Second Epistle of Peter
SODOM AND LOT
Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 2:6 (KJV)
Now Peter brings in Sodom and Gomorrha as examples of the judging hand of God. The old world He destroyed by water, wicked Sodom and Gomorrha by fire. These cases from history are advanced as a warning to the wicked doers of all ages.
"the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha"
Sodom and Gomorrha were thriving cities in the Jordan valley not far from the Dead Sea. Abraham offered Lot the choice of the Land when it became necessary for them to separate. Lot chose these well watered plains of Jordan because they were as the garden of the Lord (Gen. 13:10). Then, as now, prosperous country-side produced prosperous cities. Along with this great prosperity went great wickedness. This is often so today. Good times produce immorality rather than higher morals. No doubt, when Lot made his choice he thought he was wise, but time proved that the wickedness of these cities made his choice a very bad one.
The wickedness of the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrha was so great that God could no longer tolerate it. The terribleness of their degradation is pictured in Genesis 19:4-11. They surrounded Lot's house, demanding that he bring out his two visitors, so they might abuse them in order to satisfy fleshly lusts. No wonder the Lord says to Abraham, "Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrha is great, and because their sin is very grievous: I will go down now, and see" (Gen. 18:20, 21). Sin is grievous today too, but there is no instance in modern times, where it was so open and unashamed.
"turning the cities...into ashes"
God sent down fire and brimstone from heaven and turned these wicked cities into ashes. How suddenly the hand of judgment fell, and they were gone with all their property. The Lord proved that He could suddenly destroy by fire as well as by water as in our last verse. While He has promised that He will not again destroy civilization with water (Gen. 9:11-15), He has said that He will destroy it by fire (2 Pet. 3:10). Scoffers have sneered at the story of Sodom and Gomorrha and its destruction by fire and brimstone from heaven. If man can burn up a whole city with an atom bomb, it is folly to say that God could not do the same. Let no city, or people, or individual suppose that he is out of the reach of God's arrows of judgment.
"condemned them with an overthrow"
Obviously, the fact that the Lord reduced these cities to ashes showed that He disapproved of their lewd actions. Their sins and judgment were terrible. God still hates and condemns sin, and it is folly to think that He will not condemn the unrepentant sinner. Someone may say, "God is love and He will not condemn the sinner." Perhaps some Sodomites had similar thoughts, but the day came when the judgment fell. Some think that writing or speaking about hell and judgment to come is old-fashioned and should not be done. After all they may say, it is not good for attendance or contributions. However, it never is out of date to say that the unrepentant sinner is condemned by God and will someday experience His wrath in judgment.
Not only was Sodom and Gomorrha judged because of sin, but also Babylon and Nineveh, as well as others. "Sin is a reproach to any people" (Prov. 14:34). A sinful nation will as surely sink as will a sinful person. Let modern nations beware, lest they too feel the judging hand of God.
"making them an ensample"
Mainly in the past, when a certain crime became prevalent and vile, the judge, in order to check it, would be severe with a few outstanding cases, making them examples to other offenders. The Lord did that with these wicked cities. Their sin was great and the Lord meted out severe judgment in order that other offenders might beware; not only offenders of that day, but of all ages. Some would shelve the story of Sodom and Gomorrha as a bit of ancient history. They would be wise to let this history speak to their hearts. What God has done, He will do because He never changes. He punished the sinner in the past and He will punish the sinner of the present and future. In Sodom we have a picture of what the persistent sinner may expect. There is only one escape from judgment – fleeing to the Lord Jesus Christ. This portion is especially addressed to false teachers of Peter's time, who taught that carnal living was Christian liberty. Let such or kindred teachers of today especially beware.
Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 2:7 (KJV)
In this verse Lot is brought in to show that although God will punish the sinner, yet He will deliver the righteous, be they ever so few. We have some statements here concerning Lot which we would not know by only reading the account of him in Genesis.
"delivered just Lot"
The Lord pictures Lot's rescue out of Sodom as a deliverance. The angels first warned him of the judgment and then practically had to force him to leave the city. "And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth: and set him without the city" (Gen. 19:16). He seemed reluctant to go, and then objected when they told him to flee to the mountains, and was given permission to flee to the little city of Zoar. Although declared a righteous man, it would seem to a great extent that his heart was in Sodom.
This again teaches us that only a few are saved. Only eight were saved from the flood, but only four were saved from Sodom and Lot's wife was changed into a pillar of salt. We can be sure that there are not many saved in our day either. "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat; because strait is the gate, and narrow the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Matt. 7:13,14).
Our verse suggests that Lot was delivered from Sodom because he was a just man. As we read the latter part of Genesis 18 we are inclined to think that it was mostly because of Abraham's intercession. No doubt both are true. Lot was a righteous man in a wrong place, Abraham pleaded for him and the Lord delivered him. Perhaps if we would pray more for worldly Christians, more of them would be delivered out of Sodom.
"just Lot"
The Spirit's testimony of Lot here is that he was a just man. As we read the account of his life in Genesis we certainly would conclude that at best his faith was weak. He chose wicked Sodom because of worldly advantage. No doubt at first he prospered greatly. We find him sitting in the gate of Sodom, considered a great place in Bible times; the place where the judges sat. He probably was a man of wealth. This choice did not end well. Some of his daughters married Sodomites and were lost in its overthrow. When he fled Sodom, he left all his wealth behind to be consumed. His wife's heart was in Sodom and as they fled, contrary to instructions, she looked back and was changed into a pillar of salt. Two of his daughters were delivered, but they lost all sense of morality in this wicked city, and we see them do a shameful thing with their own father. He entered Sodom a prince, but came out a pauper. It is an evil thing for a Christian to go in for worldly advantage of any kind.
In spite of all this, Lot was one of the Lord's own, righteous in His sight because of faith in Him. This is emphasized three times in our verse and in the next. Besides being "just," he is called a "righteous man" having a "righteous soul." That he had more than imputed righteousness is evidenced by the fact that he reprimanded the Sodomites for their wickedness. He says, "I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly" (Gen. 19:7).
Lot is not listed among the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11. His lack of faith caused him to choose Sodom. He was a righteous man in a wrong place. Many a child of God today is living in the world, close to wickedness and evil every day. Let us, as Abraham interceded for Lot, pray that the Lord may deliver our brethren from Satan and the world. Lot was only one righteous among many corrupt sinners, but God was careful to deliver him, even though there was much about him which could not be commended. It is interesting to note that here the Lord commends Lot's faithfulness, but says nothing of
his sin.
"vexed"
The word translated "vexed" in our verse is a very strong one. Elsewhere it is translated "tormented." It is literally "tortured." The Revised Version has "sore distressed by the lascivious life of the wicked." It appears that because of the awful sin surrounding Lot, the apostle stresses mental misery. A child of God living in the world is not happy. He will be grieved with himself and with the sinners round about him. A Christian should not hate man, but should hate evil deeds. Are we grieved by the sinful actions of those about us? If not, beware lest we soon sink into similar practices. Evidently, Lot was paying a price for living in Sodom even before he fled out of it.
"filthy conversation of the wicked"
As elsewhere in the New Testament, "conversation" would be better translated "manner of life." It is not only that their speech was filthy, but their actions also. "Filthy" is variously translated as "lawless," "lasciviousness" and "abandoned." "But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly" (Gen. 13:13). They not only broke the laws of God, but the laws of nature.
Probably it would be true to say that many in America and around the world are as filthy as the Sodomites, although in some areas perhaps not as open and defiant as theirs. If we knew how serious it really is, perhaps like Jeremiah we would weep over the sins of the people. "Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughters of my people" (Jer. 9:1).
Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 2:8 (KJV)
This verse is an expansion of the last one. It adds that Lot, dwelling among them, both saw and heard their wickedness. Also, that the vexing of his soul was a daily occurrence.
"For that righteous man"
Some might ask, "Was this righteousness of Lot an imputed righteousness or a practical one?" It was probably both. "Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness" (Rom. 4:3). This was probably true of Lot as well. In fact, as far as God is concerned, today faith in Christ is the beginning of righteousness. He considers none righteous unless they are right with Him (Rom. 3:21-28).
However, practical righteous living should follow imputed righteousness. Lot was probably a righteous living man in the midst of the corruption of Sodom. Evidently there were no other righteous ones in the whole city of Sodom. More on the subject of righteousness can be found in the book of Romans.
"dwelling among them"
Chronologists figure that Lot dwelt in Sodom at least 16, perhaps 20 years. In all that time he did not get hardened to the awful conditions around about him, and in it all he maintained his integrity and righteousness. No doubt his righteousness accounts for his advancement in Sodom. While the world does not like the pure life of the Christian, nevertheless it puts a Christian in responsible positions, because he is trustworthy.
"in seeing and hearing"
Lot not only heard filthy language continually, but the Sodomites were so open and blatant in their evil that he continually viewed their filthy actions. These sinners did not try to cover their shame from the eyes of others. In spite of this, Lot did not become contaminated; he remained just. A preacher's contacts are mostly with moral Christian people, yet often they hear vile things and sometimes even view them. Perhaps some hear and see a great deal more than they should. Lot did not have to stay in Sodom, so it is possible for the Lord's people to avoid seeing and hearing such wicked things.
"vexed his righteous soul"
The word "vexed" here is the same as in verse 7. It is literally "tortured," often translated "tormented." Being righteous he naturally hated evil. Sin grieves the Lord, and being His children, we should be grieved by that which grieves Him. We read in Mark 3:5 of our Lord, "Being grieved for the hardness of their hearts." It was probably the sins of His creatures which caused our Lord to be a "man of sorrows" (Is. 53:3). Some of God's saints have been grieved by the sins of those round about. The Psalmist says, "I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved" (Ps. 119:158). Ezra said, "And when I heard this thing I rent my garment and my mantle" (Ezra 9:3). Daniel prayed for the sins of the captives in Babylon (Dan. 9:3-19). Isaiah laments because of his own sins and those of his people (Is. 6:5) Do the sins of our friends, relatives, and enemies, to say nothing of ourselves, ever cause us to be grieved and humbled before the Lord? Unless we are grieved by such sin, we probably will do little or nothing to win them for Christ.
"from day to day"
The expression "from day to day" tells us that Lot was not spasmodically grieved by the sins of the Sodomites, it was a daily affair. Time did not make him callous to the wickedness around him. Perhaps daily he pled with these sinners and prayed for them. At least we should do no less today. Above all, in the midst of corruption, let us keep ourselves clean. May we shine as lights in a dark world.
