Abraham Negotiated
and
God Showed Mercy!
GENESIS 19
Story opens with Lot sitting at Sodom’s
city gate…
Lot is sitting at the gate = a position of governing authority
Remember Psalms 1: 1, “Blessed are those who do not walk in
the way of the wicked; or stand in the way of sinners; or sit in
the company of mockers.”
In Gen 13: 10-13, Lot looked towards Zoar (a city near Sodom)
and set his tent near Sodom…Sodom was already known for its
wickedness…between chapters 13 to 19 we see Lot’s
digression…walks near, stands with and now sits together with…
The Angels arrive…
Lot recognizes the angels’ holiness and invites them to stay at
his home…they state they will stay in the town square (a
place that is supposed to be safe for visitors to stay overnight)
Lot strongly insists they stay with him and they yield.
At sunset (bedtime), all of the town’s men – young and old –
surround Lot’s home…demanding Lot give his visitors to them
for sex…Lot offers his two virgin daughters to satisfy them and
calls the men of Sodom “my friends”… the men increase
aggressively, the angels pull Lot into Lot’s home…
Leave NOW!
Lot is told to gather his family: wife, daughters, and their
fiancés –the two fiancés thought this was a joke! The
pronouncement of judgement was seen as a “joke”!
Even Lot hesitated! The angels grabbed the hands of Lot, Lot’s
wife, and two daughters –leading out of Sodom to safety
Because of Abraham’s negotiation (prayers) – mercy is shown
to Lot and his family…it was MERCY shown because of grace!
The story continues:
Lot is still arguing with the
angels as they are being
led to safety
When they finally arrived
to Zoar, the Lord rained
sulfur on Sodom and
Gomorrah…totally
destroying them.
V26 But Lot’s wife longs
to go back and she turns
to look back on Sodom…
a heart’s desire to return
to Sodom… she was
turned into a pillar of salt.
We actually saw this in 2013 as we drove thru Jordan
Early the next morning…
Abraham went to the place where he spoke with God and
saw smoke rising from Sodom and Gomorrah
V29 God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah but
remembered Abraham and brought Lot out of this
catastrophe…
Our prayers make a difference!
Vv30 –38 A side note (a caveat)
The Law of the Dessert:
If a man does not have a son, it was common a daughter
or slave is given to him for him to impregnate –have a son –
so his inheritance and name carries on…Survival not incest
Lot’s oldest daughter gave birth to a son named Moab
(David’s great grandmother was a Moabite)
Lot’s youngest daughter had Ammoni – Ammonites were at
constant war with Israel
Our take-away challenges:
1. Check our daily relationships: do we walk (listen to) with the
sinners’ views (”You know, a woman does have a right to her
own body…”)
Stand with sinners: (“Nothing wrong with abortion”)
Sit with mockers: (Support pro-choice and against pro-life)
Have we lost our “moral compass”? Can we tell what is right
and wrong?
2. Lot had to be pulled away … the fiancés thought God’s
judgement was a joke!
3. Even in his forced obedience – he still fought God’s mercy
4. Lot’s wife missed and longed for her horrifically sinful environment
–resulted in being turned into a pillar of salt
5. There are people today who truly believe the Bible is immoral
and a lie…
Points to ponder and apply…
What are our thoughts and attitudes towards the world’s
view of right and wrong today? What is moral and what is
immoral? How do you know?
Is there something God pulled you out of that you still look
longingly back for? (Dog returning to his vomit –Proverbs)
God had mercy on Lot because of Abraham’s negotiation/
prayers –who are you interceding for?
You can make a difference! Isaiah 1: 18, “Come and reason
with Me” says the Lord!
