God’s destruction of Sodom and deliverance of Lot in Genesis 19 serve as a type of the Final Judgment, in which God will pour out His wrath on the wicked and deliver His people through sheer grace.
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Christ – The Righteous Judge
Genesis 18:16 – 19:29
In Genesis 18 we find Abraham showing hospitality to three strangers. We know that two of them are angels, because Genesis 18:22 says, “then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before the Lord.” Then again, Genesis 19:1 says, “Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening.” So, these two angels appeared as men, but were in fact, angels. So, who was the third person? Genesis 18:1 says, “Now the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre.” Then again in verse 13 it says, “And the Lord said to Abraham.” So, these three individuals turn out to be two angels, and the Lord Himself. This, no doubt, was a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ.
After providing a meal for his three guests, Abraham walked with them to send them on their way. As they were walking, the Lord told Abraham that the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah was very great, so great that He was going down to judge and destroy them. At this point Abraham began to inquire of the Lord. Would the Lord destroy everyone in the city if there were 50 righteous people there? What about 45? 30? 20? 10? In every case, the Lord declared that if that number of righteous people in the cities, He would not destroy it. I’ve always wondered whether this was where the expression “Jew someone down” came from! Abraham was a bold and skilled negotiator. He would have done well buying a used car today! Well, the truth of the matter is that there weren’t 10 righteous people in the entire city, and so the Lord decided to destroy it.
So, why did the Lord have this story recorded in our Bibles? What is its significance? So far in the book of Genesis we have seen Jesus as Creator, Sabbath, Life, Bridegroom, Obedient Son, Righteous Covering, Conqueror of Satan, Refuge from Wrath, King-Priest. But today, we are going to see Him as Judge. Jude 7 says, “just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.” When the Lord sent fire and brimstone down from heaven to consume the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, He was making them an example and a picture of the final judgment when all rebels will face the eternal fire of God’s wrath.
2 Peter 2:6-9 gives us the divine application of this story. “ and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly thereafter; and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day with their lawless deeds), then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment.” This passage teaches us that there is a Day of Judgment coming. Just as the Lord rescued the righteous and destroyed the ungodly in Sodom, so He will also do on that final judgment day.
This morning let’s take a look at Christ – the Righteous Judge. In the case of Sodom, about 4,000 years ago, there were two groups – the saved and the lost. The vast majority in Sodom were destroyed, but Lot and his daughters were saved. In this event we have a type of the future day of judgment, in which Christ will sit as judge, and assign all mankind their eternal destinies, either heaven or hell.
1. The Destruction of Sodom
The Destruction of Sodom Was Just
Let’s take a good look at the character of the inhabitants of Sodom. We have the first description of them in Genesis 13:13, “Now the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the Lord.” Later in Genesis 18:20 the Lord said, “The outrcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave.” Later in Genesis 19:13 the two angels say, “for we are about to destroy this place, because their outcry has become so great before the Lord that the Lord has sent us to destroy it.” Now, why did God consider the sin of Sodom so great?
First, let’s consider their sins of commission. Jude 7 says, “just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.” So, what was the gross immorality they were guilty of? What does it mean that they went after strange flesh? Well, let’s read the story in Genesis 19:4-11, “Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter; and they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them.” But Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him, and said, “Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly.
“Now behold, I have two daughters who have not had relations with man; please let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever you like; only do nothing to these men, inasmuch as they have come under the shelter of my roof.” But they said, “Stand aside.” Furthermore, they said, “This one came in as an alien, and already he is acting like a judge; now we will treat you worse than them.” So they pressed hard against Lot and came near to break the door. But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. And they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves trying to find the doorway.”
Now, what did Jude mean when he says that the people of Sodom “indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh”? It is extremely clear. The people of Sodom were homosexuals. They went so far as to want to have relations with these two angels who appeared as men. The Sodomites were characterized by unbridled lust. I think Billy Graham’s famous quote is very true: “If God doesn’t judge America, He’ll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.” The Bible clearly teaches that one of the reasons God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah was because they committed gross immorality by practicing homosexuality. Folks, just because the majority of Americans may have changed their minds on homosexuality over the last 40 or 50 years, that doesn’t mean that God has changed his views on homosexuality. In the eyes of God, it is a perversion of His gift of sex to one man with one woman within the covenant of marriage.
Because we are being pressured to accept “same sex marriages” as legitimate today, and acceptable alternative lifestyles, I think it would be good to just remind ourselves of exactly what the Bible teaches about it. If you read everything the Bible says about homosexuality this is what you will find. The Bible says it is an abomination, a detestable act, worthy of death, degrading, unnatural, indecent, those that practice it will not inherit the kingdom of God, and it is contrary to sound teaching (Lev.18:22; 20:13; Rom. 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; 1 Tim. 1:10). If you don’t believe me, look up every verse in your Bible on it, and see for yourself.
Now that we have seen their sins of commission, let’s look at their sins of omission. Ezekiel 16:49 says, “Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy.” The people of Sodom had an abundance of food and lots of ease, but were self-absorbed. They didn’t reach out to help the poor and needy. Christ’s judgment upon Sodom was absolutely right and just. The punishment fit the crime.
Likewise, when God brings judgment upon the wicked, no one will be able to complain that God’s decision was unjust. The books will be opened, and the dead will be judged from the things written in the books, according to what they had done. All the universe will acknowledge that God is holy and just in all His dealings, including sentencing sinners to eternal punishment.
The Destruction of Sodom Was Deliberate
Some have speculated that the fire and brimstone which fell from heaven to consume these cities was just a freak accident of nature. They say that a volcano just happened to erupt and destroy these ancient cities. Is that true? Well, let’s read what the Bible says, and you be the judge. 2 Pet. 2:6 says, “He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter.” Who condemned them and reduced them to ashes? God Himself! Let’s go back to our story in Genesis 19, and look at verses 24, 25 and 29, “Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven, and He overthrew those cities… Thus it came about, when God destroyed the cities of the valley…” It is absolutely clear, that the destruction of these cities was not an accident, but the deliberate judgment of Almighty God.
Likewise, when God brings final judgment on the impenitent, it will come directly from His hand. God Himself will bring about eternal punishment. A lot of people think that the devil is going to be the tormenter in hell, as though he is running the show. Not on your life! Revelation 14:10 says that the lost “will also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.” No, God Himself will punish ungodly people in hell.
The Destruction of Sodom Was Unexpected
Jesus Himself commented on the destruction of Sodom in Luke 17:28-30 and said this, “”It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. “It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.” The people of Sodom never ever expected fire to descend and wipe out their entire city on that fateful day. They were just going along, business as usual. They were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, and building, just as they always had done. It never entered their mind that they would all die and face God on that day. But they did! They were careless about their duty to God, concerned only with the things of time and sense, and carnal pleasures.
In the same way, when Christ returns, and all men are ushered before the judgment seat of Christ, they will be totally unprepared to meet him. Jesus said in Mt. 24:42-44, “”Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you be ready too; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.” “For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape” (1Thess.5:2-3). Most of the world will find the coming of Jesus Christ to be sudden and completely unexpected.
The Destruction of Sodom Was Thorough
2 Peter 2:6 says that God reduced the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes. Genesis 19:24-25 says, “Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven, and He overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.” In this judgment, God completely wiped out these cities of the valley. Only 3 people survived, Lot and his two daughters. All other people in these cities were destroyed. When God was done, the only thing that remained was ashes.
Likewise on the Day of Judgment, no one who is unsaved will escape. 2 Thess. 1:7-9 tells us that Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.” Oh, what a horrific scene that will be! Only those who know God and obey the gospel of Jesus will escape this judgment! All the rest will perish.
2. The Deliverance of Lot
The Deliverance of Lot Was By Grace Alone
To understand the grace of God in this situation, we have to take a good hard look at the character of Lot. He started out as the traveling companion of Abraham, but eventually they both prospered so much that there just wasn’t enough grazing land for both of their herds, and it resulted in conflicts between their herdsman. So Abraham, being quite magnanimous, offered Lot to choose whatever land he wanted, and Abraham would take what was left over. Listen to what happened, “Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the valley of the Jordan, that it was well atered everywhere – this was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah – like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go to Zoar. So Lot chose for himself all the valley of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward. Thus they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled in the cities of the valley, and moved his tents as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the Lord” (Gen. 13:10-13). This scene tells us a lot about Lot (no pun intended!). God’s estimation of Sodom was that its citizens were wicked exceedingly against the Lord. In spite of that, however, Lot chose to move his tents to Sodom because it was well watered everywhere. In this situation, Lot is choosing the material over the spiritual. As long as his herds will prosper, he’s willing to put his family in a wicked, perverse situation. Later, in Genesis 14:12, the Bible says he was living in Sodom. In 19:3 we see that Lot owned a house in Sodom (he began by simply moving his tents toward Sodom). Not only that, but he appears to be one of the leaders of Sodom, as evidenced by the fact that the angels find him “sitting in the gate” of Sodom, which is where the elders of the city would meet to make important judgments. Further, his daughters were engaged to Sodomite men (19:14). And these men thought Lot was jesting when he urged them to flee from the city, indicating that Lot had lost his testimony, and his words ceased to carry any power (19:14). Not only this, but he hesitated to leave when the angels urged him to flee (19:16). When the angels instructed Lot to flee to the mountains for safety, Lot argues with them, and instead pleads with them to allow him to go to Zoar instead (19:18-20). Finally, the last information we have about Lot is that his two daughters get him drunk, and have sex with him so that they will bear children and preserve the family name (19:32-33). Now, if all you had to judge Lot by was the information here in Genesis, what would you think about him? You’d conclude he was a lost sinner, wouldn’t you?
Well, listen to what Peter says about Lot in 2 Peter 2:7-8, “and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds). Peter calls Lot a righteous man, and says his soul was tormented by the lawlessness of the people around him. Lot is a sad example of a true believer who lives a compromised life! He was counted righteous by faith, but did not live a very righteous life. He was enamored by the world, and allowed that to cause him to make carnal and foolish decisions. One thing is very clear – Lot was not saved because of his own righteousness, but in spite of his own unrighteousness. Oh, the wonderful grace of God! If it weren’t for God’s undeserved favor, not a one of us would ever escape hell! Oh, thank God that He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). You know what, folks? Even in our best deeds as Christians, there is much we must repent of? If we are ever saved, it will be by grace, and grace alone! Thank God for His matchless grace!
The Deliverance of Lot Was By God Alone
Notice Genesis 19:15-16, “When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, ‘Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.’ But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the Lord was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city.”
Lot didn’t deliver himself from the destruction of Sodom. First, Lot didn’t even know the city was about to be destroyed, until the angels came and told him. Second, when the angels told him of the imminent destruction of his city, he hesitated! When he hesitated, the angels had to seize him by the hand and drag him outside the city. Why did the angels do all of this for Lot? Because the compassion of the Lord was upon him! Left to himself, Lot would have perished with the rest of the Sodomites. Even after the angels brought him out of the city, Lot argued with them about where he should flee to! Folks, Lot was not cooperating in his salvation. He was resisting and arguing and hesitating. The good news was that the angels overcame his resistance.
The same is true of us as well. If anyone is ever saved, they can chalk it up to the work of God alone. We hesitate. We resist. We argue. But when the compassion of the Lord is upon an individual, the Lord overcomes all His resistance, and makes him willing in the day of His power. That’s why we refer to our calling as “irresistible grace.” If we could resist God’s grace, we would, and we would perish forever. But the Lord must overcome our natural, sinful resistance, if any of us will ever be saved. That’s the meaning of the word “draw” in John 6:44. It means “to overcome resistance by a superior power.” Peter drew his sword out of the scabbard, and drew the 153 large fish onto the beach. Paul and Silas were “dragged” before the authorities. Every place we find this word in the New Testament, it means that something was “pulled” or “dragged” somewhere by a superior power. That’s what happened in Lot’s case, and that is what happens in the case of any sinner who is ever saved. God Almighty draws us to Christ by His superior power, overcoming all our sinful resistance.
Never get it into your head that you were saved by cooperating with the Lord, by Him doing half of the work, and you doing the other half. No! Folks, you and I were dead in our transgressions when God made us alive together with Christ. Romans 9:16 says, “So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.” So many in the church today have this idea that they were saved because they made the right choice by their free will. My friends, when you were lost your will was not free – it was bound! You were a slave to sin. Last time I checked, a slave is not free. Spurgeon once said, “Free will has carried many souls to hell, but never a soul to heaven yet.” This is why everywhere in Scripture we are exhorted to praise God for our salvation. If it is true that God provided salvation, but you were smart enough to take Him up on His offer and receive that salvation through your free will, then you should get some of the credit for your salvation. When you are in heaven, you could look down on the man in hell, and say, “Look buddy, I’m up here and you’re down there, because I had the good sense to believe in Jesus Christ and you didn’t!” But God is adamant about the fact that no flesh will ever glory in His sight. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph.2:8-9). Mark it down, if your understanding of salvation is able to give any credit to man, it is not a Biblical view of salvation. Salvation is not 90% God, and 10% us. It’s not even 99% God and 1% us. It is 100% God and 0% us! “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name give glory” (Ps.115:1).
Life Application
Friends, a day is coming in which our world will be destroyed by fire, just as Sodom was destroyed by fire. “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up” (2 Pet. 3:10). God’s judgment will be just, deliberate, unexpected, and thorough. If you are not in Christ on that day, you will face the penalty of eternal destruction. You will not escape. But there is hope for you. God is still extending an offer of grace. Christ’s shed blood can wash away your sin. You can be forgiven, and escape His wrath that will come upon this ungodly world. Lot had to flee from Sodom. You must flee from your sin, and flee to Christ. He is the only One who can save you. Trust Him, and you are saved!
But what about those of us who have fled to Christ and found Him to be our salvation? Peter tells us “Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God” (2 Pet. 3:11-12). We are to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom we appear as lights in the world (Phil.2:15). Does your lifestyle stand out in the midst of your generation, because you live so different from the ungodly? That’s God’s will for you. Not only that, but we should be doing everything we can to seize people by the hand like the angels, and bring them out of Sodom so that they aren’t destroyed along with everybody else. How much time and effort are you giving to reaching lost people? How many hours of your week are devoted to praying for, loving, and speaking to lost people? Oh may God help us to rescue the perishing!
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