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Backsliding Lot

Over recent weeks as we have been working our way through Genesis we have met with Lot on a number of occasions. However each time he has not really been the main character but rather he has played the role of a bit part, an also ran. With the end of this chapter 19 we also come to the end of what the Book of Genesis has to say concerning this man. I want to take this opportunity of standing back a little and of considering the lessons we may learn from his life.

Lot, like most of us, is a right mixture. There are some good things and there are some bad. We will do well to follow him when he acts well and to take warning from what he does wrong.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus spoke to His disciples about those who spend their time worrying about this world and this world's riches. Our Heavenly Father is well able to meet all the needs of His children, Jesus tells us before going on to add a command that we would all do well to carefully heed:

Mt.6:33 "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

If only Lot had consistently done that then how different the outcome of his life might have been!

Let's now turn and see just what kind of man Lot was.

As we begin to think about Lot and his life we must begin with the summary appreciation that the apostle Peter brings as he writes his second letter. There Peter speaks of the destruction of the inhabitants of Sodom and of how God delivered Lot –this being used to show that God is well able to deliver the godly when they are confronted by various sorts of trials. So we read:

2Pe.2:7 "and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials,"

It is clear from this threefold repetition of the word "righteous" (the AV translates the same Greek word once as "just" and twice as "righteous") that we cannot write Lot off as a pagan. No, we must consider his life as the life of a believer. Much of what will follow will show us that he is far from being a fine upstanding believer but believer he is nevertheless. What will follow will show us just how low it is possible for a true believer to fall!

The Bible paints for us very realistic portraits. Men and women are so very often inconsistent – they believe and yet their lives are marred by wrong choices and wrong priorities. As we read these Bible accounts we must remind ourselves that the fact of being a believer does not automatically preserve us from some horrendous mistakes. Therefore we must learn to watch over ourselves lest we fall in similar ways. We must learn too that as we see other believers that they may fall a long way into sin while still being believers – let our judgments therefore be charitable. After all if we only had the OT accounts of Lot's life we might be tempted to say that he was not a believer at all!

There is indication however even in these Genesis accounts that Lot was a believer.

When Abram was called to leave the country of his ancestors and to go firstly from Ur to Haran and then subsequently from Haran to Canaan Lot goes with him! 11:31 & 12:4. Abram has received tremendous promises as he is commanded to head off into the unknown and Lot goes with him. He sets out on pilgrimage. Like Abram he left nothing behind him – he too was on a journey with no intention of turning back.

Similarly as we become Christians by putting our faith and trust in Christ we set out on a pilgrimage. How are we faring on this journey? Lot had some positives mixed with some glaring negatives – what about you?

In Gen.19 there may indeed be some indication that Lot was seeking to live out his life as a true believer. Certainly Sodom would not have been an easy place to live out a holy lifestyle but as the chapter opens we find Lot "sitting in the gate". Now this was where justice was administered in the cities of that time – was he participating and seeking to influence for good what was going on? This might be confirmed by the cry against him in v.9 "This fellow came to sojourn, and he has become the judge!" Or maybe he was just there in order to offer protection to any stranger that arrived – just as he in fact did as the two angels came to the city!

The hospitality he offers to these two is presented in such a way by Moses that it parallels what Abraham did for his guests in the preceding chapter. In offering such hospitality and shelter Lot is evidencing good fruit in his life.

Later as he seeks to protect the men come under the protection of his roof Lot demonstrates real courage in seeking to defend those men. He goes out on his own to confront the mob to try to persuade them to change their mind and to leave his guests alone. And he does this at considerable risk to himself a fact which is confirmed by his having to be rescued by the angels!

By this I mean that Lot had a spiritual history. He both witnessed and experienced divine intervention and deliverance:

1.     Do you remember that he had gone down to Egypt with Abram and Sarai. He had seen the mess Abram had got himself into and he knew just how the LORD God had intervened to have Sarai restored to Abram. In such circumstances along with Abram he would have felt very vulnerable but the LORD brought them all out with their wealth and with increased wealth.

2.     Do you remember how Lot had already been rescued once before from a dangerous position? He'd been carried off into exile by the kings of the northern alliance but Abram heard about it and came to his aid. In danger of losing everything he in fact lost nothing as Abram brought him safely back with his people and his possessions. He would have known too that his uncle Abraham attributed his success to the LORD.

3.     Here too in this chapter Lot experiences more divine help as his life is spared whereas the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed. The angels do everything necessary to get him to safety even taking him forcefully by the hand to pull him away as he lingers on prevaricating as to what he should do.

In these ways Lot owed his continued existence to outside help. However such providential provision did not ensure that he would always respond in appropriate ways. There is nothing automatic about the believer's life.

We must learn from this. We may have been saved by the LORD as we've put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ but that does not mean that we are shielded from ever making another mistake ever again. Let us learn to reason correctly with ourselves and not presume!

As we look at the details of Lot's life as recorded by Moses in these Genesis accounts it is clear that Lot was a wealthy man. As he travels to Canaan with Abram he already has in his possession significant possession and people under his charge (12:5). After the sad trip into Egypt he still is a wealthy man – "flocks and herds and tents," 13:5 as well as "herdsmen" 13:6. Even after the fall of Sodom and being led away to the north when Abram intervenes and brings him back he still has his possessions etc. 14:16.

Wealth and prosperity are frequently seen as the mark of God's blessing upon a man's life in the OT.

But for Lot his possessions were not to prove an unmitigated blessing as they were also the source of real problem to him.

It would appear that while in Sodom Lot married and had children – at least two daughters – but his experience of family life did not turn out well. His wife hankered after the old life in Sodom even though that meant death and she paid the ultimate price. True he escaped Sodom with his daughters but how the wickedness of Sodom remained in them as they left the city.

The last mention of Lot in the Genesis record is not however of a wealthy man enjoying his last years in happy family surroundings. Lot is left alone with his daughters in a barren unpopulated landscape and is led by them into grotesque sin. His wealth and his herdsmen have perished and Lot who seems to have led much of his life focused upon wealth is left devoid of riches.

What a warning to us all not to place our trust in the riches of this world! What an illustration of Jesus' teaching that we should take care to lay up our treasure in Heaven! Do you remember what Jesus said?

Mt.6:19-21 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Despite beginning well and enjoying the blessings of material abundance Lot did not persevere in wise upright living. The choices he made did not evidence deep or moral concerns and certainly spiritual safety did not play a prominent role in his decision making process.

What do I mean?

1.     Well he chooses what he thinks will best secure his material prosperity. Gen.13:10-11 and he minimises if he doesn't totally ignore the spiritual risks. He opts to go towards Sodom as to his eyes that is the best place. Does he care that the men of the region are exceedingly wicked? It doesn't seem so.

Paul was later to write to the Christians in Corinth warning them:

1Cor.15:33 "Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”"

Lot would learn this the hard way.

2.     Lot had been caught up once already with problems in Sodom. The King had led the city to revolt against the foreign dominating powers but had lost the battle and the inhabitants were carried off to exile: Lot with him.

But Lot fails to learn from this situation. Saved by his uncle Lot doesn't change his ways but is soon found once more living in wicked Sodom. Peter tells us that he tormented himself because of their wickedness – but why oh why did he go back amongst them all. He had very nearly lost all he had – but no, he learns no lessons and heeds no warnings.

And what of us, When the Lord sends trials and tribulations into our lives how do we react? When he disciplines us are we any wiser than Lot? Or are we like him quick to continue in our old ways?

3.     Generously he offers hospitality to two unknown guests – bravely he seeks to protect them in reasoning with the mob. But oh what a dreadfully awful proposition he puts to them! He offers the two daughters who are living at home with him to the men who gather at the door of his home.

Maybe he didn't expect his offer to be accepted and perhaps he was simply trying to buy some time? Whatever, it was a dreadful thing to propose. But then again it was Sodom they were living in and Sodom was renowned for its sexual perversions. Lot and his family were certainly not untainted by the mores of the day as can be seen all too clearly in the subsequent actions of his two daughters!

Lot escapes with his life intact but what sad reading the end of his life's story makes.

The angels deliver him – he is even allowed to flee to a nearby town rather than to the hills. But no he finds no happiness in that refuge. Just as he arrives at the town his wife turns round with a longing look to Sodom – it proves to be her last as she is turned into a pillar of salt and remains standing as a warning to all ever since. "Remember Lot's wife" we're told by our Lord Jesus (Lk.17:32).

It is not long before Lot leaves the town. He has no peace there and lives in fear – we're not told quite of what but he cannot stay in the place he thought would provide the security he needed. So off to the hills he flies – those very hills he had not wanted to flee to before. And that is the last place we see him living. An old man reduced to poverty, living alone with two daughters.

And what daughters! Lot has lived out his life sailing close to the wind. He has perhaps managed in a measure to keep his own soul but the influence of wicked Sodom upon his daughters has not been kept in check.

The eldest daughter takes the lead – beware lest you lead others in to wickedness and beware of being like the gullible second daughter who simply follows where the elder leads.

Drunkenness leads men to do what they would never normally do. The daughters decide to get Lot their father drunk because they're convinced he wouldn't want to have anything to do with their scheme. Lot is again unwise – he allows himself to be given drink after drink until he can't remember a thing. The daughters are wicked – incest, two nights running. What a sad end.

And yet there is still yet worse to come. The two lads who are thus conceived – we're told their names – Moab and Ben-Ammi – they will head up two new people groups: the Moabites and the Ammonites. Two people groups that will be inveterate enemies of the people of God.

Let us be careful how we live out our lives as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Carelessness can bring real trouble, heart-ache and sin. Which of us wants to try to make ship-wreck of our souls? Which of us wants to get to heaven by the skin of our teeth as it were "saved, but as through fire." (1Cor.3:15)

May God indeed help us!