Our passage today is one of those that, to me, is a huge confirmation that the Bible is accurate and trustworthy, because why in the world would you include stories like this if they were not true?
Apparently there were not even 10 righteous people in Sodom, and so God went ahead with His plan to destroy the city. However, he showed great mercy to Lot, practically dragging him and his family out before it was too late. Lot, however, was unable to persuade his daughter's fiances from coming with them - in fact, they though it was a joke.
My Life Application Bible says:
Lot had lived so long and was so contented among ungodly people that he was no longer a believable witness for God. He had allowed his environment to shape him, rather than he shaping his environment. Do those who know you see you as a witness for God, or are you just one of the crowd, blending in unnoticed? Lot had compromised to the point that he was almost useless to God. When he finally made a stand, nobody listened. Have you, too, become useless to God because you are too much like your environment? To make a difference, you must first decide to be different in your faith and your conduct.
The story of Lot and his daughters is repulsive, and rather ironic in some ways. These are the best of the people from Sodom? These are the people God saved? We know that eventually Lot became a man of strong faith as he is mentioned in Hebrews 11. But clearly here, things were not going well for Lot spiritually. Why didn't he bring his daughters to Abraham's family to find them suitable husbands? They were nearby. Was it pride that kept him from seeking help from his uncle? After all, he was the one who chose the lush land and the city of Sodom to begin with. We need to allow our regrets to prompt repentance, and not allow it to harden our hearts or for us to become bitter. Who knows? Maybe this was the incident that finally turned Lot's life around.
Then we see Abraham lying about Sarah.... again! God has such patience with us. Sometimes God definitely allows us to experience the consequences of our bad decisions. But sometimes He graciously intervenes. This time, God had to make very sure that it was clear that Abimelech did not sleep with Sarah as there had to be no doubt about Isaac's parentage, who was born around this time.
Finally, when Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90, they became parents to the son promised them by God. They had to wait 25 years for God's promise to be fulfilled. 25 years! That's a long time. But God's plan and timing are perfect, and we need to trust in Him and wait patiently, knowing that His way is best.
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Genesis 22-24
4 comments:
I found it interesting too that these were the best people in Sodom who were saved for their faithfulness.
A good point from your Application Bible about blending in the crowd rather than standing out for God. I often wonder that of myself if I am effective at standing out. This is a good reminder reminder that we ought to.
I like the point about comparing how Lot blended in to his surroundings and wasn't a great witness to the unbelievers, to how we live. Do we also try to blend in with our neighbours and friends who aren't Christians, and act and behave the same as them? What sets us apart? Are we still useful to God with the witness we show to those around us? Tough and sobering questions.
For me it needs to start with the way I talk and act, being positive and unselfish, not foul mouthed and negative. This is a good reminder to set ourselves apart from the unbelievers around us, and base our daily choices on what God would want from us. This must be something we pray about, asking for help, daily
I didn't really think about Lot and his daughters being the best ones that were saved. I always think about Lot's wife and why she looked back. It must have been hard not to look back and it must be have been hard for Lot and his daughters to continue on after. I think it's hard to turn away from our sinful nature to follow God completely without looking back.
Lot had 2 sons as a product from incest. These 2 sons fathered nations that became some of Israel's enemies, one of them being the Moabites. Ruth was a Moabite, but also a part of the lineage of Jesus. No wonder she was not quickly accepted & so frowned upon by the Jewish nation & yet God used her.
I found this connection very interesting because I've never really known what was so "bad" about being a Moabite in the story of Ruth.
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