What do you know about Sodom and Gomorrah, aka the salty cities of the Bible?
Abraham's nephew Lot (who is the focal point of this blog) lived there, and well, let's just say that these two cities were extremely messed up. Wickedness prevailed in every way imaginable, so much so, that not even ten people in the cities were considered righteous (Gen 18:22-33).
As such, God decided to rain down destruction… on everyone except Lot.
This man was deemed righteous (because he believed in God and had Abraham advocating for him), and so, the Lord spared Lot and his family (2 Peter 2:7-8).
True to His word, God sent two angels to rescue Lot and his household before the cities (and everyone else in them) were destroyed. After a bunch of drama—a mob of sodomite men surround Lot’s house, they try to break in to homosexually rape the angels, Lot offers his own daughters to be raped instead, and (thankfully) the angels get everyone out before any rape can occur—Lot and his family flee to a small town (Gen 19:4-22).
(If you’re wondering how a man who offers up his own daughters to be raped is considered right with God… all I can say is that God looks beyond our most desperate, fearful, and cruel actions. God knew Lot’s heart… and nothing is unforgivable with Him.)
But, as you may be aware, this story only gets worse...
Once everyone is sheltered in the tiny town of Zoar, Lot’s wife looks back, yearns for the people’s wicked ways. And she turns—like the rest of the wicked cities—into salt (19:26).
It’s after this salty loss that Lot’s fear takes over:
“Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar” (Gen 19:30, emphasis mine).
Now, I will be honest with you guys… there are a ton of interpretations of this verse.
What makes it so tricky is that, originally, Lot was supposed to go to the mountains; however, he asked God to let him go to Zoar because he was concerned that “disaster [would] overtake [him]” in the mountains (Gen 19:19).
God agreed to his request, showing mercy and patience in the face of Lot’s terror. He promised not to destroy the town where Lot would go, and off to Zoar he went (Gen 19:21).
So it’s odd, then, that a mere eight verses later, Lot is afraid of Zoar and flees to the mountains (aka, does a complete 180).
Simply put, I think Lot freaked out and forgot God's promise of provision. And if you know the rest of this story, you know that trusting fear didn’t go too well for Lot.
Lot and his daughters let fear run rampant in that dark little cave.
Concerned for the continuation of their family line, Lot’s daughters decided to get their dad drunk… so drunk that he would sleep with them. His daughters both become pregnant, making Lot a father and a grandfather (I think?) at the same time (Gen 19:31-36).
Lot’s daughters give birth to Moab and Ben-Ammi, the future leaders of the Moabites and Ammonites. To put it plainly, these guys were bad news.
Following in the sinful footsteps of their parents, the Moabite and Ammonite nations worshiped a ton of false idols, clashed with the Israelites (God’s chosen people, aka the decedents of Abraham and Isaac) constantly, and wanted nothing to do with God.
And Lot's story actually ends on that sour, foreboding Ammonite and Moabite note. So, we are left to make our own conclusions, to learn in the absence of info…
I think the key takeaway with Lot and his family is that one decision can have a ripple effect.
All his wife had to do was turn back… and salt.
All Lot had to do was doubt God’s protection… and fear, fleeing, and incestuous fathering occurred.
Sin can cause entire generations, entire nations, to spiral into darkness… and it all starts with a thought. Or, more specifically, an unchecked, unaddressed what if thought.
But here's the thing:
Friends, the Lord is very good at meeting us where we’re at. Whether we’re in a high or a low, He will embrace us as we are, where we are. We see this in His dealings with Lot:
When Lot told God that he had concerns about living in the mountains, God listened. In fact, He did more than listen. He heard him. Full of compassion, mercy, and understanding, the Lord compromised to make Lot feel better—changing the location of His provision, not withholding the provision altogether.
Our God is trustworthy and true, and I think if Lot held firm to that belief, his story would’ve ended differently.
But (as I keep mentioning), God is merciful...
The Moabites eventually birth a woman named Ruth… who eventually leads to David… and finally, Jesus.
Our Father is a great redeemer, taking our failings and transforming them into testaments of His faithfulness.
So, as Lot’s story ends, I want us to remember that we choose what thoughts we entertain. If we give those uncomfortable fear thoughts to the Lord, if we choose to turn towards Him instead of away?
Just imagine how beautiful our stories will be.
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CREATION SPOTLIGHT:
I know, I know - this is new.
But, I want to get in the habit of showcasing the visual creations God has inspired.
So each week, I'm going to include something I've made, and since this is a BIG deal, I figured I'd start with my BIGGEST project coming to a close...
After 28 months, 339 pages, 33 chapters, 28 illustrations, and 1 book cover...
Marigold: A Creator Story is ready to read!
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