“So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.” Genesis 19:29 NIV
Are you sometimes confused by the Bible? Don’t feel badly if you are. I’ll confess. I understand the big picture, but some parts I just don’t get. Here’s something that’ll make you feel a little better: no one has it figured out. In yesterday’s Daily Devotional I wrote about how some stories are like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle–pieces that you haven’t figured out where to place.
Right now I’m reading through Genesis. Chapter 19 left me scratching my head. Its the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. In the previous chapter Abraham negotiated with the Lord that if 10 righteous people could be found in Sodom, the city would be spared. Two angels arrived there to evaluate the situation, and they subsequently destroyed the city.
Here’s the part that baffles me. Lot and his family were encouraged to leave before the destruction, so they were obviously considered righteous. However, some strange events occurred that scream otherwise. First, to placate the angry mob outside Lot’s house that wanted to have sex with the two angels inside, Lot offered his virgin daughters to them to do as they wished. Second, after Lot and his daughters escaped to live in a cave outside of Zoar, the daughters purposely got their father drunk and had sex with him to become pregnant.
What in the world is righteous about this family? They seem to be highly dysfunctional to me. However, they were the only people judged righteous in the whole city of Sodom! Just imagine how wicked everyone else must have been! I don’t understand why Lot and his family were allowed to escape.
I’ll take a stab at what this story means. The Bible is replete with stories of sinful men and women who God selected for His special purposes. The list includes murderers, adulterers, persecutors, etc.–the kind of folks we wouldn’t want association with. He used them in remarkable ways to advance His kingdom. What these people accomplished is legendary. Lot must have been one of these special people. He must have been a decent person who desired in his heart to please God, and in turn, he somehow found favor.
Every single one of us fails to be the person we should be. None of us measure up to the righteousness of God. We have sin that separates us from Him. We need Jesus to provide the pathway to eternal life. His crimson blood provides the only way to redeem us, and for his obedience and sacrifice, we worship and adore Him. Like Lot, we can find favor in God’s eyes, too.
What has Jesus done for you? How have you served Him today?
Prayer: Thank you for Jesus, His perfect life and example, His obedience, His death, His resurrection, and His kingship in Heaven and on earth. Amen.