Tag: Lot’s wife
“Don’t do this wicked thing”
January 8th Scripture Reading: Genesis 18-20
An ongoing debate and cultural war is going on in our society concerning gay and lesbian rights and gender identification. From today’s reading, we get insight into how God feels about this sort of activity in a city or country. He has ordained marriage between a man and a woman. He made them male and female. But disobedience to the clear command and purpose of God, always brings consequences. He is merciful to all who will listen and obey but will judge unrepented sin and rebellion. Sin’s outcry reaches heaven and God’s ears. The righteous cry out for deliverance and justice and God responds!
In response to the reports of wickedness that had reached heaven, God sent two angels to Sodom to rescue Lot and his family before judgment fell. As these angels were visiting with Lot, the men of Sodom came knocking on Lot’s door, demanding to have those visitors (the angels appearing as men) for their own sexual pleasure. Lot pleaded with them, “Please don’t do this wicked thing.” (Genesis 19:6) But they violently began to break down his door. The angels intervened, pulled Lot inside, and struck the men outside blind. They warned Lot to gather his family and leave because God would soon destroy that city.
The saddest note in this story is when Lot tried to warn his son’s-in-law about the coming destruction and they thought he was joking! (Genesis 19:14) Lot had moved to Sodom with great riches. He apparently tolerated the wickedness and even failed to help his own daughters find believing mates. When the angels warned of the coming destruction, he delayed. As they finally left, his own wife looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt! Jesus used this as a warning to His disciples and us! {Luke 17:32)
Are you aware of the warnings from God’s Word? Are you warning those involved in the “sin of Sodom?” Are you careful to vote for godly men and women who will listen to God’s Word on this subject?
“Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah–from the Lord out of the heavens. Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities and also the vegetation in the land. But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.” Genesis 19:24-26
Remember Lot’s wife
Scripture reading for March 25th: Luke 17
Key Scriptures: Luke 17:28-32 “Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot–they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all-–so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife.”
The Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God was going to come. Jesus responded that the coming kingdom was not visible, but would be an inside job, within each person. He then proceeded to instruct His disciples on the time when the kingdom of God would be revealed. He likened it to the days of Noah, when all mankind, except for Noah and his family, would be going about their normal lives and then suddenly the flood came and swept them all away. He then used Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah as another example of His sudden return and the destruction of the wicked and the saving of Lot and his family. Lot’s wife, however, looked back at the burning city, ignoring God’s instructions. She was turned into a pillar of salt in judgment on her lack of steadfast faith with her heart still in Sodom.
Genesis 19:15-17, 26 “As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.” But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside of the city. And as they brought them out, one said, ‘Escape with your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills lest you be swept away.” . . . “But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, Your Word is truth and life to those who will hear. Help me to remember the lessons You taught about perseverance and faith. Thank You for Your mercy for me and the lost of this world.
Revelation 3:10 “Because you have kept My Word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell upon the earth.”
You Are Surely Joking!
Scripture reading for January 8th: Genesis 18-20
Peter’s second letter tells us that in the last days there will be scoffers who ask, “Where is the promise of His coming?” (2nd Peter 3:3-4) They develop an attitude that because what God has promised is not happening now, it probably will not happen at all. They are not walking in faith, but have attitudes that say that the word of God is a joke to them and should be to us. This is the attitude we find in the reading for today from Genesis.
Abraham had a visit from three men who were really angels sent from the Throne of God. Abraham welcomed these three and showed hospitality. One of them was “The Lord” and told Abraham that he would have a son in a year. (Genesis 18: 10) This is probably a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus called a “theophany”. The Lord also told Abraham of the plans to pour out judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah. He was on His way down there to visit them. Abraham proceeds to question the Lord about His plans. Would the Lord destroy the righteous with the wicked? How many righteous would cause God to spare the city? He does trust the Judge of all the earth to do what is right. (Genesis 18:25)
Two of the angels proceeded down to Sodom and Gomorrah. They found Lot sitting in the gate of the city and Lot invited them to his home. They initially refused but Lot insisted and they went with him. That night the men of the city came and demanded to have these angels, who looked like men, for sexual purposes. Lot bargained with them, even trying to give his two daughters in place of the men. When the men began to force their way into the house, the angels pulled Lot back inside. They struck those wicked men blind! These angels then warned Lot to gather his family and get them out of the city immediately! God was going to destroy the place! (Genesis 19:12)
The tragedy was that as Lot warned his sons-in-law who were betrothed to his daughter, they laughed and thought he was joking! Even Lot began to hesitate, so the angels grabbed his hand and his wife and daughter’s and led them out of the city. Lot’s wife looked back and died!
Many will be lost because they fail to heed the warning of God’s word and his messengers! The coming of the Lord is no joke and He is the Judge of all the earth!