FURTHER STEPS IN BACK SLIDING

RETURN TO SYLLABUS

GENESIS 19

Lesson #33

FURTHER STEPS IN BACK SLIDING

• Memory verse: 1John 2:15
• Read Gen 19:1-14 Lot’s life and relationship to the Lord
  • Lot was a believer (2Pet 2:7), but we saw his first steps of back-sliding away from God in Gen 13.
    • Step 1: He began to walk by sight rather than by faith when he looked at the land and decided which he would choose.
    • Step 2: He chose worldliness when he chose the city of Sodom in which to live.
    • Step 3: He separated himself from stronger believers when he separated from Abraham.
    • Step 4: He began to dwell among non-believers.
    • Step 5: He began to make his home among sinners and became comfortable with them.
    • Step 6: He received a warning from God when kings captured him and his family in Gen 14. However, he disregarded the warning and returned to Sodom to live.
    • Step 7: He became involved in the life style of the city of Sodom and allowed his family to also become involved losing his credibility as a godly man.
  • Lot was a member of the ruling council of the city. How do we know this?
    • At the gates of a city was where the city council met deciding all the political and legal matters of the city. (Deu 21:19-21 Rut 4:1,2,11)
    • Gen 19:1 says Lot “sat” at the gate of the city. This indicates that he had a position of authority and influence in the city.
    • The men of Sodom mock Lot as a judge. We, therefore, know his job and his social position. We also know his personality as a result. He was a compromiser of the standards he had started out with for the sake of worldly wealth, position, and power.
  • The testing of Lot’s faith:
    • Some things to remember:
      • Remember that God always warns before sending judgment.
      • Remember that God always tests faith.
      • Remember that hospitality was very common at that time.
    • As a leader of the city, Lot welcomed visitors to the city, especially if they looked important; though, at that moment, Lot did not know who these 2 heavenly visitors were.
    • Lot extends to them the normally expected hospitality.
    • That extension of hospitality became a test of Llot’s faith.
    • Lot’s first test of faith:
      • Notice the angels’ response to Lot’s invitation of hospitality in verse 2.
      • They say they will spend the night in the street. The angels knew the immoral condition of the city and the unsafe nature of their suggestion. It was made as a test of Lot’s faith.
        • Lot passes the first test. He also knew the unsafe nature of their suggestion and made a decision for righteousness. He would protect these 2.
        • Perhaps he now knew who they were at this point, but perhaps not.
    • Lot’s second test of faith:
      • The men of the city came to Lot’s house and demanded to “know” the 2 visitors. The demand is to know them sexually. These men of Sodom were homosexuals. (5)
      • The city of Sodom had a long history and reputation of homosexuality. Lot probably knew it when he first chose the city. He knew it when he became a leader in the city.
        • Lot passes the second test.
        • Lot decided to protect these 2 angels at all cost. Lot probably now knew who the angeles were.
    • Lot’s unholy suggestion:
      • He offered his two daughters to them.
      • This suggestion shows us how far morally Lot and his family had fallen to even consider such a thing.
        • The nature of sin is so permeating that you can cease to be shocked by its presence in society.
        • You gradually become tolerant of it around you. Then you begin to partake of it, and never notice the progression.
  • Lot and the men of Sodom
    • Verse 9 indicates that Lot was never considered one of the men of Sodom. Even though he was a city leader (a judge), he was considered an outsider by these men. They mocked Lot for his self-righteous attitude. They were about to attack Lot when the angels intervened.
    • Blindness on the men of Sodom was a physical sign of the spiritual blindness within.
  • Homosexuality and the Bible
    • All through the Bible homosexuality is called a sin, not an alternative life style. In fact, the original term for homosexuality was “sodomy” coming from the city of Sodom and this Biblical account. The Biblical and the legal term for homosexuality is sodomy.
    • Read Rom 1:21-32
    • This scripture tells us the spiritual source of such a practice.
  • The results of passing the test of faith (12):
    • The angels reveal to Lot the coming destruction of the city.
    • The angels offer salvation to Lot’s extended family.
  • Lot warns his sons-in-law, but he is mocked for it. (14) In gaining influence, power, and wealth in the atmosphere of evil, Lot had compromised to the point that even those in his family did not believe his witness.
• Read Gen 19:15-29 The answer to Abraham’s intercessory prayer
  • Lot’s low level of faith
  • He “lingered” in the city to the point that the angels had to drag him, his wife, and his two daughters out of the city.
    • I am sure they were worrying themselves over what “things” they should take with them and couldn’t possibly do without!
    • We see God’s mercy to Lot and the answer to Abraham’s prayer from Gen 18. (see 19:29)
  • They are told to escape to the mountain east of the Dead Sea. Lot says no.
    • He was reluctant to leave the area around Sodom.
    • It is granted that he go to Zoar (meaning “little”) at the south east end of the Dead Sea.
  • Lot’s wife (1joh 2:15)
    • We are not told much about her or her level of involvement in the city. The little we do know about her is her lingering desire for the wealth of Sodom.
    • She was told not to look back. The implication is not to look back with longing desire. When she did, she was turned to a pillar of salt.
      • Geologic and archaeologic studies of the area indicate there was an earthquake that released compressed gasses that exploded much like a volcanic eruption.
      • The explosions released hot ash that covered the city and evidently Lot’s wife.
    • The significance of Lot’s wife: (Mat 6:24)
      • Lot’s wife represents the Christian who tries to have one foot in worldliness and one foot in Christianity.
      • Paul, in the New Testament, calls such a person a carnal Christian. (1Cor 3:3)
• Read Gen 19:30-38 Lot’s family relationships
  • We find that Lot and his daughters did not go to Zoar as he requested. He saw the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. They went instead to the mountains suggested by the angels. Then they lived in a cave. The destruction actually spread to the city of Zoar. If they had gone there, they would have been killed.
  • The sins of Lot’s family:
    • His daughters evidently thought there was no one else left on the face of the earth after having seen the total destruction in the area.
    • While Lot was a somewhat passive participant in the sin of incest, he is responsible for it as a head of his household.
      • His daughters thought nothing of the sin of incest having been raised in Sodom in an immoral atmosphere.
      • Lot violated Rom 12:1-2. He raised a family in an evil world but he did not remain separate from the evil.
      • Read Rom 12:1-2
    • Maybe Lot took the position of authority in the city thinking he could change it for the better.
      • Unless God initiates and directs such an action, you are climbing out on a shaky limb.
      • Successful lone ranger Christians are few and far between.
    • Maybe Lot thought he could raise his family in an evil environment and maintain righteousness within the home.
      • It is possible to maintain righteousness in the home.
      • It takes parents who live a righteous life as a model to the children.
      • It takes strong parental leadership, church involvement, and involvement with other Christians.
    • Perhaps Lot thought that what other people did in his society was their own choice and had nothing to do with him and his family as long as they didn’t do the same evil.
      • The “consenting adult” rational of behavior propagated by social deviants and the media is a lie from the pit of hell.
      • God is concerned about the overall character of a nation’s society. Godly judgment often comes upon a nation because of its general character. There may be many people in the society who do not engage in the same practices, but the nation undergoes judgment because even good people tolerate evil.
  • Lot lost everything in the judgment of Sodom even though he did not involve himself in the same evil of homosexuality.
    • Lot’s grandchildren
    • Sin sometimes causes long term consequences:
      • Moab was the beginning of a group of people called the Moabites. They were ungodly people who became enemies of the Israelites throughout their history. There was one Moabite of note that God included in the bloodline of Christ. Her name was Ruth about whom the book of Ruth was written.
      • Ben-Ammi was the beginning of a group of people called the Ammonites. They, too, were an ungodly people and became bitter enemies of the Israelites. (Jdg 3:13-14)

Homework

Genesis 20

• Application of Gen 19
  • Examine your life in light of the story of Lot and his family.
    • How would you judge your attitude toward the things of the world?
    • Do you identify your life’s priorities more with Lot? With Lot’s wife? With Lot’s daughters?
    • What decisions does God want you to make for your life that will change your attitude about the things of the world?
• Preparation for Gen 20
  • Read Gen 20:1-18
    • How would you define the phrase, “God’s permissive will”?
    • In light of God’s promise to Sarah to have a child in 1 year (Gen 18:9-14), how would you describe the actions of Abraham and Sarah in chapter 20?
    • What principles does this chapter teach you in regards to God’s working out his purposes in the life of a believer?
• Memory verse: Ephesians 1:18