This morning we are going to be looking at another long passage, so I'll just be hitting the verses that I want to point out. Of course the whole passage is important, but there are just a few verses I want to use for today's devotion.
Let's start in Gen. 13, we pick up after Abram, and Lot have journeyed to a new land, but the place they were was not able to support all the cattle, so they decided to part company, Abram gave Lot his choice of land. In verse 10 we see Lot's first mistake, "And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere". He looked and saw something pretty, something that looks good, but not everything that looks good is. Now in verse 12 "and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners". Don't be fooled, Lot knew to start with what kind of people lived in Sodom. But he choose to crawl out of his tent every morning so that he could see the city, he wanted to be able to lay on his bed at night and see the lights of the city. He wanted to be in the city, but knew better, so I'll just sit here and stare and wish.
Now look all the way over to ch. 15:6, the Bible is speaking of Abram at this point when it says "And he believed in the LORD; and He counted it to him for righteousness". Abram was a righteousness man in the eyes of God, remember this. At this point God has decided to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, and Abraham has tried to change his mind, however there could not be found even ten righteousness men in the city, so it would be destroyed.
Look now at ch 19 starting with verse 1, we see that two angels have came to visit Lot, in order to have him leave the city before it is destroyed. Unfortunately the men of the city saw the two strangers enter in Lot's house. Interesting point here, if you notice Lot has moved from the plain facing Sodom, to living in the middle of it, that is the way sin works. Back to the lesson, the men of the city demanded that Lot send the two men out. Verse 5 says "that we may know them", I have heard preachers say that, because of Lot's next offer this means that the men of Sodom wanted to have sex with the strangers, I do not know this to be true, it is a possibility, however I never saw it that way, but I did want to mention it. Anyway, Lot in an effort to protect his guest, in verse 8 offered his two youngest daughters, who are virgins, to the men of the city instead. He offered his daughters as whores, how wicked has Lot became living in the city of sin.
But the angels protected the house that night, and at daybreak led Lot and his family out of the city. But even though Lot had to offer his daughters, his wife looked back at the city, not wanting to leave. Immediately she was turned into a pillar of salt, God's punishment on her, as she was outside the city, even though her heart was still inside the city.
Now if Lot and his family had gotten just as evil as the the men of Sodom, why did God spare them? Why would God withhold His judgement on this one family, but not anyone else? The answer is in 19:29 "when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow".
Lot was saved because of Abraham's righteousness. Prov. 14:9 "Fools make a mock at sin (Lot): but among the righteous there is favour (Abraham)". 2 Peter 2:6-9 talks about God destroying Sodom and Gomorrah, because of their wickedness, and Lot being saved, vs 9 "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished". God knew what he was doing, and he did it because of Abraham.
What we learn here is never give up on your loved ones, God will spare them because of your prayers for them. Yes there comes a time when God will turn someone over to a reprobate mind, but I believe that as long as a righteous prayer is going up for the person, it is never too late.
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