Wayfinding Bible - Flipbook - Page 37
Genesis 19
31
PG 32
OBSERVATION POINT
Lot chose to live in Sodom among the morally depraved Canaanites and became a prominent citizen
of the city. In that culture, the leaders gathered
at the city gate to conduct business, finalize legal
transactions, and advise others in moral conduct.
Lot continued to believe in God even while living in
the corrupt city, and he tried to live differently from
those around him. He much preferred the ease and
safety of Sodom over living outside the city in a tent.
Those conveniences made it difficult for him to leave.
SODOM AND GOMORRAH DESTROYED
19
That evening the two angels came to the
entrance of the city of Sodom. Lot was
sitting there, and when he saw them, he stood
up to meet them. Then he welcomed them and
bowed with his face to the ground. 2 “My lords,”
he said, “come to my home to wash your feet,
and be my guests for the night. You may then
get up early in the morning and be on your way
again.”
“Oh no,” they replied. “We’ll just spend the
night out here in the city square.”
3
But Lot insisted, so at last they went home
with him. Lot prepared a feast for them, complete with fresh bread made without yeast, and
they ate. 4 But before they retired for the night,
all the men of Sodom, young and old, came
from all over the city and surrounded the house.
5
They shouted to Lot, “Where are the men who
came to spend the night with you? Bring them
out to us so we can have sex with them!”
6
So Lot stepped outside to talk to them, shutting the door behind him. 7 “Please, my brothers,” he begged, “don’t do such a wicked thing.
8
Look, I have two virgin daughters. Let me bring
them out to you, and you can do with them as
you wish. But please, leave these men alone, for
they are my guests and are under my protection.”
9
“Stand back!” they shouted. “This fellow
came to town as an outsider, and now he’s
acting like our judge! We’ll treat you far worse
than those other men!” And they lunged toward Lot to break down the door.
10
But the two angels* reached out, pulled
Lot into the house, and bolted the door. 11 Then
they blinded all the men, young and old, who
were at the door of the house, so they gave up
trying to get inside.
12
Meanwhile, the angels questioned Lot.
EXPLORATION POINT
Abraham challenged God’s intentions toward Sodom
and Gomorrah. Although God did not tell Abraham
exactly what he was planning to do, Abraham assumed that death would be involved. His dialogue
with God, however, was full of reverence and humility,
an appropriate approach. As leader of this promised
great nation, Abraham knew he needed to lead with
justice and mercy. His questions and persistence
helped him better understand how God evaluates a
situation in order to execute judgment on the wicked
and the righteous.
“Do you have any other relatives here in the
city?” they asked. “Get them out of this place—
your sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone
else. 13 For we are about to destroy this city
completely. The outcry against this place is so
great it has reached the Lord, and he has sent
us to destroy it.”
14
So Lot rushed out to tell his daughters’
fiancés, “Quick, get out of the city! The Lord
is about to destroy it.” But the young men
thought he was only joking.
15
At dawn the next morning the angels
became insistent. “Hurry,” they said to Lot.
“Take your wife and your two daughters who
are here. Get out right now, or you will be
swept away in the destruction of the city!”
16
When Lot still hesitated, the angels seized
his hand and the hands of his wife and two
daughters and rushed them to safety outside
the city, for the Lord was merciful. 17 When they
were safely out of the city, one of the angels ordered, “Run for your lives! And don’t look back
or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the
mountains, or you will be swept away!”
18
“Oh no, my lord!” Lot begged. 19 “You have
been so gracious to me and saved my life, and
you have shown such great kindness. But I
cannot go to the mountains. Disaster would
catch up to me there, and I would soon die.
20
See, there is a small village nearby. Please let
me go there instead; don’t you see how small it
is? Then my life will be saved.”
21
“All right,” the angel said, “I will grant
your request. I will not destroy the little village. 22 But hurry! Escape to it, for I can do
nothing until you arrive there.” (This explains
why that village was known as Zoar, which
means “little place.”)
19:10 Hebrew men; also in 19:12, 16.
