Genesis 19:1-26 NAS Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. 2 And he said, "Now behold, my lords, please turn aside into your servant's house, and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way." They said however, "No, but we shall spend the night in the square." 3 Yet he urged them strongly, so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he prepared a feast for them, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. 4 Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter; 5 and they called to Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them." 6 But Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him, 7 and said, "Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly. 8 "Now behold, I have two daughters who have not had relations with man; please let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever you like; only do nothing to these men, inasmuch as they have come under the shelter of my roof." 9 But they said, "Stand aside." Furthermore, they said, "This one came in as an alien, and already he is acting like a judge; now we will treat you worse than them." So they pressed hard against Lot and came near to break the door. 10 But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. 11 And they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves trying to find the doorway. 12 Then the men said to Lot, "Whom else have you here? A son-in-law, and your sons, and your daughters, and whomever you have in the city, bring them out of the place; 13 for we are about to destroy this place, because their outcry has become so great before the LORD that the LORD has sent us to destroy it." 14 And Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, and said, "Up, get out of this place, for the LORD will destroy the city." But he appeared to his sons-in-law to be jesting. 15 And when 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." 16 But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the LORD was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city. 17 And it came about when they had brought them outside, that one said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the valley; escape to the mountains, lest you be swept away." 18 But Lot said to them, "Oh no, my lords! 19 "Now behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your lovingkindness, which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest the disaster overtake me and I die; 20 now behold, this town is near enough to flee to, and it is small. Please, let me escape there (is it not small?) that my life may be saved." 21 And he said to him, "Behold, I grant you this request also, not to overthrow the town of which you have spoken. 22 "Hurry, escape there, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there." Therefore the name of the town was called Zoar. 23 The sun had risen over the earth when Lot came to Zoar. 24 Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven, 25 and He overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. 26 But his wife, from behind him, looked back; and she became a pillar of salt.

Who was Lot: Lot was the nephew of Abraham! When God blessed Abraham and Lot with great herds and wealth, their herdsmen began to complain and grumble that there was not enough room. The solution for the herdsman's quarrel was that Abraham and Lot made a decision to separate so that they would have more room for their livestock.

Abraham went one direction, and Lot went the other direction. Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom. Be wise where you choose to pitch your tent! Be more concerned about spiritual wellbeing than material wellbeing. (HINDSIGHT: Consider what Lot's choice cost him and his family.)

Lot was vexed! Yet, Lot had a choice! He did not leave the place where he chose to live. (One may say, he doesn't have a choice, what he means is he doesn't want to face the flack, loss, grumbling of others, inconvenience, etc. When it comes to walking circumspectly (diligently, vigilance, watchfully) before God, weak leadership ends up costing high premiums! 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

2 Peter 2:7-9 and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men 8 (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day with their lawless deeds), 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment,

Lot was a righteous citizen, a respectable leader, and a judge of the community of Sodom. The term "sitting in the gateway of the city" means Lot was a judge in the city. As a judge, he decided legal and business affairs. Perhaps Lot gave suggestions on righteous living. 2 Peter 2:7-9 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

Lot was hospitable and generous. He was an upright citizen, hospitable, and generous. Lot was a judge and leader of the community. He sat by the city gates, public places where legal and business transactions were finalized. He was "a righteous man. Obviously, he liked the good life and money to be made from Sodom's society. His words were not taken seriously; before the destruction of the city (Genesis 19:14), went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, and said, "Up, get out of this place, for the LORD will destroy the city." But he appeared to his sons-in-law to be jesting. His words did not carry much weight. His wife was very much attached to the city. Unfortunately, it is possible that he followed her lead to live in the city of Sodom. While was a righteous man, his thinking was not right. (It is possible for a person to be a Christian, yet be vexed and compromising in their perspective and lifestyle. However, it is not possible that it will not trouble and bring pain to them and those who follow their lead.) When the sodomite men came to the door of 's house, they wanted Lot to release the angel/men who had come to visit him. Sexual perversion was rampant in that city, and the people were vile in their unnatural lust toward each other, including strangers who visited the city. was aware of this, and to compromise, he suggested that his daughters were available, and he would send them out. (Oh, how justified his distorted perspective! Apparently, he thought the act of fornication of men with women was much less than these men abusing his guest! Trading one sin for another does no justice to righteousness!) It seems to me that 's priority was his hospitality and protection of his heavenly guest! It is possible for a Christian to be so eager and gung-ho on a specific righteous behavior to the abstention of another truth/behavior that may be more weighty. To say it another way, believers can have high-priorities on certain admirable and good qualities/characteristics to the oversight of other righteous obligations. Again, how easy it can be for the Christian to focus on one good quality to the neglect of other important instructions. This oversite is what Jesus called straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel (Matt. 23:24). It is too easy to see our distorted view as the highest priority while we are ignoring weightier matters. (Sometimes, this is evidence of living in Sodom!)

Lot was trying above all things to protect his heavenly guest! We don't have to preserve heavenly guests; they are there to deliver us a message and deliver us! These angels were there to help Lot, not for Lot to help them.

Genesis 19:4-9 Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter; 5 and they called to Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them." 6 But Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him, 7 and said, "Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly. 8 "Now behold, I have two daughters who have not had relations with man; please let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever you like; only do nothing to these men, inasmuch as they have come under the shelter of my roof." 9 But they said, "Stand aside." Furthermore, they said, "This one came in as an alien, and already he is acting like a judge; now we will treat you worse than them." So they pressed hard against Lot and came near to break the door.

Lot was vexed! 2 Peter 2:7-8 And delivered just , vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) God wanted to deliver , perhaps even more than Lot wanted to be delivered. Too often, one can become so accustomed to living in the filth and debauchery of wickedness that he becomes desensitized to the horribleness of his environment. This can lead one into accepting and justifying sinful lifestyles as a norm! I feel the need to sound an alarm to the people of God regarding the numbing and desensitization of sin!

was vexed (annoyed), but we do not find him doing anything about his irritation and anger against the sin. We find him trying to reason against their lifestyle. However, if one lives too close and his life's income is intermingled with the ungodly, he can be very tempted to lay low so as not to rock the boat. Many people of God are in the same situation as was ! Some are willing to rock the boat and bear the consequences, while others care more about their paycheck and-or the applause of others. Therefore they try to appease the gainsayers. People who lead in God's army have a high responsibility to speak and live in truth! Titus 1:7-9 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. (Who are the gainsayers? Those who oppose and contradict.) Too often, the people of God are too willing to go along with the crowd instead of speaking and standing for the truth! Thus, we end up with a culture like that of Sodom and Gomorrah, who was set on evil to their own destruction. What are you doing about your vexation of the evil in our day? What are you and I doing to rescue people from impending doom and destruction?

God was very merciful to righteous Lot. He was not where he should have been, but he was not where he could have been. He was still trying! Sodom would have destroyed him if the Lord had not destroyed Sodom.

This message may find you today in compromise or being red-hot for God and truth. Perhaps you have stood firm and separated yourself from the filth of the world. You and I have to live here; we are left here to be a light to those who walk in darkness and a righteous testimony of God!

For you who have stood firm and strong, loving God, speaking truth without compromise, not living for yourself but for God who has saved you and called you to be his representatives. This is for you! Hold firm and keep yourself unspotted from the world. But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. 19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. 20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22 And of some have compassion, making a difference: 23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy!

This message may find you today being vexed but living in compromise: You have not wanted to rock to the boat or bring uncomfortable conditions on yourself or your family, such as: being mocked, loss of wages, rejection by family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors, loss of office and position or other. This is the for you: Revelation 3:14-22 And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: 15 'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. 16 'So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 17 'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, Rev. 3:18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. 19 'Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore, and repent. 20'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me. 21 'He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"

Lukewarmness and compromise must be repented of. Sin must not only be confessed, but there just be change and a turning away from sin.

Jesus invites us to trade the pleasures of comfort and sin for a season for the "REFINED GOLD" that will not pass away! This is eternal life with all its unending joy and eternal security!

If this message finds you outside of the kingdom of God: You are invited to believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ and repent of your sins! Make Jesus your Savior and Lord and align yourself with God and his church. You can do this by believing and praying this prayer. "Father, I have sinned against you and broken your commandments. I am guilty and a sinner, but I want forgiveness for all my sin. I am ready by your help to receive you and convert to the Christian walk. I ask you; receive me now, In Jesus' name. Amen!