Abraham, Lot and Sodom

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. Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them when I saw it. Ezekiel 36:49-50

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. Remember Lot's wife. Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. Luke 17:28-33

Abram and his wife Sarai had waited 24 years to have a son, which is what God promised them. Now Abram was 99 and Sarah was 90. It was not possible for them to have children. But God promised, and so Abram believed, year after year. But sometimes he doubted in his heart that he would truly have a son.

One day Abram sat in front of his tent, as he often did, in order to solve problems that came up, as they often did. Far off, in the distance, Abram saw strangers travelling down the road. They had few provisions, Abram could see—almost no food and water. They must be hungry and tired from their travels, Abram thought. They need some help. So Abram ran to the three strangers and bowed to the ground in front of them. “Sirs” Abram said, his face almost touching the ground, “please would you come to my little place over here and could I offer you some bread and water.” The travelers were impressed by this humble display of hospitality, so they accepted. Abram got up, walked with them to his tent and then told Sarai, “Sarai, please make up a steak dinner for these gentlemen—as much as they please, holding nothing back!”

When this feast was presented, the men were very impressed with Abram’s gracious hospitality, and determined to reward him. The center man looked at Abram and said, “This time next year your wife will give birth to a son.” At this Sarai laughed within herself, thinking, “How can a ninety year old woman give birth to a child?” Abram, though looked at the man and said, “Who are you?” The man replied, “I am Yahweh, your God. So, why did Sarai laugh? Is anything too hard for God?” Sarah replied, “I did not laugh.” And Yahweh said back to Sarai, “Yes, you did. But know this: Sarai will have a child next year, according to my word. And you, Abram, are not to be called ‘father’, but Abraham, ‘father of multitudes.’ And Sarai shall not be called ‘little princess’, but Sarah, ‘princess’ for she shall be the mother of kings.”

Then Yahweh sent the two angels who had traveled with him away to Sodom, to destroy it. Yahweh spoke before Abraham, “Shall I tell Abraham what I am about to do? He is the teacher of my people, to lead them into doing right—should I tell him?” Abraham waited patiently until Yahweh spoke again, “Abraham, I have heard the cry of the poor against Sodom. It is prayed to me that Sodom is wicked and oppresses the poor and the stranger. I have sent my servants to Sodom. If it is true, I will destroy that city and no one will survive.”

Abraham was nervous, but spoke before Yahweh. “Lord, but what of the righteous that live there in Sodom? Should they be destroyed with the wicked? You are just, surely you will not do such a thing. What if fifty righteous people lived in Sodom—would you destroy it then?” Yahweh replied, “No, I will not destroy it then.” Abraham spoke again, “Forgive me Lord, but I must speak. What if there were only ten righteous people in Sodom? Would you destroy it then?” Yahweh replied, “No, I will not destroy it then.” And Yahweh left Abraham.

The messengers of Yahweh walked into Sodom later that evening. Abraham’s nephew, Lot, was waiting by the gate of the city and saw the angels. Thinking they were men, Lot hurriedly invited them to his house. “No,” said the messengers of Yahweh, “we will sleep in the middle of the town. That should be fine, shouldn’t it?” Lot implored them, “Please, sirs. Please stay at my house. It is safer, much safer. Who knows who will attack you at night?” The messengers allowed themselves to be persuaded by Lot. Lot brought them home and offered them dinner.

Just as they were beginning to eat, a knock came on the door. Lot opened the door and saw all of the men of Sodom outside the door with weapons. “Lot,” they said, “we know that you have those two strangers in your house. Be a good man, Lot and let us have them.” Lot replied, “What would you do with them?” The men smiled. “Nothing much. We will just have sex with them all night. They might die, they might not. But they’ll never come back, that’s for sure.” Lot said, “These men are under my protection—I will not allow you to have them.” “All right” said the men, “then we’ll come in and get them. And you will feel yourself, Lot, how we treat strangers here.”

At this time, one of the angels held his hand out the door and a great flash of light blinded all the men. The angels turned to Lot at this time and said, “You need to get out of this town right now. Yahweh has marked this place for destruction. Get out and take all of your family.” Lot went to his family—two daughters, two sons-in-law, and his wife—and told them that they needed to leave immediately. His sons-in-law thought he was joking and went back to sleep. Lot hesitated, saying “Aren’t there others I should take? Shouldn’t I pack? I’m not ready…” The angels grabbed Lot with his wife and daughters and forced them out of the city. “Get out!” they cried. “Don’t stop! And whatever you do, don’t go back, don’t even look back—Sodom will be destroyed in a moment!”

So Lot left Sodom and didn’t look back. Lot’s wife, however, did look back, for she didn’t want to leave her friends and the good life in Sodom. As she turned back, she was turned to a pillar of salt. Lot, however, lived in the wilderness with his daughters for many years. Immediately after the disaster, Lot and his daughters thought the whole world was destroyed. So Lot’s daughters got their father drunk and had sex with him. They each had children who became nations—Ammon and Moab— in later years.