The
Book of Genesis
Lesson
Verse: 2Pet 2:6-8
I.
Lesson Introduction
II.
Background
A.
What was Sodom like before judgment?
1.
Like the garden of Eden (Gen 13:10)
2.
In a plain – flat and fertile
B.
Sodom itself means, “Burning”
C.
Gomorrah means, “Submersion” as in buried
D.
Sodom became the word for such a horrific sin as sodomy
(Dt 23:17)
E.
The Scriptures have NOTHING good to say about this place
1.
De 29:23; 32:32
2.
Isa 1:9,10; 3:9; 13:19
3.
Jer 23:14
4.
Eze 16:46-56
5.
Zep 2:9
6.
Mt 10:15
7.
Ro 9:29
8.
2Pe 2:6
III.
Lesson
A.
Lot in the Gate
1.
Place of financial decisions
2.
Place of court judgments
3.
Lot was a counsellor, and judge in the city of Sodom – a
very important person
B.
Lot’s Visitors
1.
Two angels
a.
These had been with THE angel of the Lord who visited
Abraham
b.
They had travelled about 30 miles east to Sodom
c.
Their purpose is to get Lot and his family OUT of Sodom
before God destroys it, and 4 other cities
2.
Greeted them like normal men
3.
Wanted to treat them well
C.
Lot’s Worry (19:2-11)
1.
Presses them to come to his home – bring them under his
protection
2.
They felt like staying outdoor that night – would have
been safe in many other cities, and places in the world
3.
But not in Sodom
4.
Lot knows this!
5.
Gets them indoors hopefully before anyone else knows that
they are there
6.
He feeds them – thinks everything is going to be fine
7.
Lot’s worst nightmare begins
D.
Sodom’s Sins (19:4-
1.
Affected the entire city
a.
Young and old
b.
Every quarter of the city
2.
Homosexuality
a.
Men with men
b.
Adam KNEW Eve his wife (Gen 4:1)
c.
Rom 1:18-32
d.
Jude 7
3.
Treated woman like trash/rubbish
a.
Lot offered his own daughters (virgins) in place of the
two men
b.
His two daughters were virgin – could have been because
they couldn’t find REAL HUSBANDS
c.
Would have allowed his own DAUGHTERS to be gang raped and
brutalized – total numbing of society
E.
The Angels Act
1.
Protect Lot
2.
Blind the wicked
3.
Seek Lot’s Family
a.
Make HIM responsible for their care
b.
Forces HIM to think about their protection
F.
Lot’s Failure (19:14)
1.
Had no respect by his son’s in law
2.
Lots other daughters stayed with their husbands – had
never gotten saved – were destined for destruction
3.
Only laughed at
4.
Should have had a strong testimony
G.
Lot’s Lingering (19:15-
1.
Pressed by the angels to get out of town – fast
2.
Lot and his family hesitated – CAUGHT by the pull of
this world
a.
Did not refuse to obey
b.
But delayed to obey
3.
The angels PULL Lot and his family out of town
a.
God’s mercy (19:16)
b.
Not getting what they deserved! That’s salvation -
deliverance
4.
When told to go to the mountains, LOT argues!
a.
Afraid
b.
Always thinking he knew better – like when he chose the
plains of Sodom – real smart!
c.
Lot wanted to stay in a SMALLER city of the five that were
supposed to be destroyed – Zoar
5.
Lot had chosen the plains of Sodom as a rich and
prosperous man, but was now fleeing empty-handed! Now, THAT’S the cost of sin!
H.
God accepts the request of Lot (19:21-22)
1.
The power of prayer
2.
The stupidity of wasting it on such foolish requests!
I.
Sunrise – 6am (19:23)
J.
Destruction (19:24,25)
1.
Brimstone - An inflammable mineral substance found in
quantities on the shores of the Dead Sea. The cities of the plain were destroyed
by a rain of fire and brimstone Ge 19:24,25. In Isa 34:9 allusion is made to the
destruction of these cities. This word figuratively denotes destruction or
punishment Job 18:15 Isa 30:33 34:9 Ps 11:6 Eze 38:22 It is used to express the
idea of excruciating torment in Re 14:10 19:20 20:10
2.
Fire from heaven – not rain this time!
3.
Overthrowing of the cities
a.
Earthquakes
b.
Explosions
c.
Spontaneous combustion
d.
Hell on earth
e.
No more life there at all – to this day!
4.
No trace of it or of the other cities of the plain has
been discovered, so complete was their destruction. Just opposite the site of
Zoar, on the south-west coast of the Dead Sea, is a range of low hills, forming
a mass of mineral salt called Jebel Usdum, "the hill of Sodom." It has
been concluded, from this and from other considerations, that the cities of the
plain stood at the southern end of the Dead Sea.
5.
God abhors Sodomy/Homosexuality
a.
Ex 22:19
b.
Lev 18:22; 22:30
c.
Dt 23:17
d.
1Cor 6:9,10
e.
1Tim 1:10
K.
Lot’s Losses (19:26-37) from here on, it is only
down-hill!
1.
His Wife (19:26)
a.
She Looked back
b.
Didn’t want to leave
c.
Attached to the world – anchored to it – all her
dreams were there
d.
All of a Christian’s dreams are heaven-ward (Col 3:1-3)
2.
His Daughters
a.
The ones he really didn’t care about anyway
b.
They tag along because they have no husbands – would
have stayed in Sodom and been destroyed if they weren’t single
c.
Sometimes, our trials, are really God protecting us
3.
His Future
a.
Fled and was never heard of again
b.
What a way to have your life remembered!
IV.
Applications
A.
See how hard it was to get this believer to leave the
world
B.
Notice how strong a hold the world has on even Christians
C.
Notice that if it weren’t for Abraham praying and
interceding, Lot would have been doomed.
V.
Study Questions
A.
What was THE sin of Sodom and Gomorrah?
B.
Who ignored the sins of Sodom, and desired to live in the
city of Sodom?
C.
What lured that person into Sodom in the first place?
D.
Name several things that were lost by that person because
of the sins of Sodom?
1.
2.
3.
E.
What happened to the inhabitant of Sodom and Gomorrah?