Most people, when reading of the story of Sodom, and Gomorrah, the demise of those ill-fated cities, and the one family that was rescued in the process, focus on two main facts: (1) that the sexual sins of those cities contributed largely to their demise, and (2) That Lot’s wife became a pillar of salt. While the two facts are note-worthy, many may not be aware that Lot also contributed in a great measure to the deaths of most of his family.
The reason for this conclusion is that by far, most of the responsibility for the temporal and eternal well-being of a man’s family, rests with the decisions and actions taken by him, since, as the designated head of the home, God has vested him with the welfare of each member of his household, and as such what he allows, and what he does, could spell either weal or woe for those who are under his care.
When God created Adam and Eve, not only did He make the man first, but He gave both of them the instructions regarding the tree of knowledge, good and evil. Yet, even though Eve sinned first, and then solicited her husband in transgression, God called to Adam first, as being the one who bore the brunt of the responsibility. Thus, we will find that husbands, to a great extent are the makers or breakers in their homes.
After the dispute with Abraham’s herdsmen, it was decided that the two families could not live in the same location together because of their vast riches, and the proposal was put on the table that Lot will choose first, either to go to the left or the right, as he saw best. And now, having been granted the first choice by Abraham, he lifted up his eyes and he saw that the plains of Sodom were well watered, and fertile.
Thus, through selfishness, he made a decision that would one day prove the ruin of most of his family and in the process, he would barely escape with his own life. Those families who cause the “fertility” of modern day “Sodoms” to impact their decisions of where they make their homes, and those whose first considerations are the pecuniary advantages to be gained in such and such places, will one day find out that they have put their family at much greater risk.
In choosing a home, the influences which obtain in the area are to be given due consideration as to the effects it will have on the spiritual development of the children, and the family as a whole. But if one’s decision is primarily business-based, then the moral corruption that too often accompanies wealth, may have a demoralizing effect on all, and it can become an uphill struggle to keep the kids from gravitational influences which pull them down.
Therefore, from a strictly business perspective, Lot made a wise decision, but from a spiritual viewpoint it was silly and disastrous. The spiritual must always take precedence in any decision-making by the man because it can prove to be ruinous or uplifting for a family. Let God be consulted first, and if He leads to the city, then follow, but if He leads to the country, as He more often does, then the temporal aspects will also be taken care of. Let’s read:
Genesis 13:7 And there was a strife between the herd-men of Abram's cattle and the herd-men of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.
8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herd-men and thy herd-men; for we be brethren.
9 Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.
10 And Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld all the plain of Jordan that it was well watered everywhere before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord.
11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
God would have every believing Christian study and understand the wiles of the devil, for he works and plots in a well-thought-out and determined manner even though most people view him as ridiculous or stupid. On the contrary, he brings centuries of his own experience to the table, and he studies with fiendish intensity the most effective ways to take us down.
One of his most successful methods is the slow-boil technique, by which he sets in motion a protracted process to get persons accustomed to his systems, then when folks have become either immersed, or ingratiated, he seeks to tighten his stranglehold by suggesting that we can’t live without his systems. It was thus that he enticed Lot, and his family to the brink.
From a farmer and herdsman, Lot slowly became accustomed to the luxurious life of Sodom, for he was immersed in their systems of doing things. The educational systems of Sodom inculcated teachings of alternative lifestyles into the curriculum, and the young children became indoctrinated into same-sex marriage philosophies, from an early age.
Thus, Lot sent his children to be taught error in the public schools of the day, and the peer pressure and familiarity with evil produced the inevitable results. Day by day, as Lot’s kids beheld evil taking root, and being practiced in high and low places, without any remonstrance, they were convinced after a period of time that it was normal, and the once country-bound children became desensitized to evil.
The slow-boil technique is still being used and with alarming success, because the more the celebrities and stars come out of the closet, the more the kids will follow in their train, since the game “Follow the leader” is always employed by our adversary. There was a time in the U.S.A, when alternative lifestyles aroused a sort of righteous indignation.
But over a period of time as prominent stars, clergy, celebrities, and so-called “Role-models” have come out from the closet, other skeletons have followed suit until the LGBTQRSTUVWXYZ lifestyles have now been inculcated into our curriculums, being taught to our children, and they have come to be accepted by most people. It did not happen overnight, nor in a vacuum, for it is satan’s slow-boil system at work.
Thus, he seeks to take down religious, political, and social leaders first, for he knows from experience, that the multitudes will generally follow their lead. This is what he did in ancient Babylon when a false system of worship was to be forced on the people. The most prominent leaders of the nation were first indoctrinated, and the rest followed their lead. Let’s read:
Daniel 3:2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
It is amazing that even Lot himself had become so entirely bedazzled by the luxuries of Sodom that it’s stated in the Bible that his soul was vexed every day by the prevailing evils, and yet, somehow, he could find it within himself to leave. The slow-boil method caused him to become immersed in the systems of Sodom, so that like the infamous “Hotel California” he could check in anytime he liked, but he could never leave, even though he was vexed every day Let’s read:
2nd Peter 2:4 For God spared not the angels that sinned,
5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah,
7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked.
8 For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds.
Christians in our day are at great risk of becoming so accustomed to the systems, that we may find it quite difficult to leave when we need to. The many comforts of life we now enjoy, and the systems we have come to depend on are exerting a “slow-boil” effect on millions, and even though these are not to be condemned, there are a few verses in the Bible we should never forget. Never! Let’s read:
Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.
10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
13 These all confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
In the process of time however, God saw fit to put a check on the unbridled iniquity of those cities, and in response to Abraham’s intercession, holy angels were sent to rescue Lot, and his entire family from the impending doom. Thus, it was, after disclosing their real nature, and their mission, the angels sent Lot out to warn his relatives and daughters, so that they too might make a run for it, before it was too late.
But Lot’s influence over them had been weakened over a period of several years, for they witnessed in his experience, the subtle effects of that luxurious lifestyle of Sodom. Therefore, his decisions, actions and influences of a lifetime will scarcely be reversed overnight, as poor Lot soon discovered. When folks have become utterly immersed in systems that are opposed to God, messages from heaven can seem to be incredulous. Let’s read:
Genesis 19:12 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place.
13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it.
14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
Fathers in our day, who become consumed with the money-making, and business of the day, while they neglect the spiritual development and instruction of their families will discover, that in a real emergency, when a message of impending doom is sent by God, their families will have been so brain-washed by the secular systems, that the message will seem funny, as was the case with Lot’s family.
Which brings us to another important observation in the saga of lot, for even though he was sent with the message, it seems that he himself did not fully embrace or believe it. As those angels of God urged upon him the seriousness of the warning, he began making excuse after excuse, why he should be given more time in Sodom.
His hesitation and lingering showed that his faith had grown dim, living in the midst of continual evil, and wherever faith grows dim, questions about the wisdom of God’s instructions are sure to arise, since the effect of spiritual darkness in certain places is to give birth to skepticism about God’s word. Thus, a host of questions arose in his mind, and inevitably engulfed his wife too.
Questions such as: [1] Why the big rush? Why not give us some time to think it over, or to at least let us pack some of our precious belongings, like our family pictures, our passports, and our cell-phones, just in case we may need to make a last-minute call to Sodom. And certainly, it would be reasonable for such a long journey, to pack some fruit, and at least some Oreos.
Thus Lot, as the head of his household set in motion a train of circumstances which confirmed his wife in unbelief and murmuring, because they both came to view the message of God as being unreasonable. In fact, according to the scriptural record, Lot never left Sodom willingly, but had to be literally dragged out of the city; such was the effect of the slow-boil technique.
In like manner, there are millions who embrace and teach the three angel’s messages, but in their heart of hearts they have not fully believed, or embraced them, because those messages foretell of a looming separation from those systems we have all become accustomed to, when we will have to walk by faith in God alone, without the man-made props we too often depend upon.
Thus, like Lot, when the message goes forth to leave the cities, because of the mark of the beast, many of those who may have preached the three angel’s messages, and have warned others, would be very reluctant to give up the life of ease and luxury that has become the norm. And like Lot’s family, some may have to be dragged out, literally. Let’s read:
Revelation 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
It is also worthy of note that Lot had become so immersed in city living that even when he had to run for his life, he pleaded to move to another city. It is a statement of fact we declare, that most of us as Christians today living in the developed world will be very hesitant, if not entirely hostile to leaving the life of city comforts to head out to the country.
And like Lot, the transition will be very difficult for most of us to endure, for if we cannot live without our cell-phones when we attend church for only a few hours, it will be ten times more difficult to live without them for several months or years. Thus, as was stated before, the slow-boil technique of city living can, and will take a fearful toll if we have not learned to trust in God. Let’s read:
Genesis 19:17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord.
19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:
20 Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.
22 Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
Let no one think that we can suddenly uproot from systems we have become accustomed to, without maintaining a deep relationship with God all along. It takes time, and practice to trust entirely in God, and therefore, those opportunities He has granted us to do so in our probationary time, will be better spent in His word, and upon our knees, instead of surfing the various systems which often distract us from what is looming just on the horizon. Let’s read:
[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 160>161] The command was given with startling vehemence: “Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.” Hesitancy or delay now would be fatal. To cast one lingering look upon the devoted city, to tarry for one moment from regret to leave so beautiful a home, would have cost their life.
The storm of divine judgment was only waiting that these poor fugitives might make their escape. But Lot, confused and terrified, pleaded that he could not do as he was required lest some evil should overtake him and he should die. Living in that wicked city, in the midst of unbelief, his faith had grown dim.
If Lot himself had manifested no hesitancy to obey the angels’ warning, but had earnestly fled toward the mountains, without one word of pleading or remonstrance, his wife also would have made her escape. The influence of his example would have saved her from the sin that sealed her doom.
But his hesitancy and delay caused her to lightly regard the divine warning. While her body was upon the plain, her heart clung to Sodom, and she perished with it. She rebelled against God because His judgments involved her possessions and her children in the ruin. Although so greatly favored in being called out from the wicked city, she felt that she was severely dealt with, because the wealth that it had taken years to accumulate must be left to destruction.
Therefore, in lieu of the history of Lot and the sad demise of his family, let those of us who are now living on the brink of eternity make certain that we learn from his errors, and thereby make straight paths for our feet. While we still live in this world, we can and should use the man-made systems of earth for the furtherance of Christ’s kingdom of righteousness.
However, it’s important and imperative that we do not allow the luxuries and comforts of this earth to eclipse the grandeur of a better world, nor should those who believe in Christ’s soon return, permit themselves to be brain-washed into thinking that it is a long way off, into the future. The very abnormal state of things around us all declare that Jesus is coming soon.
Thus, the following passages from the Bible are to be given due consideration, as we look forward to the future, for if they are understood and applied as God would have them they will serve to balance out the temporal pursuits of life with the blessed hope, the former always being kept in subservience to the latter. Let’s read:
1st Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
1st John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not
of the Father but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.
1st Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
Romans 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
God Bless!