CHAPTER 18

Now if you have the “Notes and Outlines” that we send out, follow along with us.  We’re in the 18th Chapter of the Book of Genesis.  And as we said time as we entered this chapter, it seems that Chapters 18 and 19 are rather detached from the story of Abraham.  You wonder why it’s put in here.  But it actually is very important in many ways, which we’ll have to reserve for a later date to talk about.  

THE BLESSED VERSUS BLASTED LIFE

But we find that in Chapter 18 we’re with Abraham, and we see here a picture of what a blessed Christian life could be.  And then in Chapter 19, you can see actually, when we go down to Sodom and join Lot down there, what a blasted Christian life is.  And, unfortunately, we have today both kinds among Christians.  There are those today that have made really shipwrecks of their lives.  They have gotten entirely out of the will of God.  And I wouldn’t even suggest for a moment they’ve lost their salvation, but they sure lost everything else, and as Paul says that they’re saved “so as by fire”.  (I Corinthians 3:15)

Now will you notice that we’re with Abraham, and he’s entertaining guests.  We left off last time with Abraham having prepared a sumptuous bounty.  He took a little calf, a servant killed it and prepared it, and the chef cooked it up, and they had veal steak or veal roast I imagine and all the trimmings that went with it.  They had, we are told here, butter and milk.  My, it was a real feast.  And these three guests Abraham entertains.

And then we find that these guests are royal guests.  Later on we’ll find out in the New Testament that it’s suggested to us that some have entertained angels unawares.  That was Abraham.  He didn’t know who he was really entertaining.  Now will you notice Verse 9.

And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

It wasn’t proper in that day and, as you know, even in the east today for the wife to come out and be the one to entertain, especially when there were three male guests there.  And now they asked about her.  They make inquiry.  

And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.  (Genesis 18:10)

Now, Sarah had her ear to the keyhole I think.  And she has been listening in.  And they discover now—both Abraham and Sarah—that they are entertaining angels unaware.  Verse 11:

Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.   Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?  (Genesis 18:11-12)

That is, is it possible that I’ll have a son?  And she laughed.  Now what kind of laughter is this?  Well, I think this is the laughter of “It’s just too good to be true,” that’s all.  And, again, may I remind you that I’m sure most of us have had experiences like that also.  God has been so good to us, and, on certain occasions, we just laugh as Abraham did.

And then something happened that is just good to be true; just too good to be true!  And that was the way Sarah laughed.  But it frightened her because:

And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?   Is anything too hard for the Lord? (Genesis 18:13-14)

This is just something too good to be true!  It just can’t happen to me!  

Is anything too hard for the Lord?  At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.  (Genesis 18:14-15)

She couldn’t avoid the truth here, and she certainly is rather evasive.  And now will you notice Verse 16.

And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

In other words, Abraham didn’t have a front gate, so he walked out with them a little farther than the front gate to bid them goodbye.  And as they walked out where Abraham lived you could look down at Sodom and Gomorrah.  I know that when we were in that land, it was amazing to me on a clear day how far you can see.  That is, you can see from Jerusalem to Bethlehem and from the ruins of old Samaria, you can see to Jerusalem, and you can see the Mediterranean Sea, and you can see the Sea of Galilee, and you can see Mount Hermon most any place.  Tremendous!  Now, the thing that is taking place here, Abraham walks out a ways with these guests and they see Sodom and Gomorrah, great resorts of that day and it must have been very delightful places to be; a beautiful place.  

Now will you notice:

And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do.

Now up to this point the Lord has not revealed to Abraham what He’s going to do with Sodom and Gomorrah.  He’s going to destroy it.  Shall he hide from Abraham that thing which I do?  And will you notice the reason how God’s not going to hide it from Abraham.  Verse 18.

Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

Now Abraham’s going to have a tremendous influence.  He’s going to influence multitudes of people, and succeeding generations will be influenced by him.  And that’s true—right here today on this radio we’re talking about Abraham.  He’s influencing all of us, Friends.  We can’t avoid it.  Now God says, I better not hide it from him, because he’ll get a wrong impression of me.  Verse 19:

For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord…(This man Abraham had discipline in his household)…to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

Now he said, I better tell Abraham.  

And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;  I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.  (Genesis 18:20-21)

In other words, God is saying now to Abraham, “Abraham, I know the situation there, but I’m going down to investigate.”  And God never does anything hurriedly or hastily.  “And I’m going to destroy the city.”  It’s a good thing God told Abraham this, because Abraham would have gotten a wrong impression of God, and that is that God was rather dictatorial, vindictive, and that He was one that apparently showed no mercy at all or consideration of those that were His.  Abraham would have really had a distorted and warped view of God.  And so what happened was that God lets him know now what He’s going to do.  Abraham has a time now to turn this over in his mind.  And it’s a good thing God told him because he did have a wrong idea of God and of Sodom and Gomorrah.  He was wrong about many things.  And that’s one of the reasons that God is telling us as much as He tells us.  A lot of things that He doesn’t tell us, but He’s told us enough. Though a man be a fool and a wayfaring man, he needn’t error therein.  

Now will you notice what happens.

And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.  (Genesis 18:22)

Abraham is now waiting before the LORD.

And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?  (Genesis 18:23)

Now what was the first thing that entered his mind?  The first thing that entered his mind, of course, was Lot.  He’d rescued him once; now he’s in danger down there.  And he’s wondering—I think he wondered about Lot and his relationship to God many times, but he at least believes he’s a saved man.  And he’s asking God, what about the righteous, and after all Abraham I think would have told you that there were many people he thought in the City of Sodom that were saved.  And he couldn’t understand God wanting to destroy—or that He would destroy the righteous with the wicked.  What a picture we have here.  He says:

Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?  (Genesis 18:24)

Now Abraham begins with fifty.  He says to the LORD, “Lord, suppose there’s 50 righteous down there in Sodom.  Would you destroy the city if there were 50 righteous?”  And, you know, that is quite interesting.  Will you notice this—he keeps on.

 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee:  (Listen to him.)  Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

May I say, that’s still a question that many people ask.  Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?  And there’s an answer to it.  The rest of the Bible testifies to the fact that the Judge of all the earth always does right!  Now whatever God does is right.  And if you don’t think He’s right, the trouble is not with God, the trouble is with you and your thinking.  You’re thinking wrong.  You don’t have all the facts.  You do not know all of the details.  If you did, you’d know that the Judge of all the earth does right.  We’re wrong; He’s right.

(Genesis 18:26-28)  And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

And Abraham thought that over.

And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:  Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.

In other words, he says, “If there are 45 there, would you destroy the city for 45?”  And God told him, “If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.”  This makes the man a little bit bold.  He said unto Him again, “Suppose there’s 40?”  And the very interesting thing here is God says, “I won’t destroy it for 40.”  And Abraham keeps on bringing him down.  And He says, “How about 30?”  And God says, “Well, if there are 30 there, I still won’t do it.”  And he says, “Suppose that there are 20 there?”  “I’ll not destroy it.”

And, well, Abraham’s overwhelmed now, and he takes another plunge.  He says, “Suppose there are 10 there; would you destroy it if there are 10?”  God says, “If there are 10 righteous in this city, I won’t destroy it.”  And we’re told at this point:  

And the Lord went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.  (Genesis 18:33)

Now the question arises, why didn’t he come on down below 10?  I’ll tell you why.  At this point, he’s afraid Lot is lost, and this disturbs him a great deal.  So he’s not going to come down any farther.  But he could have come down, Friends, to 1!  He could have said, “Lord, if there’s one in that city that’s righteous, would you destroy the city?”  And you know what God would’ve said?  If there’s one that’s righteous in that city, I’m going to get him out of that city because I wouldn’t destroy it if there’s one righteous there.  And you tell me, you say, how do you know that it’s the way it had been?  Because that’s the way it worked out.  There was one righteous man there.  Abraham didn’t believe it, but God knew him.  That was Lot, and God said, “Get out of the city.”  And God said, “I can’t destroy until you are out.”  

Did you know the Tribulation, the Great Tribulation Period can’t come as long as the church is in the world?  It just can’t come, Friends!  Because Christ bore our judgment.  And the Great Tribulation is part of the judgment that is coming.  And that’s the reason that the church can’t go.  This is a picture of it.  This is a glorious picture if you please.  And believe me, as we’re going see, Sodom and Gomorrah are a picture of the world, and what a picture!  And what a condition the world’s in today; very much like Sodom and Gomorrah.  And that does not mean, Friends, the Lord’s going to come tomorrow because I don’t know and no one else knows.  But He could come tomorrow, and this certainly would be in keeping with the condition and the carrying out of the picture that is here.

Now that is blessed fellowship with God!  It’s a picture of blessed Christian fellowship here with God!

Now the picture changes.  We leave up yonder at Hebron on the plains of Mamre where Abraham dwells, and now we go down to the City of Sodom where Lot dwells.  

CHAPTER 19

LOT AT SODOM – THE BLASTED LIFE

Now I’m turning now to Chapter 19 here, and as I do I’m reading Verse 1. 

And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground.

Now these two angels visit Lot in Sodom.   They announce judgment to warn Lot to escape, and we find in this chapter Lot leaves Sodom with his wife and two daughters.  And then we have the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and Lot’s wife turns to a pillar of salt.  And then we have Lot’s awful sin.  We’ll hit high points here, but so far we’re dealing with the verses as we go along, and we’ll stay with that.

Now you have that which is the blasted life!  And don’t forget it; this man Lot happens to be a righteous man.  Hard to believe it.  If I had only this record, I wouldn’t believe it.  But you see, Simon Peter, in his epistle, he talked about “…that righteous man…vexed his righteous soul.”  (2 Peter 2:8)  Now he lived in Sodom, but he never was happy down there.  You see Lot, it was a tragic day for him when he moved to Sodom.  He lost his family.   Fact of the matter is he lost all of them when you look at the total picture, and it’s tragic.  

Many a man today may be a saved man, but by his life and where he goes, where he lives, he loses his family, loses his influence, and loses his testimony.  Now I know Christians like that.  I’ve been a pastor, and I have in the course of time talked to some of the children of some of the leaders of the churches I’ve served.  It hasn’t been too long ago that the son of a leader of the church that I served said all he was doing was waiting for his dad to die in order to repudiate everything.  He thought the whole thing was phony; that the Christian life was.  All he could see was hypocrisy in everything.  All he was doing, of course, was telling about his home.  What a phony his dad must be!  And he’s lost his son; he’s lost his influence I can assure you in other places.  But I wouldn’t question his salvation.  I think the man trusts Christ, but by his life it’s rather a phony sort of a life.  

Poor Lot, how tragic this is.  Now let’s look at this, and this is a sorted chapter.  We get two of them in the Book of Genesis that are really sorted.  This is one of them.  Now I’ll read on, Verse 2.

And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet…

These men must have had dirty feet.  And, of course, if you’d walked from the plains of Mamre down to Sodom with just nothing on but sandals, your feet would need washing also.  But again, I call your attention to the custom of that day, which was practiced by those that extended hospitality to strangers.  And he says to them:

…and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. 

Now Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom, and I can’t let that go by without calling attention to the fact that the ones who sat in the gate of a city were the judges.  Now this man Lot not only moved to Sodom, but he got into politics down there, and here he is a petty judge sitting in the gate.  But he’s a hospitable man.  When these strangers came in, he invited them to his home, and they came in.  And they at first, though, were reluctant.  

…And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.

“We’ll just stay outside.  We don’t want to inconvenience you.”  And they did this for a purpose, of course.  

And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.  (Genesis 19:3)

Now these men have another feast.  They had a feast with Abraham; they now have a feast with Lot.  And they brought out something here.  They said, “We’ll stay on the street; sleep in the park.”  And Lot said, “Don’t do that in Sodom.  It’s dangerous.  Your life wouldn’t be worth anything if you did a thing like that.”  

And, Friends, may I say that maybe Los Angeles ought to change its name to Sodom.  It wouldn’t be safe for you to sleep on the streets of Los Angeles.  In fact, it’s not safe to be on the streets of Los Angeles at night.  There are many women who live alone; they won’t come out to church at night or any program at night.  One dear saint of God, she told me; she said, “I just lock my door, Brother McGee, and I do not open that door until the next morning at daylight.”  She says, “It’s not safe in my neighborhood to even walk.”  Well, there’s the days of Sodom and Gomorrah again.  And practically for the same reason.  

And so they bring this out.  Lot says, “No, men, don’t stay on the street; it wouldn’t be safe for you.”  And he pressed upon them, and then they came in.  Now notice this awful thing.  Verse 4.

But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:  And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.  (Genesis 19:4-5)

May I say, this is a sickening scene.  To me, this reveals the degradation of this city, the City of Sodom.  And this is the name that has been put on that sin from that day to this; sodomy.  Now there was no attempt made, apparently, in the City of Sodom to have a church for this crowd and tell them that they’re alright in spite of the fact that they practice this thing.  May I say to you that the Word of God is specific on this.  And you can’t tone it down.  This is an awful sin.  

Now we’re going to see what happens at the home of Lot in the City of Sodom that night.  We’ll have to wait until next time.