Genesis 18-19 tell us about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. These cities were destroyed because they were wicked. Included in the details of the story are warnings that were issued about the impending destruction. Lot’s sons-in-law ignored the warning and suffered fatal consequences. Lot almost ignored the warning. What should we learn from this? Are there any warnings that we should be heeding?
Before we see what warnings we should be heeding, let’s look closer at Sodom and Gomorrah. As you read the verses below, notice the words in red, highlighting the warnings and the response.
Gen. 18:20 And the LORD said, “The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave. Gen. 18:21 “I will go down now, and see if they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”
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Gen. 19:1 ¶ Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. Gen. 19:2 And he said, “Now behold, my lords, please turn aside into your servant’s house, and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.” They said however, “No, but we shall spend the night in the square.” Gen. 19:3 Yet he urged them strongly, so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he prepared a feast for them, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.
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Gen. 19:12 ¶ Then the two men said to Lot, “Whom else have you here? A son-in-law, and your sons, and your daughters, and whomever you have in the city, bring them out of the place; Gen. 19:13 for we are about to destroy this place, because their outcry has become so great before the LORD that the LORD has sent us to destroy it.” Gen. 19:14 Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, and said, “Up, get out of this place, for the LORD will destroy the city.” But he appeared to his sons-in-law to be jesting. Gen. 19:15 ¶ When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.” Gen. 19:16 But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the LORD was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city. Gen. 19:17 When they had brought them outside, one said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the valley; escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away.” Gen. 19:18 But Lot said to them, “Oh no, my lords! Gen. 19:19 “Now behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your lovingkindness, which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, for the disaster will overtake me and I will die; Gen. 19:20 now behold, this town is near enough to flee to, and it is small. Please, let me escape there (is it not small?) that my life may be saved.” Gen. 19:21 He said to him, “Behold, I grant you this request also, not to overthrow the town of which you have spoken. Gen. 19:22 “Hurry, escape there, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the town was called Zoar. Gen. 19:23 ¶ The sun had risen over the earth when Lot came to Zoar. Gen. 19:24 Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven, Gen. 19:25 and He overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.
Lot’s sons-in-law had a chance to escape the destruction, but they didn’t heed the warning. Lot hesitated, but he escaped the destruction because Yahweh had compassion on him. What about us? Are we ignoring any warnings? The Bible tells us about a future judgement. Are we heeding the warning? Consider the following verses:
Rom. 14:10 ¶ But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
2Cor. 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
Rev. 20:11 ¶ Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. Rev. 20:12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. Rev. 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Rev. 20:14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. Rev. 20:15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Someday every person will stand before God and give an account of their life. Just as Lot’s sons-in-law ignored the warning of an impending destruction and suffered the consequences, so too we will suffer consequences if we ignore the warning about the future judgement.
Further Reading
What happens if we ignore God?
How do we prepare to meet God?
What will happen when we stand before God?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.”