; and Lot sat in the g*te of S***m: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
(2) And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.
(3) And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
Here in these first few verses, we see just how great the wickedness of the inhabitants of this city from the strong response of Lot towards these two angels.
Here Lot quickly insisted that they enter His house quickly and rise up early and leave quickly before anyone could see them because He was afraid for their safety because the wickedness of the city was so Great.
His invitation was more than a courtesy but an effort to protect them from the known perversity of these S***mites.
And we see the response of the angel’s; nay but we will abide in the street all night, and then we see the even further distress in Lot’s response.
It says that Lot pressed upon them greatly for them to reconsider because their desire could not be permitted.
The Sins of this city were not something that was sporadic but common place so much so that Lot was afraid for them to be there even for one night or to be seen at all, and as we will see; even as quickly as Lot hid the angels it wasn’t quick enough.
(4) But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of S***m, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:
Before they even laid down, no time had passed at all.
It wasn’t as if these men were tempted over and over again only to finally give into their wicked temptations, but they had no reservation or restraint upon their wicked hearts at all.
And this was not just true of a few here or there, it says that they compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:
(5) And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? Bring them out unto us, that we may know them.
And at first glance in or English language this may seem like there is nothing wrong with their request, but that word know in this since doesn’t carry the same meaning as we would use it today.
And the same teacher that I had mentioned before tried to use this argument to downplay the sin of Homosexual desire and saying it just said that they wished to know them.
But the context is clear if you don’t already have a bias against God’s abhorrence of Homosexuality; that they didn’t want to know them as to become their acquaintance but to know them carnally.
The word know in the Bible often carries with it the meaning of intimate relationship.
Gen 4:1 Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain
Gen 4:17 Cain knew his wife and they conceives and bare Enoch.
Gen 4:25 Adam knew His wife again and she bare a son and called his name Seth.
Those are just a few examples, but we get the point.
They wanted to know them carnally and this is made even clearer in the next few verses.
They sought homosexual relations with the visitors, and this sinful desire was compounded by the fact that they sought it by force or r**e.
And some would have to believe that the sin of r**e was what only what was heinous in God’s eyes as if to say God doesn’t disapprove of consensual Homosexual relationships, but we know from not only this passage but elsewhere that is not the case.
But that notion is becoming more common in the realm of socalled Christianity.
In Romans chapter 1 we clearly see that the sin of Homosexuality is condemned.
Romans 1:23-28
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Here we see God gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonor their own bodies between themselves.
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Again, this verse particularly is describing the sin of homosexuality along with the next verse.
for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature.
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another
Again, speaking of the sin of Homosexuality men working that which is unseemly or essentially shameful.
You hear of gay pride, but it is not something to be proud of.
It is shameful, as all sin is.
The natural use was that God made woman for the man and the man for the women, not women with women or men with men.
This is against nature.
So, we can throw out the idea that we are made that way, but I will say in a since we are born that way.
We are all born dead in trespasses and sin, we are all born with a sin nature bent toward sinning, and that is our natural inclination.
Now we understand our sin manifests itself in many different ways, all of which manifest our depraved hearts.
We may not all suffer from the same temptations or the same sins, but we all are born with a fatal problem and bo***ge to our sin.
A bo***ge we cannot escape without the power of God.
All sin brings the same consequence, which is death.
This however doesn’t give us any excuse for our sins, or excuse to blame God that we are born this way.
If we want to blame someone, we should blame Adam.
God's attitude toward this vile behavior became clear when He destroyed the cities of S***m and Gomorrah.
And we understand the sin of Homosexuality was not the only reason God destroyed these cities; no doubt they were guilty of many other wicked sins, but this sin was certainly at the heart of it.
But the men of S***m were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
Jeremiah 23:14
I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as S***m, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
The sinfulness of S***m is both common and extensive.
And as we have already seen it certainly involved extreme displays of sexual depravity particularly the sin of homosexuality.
Jude 7
Even as S***m and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Ezekiel 16 verses 49 and 50 give us some further insight into some of the other sins that they were also guilty of but we wont read that for time.
So, we see it wasn’t only the sin of Homosexuality that God condemned them for but there is no doubt or question that this was certainly one of the reasons that this city was destroyed regardless of who tries to explain it away.
Sin begets sin.
The more sin we indorse and condone the more vile and common that it becomes.
Both the size of the lustful mob of men forcefully pounding around Lot's house and the widespread nature of S***m's immoral perversion received emphasis both from the additional qualifiers used “both young and old and all the people from every quarter” and then by the request they made to know them carnally.
And we understand the use of the word all doesn’t necessarily mean literally every man without exception, but it still doesn’t lessen the emphasis that this was indeed a wicked city.
Back in verse 6
(6) And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,
And he shut the door after Him, just emphasizing their forceful nature that He couldn’t even stand in the doorway without them forcing their way in.
(7) And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.
Again, there was no question on their intentions and Lot described them as being wicked.
do not so wickedly.
(8) Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; (essentially two virgin daughters)let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.
Again, this speaking to their Carnal intentions.
Again, I couldn’t imagine the thought of offering his two daughters to this angry Mob to do what they will.
This also was a great evil and was inexcusable.
Lot's response betrayed tension in his ethics; and his offer to gratify their sexual lust contradicted his plea not to act "so wickedly."
This also would have been a wicked act.
Such contradiction made clear also the vexation of spirit under which he lived in wicked S***m as we read from 2 Pet 2.
The presence of sin corrupts.
(9) And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.
Here what they’re basically saying is here this man keeps acting as a judge. Their accusation suggests Lot had made moral pronouncements before or had condemned their sin before, but his judgement was no longer tolerable.
And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.
(10) But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.
(11) And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
(12) And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? Son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:
(13) For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.
(14) And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
Here this again just speaks to the depravity of inhabitants of this land that even his sons in law when Lot tried to warn them of the pending judgement, they just laughed it off.
Often that is the response we get when we try to witness to the lost of God’s pending judgment unless they repent.
Hell, ha, ha, there is no hell, or something to that effect.
But his sons-in-law or soon to be his sons-in-law not really sure there but in any case they would not hear him or be persuaded.
(15) And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
(16) And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
This was an act of mercy on the part of God.
God could have just as easily destroyed the entire city, but God remembered Abraham.
(17) And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
And well skip down to verse 23 for time.
(18) And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:
(19) Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:
(20) Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.
(21) And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.
(22) Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
(23) The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.
(24) Then the LORD rained upon S***m and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
(25) And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
When morning came Judgement fell.
God consumed them in His fiery Judgement.
Our God is a consuming Fire.
Our God is Holy, and no sin will go unpunished.
May this be a stern warning for our nation.
God will not overlook our sin.
May we pray that God will spare our land for the sake of the righteous.
But we see another sad end to this story in verse 26.
(26) But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
Lot's wife paid the price of disregarding the angelic warning to flee without even a backward glance.
We can’t say for sure what her reason for looking back was, maybe her other family members, maybe her father and mother or perhaps other married daughters that may have been in the land; perhaps it was because of all their wealth, and maybe even a desire for their old lifestyle but in any case looking back expressed her desire at least in part was in that city.
Jesus said No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God
Even Lot expressed some reluctance to go by lingering when the angels forced him to leave but He obeyed but she didn’t, and she paid the price with her life.
In so doing, she became not only became a pillar of salt, but a heartbreaking example of disobedience that will stand as a reminder at judgement day.
Luke 17:29-32
(29) But the same day that Lot went out of S***m it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
(30) Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
(31) In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.
(32) Remember Lot's wife.
Jesus said He that loveth a Father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.
And really, we can place in there anything whether it be our mother or Father or our children or our possessions if we love them more were not worthy of Jesus.
We’re not fit for the kingdom.
Were called to follow Him and not look back, repent turn from our sins less we perish.
Remember Lot’s wife; she looked back from behind him, where Lot was unable to see, and she became a pillar of salt.
No doubt this would have been a terrible blow to Lot after He realized what had happened, but that just serves as the terrible consequences of sin and disobedience to God.
Our God is Holy!!
Our God is to be feared!!
Our God is to be obeyed!!
And our God is to be Loved!!
Is He not worthy?
Just as she became a lasting reminder of the consequences of disobeying God her home cities became bywords of God's judgment on sin.
Over and over throughout scripture S***m and Gomorrah are referred to as Memorial to the judgement and Holiness of God.
Is 1:9, Rom 9:29 and 2 Pet 2:5-6 just to name a few.
(27) And Abraham g*t up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD:
(28) And he looked toward S***m and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.
And He looked toward S***m and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.
May we as a nation look toward S***m that we may see the smoke of God’s judgment for sin less we also be consumed in God’s warth.
How serious is sin unto God?
Is God righteous in His judgement of wicked sinners?
He most certainly is.
May we plead God’s mercy.
(29) And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
Even in God’s judgement we see God’s mercy for those who will turn and flee from their sins.
In conclusion
2 Peter 2:6-9
And turning the cities of S***m and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly.
May this be an example to all those that after should live ungodly.
This will be the utter end of all those who refuse to repent and flee to Christ.
And May we who are saved follow the example of Abraham and intercede on behalf of sinners.
And really, I believe this should be the attitude of every child of God when we see the wickedness of sinners manifested.
Rather than cheering on their destruction and saying they will get what’s coming to them our hearts desire should be that they would be saved.
We should pray for all kinds of sinners even those who profess to be homosexuals or any other kinds of sinners; they need Christ as we all do.
There is none righteous no not one.
We should plead for the mercy of God to be shown to even the vilest of sinners knowing that God by the effectual working power can save even the chiefest of sinners.
We need to have compassion upon sinners knowing that we are deserving of the same judgement for our sins.
Is our sin any less grievous to God?
Did our sins cost Christ any less of His precious blood?
Are we any less deserving of an eternity in the lake of fire because of our sins?
Do we have anything by which we can boast attributing to our salvation except the mercy and the power of God?
No.
Homosexuality is an abomination before God, but you know what other sin is an abomination?
Pride.
Pr 16:5
Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD
Proverbs 6:16
These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
And what is number one in this list verse 17 a proud look, a proud heart.
God hates the sin of pride.
Who is worthy of forgiveness?
Who is worthy of mercy?
Certainly not you and certainly not I.
Our sins were just as grievous to God as any other but thank God, he gave us mercy.
May he have a humble heart.
James 4:6
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
What did Paul say, what was Paul’s attitude; But by the grace of God, I am what I am.
Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given
1 Timothy 1:15
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
It is only by God’s grace that any are saved at all.
May we pray for sinners.
Can God not save the chief of sinners?
He certainly can and he did when he saved you and me.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, (which is to mean homosexual) nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
The Bible is clear that they will not inherit the Kingdom of God but we find hope in verse 11.
11 And such were some of you: but …
There is another one of those amazing and beautiful but’s that are mentioned in scripture.
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
It doesn’t matter how sinful you were, it doesn’t matter what past sins you have committed, and it doesn’t matter how vile of a sinner you are.
There is no sin that the blood of Jesus can’t wash away.
but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Thank God there is no sinner outside of the reach of God, and no sinner to vile that He can’t make clean.
