Genesis 19:12-26

Note these words penned many years ago by my father:

Lot twice lost all his possessions; the first time he recovered them but the second time they were beyond recovery.  The first time should have been warning enough for him to leave Sodom, but he went right back and made the same mistake over and consequently he lost all.

The opening verses of the chapter have told us the truth about Sodom and Gomorrah and the other cities of the plain of the Jordan.  In today’s passage we see the inevitable consequences.  The wrath of God is poured out!

Some people struggle with how a loving God can be such an angry God.  Others attribute this to the God of the Old Testament, surmising He is different than the God of the New Testament, especially as seen in Jesus.

Anyone who thinks the Scriptures are not consistent in it’s view of God has apparently not read the Bible in it’s entirety.  Read the following list of passages, all from the New Testament, and see the wrath of God: Ac. 17:31; Rev 6:17; Rom. 2:16; 2 Peter 3:7; 2 Cor. 5:11; Acts 4:25; Heb. 12:29.  These affirm the words of the comforting book of Psalms which predicts God will judge the earth (96:13), and hates the workers of iniquity and those that love violence (5:5; 11:5).

In addition note that the sin of sodomy (homosexual desire and behavior) is an especially heinous sin.  Both the Old (Lev. 18:22; 20:13) and New (1 Cor. 6:9; 1 Tim. 1:10) Testaments are appalled at it.  Rom. 1:18-32 shows it to be evidence that a society is about as far as it can be from the Creator and that He is about to judge.

So God judges the evil cities.  In His mercy (amazing that there is any mercy) He not only spares Lot and his family, but spares one of the cities to which they can flee.  Lot’s wife is unable to free herself from the lifestyle that apparently she had come to enjoy.  In stopping to look back she was either judged by God directly or perhaps was caught in the fire and brimstone judgment intended for the wicked.

Let us not be foolish about sin and judgment.  It is very real.  There is certainly a time when every person will stand before God (Heb. 9:27).  And there will be times when God will not wait but will judge that society that has rejected Him completely.  And His judgment is always righteous and just!