TOPIC:‌“When Life Betrayed Lot”

                   by Rev. Dr. Reg Dunlap

 

TEXT:‌Genesis 19:1-29

 

‌‌“So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry

‌‌his daughters. He said, “Hurry and get out of this place, because the Lord

‌‌is about to destroy the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was joking”

‌‌(Genesis 19:14).

 

‌Clarence McCartney, famous preacher of past years described Lot in one of his books as “The man who loved the world so much that he lost it.” He goes on to write: “There are a few characters in the Bible who impress you as not altogether given over to the dominion of evil nor yet loyal to the right. To this class belongs Lot, who had enough righteousness in him to abhor the iniquities and infamies of Sodom, and yet loved the world so much that he took up his residence in Sodom.” How tragically true!

 

Here was a man whose love for God was amusingly little, but whose love for the world was amazingly large. That experience he encounters with Abraham, his uncle, in Genesis chapter 12 when they went down into Egypt reveals one undeniable truth: Lot got out of Egypt but Egypt never got out of Lot. The pleasures and passions of Egypt were still in his blood. He came out of Egypt with no spiritual priorities or principles by which to govern his life. He had no spiritual anchor to hold him back. As a matter of fact, there is no evidence at all in the chapters before us that Lot at this time eve built an altar or called on the name of the Lord. And this was his tragedy!

 

And this is the problem with many people today. Their priorities are all twisted and mixed up. Their love for God is small but their love for the world is big. They love the things of the world, the standard of the world, and the philosophies of the world. Now there is nothing wrong in having things. It is only wrong to let things have us. When they keep us from the house of God and the work of God and the Word of God - then it becomes sinful. And this can happen in our lives if we are not careful.

 

‌In the chapter before us, we discover Lot living in the city of Sodom. Night had fallen upon the city and Lot was sitting at the city gate. This was a place of honor. A place of importance. A place of authority, and place of distinction. Lot had no doubt advanced himself since his arrival in the city. It is possible that he sat there in an official capacity as judge. One evening two angels, messengers of God, visited Lot to warn him that God's judgment was about to fall upon this wicked city.  They tell Lot that in order for him and his family to be safe, they must flee to the hills. Now if ever . . .