Abraham’s nephew, Lot, is an interesting character in scripture. He seems to have tagged along with Abraham in that great man’s journeys. As Abraham became blessed, so did Lot. Finally he was so blessed that both he and Abraham had difficulty dwelling in the same land together. Their herds and flocks were just too great for the land to bear. Soon there began to be some bickering among their herdsmen as they struggled to find pasture for the flocks. Lot may have even found fault with Abraham (Gen. 13:8).
In time, it became necessary for the two to separate. Lot was given his choice of where he would like to settle, and Abraham was resigned to take what was left. Lot looked to the lush valley of the Jordan rift and decided that it was the place of the future. He took his great herds, flocks and servants and went happily on his way. Abraham was left with the seemingly barren and rocky hilltops of the Holy Land. In this case, as in many other cases, things were not as they seemed.
Lot’s decision and his future story are so characteristic of many people today and the decisions that they are making. Often they are faithless decisions, made for expediency, and often based upon the deceitfulness of this world’s allurements. In his decision, Lot left the high country to take the low road. Quite literally the patriarchal journeys took place along the mountain peaks of Israel. Those well known cities of Shechem, Bethel, Salem (Jerusalem), and Hebron were situated on or near the mountain tops with elevations in the range of 2600 feet. The lush pastures of the Jordan rift, over 3900 feet below, were situated in the lowest spot on earth. This very low Jordan Valley had the blessing of a semi-tropical climate.
Lot must have been delighted to be free of those difficult mountains of the high country. He would no longer have to endure that bone-chilling wind, and the winter rain and snow of the highlands. He could now be free of Abraham and his many religious scruples. All seemed rosy indeed. Lot chose what seemed to be the bright and easy road, but unknown to him, a cloudy future lay just ahead. The Bible tells us that “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death” (Prov. 14:12). Jesus also speaks to us of a narrow way that leads to life, and a broad, easy, and popular way which that leads to destruction (Matt. 7:13). The broad, easy road usually places us directly in the path of this world’s principalities and powers.
Lot had no sooner settled himself in the lush pastureland of the Jordan Valley when he was attacked and carried away captive by the kings of Babylonia (Gen. 14:1-24). In scripture, Babylon has always represented captivity that comes to those who are willing to forsake the heritage of God. Many millions have been carried to ‘Babylon’ today. It seems there are a thousand ways to go there. One can go through the allurements of the media, the lure of drugs or alcohol, or by just by the life of ease and plenty. Had it not been for the heroic faith of Abraham, and his miraculous rescue of Lot (Gen.14:1-16), the latter would have surely died as a captive in Babylon.
PITCHING TOWARD SODOM
It has been pointed out that Lot originally only pitched his tent toward Sodom (Gen. 13:12). He probably would have shuddered at first to think of ever living in that evil city. Yet, the direction of our tent is of utmost importance in life. We can imagine that after Lot’s narrow escape with the Babylonians, he was a little reluctant to continue on as a herdsman. In time, Lot forsook his tents to take up his abode in the city – in Sodom.
Sin has a certain pull to it. It draws men like the flame draws an unsuspecting moth. It always draws men by degrees, because sin in its essence is repulsive to the human heart. The awful sin of Sodom and her sister cities was that of homosexuality. Today, this sin has been painted up to look beautiful. It is even promoted by so called ministers of the Gospel. Its name has also been changed to make it appear attractive. Now small school children are introduced to homosexuality as an acceptable alternate life style.
Even though it has again become a popular thing in our age, God’s opinion of it has not changed whatsoever. That opinion of God, the Creator, is presented to the Gentile world through the Bible. God says, “Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable” (Lev. 18:22). The Apostle Paul in Romans 1:26-28 deals with this sin. He says that God gives people up to “shameful lusts.” As the women change the natural use of their bodies to that which is unnatural and as the men also burn in their lusts for each other, God gives them over to a reprobate mind.
Sodom’s sinners were aggressive beyond measure, even to the point of assaulting angels. It is interesting that after the angels struck these sinners with blindness, they still continued with their sexual assault (Gen. 19:11). The angels of God had to man the door to protect poor Lot and his family. So much for the security of Sodom.
The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were given up by God. They were burned to cinders and left as eternal warnings to those who would follow in this path (2 Pet. 2:6). Such a path is opposed to the orach haiim (way of life) which God has established on earth. With just a moment’s reflection, we can see that should everyone choose such a lifestyle, it would likely put an end to civilization in just one generation.
Surely by now, the old tent didn’t seem so bad to Lot. In the shadow of Abraham’s tent there was always that blessed security. One could occasionally even greet heavenly visitors from the tent door. Now that Lot was shut up within the city walls, he was vexed and smothered by the unrighteousness all around him (2 Pet. 2:7). Once again Lot would have to be rescued by Abraham’s faithful intercession (Gen. 18:22-33).
EXCHANGING BLESSING FOR CURSING
Like many today, Lot exchanged blessing for cursing. Sometimes that exchange is at first almost imperceptible. However, when Lot lived in the shadow of Abraham’s tent there were plenty of flocks, herds, servants, and wealth. When he was later dragged out of Sodom by angelic rescuers, there were no flocks, no herds, no servants, and apparently no wealth. There was only a skeptical wife and two daughters, and what appears to be a gnawing fear of the future within Lot (Gen. 19:19). Not even the sons-in-law were willing to follow the old man. Lot plainly had become a “has been.” He had lost almost all that he had acquired when he once followed God more closely.
How difficult it is for those who turn their backs on the heritage of God. Abraham had been selected by God to bring the blessings of salvation to all the families of earth (Gen. 12:3). Surely Lot had heard these divine promises recounted many times around the fireside at Abraham’s tent, but apparently he had little regard for them. Somehow he failed to comprehend that for those who favor Abraham’s heritage and his seed, the Jewish people, there is ultimate blessing. For those who forsake this heritage, both then and now, there is ultimate cursing (Num. 24:9). This same thing works for individuals, peoples, and even nations. It works just exactly like it did for Lot.
Amazingly, the Bible tells us that Lot was still a righteous man (2 Pet.2:8). He was righteous in much the same way that some people are righteous today. He literally escaped from Sodom with his shirt tail on fire. Everything he had worked for and believed in went up in flames. I fear that much of today’s religion is just like that. It is not anchored firmly on a biblical foundation. One tell-tale sign is the general lack of understanding and appreciation of Israel that we see so often in the church.
The Apostle Paul tells us that many people will end up like Lot. For those who fail to build upon the biblical foundation, their work will not survive. Paul says that their “…work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work” (1 Cor. 3:13). Paul also says, “If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames” (1 Cor. 3:15).
Lot even lost his wife, because she had to have one last and fatal look at dear old Sodom. She became a pillar of salt. At last, fearful Lot hid himself away in a cave somewhere near Moab (in today’s Jordan). Then, through an incestuous relationship cooked up by his daughters, he became the father of those eternal enemies of Israel, the nations of Ammon and Moab (Gen. 19:30-38).
THERE IS ANOTHER WAY
How strikingly different from the story of Lot is the blessed story of Ruth. Ruth forsook her native land of Moab and came to dwell in the shadow of Abraham’s tent. She loved and favored her Jewish mother-in-law to the point of leaving everything to be with her. From that moment on, Ruth became a blessed woman and the ancient promises of God through Abraham began to take effect. Ruth first gained favor as she gleaned in Boaz’s fields near Bethlehem. Later she became his wife, and at last she found herself an eternal heritage in the Messianic line of David.
She left Moab for glory in Israel, while Lot left Israel for shame in Moab. Many peoples and nations have followed these two paths and have found blessing with Abraham or cursing apart from him. Happy are those who find refuge under the wings of the Almighty, in the shadow of Father Abraham’s tent.
-Jim Gerrish
This updated article is presented courtesy of Bridges For Peace, Jerusalem