Good morning, everyone. So the reading is from 2 Peter, chapter 2, verses 1 to 10.
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you,
who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the master who bought them, bringing
upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them,
the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed, they will exploit you with false words.
Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and the destruction is not asleep.
For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to
chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment, if he did not spare the ancient world,
but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others when he brought a flood upon
the world of the ungodly, if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them
to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly, and if he rescued
the righteous lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked, for as that righteous man
lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he
saw and heard. Then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous
under punishment until the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge in the lust of
defiling passion and despise authority.
Father, we thank you for all of your word.
We love going through a book section by section, and it means we don't skip over the difficult bits.
So I pray, as we come today, that we humbly sit under your word, trusting that we need to hear
Genesis 19, that it's not just people out there in the world, but we, we, your people, need to hear this.
So please bless us in ways, more ways than we can even expect, by sitting under your word now.
Give us minds that understand and hearts that believe. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Amen. Well, many put off Christianity because of the fire and brimstone judgment that we're about to see in Genesis 19.
Many would prefer the vision of a loving society of acceptance, you do you, live and let live.
This whole fire judgment stuff, it seems distasteful.
But is it really a loving society if there is no justice?
I want to read a quote from a prominent atheist, Richard Dawkins.
He once wrote this,
The universe, still the quoting,
The universe that we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is at bottom no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but pitiless indifference.
And yet, isn't there something in all of us that when we see or hear an atrocity, we want to call it what it is.
After the Bondi attack last year, our state premier and our prime minister reached for a word to describe that.
They said it was evil.
It wasn't enough to say it was a crime.
They reached for that word.
It's evil.
There's something in us, isn't there?
I don't care whether you believe in God or not.
There's something in us that wants to call it what it is.
That's wrong.
And if this universe is just blind physical forces, if there's no absolute right and wrong that sits over every culture and every single person, on what basis can you fight for justice?
If someone is being trampled by the powerful, what are you going to appeal to to say you shouldn't be doing that?
And if there's only blind, pitiless indifference, you can't give anyone hope who's grieving and oppressed.
There will be justice in the end.
We need justice.
We need it if we're going to have a truly loving world.
Now, God's promise to Abraham, we see in Genesis, is of a love-filled world.
He wants to restore the whole world.
He says, through Abraham, all the nations of the earth will be blessed, fully blessed from Abraham's family line.
So that's the hope we have.
As we continue the story, can I encourage you to have your Bibles open to Genesis 19.
I'm going to walk us through the story and then I want to finish with three lessons for us today.
So in Genesis 18, we heard that the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great.
And the Lord is visiting.
He's coming down to see the evidence firsthand.
And Abraham, in his unique relationship, covenant relationship, he's interceding.
He's praying.
Shall not the judge of all the earth do what is right, do what is just?
Far be it from you to sweep the righteous away with the wicked, with the guilty.
And he goes further still and he asks, instead of the sin of the many coming onto the few righteous, could it work the other way around?
Lord, can the few righteous, can you spare the wicked on their account?
Are you the kind of God who will spare the many sinners for the sake of the few righteous?
50, 40, 30, 20, 10.
And the repeated answer is, yes, I'm that kind of God.
I will spare Sodom, even if I find 10.
Just 10.
So, as we come into the story, we should be asking, is the judge of all the earth right?
Is he just in his judgment?
So, verses 1 to 3.
The two angels came to Sodom in the evening and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom.
When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth and said,
My lords, please turn aside to your servant's house and spend the night and wash your feet.
Then you may rise up early and go on your way.
They said, No, we will spend the night in the town square.
But he pressed them strongly, so they turned aside to him and entered his house.
And he made them a feast and baked unlevered bread, and they ate.
Now, the way Lot receives the heavenly visitors, it should remind you, I think, remind us of what we saw last week.
He receives them as a humble servant, like we saw with Abraham.
He's bowing to the earth, giving them a meal.
But there's something else in the mix here, isn't there?
With Abraham, it's just peace and fellowship.
Something else is going on here.
The visitors want to spend the night in the town square behind the safety of the city gates.
But then Lot presses them strongly.
Now, that word we're going to see later in verse 9, the whole town is going to be pressing against Lot.
Something is going on.
Lot knows they are in danger.
What we're about to read is not a one-off event.
He knows the character of this town.
He's trying to protect them.
So, as we continue, verse 4.
Lot went out to the men of the entrance, shut the door after him, and said,
Lot, where are the men who came to you tonight?
Bring them out to us, that we may know them.
Lot went out to the men of the entrance, shut the door after him, and said, I beg you, 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, stand back.
And they said, this fellow came to sojourn, and he has become the judge.
Now we will deal worse with you than with them.
Then they pressed hard against the man, Lot, and drew 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.
It's a scary scene.
We once had two drunks bang on our front door late at night.
They thought it was their house.
And they were trying to convince me it was their house.
Now let me tell you, I was not opening that front door.
It was scary.
I had my phone, I was just about to call the police because they weren't listening.
This is a scary scene.
There is no police.
The whole town is there.
This is a scary scene.
It is in bold and underlined italics.
The men of the entire city, young and old.
All the people, the last man, surrounding the house.
And what do they want?
They want to know them.
Now to know, usually, in the Old Testament, means how we use the word.
Get acquainted with someone.
Understand who they are.
So there's some Christians who want to paint a positive picture of homosexuality.
And they say, it's not sexual here.
What's really going on is that the town is offended that Lot, a foreigner, has taken in these visitors and they haven't, he hasn't run it by the town to vet them.
Should they stay or not?
And they're offended.
And then they get violent.
Now context.
Context always helps us understand the meaning of a word.
Verse 8.
We got the word no again.
Lot's solution to this is disturbing, is it not?
He offers his daughters clearly in a sexual sense.
They have known no man.
He's offering his daughters sexually.
And that explanation, does that really deserve fire coming down in judgment as we're about to hear?
Appeal is made to Ezekiel 1649 because Ezekiel says this,
Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom, pride, excess of food and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.
But we should expect a sick society to be sick in different ways.
And when you combine Ezekiel with what we're reading in Genesis, it's disturbingly close to our Western culture.
Prosperous ease.
And I know there's costs of living crisis, but compared to the rest of the world,
prosperous ease.
Not helping the poor.
Flaunting sexual so-called freedom.
It's a sick society in many ways.
Sort of.
The word no here, what's going on, we all know what's happening here.
It's an attempt at gang rape.
Now, I'm sorry if that's triggering to anyone.
I just want to call it what it is.
Sometimes you need to call evil for what it is.
Now, they're given an opportunity to repent.
Lot goes out.
I beg you, my brothers.
He's identifying.
My brothers do not act so wickedly.
Who are you to judge?
They overrule any feelings of shame.
Who are you to judge?
But by rejecting Lot, they're really despising God's authority.
They're trying to ease their own conscience.
They're rejecting that there is a judge of all the earth who has the right to tell all of us what is right and wrong,
and who has the power to enforce it.
There is a judge who hears the cries.
They're given an opportunity to repent.
Who are you to judge?
They're even given a partial judgment.
They're blinded.
Now, it's probably a blinding light.
Now, what do they do?
Do they try and make their way home?
No, they wear themselves out, groping for the door.
They're so intent on gratifying their desire.
Look, we all intuitively know you don't need the Ten Commandments.
God's law is written on all of our hearts.
This isn't just a crime.
This is evil.
This is wrong.
The judge is just.
He sees the evidence before acting.
He gives opportunity to repent, even partial judgment before final.
But he will avenge all the cries that Sodom has caused.
Well, verse 12.
Then the men said to Lot, the angels that is,
Have you anyone else here?
Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city?
Bring them out of the 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 jest.
Now, I think there's every reason to imagine that these men were in the crowd.
We're told all the men were gathered at the door.
They don't deserve this warning.
But see the Lord's desire to save anyone associated with Lot.
Go warn them.
And you'd expect their future father-in-law would have some respect in their eyes.
But life was still normal, as Bo introduced the morning.
It's a normal night.
It's a normal day.
The idea of God's coming judgment, it's ridiculous to them.
It's not something to fear.
They make a joke of it.
Verse 15,
As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying,
Up, take your wife and your two daughters, who are here,
lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.
But he lingered.
So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand,
the Lord being merciful to him.
And they brought him out and set him outside the city.
And as they brought them out, one said,
Escape for your life.
Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley.
Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away.
And Lot said to them,
Oh no, my lords.
Behold, your servant has found favor in your sight,
and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life.
But I cannot escape to the hills, lest the disaster overtake me and I die.
Behold, this city is near enough to flee to,
and it is a little one.
Let me escape there.
Is it not a little one?
And my life will be saved.
He said to him,
Behold, I grant you this favor also,
that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken.
Escape there quickly,
for I can do nothing till you arrive there.
Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
Five times here we've got the word escape, flee.
But Lot lingers.
Now, is he overwhelmed?
Like his whole world is coming crashing down.
Like did he just freeze?
I'm not sure.
Because of his requests that he makes,
I think it's more likely he's in two minds.
There's a part of him that doesn't want to leave.
He chose to live in Sodom.
He still loves Sodom to some extent.
The angels had to grab them by the hand
and basically drag them out.
And they give a clear command,
Escape for your life.
This is a life and death moment.
I was once skiing in Thredbo
and it had been raining for days
and I stopped by this path
where water was coming over
so I couldn't keep going.
And the sound of rushing waters,
it was terrifying.
It was a hillside
and water and snow just got mixed up.
I don't know,
I think avalanche is the right word.
And it went within metres of me.
Like I have no idea.
Time slowed down.
I think maybe five seconds.
It was life and death.
I had a quick decision to make.
Now what do we see Lot asking for here?
It is a life and death moment.
Can I have this little city?
What's he doing?
He's trying to bargain.
He's told that the entire valley will be destroyed.
The entire valley is part of this sin of Sodom.
And he's asking,
just give me a little city.
I think he's still in love with Sodom.
He's still clinging to the life he knows.
And they are incredibly patient,
full of mercy,
and they even grant him that request.
Verse 23.
The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zohar.
Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah
sulfur 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.
But Lot's wife behind him looked back
and she became a pillar of salt.
Lot, in the end, he does believe.
He does flee.
But the moment he steps into Zohar,
the Lord does nothing until he reaches safety.
Whatever the fire is,
whether it's natural,
if there's natural causes or supernatural,
you can go research it if you want to look into that.
But it doesn't really matter.
The point here is the Lord himself is the source.
That's very clear.
Yahweh rained on Sodom and Gomorrah
sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven.
The Lord's judgment is sudden.
It is severe.
He is the source of it.
He is the judge.
But not a second before he rescues his people.
He gets them out first.
But why does Lot's wife not escape?
Emma and I got to visit Pompeii and Herculaneum,
the volcanic eruption of 79 AD.
And there's bodies that were covered in ash
and they could make cast moulds out of them
because they were preserved.
And it's really disturbing looking at those cast moulds
because it's just so human.
You've got someone covering a child.
You've got someone covering their face.
It was...
I just thought it would be, I don't know,
lava or debris hitting them,
but it's the pyroclastic flow.
It's this above 300 degrees Celsius
travelling at over 100 kilometres an hour
just gone.
Now I have no idea what happened to Lot's wife
but she became a pillar.
Her corpse stands in Scripture as a warning
of a willful decision to turn back.
I don't think we should be imagining
that she was running
and she heard noise and she glanced.
This was a direct defiance of what the angel said.
Lot and her daughters ahead running
and she stopped and turned, looked back.
Now for whatever reason,
she's leaving behind her hometown,
she's leaving behind their home
and their prosperity.
She turned back.
What's shocking about this rescue
is how reluctant the whole family is
to leave.
To leave.
The sons-in-law laugh it off.
Lot's wife changes her mind.
Lot himself lingers.
He hesitates and he's bargaining
to keep some of it.
They're all reluctant to leave.
Well, given how compromised Lot is,
he's a mixed character.
Why was he saved?
Why did he survive?
Verse 27 to 29.
And Abraham went early in the morning
to the place where he had stood before the Lord
and he looked down towards Sodom and Gomorrah
and toward all the land of the valley.
And he looked and behold,
the smoke of the land went up
like the smoke of a furnace.
So it was that when God destroyed
the cities of the valley,
God remembered Abraham
and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow
when he overthrew the cities
in which Lot had lived.
On purpose, we're reminded of the scene
we saw last week of Abraham standing,
interceding for sinners.
Lot is saved in spite of Lot.
He is a mixed character.
In chapter 12, he leaves with Abraham
out of their hometown.
He follows God's call on Abraham out.
And yet chapter 13, he picks Sodom.
They've got a reputation.
He sees the prosperity there
and he pitches his tent there.
To Peter, in our earlier reading,
says his righteous soul was tormented.
He still had a morality about him.
Everything he heard and saw around him
troubled him.
He was still shocked.
But he never left Sodom.
Now, I might be reading into the text here.
Why did he stay there
if he was tormented?
He's a mixed picture.
We're told why he is saved
and if you go to the fundamental reason why,
it's nothing to do with Lot.
God remembered his covenant with Abraham
and so he was merciful.
I think Abraham here is a type of Christ.
Brothers and sisters,
our deliverance on that final day of judgment,
I'm a mixed picture.
I think we're all a mixed picture.
The fundamental reason anyone is shown mercy
on that final day is simply,
it's outside of ourselves.
It's because we belong to the Lord Jesus Christ
by faith.
God will remember Jesus
and so we're shown mercy.
Now, I'd love to finish the story there
but unfortunately,
we've got a revolting epilogue.
Here's the last thing
we learn about Lot's story.
Verse 30.
Now, Lot went up out of Zohar
and lived in the hills
with his two daughters
for he was afraid to live in Zohar.
So he lived in a cave
with his two daughters.
And the firstborn said to the younger,
our father is old
and there is not a man on earth
to come into us
after the menna of all the earth.
Come, let us make our father drink wine
and we will lie with him
that we may preserve offspring
from our father.
So they made their father
drink wine that night
and the firstborn went in
and lay with her father.
He did not know
when she lay down
or when she rose.
The next day,
the firstborn said to the younger,
behold,
I lay last night with my father.
Let us make him drink wine
tonight also.
Then you go in
and lie with him
that we may preserve offspring
from our father.
So they made their father
drink wine that night also.
And the younger arose
and lay with him
and he did not know
when she lay down
or when she arose.
Thus both the daughters of Lot
became pregnant by their father.
The firstborn bore a son,
called his name Moab.
He is the father
of the Moabites to this day.
The younger also bore a son
and called his name Ben-Ami.
He is the father
of the Ammonites to this day.
I have no idea
why Lot doesn't return to Abraham.
Whatever the case,
the daughters wanting to preserve
the family
come up with an awful solution
rather than waiting
for the Lord to provide.
They take matters
into their own hands.
Now, I think this story
would have been a warning
to Israel.
Moabites and Ammonites
were their nearest neighbours.
Moabites worshipped
the fertility gods
where worship was,
it was sexual.
Ammonites worshipped
Molech
that demanded
child sacrifice.
Here we see
Lot's influence
on the next generation.
The daughters
don't seek
Lot's consent
just as he didn't
seek their consent
when he offered them.
Him getting so drunk
that he doesn't
agree to this,
I don't think
it exonerates him.
What is he doing
getting so plastered?
Twice.
I think he's
like Noah.
After the destruction,
it's what we saw
with Noah too.
I think overall
what we're meant
to be seeing here
is as one commentator
puts it,
the rebirth
of Sodom
in the cave.
Sin continued
after Noah's flood.
Sin continues
after Sodom
and Gomorrah
are destroyed.
it lives on
in the world.
Well, there's a story.
I want to draw out
three lessons
for us today.
Sorry,
I saw Ches
just breathe out.
You're probably
all feeling that.
The first lesson
for us
is God's justice
is coming.
Sodom and Gomorrah
stands as a warning
through history
of God's
certain judgment
on immorality.
when Abraham
stood and watched
that smoke
just go up
like a bushfire,
he knew
he was called
to command
his children
after him
to follow
the way
of the Lord
to be different
from the rest
of the world.
Be in the world
but not of the world.
How did they do?
If there's a competition
for the most
disturbing passage
in the Bible,
this is
pretty up there
for one of the
most disturbing
chapters.
I think one of them,
another one,
just creeps in front
and it's Judges 19.
It's Abraham's
descendants,
they've been
freed from Egypt,
they've got the
law of Moses,
they're in the land
and a traveller
comes to the
town square,
a man invites him
in,
gives him a meal,
gives him rest.
The men of the city
surround the house
demanding to know him.
The host goes out,
almost identical
words to the lot,
saying don't do
this wickedness.
He offers his
daughter and a
concubine,
he forces the
concubine outside
and I really
don't want to
finish the story.
I'll let you
go and read it,
it is
disgusting.
Here's one of
the opening
verses of the
prophet Isaiah,
hear the word
of the Lord
you rulers of
Sodom,
give ear to
the teaching
of our God
you people
of Gomorrah.
Sodom stood
as a warning
to Abraham's
descendants
and it still
stands as a
warning to us
today as we
heard in 2
Peter 2,
universal
judgment is
coming and
it will be
just.
we've got even
more certainty
that it's
coming.
We don't
just have the
smoke of
Sodom.
When the
eternal Son of
God came and
visited us,
look what
mankind did
in receiving
him.
When we see
him hanging on
the cross,
if that's what
it took to
drink the cup
of God's
wrath,
we can
know for
sure God
cares about
justice.
We can
know for
certain God's
judgment is
coming.
So that's the
first lesson for
us, it is
coming.
The second
lesson for us
is Lot's
wife.
Jesus uses
Lot's wife
wife.
As a
warning in
Luke 17,
as we wait
for him to
visit a
second time,
remember
Lot's wife.
Whoever
seeks to
preserve his
life will
lose it,
but whoever
loses his
life will
keep it.
It doesn't
take long in
your Christian
walk before
you know
someone who
you would
say, I
never would
have thought
that Christian
would have
looked back.
Whether it's
the allure of
wealth, or
some lover, or
they just want
to give full
vent their
passions and
desires, they
don't want to
struggle against
sin anymore.
We all know
Christians who
have made a
willful decision,
I just, I
don't believe
judgment is
coming anymore,
I can't believe
this fire and
brimstone stuff.
Lot's wife, she
willfully changes
her mind because
she loves the
world.
now there's a
difference between
Lot and
Lot's wife,
he's a
contradiction
like me,
horrified at
wickedness and
yet reluctant
to let go of
it.
There's
something I
still love
about this
world, I'm
reluctant to
let go of
it.
but he
does believe,
he does
run.
But Lot's
wife, she
willfully decides
to turn back.
now this is
going to, I
think it's
going to speak
to us
differently so
I just want
to ask a
question because
I think it'll
hit us all
differently.
What
compromise are
you letting
creep into
your faith,
to your
morality,
to your
effectiveness as
salt and
light,
because you're
reluctant to
leave.
You're
reluctant to
leave what
this world
offers you.
Remember
Lot's
wife.
So one
final lesson,
we see here
why someone
is saved.
there's one
little phrase
in verse 16,
it is the
heart of
this story,
it's just
a dark,
it's like
a jeweller
putting a
diamond on
a black
cloth,
this whole
chapter is
just black
and there's
this little
diamond and
you could
easily miss
it.
Verse 16,
the Lord
being merciful
to him
and he
drags him
out.
Lot had
to be
dragged
out by
the
Lord.
Lot
isn't
ultimately
saved
because he
was
hospitable
to the
guests
or he
tried to
tell his
sons-in-law
to flee
and be
saved.
He's
saved
because he
belonged
to Abraham.
We are
saved
simply
because we
belong
to Jesus.
we've got
no room
for boasting.
If you
believe today
it's because
God has
grabbed you
and dragged
you out.
We would
have all
laughed at
such a
message on
our own.
We would
have all
lingered
in love
with this
world.
We are
saved by
God's
mercy
alone
that
he's
grabbed
hold
of us.
I just
want to
finish by
reading a
bit of
Ephesians
2
because it
has really
warmed my
heart afresh
this week
so I
want to
share it.
Let me
open to
it.
And you
were dead
in the
trespasses
and sins
in which
you once
walked
following
the course
of this
world
following
the prince
of the
power of
the air
the spirit
that is
now at
work
in the
sons of
disobedience
among
whom we
all
once
lived
in the
passions
of our
flesh
carrying
out the
desires
of the
body
and the
mind
and
were by
nature
children
of
wrath
like the
rest of
mankind
but
God
being
rich
in
mercy
because
of the
great
love
with which
he
loved
us
even
when
we
were
dead
in
our
trespasses
made
us
alive
together
with
Christ
by
grace
you
have
been
saved
and
raised
us
up
with
him
and
seated
us
with
him
in
the
heavenly
places
in
Christ
Jesus
so that
in the
coming
ages
he
might
show
the
immeasurable
riches
of
his
grace
in
kindness
toward
us
in
Christ
Jesus
for
by
grace
you
have
been
saved
through
faith
and
this
is
not
your
own
doing
it
is
the
gift
of
God
not
a
result
of
works
so
that
no
one
may
boast
for
we
are
his
workmanship
created
in
Christ
Jesus
for
good
works
which
God
prepared
beforehand
that
we
should
walk
in
them
well
praise
be to
his
mercy
let's
pray
father
i just
want to
praise
you
for
your
mercy
that
you
would
send
your
son
to
sinners
who
don't
deserve
what
you've
given
us
we
thank
you
that
you've
grabbed
us
while
we
were
dead
in
sin
and
blind
to
the
truth
and
you
grabbed
us
and
made
us
alive
with
Christ
father
i pray
that
you
would
help
us
to
be
salt
and
light
in
this
world
walking
in
the
good
works
by
your
spirit
now
help
us
to
be
praising
your
mercy
not
arrogant
as if
we
are
better
than
the
world
but
just
praising
you
that
you
grabbed
us
and
saved
us
pray
this
in
Jesus
name
amen
that