The Life of Abraham: He Witnesses God’s Judgment — Part 2

Genesis 19

In the previous article we tried to explain why the judgment of the Lord had come over the cities of the plain: it was because of their great wickedness. The last historical fact which we mentioned was that the angels pulled Lot inside and blinded the people outside the house. This was the last serious warning to the people so they would realize what they were doing. If they continued, the Lord would definitely come with His judgments. A last warning! Who knows when this will come to us? If we continue to live in public or secret sins, if we continue on unconverted, then the judgment of the Lord will also come upon us as does a thief in the night. May the Lord awaken us before it is too late. Daily we get such warnings, but we do not hear them.

For Lot and his family it was not too late, since he received the opportunity to be led out of the city before the destruction came. But were all to be saved? Here we see the difference between the external and the internal call. The external call came to his whole family. He tried also to convince his future sons-in-law, but they did not believe, and merely mocked him.

Today there are thousands who, smiling politely, listen to the warning that soon they must appear before the Lord to give account of their deeds. They remain polite, but go on. This shows the blindness of man. The judgment is so close, but there is still no room for the Lord and His service. The administration of the Holy Spirit is missing in their lives, and so they will perish with the innumerable multitude.

Lot was a child of God even though he lived far from God in many respects. However, God took care that this “righteous man,” as the Lord calls him, would not perish with the wicked. The angels urged Lot to leave, but he delayed, and finally he was forced out of the city with his wife and two daughters. Is it not the same with us? We also receive many warnings to flee for our life’s sake, but we delay it as long as possible. The Lord has to bind His Holy Spirit to His Word, for otherwise we will continue just as Lot did. Even after we receive grace, there is so much resistance against the Lord. We do not like to leave everything behind!

“Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men”

Outside the city, Lot was spiritually awakened; he began to feel the seriousness of the situation and the danger they were in. He thought he would not be able to flee in time to the mountains which were shown to him. Destruction would come upon him and his family. He felt that death was near at hand. When we are still walking in our own way, then we think we have plenty of time to be converted. But when it pleases the Lord to begin the good work in us, then the time is too short, and we feel it is too late. Then the question arises, “Can I yet be converted to the Lord?” So it was with Lot; he could not see that they would be able to make it to the mountains. The Lord heard his prayer and gave him permission to flee to the little city called Zoar, which was closer for them.

So we may likewise tell the Lord what our needs are, also our spiritual needs; there is no better address. The Lord is willing to hear when we really need Him, as He has said, “Let Me hear thy voice.” And in another place, He says, “Open thy mouth wide,” indicating that which they lack, He will plentifully supply. This the poet has expressed in Psalter 222:

Open wide thy mouth of longing; I will satisfy thy need.

The Lord heard the prayer of Lot, but Lot had to make haste, since the Lord could not do anything until he was in safety. This is a moving word, as it shows God’s eternal faithfulness and truth, His eternal love, and His incomprehensible mercy. The Lord could not do anything before Lot had come to Zoar.

So it is also with the judgment over the world. Why does the Lord tarry? We see that wickedness increases so much and it is committed more publicly than ever before. Why does the Lord not yet come with His final judgment? Is it because of the integrity of His children? No, but the Lord cannot overturn the world before He has gathered the last one whose name is written in the book of life. Not one will be missing who is promised to Christ. There are still a number of those who are under the seal of election and must yet be called from death to life.

This does not curtail the freedom of God. It is a willing love wherewith the Lord loves His children; therefore it is written in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Not one of God’s children, however unknown they may be to man, will perish in the final judgment.

The name Zoar means little or unimportant, but it was of the greatest importance for Lot. This city is an example of the cities of refuge which the Lord later on gave to Israel. The city of refuge for God’s children is Jesus Christ; in Him we are safe. As the Lord Jesus was attacked by Satan, so His kingdom is still attacked, but this City of Refuge stands immovable, and His gates are open by day and night to receive poor sinners.

Lot and his family left Sodom and fled toward Zoar, but not all came to Zoar. On the way to Zoar, Lot’s wife looked back to see what was happening to the cities. This was against the express command of the Lord. At that same moment she became a pillar of salt. God punished her immediately. This sad event tells us that it is not enough to leave Sodom and be on the way to Zoar, but we must also arrive there. So many seem to have fled out of the City of Destruction, as Bunyan calls it, but they have never arrived at the Celestial City. Outside of Christ we are not safe, but we will perish. An outward change is not enough; we must be renewed after the image of Christ.

Many can speak of a change of way, but we must have a new heart. With many who leave the world for a time, it is as Peter describes, “The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire” (2 Peter 2:22). So the wife of Lot was also led out of Sodom, but her heart was still in Sodom. That was the reason she looked back. She was not loosened from her former life. Sometimes God’s people fear that the same will happen to them, and that they will return to the world. God’s Word teaches that “the eyes of them that see shall not be dim” (Isaiah 32:3). This means that the Lord will remember His church and will never forsake the work of His hands.

May we come to the feet of the Lord, in whom only we can escape the judgment which will otherwise surely come.

At sunrise Lot arrived in Zoar. This was the moment that the judgment of the Lord began. Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim were overturned and destroyed by fire and brimstone (or sulfur), which rained from heaven. Some have calculated that this terrible judgment took place about the year 2048 after creation.

Young and old perished; also the little children died in the demolition of the cities. The loss of innocent lives (you know what I mean by this: these little children did not commit actual sin) was much to be regretted. But we must recognize that there are times when only radical surgery will save the life of a cancer-stricken body. This whole population, young and old, had been hopelessly infected with the cancer of moral depravity. Had any of them been permitted to live while still in rebellion against God, they might have infected the families of Abraham and Lot, as the people were wholly given over to the depravity of homosexuality and rape.

We cannot describe what it was for man and beast when the judgment of the Lord came upon them. It cannot be described, but all were killed in a short time. What will it be when the Lord comes upon the clouds of heaven to judge the quick and the dead! The people of those cities did not care about the future, so the Lord came unexpectedly.

While we receive a much clearer warning from Sunday to Sunday, what are we doing with it? The apostle has written to the Corinthians, “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Corinthians 5:11). May we come to the feet of the Lord, in whom only we can escape the judgment which will otherwise surely come.

Early that same morning, Father Abraham arose and went to the same place where he had stood before the Lord on the previous day. Then he had pleaded for the righteous in the city, but now he saw that the judgment had come. But there is written, “When God destroyed the cities of the plain,” then He “remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow” (Genesis 19:29). Was it then for Abraham’s sake that Lot was saved? No, the deepest ground of his deliverance was on God’s side; He fulfilled His counsel. But we know that the Lord lets His people pray for that which He has decreed to give. When the Lord thought of Abraham, then He thought of His own work, because He had given Abraham this prayer, and He thought of His promise given to Abraham. So the Lord fulfilled His counsel to save Lot, He glorified His attributes, and He remembered His covenant. He also remembered the prayers of Abraham and also those which Lot had undoubtedly often brought before Him. All things work together for good.

QUESTIONS:

1. The angels blinded the people of Sodom. Do you know of other miracles like this in the Bible?

2. We called Zoar an example of the cities of refuge. Do you know the names of these cities of refuge and where they were situated? Do you also know the spiritual meaning of them?

3. You know the reason why the wife of Lot became a pillar of salt. Do you know the real reason why she trespassed God’s commandment?

4. Can you give a short review of the life of Lot?

5. Who are the descendants of Lot? Where did they live afterwards? Can you tell something of the later history of these nations?

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen