Genesis 64 – The Story of Lot (Part 2)

The word of God is from Genesis 19:6-14.

 

"Lot went outside to the men and shut the door behind him and said, 'No, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.' But they said, 'Get out of our way!' And they said, 'This fellow came to sojourn, and now he wants to act as a judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them.' Then they pressed hard against Lot, and came near to break the door down. But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them and shut the door. And they struck with blindness the men who were at the entrance of the house, both small and great, so that they wore themselves out groping for the door. Then the men said to Lot, 'Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or whatever you have in the city, bring them out of this place. For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.' So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, 'Up! Get out of this place, for the Lord is about to destroy the city.' But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting." Amen.

 

Lot's Story: Beyond an Old Tale to a Type of the End Times

Reading Lot's story, one can find many overlaps with words that appeared during Noah's flood. In particular, the word '두니라' (dunira), used in the phrase "put Lot's family outside the city," is the same word used when Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden, or when Noah's ark came to rest on Mount Ararat.

 

The reason I emphasize the similarity of these words is to show that the story of Lot recorded in the Bible is not merely a past event. It becomes even clearer when we see that Jesus used this story as a parable for the end times in the New Testament. Therefore, the story of Lot that we read, while a terrible event that occurred in the time of Abraham and Lot, if they had known about Noah's flood, they would have realized that this event was a continuation of it. Furthermore, from the perspective of Jesus Christ, the Messiah who is yet to come, we can see that this story contains the entire history of salvation.

 

In other words, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is connected to the final judgment. From this perspective, we can understand why Lot returned to live in Sodom even after being taken captive, and why Abraham, who went to great lengths to save Lot, did not try to get Lot out of Sodom and Gomorrah, which was only a 7-hour journey away. Abraham also knew that the matter of Sodom and Gomorrah was no longer God's grace, but a final warning and judgment. He knew that God's justice was imminent.

 

First: The Anguish of a Righteous Soul

Now, let's delve deeper into Lot's life. The main points about Lot are largely twofold, and finally, we will cover the story of salvation through the initial part of the events between the angels and Lot. Looking at the early part of Lot's story, the passage we have read together many times from 2 Peter 2:7-8 comes to mind:

 

"and 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 tormented in his righteous soul by their lawless deeds that he saw and heard);"

 

This verse clearly shows Lot's current situation. Lot is in distress now. He was living in Sodom but was in agony. The cause of his suffering was not financial difficulties or social alienation. Lot was wealthy and held a respected position in society. The real reason he was distressed was because God called him 'righteous'. This can be fully inferred from the record that Lot was sitting at the city gate. At that time, the city gate was where the city leaders or judges sat. In other words, Lot was a person who knew what God's righteousness was, and he would have said, 'This is wrong' about lawless acts according to God's word. However, his voice was not heard, and Lot's righteous soul, which had to discern right and wrong as he saw lawless acts day after day, suffered extreme pain.

 

Proof of Difference from the World, Spiritual Warfare

Isn't the life of a saint like this? We call this spiritual warfare. This battle is not merely against flesh and blood; it is always a reality that confronts us. Whenever we seek what is right and what pleases God, it often goes against our own nature. Moreover, the world often makes it more difficult for us rather than helping.

 

Look at what the people of Sodom said to Lot: "Why do you, who came from outside, live among us and act as if you are our judge?" This wasn't because Lot first shouted, "You are doing evil!" to protect the angels. The verb used here, 'to act as a judge,' is in the imperfect tense. This means that Lot had been doing so consistently in the past.

"Why do you, who lived outside, come into our land of Sodom and keep saying that everything we do is wrong, that this is right, and that we are evil, saying things we don't want to hear?" In today's terms, it's like the attitude of those who don't want to hear themselves declared 'sinners'. They wonder why, of all things, they are called sinners instead of being spoken to kindly.

 

We can see that the attitude we face today is surprisingly similar to that shown by the people of Sodom. Lot clearly tried to live a life different from the world, and at least knew what was different, and it was precisely because of that that he suffered. His life was difficult.

 

Hospitality Akin to Abraham, and the Meaning of Unleavened Bread

When Lot tried to live a life different from the world, he could not avoid suffering. Indeed, that he was living such a life is evident in his reception of the two angels. In that scene, we find a very similar 모습 to Abraham. Just as Abraham immediately ran and bowed down to the ground when he met the three men and tried to bring them into his house, Lot did the same. Although the angels initially refused, Lot urged them strongly and earnestly, and eventually welcomed them into his house and entertained them. Through Lot's actions, we realize that living for the gospel means living differently from the world, beyond simply entertaining passersby.

 

At that time, in the Near East, entertaining strangers was a very important good deed. Therefore, the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah appears even more serious. In an era when even ordinary people considered it right to entertain strangers, the people of Sodom tried to drag out the strangers to do as they pleased and even attempted violence. Through these actions, we can understand how deeply they were steeped in wickedness and what kind of life Lot lived among them. To live for the gospel is to be called to suffering, as the Bible says.

 

If we have spent a week on this earth without any internal conflict, finding life too comfortable, always having pleasant meals, no problems around us, no qualms in our hearts, and absolutely no clashes of values, enjoying an overly comfortable week, then perhaps we might need to seriously repent. Of course, there might be such days or weeks, but we are generally bound to clash with the values of the world. A life that follows God's will and seeks to please Him is usually different from the ways of the world.

 

Through Lot's reception of the two angels, we see the fruit he bears. And as we see him serving unleavened bread, some might say, 'Abraham had a big feast, but only unleavened bread?' But remember, what did the Israelites eat during the Exodus? It was unleavened bread. Who were the first readers of Genesis 19? Apart from Moses, they were the Israelites who came out of Egypt. This book was written during the Exodus. Moses did not record when God created the heavens and the earth; rather, all these stories about creation and Abraham were conveyed to Moses by God's holy will and inspiration, and Moses first put them into writing. Therefore, the first readers were the Israelites who came out of Egypt. That is why the content and words from Genesis to the Pentateuch were chosen from the perspective and needs of the Israelites who came out of Egypt.

 

And it's 'unleavened bread'. What does the Feast of Unleavened Bread mean? It means eating bread without leaven. Because it was urgent. Why was it urgent? To get out of sin quickly. What nuance does Lot's story give us now? It gives us the impression that Sodom and Gomorrah will soon be judged, and you must quickly leave this place, you must turn away from sin.

 

Second: The Problem with the Way We Fight the World

In Lot's story, we learn another important lesson. As important as understanding what spiritual warfare is and that we live in two worlds, is 'how' we fight this war. Lot clearly tried to live differently, not following the world. But there was a problem with the method he chose. He knew that the two angels were important guests, that hospitality to strangers was precious, and that one should not participate in sexual depravity. So, how did he try to uphold these principles? He tried to solve the problem by offering his two daughters. His intention to live differently from the world was good, but unfortunately, he chose worldly methods to achieve that goal.

 

Our Tendency to Fight in Worldly Ways

This story might seem ancient, but in fact, this is often the way we ourselves act. I remember an uncle who rented the room across from ours when I was a child. He was such a heavy smoker that when my mother wasn't around, he would ask me to run errands for cigarettes and alcohol. It's unimaginable these days, but back then, there was the fun of getting a treat after running an errand. When his friends gathered in that room, it would fill with cigarette smoke, and I remember laughing when one of his friends would say, "Hey, stop smoking so much. You'll die!" Smokers often say, "I know it's bad. That's why I'm smoking to get rid of it." This is exactly what Lot is doing now. 'Let's smoke it away.' He's using evil methods, claiming it's a way to defeat this evil world. We say, 'We don't do that,' but in reality, we too often participate in these kinds of methods.

 

If you look at the letters of the Apostle Paul, one of the most frequently mentioned problems in the Bible is factions and divisions. 'Don't make divisions among yourselves, don't form factions.' You might think, 'Our church doesn't have parties, so what divisions are there?' But it's not that simple. When we feel wronged or hear hurtful words from someone, what's the first thing we do? Praying to the Lord, "Lord, rectify this injustice," is something we do much later; first, we call someone. And we don't call the person who insulted us, but someone completely unrelated and ask, "I heard this, do you think so too?" as if being very humble. 'Maybe I'm thinking wrong, but do you really think so?' The answer we want is obvious: 'No, who said that?' This is what 'forming factions' is. It's the act of seeking someone who will take our side. This is an attitude and heart that all humans possess. When this attitude grows a little more, it becomes a 'faction' where one seeks people to validate oneself. Right and wrong are important, of course, but from one's own perspective, one usually thinks they are mostly right, so they want people to take their side. Otherwise, it feels too unjust and frustrating. Do you know how far this partisanship goes? Not just pastor factions or elder factions, but in the Bible, it even goes as far as 'Jesus factions'. 'Jesus is on my side. You're all doomed. Jesus is on my side!' That's how it becomes.

 

The True Power of Christians: The Fruit of the Spirit, Not Worldly Success

We also have power. But the name of that power is patience and humility. What does it mean, friends, that humility is power? Does it mean I humble myself to others and overpower them? No. It means truly humbling oneself. That's when true power emerges. Because our power is love.

 

At one time, when the Christian worldview movement was active, many believed that if we rose to high positions in society (e.g., president, congressman, professor), we could transform this society and create a true 'golden age of Christ.' Of course, it's hard to say that happened, but if you look at the profiles of people holding key positions in the current Korean or American governments, there are numerous Christians. However, it's rare globally to find a society like South Korea where the government, executive branch, parliament, and even the courts do not earn the trust of the public and are criticized. What do you think? Is it truly the case that being superior to others, or receiving ten Nobel Prizes when others receive one, is how believers become salt and light in this world? No.

 

We easily fall for this. Because it's not a bad thing to happen. It's not a bad thing to be a good Christian and become a great politician. However, the problem arises when the goal becomes gaining power, in the process of achieving that in a proper way and according to God's will, it can lead to the wrong path. Instead, the Bible talks about proving our righteousness differently. How can we know if we are truly living our faith well, doing well in church work, maintaining good relationships with others, and serving God well? It's not by talking about the result of becoming an elder, deacon, or pastor and doing great works for God. The Bible asks what must necessarily come out of us if we pursue such things. How can it be explained whether we are following the flesh or the Spirit? It asks: 'Do you have patience? Do you have love? Do you have self-control and humility?' It's not about doing great church work or tremendous works for God in themselves, but rather, to discern whether I am following the flesh or the Spirit by seeing if the fruit of the Spirit is being produced while doing that work.

 

God's True Will: Don't Use the Bible Like a Fortune Teller's Guide

God, in fact, entrusts most things to you and your wisdom, living in the Holy Spirit. Yet, even when reading the Bible, we constantly try to use it like a fortune teller's guide. Someone might say, "I was debating whether to immigrate to America, and I opened Genesis 12. I read about Abraham leaving his home, relatives, and father, leaving the land of Ur, and I was convinced. So, I immigrated to America." This sounds like obeying God's word and following God's will. Of course, it's not wrong or bad that that person immigrated to America, and they might even succeed there. However, the passage in Genesis 12 should not be interpreted that way. That's no different from us bending the Bible to suit our tastes.

 

Instead, after much deliberation, we might come to America, not knowing what would happen there, but considering meticulously where we should be, why we should immigrate, and what circumstances we face, following the wisdom God has given us. We can immigrate. Yet, we constantly seek God's will in things like 'Should I go to this job or that job? Should I marry this spouse, or will I be happier if I marry that spouse? Will my illness be cured this way, or not? Will my business succeed this way, or fail?' We even try to use the Bible for such purposes. Wouldn't it be better to write 'Book of Fortunes' instead of 'Bible' if that's the case? Ultimately, it's just fortune-telling.

 

You probably want to know, right? Whether it's right to go to this job or that job, you want to know God's will. Do you know what God's will is? It's for you to reach the full measure of salvation through all those things. It is God's will for you to cultivate your gifts. It is God's will to see if you are loving your family. So, don't be overly concerned with all these fleeting things and constantly ask God about them. Instead, pay a little more attention to what God is truly interested in. What is that true interest? God is interested in your soul. It is in you. Therefore, God desires that even if this world passes away, this universe ends, the solar system and galaxies, and all of this universe disappear, something will remain with you forever. What is that? It is the fruit of the Spirit, that is, your likeness to Christ. Because that will remain forever. God is interested in that, and He wants to produce that in you.

 

Conclusion: God's Grace that Saves Despite Failure

The passage doesn't end here. This is the last thing I want to say. God doesn't just leave Lot there. Even though Lot used worldly methods, wavered, and seemed about to fall, the angels don't abandon him, saying, 'How could you do that?' Instead, they grab him, pull him into the house, and close the door. This scene reminds us of Noah's ark. It's the same word used when God closed the door after the ark was finished. What does this mean? Isn't it God's will, 'I will save you'?

 

Before the sulfur and fire fell on Sodom and Gomorrah, there was already a small judgment. In front of those who rushed to kill Lot, the angels struck them with blindness so they couldn't even find the door. They were left wandering in darkness.

 

Final Exhortation: Are We Treating the Light as a Joke?

The story of God's salvation will be discussed again with the story of Lot's wife, but what truly surprises me is the attitude of Lot's sons-in-law, who were directly witnessing the men and women of Sodom, young and old, stumbling and unable to find the door in the darkness. When Lot told them, "If you stay here, you will die. Hurry, let's go out together," they "thought he was jesting."

 

What kind of beings are humans? How well do you understand people? Lot's sons-in-law, who saw their fellow Sodomites stumbling in darkness and unable to even find the door, scoffed at God's word. They made light of the sight of people unable to find their way in the darkness. But what about us? We think we are different from them. That's right. We have found the light and are walking in that light. But, friends, are we perhaps living as if that light is a joke? Are we, with our own eyes, seeing, and every week hearing, no, hearing echoing in our ears every day, Jesus Christ, who is that Light, who loves us eternally, leads us to eternal life, calls us to depart from sin and enjoy eternal holiness, amazing love, mercy, and glory with Him, perhaps treating it as a joke?

 

Let us pray

Dear Lord, we place ourselves before Your word. We cannot help but confess that who we are, how far we can go, the very thing that surprised us when we saw human nature, is ourselves. Those who did not know the light stumbled, and when they found nothing in the darkness, Sodom and Gomorrah burned and were destroyed. But if we, who have seen the light, treat that light as a joke, Lord, how can this terror be explained? Lord, have mercy on us, hold our faith again, make us long for the work of God the Holy Spirit again, and make us look upon Your grace. Lord, have mercy on us. Save us. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.