Genesis Chapter 19

GENESIS 

CHAPTER

 19

1. The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and bowed down with his face to the ground.

(Genesis chapter 19 verse 1)

Like his uncle Abraham, Lot was also in an attitude of humility in the sense that he was also being of service to others. As Christians this is to be our attitude to others. In the New Testament Jesus teaches us to be humble in considering other people better than us, moreover we are to consider them as being our superiors. 

2. He said, "Please, my lords turn aside to your servant's house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you can rise early and go on your way." They said, "No, we will spend the night in the square."

(Genesis chapter 19 verse 2)

On analyzing Lot's invitation we can sense haste and urgency for the visitors to come to his house, but leave Sodom on the next day. Likewise as Christians in our relationship with God we are also to be motivated to open our hearts to God, so that He can come and find rest and hospitality and maybe even decide to spend time with us if not forever. As in the case of the visitors, it would be a great pity if God decided to refuse our offer and decide to move on or choose elsewhere where to stop and rest instead of enriching us with His peaceful presence and love.

3. But he urged them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.

(Genesis chapter 19 verse 3)

It becomes evident that Lot wanted desperately to hurry the visitors to his home as if sensing that something negative was going to happen that might bring harm on his visitors. Likewise as Christians we are also to take the necessary steps in order to ensure our spiritual well-being from the attack of negative forces, both within ourselves meaning our sinful self, and negative forces such as evil spirits personified by other humans that have the role of using others to drive us in a direction that is contrary to God's ways.

4. But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house; 5 and they called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, so that we may know them."

(Genesis chapter 19 verses 4 to 5)

Instantly when a good act by God is about to take place, the forces of evil instantly try to spoil all the good that God has planned for us. Apparently the people of Sodom and Gommorrah were involved in acts of homosexuality that is evil and bad in God's eyes. The words 'we may know them' gives us the meaning that the men of Sodom in order to satisfy their sexual desires, wanted to have sexual intercourse with the visitors.

6. Lot went out of the door to the men, shut the door after him, 7 and said, " I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. 8 Look, I have two daughters who have not known a man; let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please; only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof." 9. But they replied, "Stand back!" And they said, "This fellow came here as an alien, and he would play the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them." Then they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break it down. 10 But the men inside reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them and shut the door.

(Genesis chapter 19 verses 6 to 10)

On reflecting these verses have a great value for us; our first reflection is that we are never to bargain with evil on no account. Since the devil is wise in his evil, without the help of God we do not stand a chance. 

The second reflection is that we are never to risk the security of our family or ourselves in order to satisfy the needs of evil. Lot was ready to offer his pure daughters in order to safeguard the purity of his visitors, whom he must have perceived were from God.

The third reflection is that we are to be very careful in dealing with people who do not share the same spiritual and or social values, because the situation can easily become out of hand and we could end up in serious trouble. Therefore in such dangerous situations it is best to have the support of people of God or consider backing completely out of the situation in order to safeguard or spiritual and social well being and that of our family.

The fifth reflection is that of fostering an attitude of humility. One of the accusations made by the people of Sodom was that Lot came to their city as an alien and then he became superior to them by fostering an attitude that was superior to them, in the sense of starting to give them orders.

The final reflection is that if we open ourselves to God, He will in some way always deliver us from evil, by either direct intervention, or through the presence of others.

11. And they struck with blindness the men who were at the door of the house, both small and great so that they were unable to find the door.

(Genesis chapter 19 verse 11)


When we are in a state of sin, it is also as if we are in blindness. We desperately try to find what we perceive to be the correct solution to our problem in the wrong place, because in our blindness we will never be able to find the door, until we turn back to God who opens our eyes, and restores the much needed light.

12. Then the men said to Lot, "Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city-bring them out of the place. 13 For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it."

(Genesis chapter 19 verses 12 to 13)


In relation to our salvation God is not interested only in us. Religion is not a private matter. Therefore God is interested in all the members of our family and or extended family, inner or outer circles. In fact God has the interest of the whole world at heart, especially those who seek and want to be saved.


13. For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it".

(Genesis chapter 19 verse 13)


As previously mentioned when we grow in our spiritual life, God reveals to us his plans concerning past, present and even future.


14. So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, " Up, get out of this place; for the LORD is about to destroy the city." But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting.

(Genesis chapter 19 verse 14)


According to verse fourteen of the nineteenth chapter of the book of Genesis, Lot appeared to have been joking. He may have panicked in urging his in laws to leave the city. When we attempt to pass on God's Word to people who do not believe or maybe are not convinced in what they believe, they may perceive us as being queer, zombies, old fashioned or people coming from another world or have been living on another planet. We may be ridiculed and or even persecuted, even by our in-laws or those making part of our inner circles, however although we face these tribulations we are not to be discouraged in passing the Word of God to others.


15. When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying. "Get up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or else you will be consumed in the punishment of the city."

(Genesis chapter 19 verse 15)


When reflecting on verse fifteen we realize that God urges us to be active and not passive in our relationship with him. Moreover God asks obedience of us and at times an immediate response.


16. But he lingered; so the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and left him outside the city.

(Genesis chapter 19 verse 16)


Apparently it is the case that when we delay in our decision making God motivates us to take the desired action. At times our hesitation is the fruit of insecurity, lack of faith in God among other factors. However it is a fact that although we may experience such feelings, God's loving mercy is never lacking.


17. When they had brought them outside, they said, "Flee for your life; do not look back or stop anywhere in the Plain; flee for the hills, or else you will be consumed." 18 And Lot said to them, "Oh, no, my lords; 19 your servant has found favor with you, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life;  but I cannot flee to the hills, for fear the disaster will overtake me and I die. 20 Look that city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there-is it not a little one?-and my life will be saved!"

(Genesis chapter 19 verses 17 to 20)


Even though God intervenes in the given situation, and attempts to show us the way towards our salvation, it is the case that we still offer resistance to him and try to get our way. However God remains merciful and on the criteria that is for our own good makes the necessary exceptions.

21. He said to him, "Very well, I grant you this favor too, and will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken.

(Genesis chapter 19 verse 21)

Verses twenty-one reflects the fact that God not only loves us but is very patient with us, even if at times we go off the track and venture on to forbidden grounds. God as a loving father is always there waiting for our return back.

22. Hurry, escape there, for I can do nothing until you arrive there." Therefore the city was called Zoar. 23 The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar.

(Genesis chapter 19 verse 22 to 23)

On reflecting it is interesting how God awaits our consent and even our participation before He can intervene in our lives and in our situations. God loves us so much that He respects, our wishes, plans and motivations and walks with us every step of the way.

It is also very interesting that although the sun rose on the earth, the people of Sodom who were enveloped in the darkness of their sin, still could not perceive the power of the light of God.

24. Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven; 25 and he overthrew those cities, and all the Plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. 26 But Lot's wife, behind him looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

(Genesis chapter 19 verses 24 to 26)

It is a fact that God unleashed his wrath on the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. One may question if the cities were really bombarded with sulfur or if this is really mythology. The truth is that there are some who have found proof which can be found online, however as in relation to other issues, there are always those who are ready to dispute. However as I have previously emphasized it is not the aim of this analysis, to confirm or disprove the authenticity of this event. The most important thing is that God gives us many chances, to change our lives, however if we persist in our evil ways, we are subject to experience the positive and negative consequences of our actions.

27. Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD 28. and he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the Plain and saw the smoke of the land going up like the smoke of a furnace.

(Genesis chapter 19 verses 27 to 28)


It seems that from where Abraham was camped he had a bird's eye view of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and all the lands of the Plain. Abraham now had the full picture of the human experience of God. God is a loving father. He knows what we feel, our needs and our motivations. Moreover on the other hand God is merciful and just, and cannot go against his own Word or decisions as in the case of Sodom and Gomorrah.


29. So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the Plain, God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had settled.

(Genesis chapter 19 verse 29)

Even though at times we may think that God has forgotten us, especially during the peak of our crisis, it is important to keep in mind, that God loves us so much that He can never forget us and that our names are engraved on the palm of his hands.

30. Now Lot went up out of Zoar and settled in the hills with his two daughters, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar; so he lived in a cave with his two daughters.

(Genesis chapter 19 verse 30)

It is interesting to observe that although God granted Lot the permission to seek refuge in the land of his choice, he still was not convinced and decided to be happy with a small portion of land which was the bare minimum when considering the bounty of choice of land that was offered to him freely by God.

At times we make choices that do not fully award us. On the other hand we may settle for a minimum degree of worldly happiness, and do not consider that God is always ready to offer us everlasting joy, love and happiness.


31. An the firstborn said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the world. 32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, so that we may preserve offspring through our father."

(Genesis chapter 19 verses 31 to 32)



On reflecting the mistake or error of the firstborn is that of human nature at large. This is being short-sighted in ones' perception of the physical and or even spiritual reality. The first born did not perceive that apart from them, there were other people such as Lot's relatives from whom they could have  had offspring.

When we stop referring to God in our situations, we start making rash decisions such as the following and our ends may end up having negative consequences for us, or for others making part of our inner circles.

33. So they made their father drink wine that night; and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; he did not know when she lay down or when she rose. 34 On the next day, the firstborn said to the younger, "Look, I lay last night with my father; let us make him drink wine tonight also; then you go in and lie with him, so that we may preserve offspring through our father." 35 So they made their father drink wine that night also; and the younger rose, and lay with him; and he did not know when she lay down or when she rose. 36 Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father.

(Genesis chapter 19 verses 33 to 36)


On reflecting on verses thirty-three to thirty-six we can reflect on the following issues. Due to our short shortsightedness, we tend to make the wrong decisions. The other issue is that of the loss of self-control. When we lose control of ourselves as in drunkenness, or other forms of compulsions or abuse, we open ourselves to the forces of the evil one, who exploits our already miserable situation in order to make it worse than it already is in order to make increase the degree of our sin. This might become a habit, which in time may become more humanly difficult to overcome. Twice in succession, Lot was unaware that his daughters had spent the night with him in an incestual relationship.

37. The firstborn bore a son, and named him Moab; he is the ancestor of the Moabites to this day. 38 The younger also bore a son and named him Ben-ammi; he is the ancestor of the Ammonites to this day.

(Genesis chapter 19 verses 37 to 38)


On reflecting although the sons were born of a sinful relationship God blessed both the sons and created a nation from each of them.


In light of the learnings from Chapter 19 of the book of Genesis, I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer;

Oh God I would like to thank You for being active in my life. I pray to you to inflame my intellect, so that any decisions I make will be based on your will and the fruit of prayers and discernment and not physical passions and carnal motivations. I pray that you help me in never losing control over myself and commit sinful and negative actions. I am a weak human being who is prone to sin and error. I ask you for you wisdom of your Holy Spirit so that I will always seek your guidance and not rely on my own resources.

Thanks God