Sodom and Gomorrah

INTRODUCTION:  The five cities of the plain were ancient cities of renown (Genesis 10:19).  They had a large population, plenty of water and an excellent climate (Genesis 13:10).  Yet, four of these cities were destroyed during the lifetime of Abraham (Deuteronomy 29:23).  In the midst of one of these cities was the nephew of Abraham.  Lot was not the evil man that many perceive him to be.  In the scriptures, he is called a righteous and a just man (2 Peter 2:6-8).  Yet, Lot certainly failed.  Why and how did he do so?

1. THE CONDITIONS OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH
1. The Sin of Sodomy
1. The account in Genesis (Genesis 19:1-11)
2. The account in Jude (Jude 7)
3. Gods condemnation of sodomy (Genesis 18:26; Romans 1:20-32)
4. Gods offer to save the sodomite (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
2. The Other Sins of Sodom (Ezekiel 16:48-50)
1. Pride (Ezekiel 16:49; Proverbs 6:16-17)
2. Fullness of bread apathy; they had no need for God (Ezekiel 16:49; Amos 6:1-8).
3. Abundance of idleness (Ezekiel 16:49; Luke 17:28-29)
3. The Cry of Sodom
1. The cry God heard (Genesis 18:20-21)
2. The cry of boastfulness in sin (Genesis 19:13) they were not ashamed but were blatant, boisterous, brazen and shameless.
3. The cry of iniquity (Isaiah 3:9)
2. THE ARRIVAL OF THE ANGELS (Genesis 19:1)
1. The Time of Arrival at even
2. The Place of Arrival the gate of Sodom
3. The Welcome by Lot
3. THE HOSPITALITY OF LOT (Genesis 19:2-3)
1. Lots Offer of His Home (Genesis 19:2)
1. Turn into your servants house.
2. Tarry all night.
3. Wash your feet.
4. Rise up early and go on your ways.
2. The Rejection of Lots Hospitality (Genesis 19:2)
3. Lots Pressing to Receive His Hospitality (Genesis 19:3)
1. He pressed upon them greatly.
2. They entered into his house.
3. He made them a feast.
4. He baked unleavened bread.
5. No doubt all of this was forced on the angels by Lot, because of his fear for them to stay in the city and see the wickedness of where he dwelt.
4. THE OPEN WICKEDNESS OF SODOM (Genesis 19:4-11)
1. The Throng Arrives at Lots Home (Genesis 19:4-5).
1. The travel of news in Sodom (Genesis 19:4)
1. The angels arrive at even (Genesis 19:1).
2. The throng shows up before Lot and his guests lay down (Genesis 19:4).
2. The groups at Lots door (Genesis 19:4)
1. The men of Sodom
2. The old and young men
3. All the people from every quarter Obviously the only problem in Sodom was not with the sodomites, but even the common people enjoyed the entertainment provided by the sodomites (Romans 1:28-32).
2. Lots Fearful Response (Genesis 19:6-8)
1. Lots fear (Genesis 19:6-7)
1. Lots fear for the angels drove him to go outside and close the door behind him (Genesis 19:6).
2. Lots fear of the people of Sodom had him begging them not to do something wicked (Genesis 19:7).
2. Lots offer (Genesis 19:8)
1. I have two daughters which have not known man.
2. Let me bring them out unto you.
3. Do to them as is good in your eyes.
4. Only leave these men in my home alone.
3. The Refusal of the Throng (Genesis 19:9)
1. They threatened Lot.
2. They came near to break down the door.
4. The Protection of Lot by the Angels (Genesis 19:10-11)
1. The angels pulled Lot into the house and shut the door (Genesis 19:10).
2. The angels smote the men at the door with blindness (Genesis 19:11).
3. The men outside wearied themselves to find the door (Genesis 19:11).
5. THE WARNING OF JUDGMENT (Genesis 19:12-14)
1. The Concern of the Angels (Genesis 19:12)
1. The angels challenged Lot to think of all of the family that he had in Sodom.
2. The angels challenged Lot to gather everything he had and all of his family to bring them out of Sodom.
2. The Job of the Angels (Genesis 19:13)
1. We will destroy this place.
2. The cry of Sodom is waxen great before the face of the Lord.
3. The Lord sent us to destroy it.
3. The Failure of Lot (Genesis 19:14)
1. He failed in his priorities.
1. He chose riches over righteousness (Genesis 13:10-13).
2. He chose prestige over purity (Genesis 19:1 Lot sat in the gate).
3. He chose the lesser of evils over the will of God (Genesis 19:7-8 He offered his daughters to the men of Sodom in order to protect the angels who were under his care.)
4. Contrast the priorities of Abraham (Genesis 18:19).
2. He failed in his motivation.
1. He was moved by what he saw (Genesis 13:10; compare Genesis 3:6; Joshua 7:20-21; 2 Samuel 11:2).
2. He was moved by the fear of man (Genesis 19:19, 30; Proverbs 29:25).
3. Contrast the motivation of Abraham (Genesis 14:21-23).
3. He failed in his resolution.
1. He served without enthusiasm (Genesis 19:1 compare rose up to meet them with he ran to meet them Genesis 18:2).
2. He hesitated in his decisions (Genesis 19:16 while he lingered).
3. He constantly changed direction (cp. Genesis 19:18-22 with Genesis 19:30).
4. Contrast the resolution of Abraham (Genesis 14:14-16).
4. He failed in his influence.
1. No influence with the world (Genesis 19:9 though he gave his life to it)
2. No influence with his family (Genesis 19:14, 26)
3. Contrast the influence of Abraham (Genesis 18:22-32) and Jacob (Genesis 32:28).
5. He failed in the fruit of his life.
1. His daughters had no sense of right and wrong (Genesis 19:31-32).
2. His offspring fought against the people of God (Genesis 19:37-38).
3. Contrast the fruit of Abraham (Genesis 22:15-18; Proverbs 11:30).
6. THE ESCAPE FROM SODOM (Genesis 19:15-23)
1. The Escape from the City (Genesis 19:15-17)
1. The time of the escape when the morning arose (Genesis 19:15)
2. The people escaping (Genesis 19:15)
1. Lot
2. Lots wife
3. The two daughters which were in Lots home
3. The delay in escaping (Genesis 19:16)
1. Lot lingered.
2. The angels laid hold upon Lot, his wife and his two daughters and brought them forth.
3. This was an act of the Lords mercy.
4. The distance to escape (Genesis 19:17)
1. Do not stay in the plain.
2. Escape to the mountain.
2. Lots Request for a Different Destination (Genesis 19:18-23)
1. Requested because of fear (Genesis 19:18-20)
2. Accepted by the angels (Genesis 19:21)
3. Lots safety hindered the judgment (Genesis 19:22-23)
7. THE POURING OUT OF GODS WRATH (Genesis 19:24-29)
1. As Viewed From the Scene of the Crime (Genesis 19:24-26)
1. The Lord rained brimstone and fire upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah (Genesis 19:24). NOTE: brimstone is sulfur, a substance which not only burns, but also ignites fire Isaiah 30:33.
2. The Lord destroyed those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of those cities and that which grew upon the ground (Genesis 19:25).
3. The Lord judged Lots wife (Genesis 19:26).
1. She looked back from behind Lot.
2. The Lord turned her into a pillar of salt.
2. As Viewed by Abraham (Genesis 19:27-29)
1. Abrahams concern (Genesis 19:27-28)
1. Abraham got up early in the morning (Genesis 19:27).
2. Abraham went to the place where he stood before the Lord (Genesis 19:27).
3. Abraham looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:28).
4. Abraham beheld the smoke of the country (Genesis 19:28).
2. The Lords care for Abraham (Genesis 19:29)
8. THE CONTINUED RUIN OF LOTS FAMILY (Genesis 19:30-38)
1. Lots Arrival at the Destination (Genesis 19:30)
1. Lots original destination as given by the angels was the mountains (Genesis 19:17).
2. Lot requested that the angels let him go to a small city named Zoar because he was afraid to dwell in the mountains (Genesis 19:18-22).
3. Lot came to Zoar and went up out of Zoar (Genesis 19:30).
4. Lot went to the mountain fearing to dwell in Zoar (Genesis 19:30).
2. The Sin of Lot and His Daughters (Genesis 19:31-38)
1. The first occasion of sin (Genesis 19:31-33)
1. The concern for children (Genesis 19:31)
2. They made their father drink (Genesis 19:32-33).
3. The firstborn went in unto her father (Genesis 19:33).
2. The second occasion of sin (Genesis 19:34-35)
1. They made their father drink (Genesis 19:34-35).
2. The younger went in unto her father (Genesis 19:34-35).
3. The product of their sin (Genesis 19:36-38)
1. Both daughters were with child from their father (Genesis 19:36).
2. The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab (Genesis 19:37).
3. The younger bore a son and called his name Benammi (Genesis 19:38).

CONCLUSION:  Sodom was a wicked place.  The people were guilty of the sin of sodomy and other wicked sins.  They boastfully cried out their wickedness to God.  Yet, in the end, they were not destroyed because of all of these sins.  Sodom was destroyed because of the indifference of one righteous man.  We need to wake up (Romans 13:11-14).