Genesis 19:15-17

2007.Aug.07 21:57

Delay

Read Genesis 19:15-22 Full Chapter

As 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.” But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. And as they brought them out, one said, “Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away.” (Genesis 19:15-17, ESV)

If I find myself wondering about Lot’s sons-in-law refusing to believe Lot’s warning, I find myself quite annoyed that even Lot, when it comes to it, doesn’t take the warning seriously. I find this frustrating, because this is often my attitude: I’m pretty certain, God, that you want me to…but I’m not quite ready.

Jehovah directs Jeremiah to raise a similar warning, this time for the people of Judah:

Raise the signal to go to Zion!
Flee for safety without delay!
For I am bringing disaster from the north,
even terrible destruction. (Jeremiah 4:6, NIV)

Again, the destruction is a result “of the evil [they] have done” (Jeremiah 4:4, NIV), of their determined disobedience. Again, delay is not an option. The time to repent is immediate, if not already past. To delay when Jehovah has commanded us to move, be it physically, spiritually, or otherwise is to invite destruction. It may be only because of Abraham that Lot escaped despite his delay.

Contrast this to the reaction of Ninevah at Jonah’s warning:

When the king of Nineveh heard what was happening, he also dressed in sackcloth; he left the royal palace and sat in dust. Then he and his officials sent out an order for everyone in the city to obey. It said: None of you or your animals may eat or drink a thing. Each of you must wear sackcloth, and you must even put sackcloth on your animals.

You must also pray to the LORD God with all your heart and stop being sinful and cruel. Maybe God will change his mind and have mercy on us, so we won’t be destroyed. (Jonah 3:2-9, CEV)

Obedience to Jehovah is an inherently drastic action for our fallen species. Obedience after delay, while still worth something, is a statement to God that I either do not take him fully seriously or I do not trust him. Lot fears for leaving what he knows, as did the Israelites upon Jeremiah’s warning. To fear earthly things is to not trust Jehovah. Lack of faith breeds disobedience because our flesh has an avenue (fear, worry, other emotions) to deceive.

Obedience is an immediate decision, usually followed by immediate action. It is incorrect to say, “I will stop this behavior tomorrow.” When Jehovah instructs me, I need to respond without delay. Even in cases where the instruction includes “do this tomorrow”, the decision is for now. Watch the brothers James and John react to Jesus’ calling: “Immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went away to follow Him” (Mark 1:20, NASB). Particularly instructive about this passage is that even Jesus acts immediately. However the Jesus-God-Holy Spirit thing works, Christ is immediately obedient to call the brothers Zebedee, and they are obedient to follow.

Genesis 19:18-22

2007.Aug.11 19:53

Negotiations

Read Genesis 19:15-22 Full Chapter

But Lot said to them, “Oh no, my lords! 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, for the disaster will overtake me and I will die; 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.” He said to him, “Behold, I grant you this request also, not to overthrow the town of which you have spoken. Hurry, escape there, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the town was called Zoar. (Genesis 19:18-22, NASB)

When Abraham negotiated with Jehovah regarding his planned destruction of the cities of the plain, Abraham’s motives were not entirely selfless, insofar as his nephew lived in Sodom, but neither could I call his intent selfish. In Lot’s negotiation, there is no such gray; his motives are entirely self-centered. Lot, quite possibly because of Abraham’s plea, has been slated for rescue, along with his wife, and two of his daughters, but he is not satisfied.

Lot’s selfishness and/or fear (or, perhaps, some as yet unexplored attribute) is so great that he is completely missing the point. The city he is living in is about to be destroyed because of their sin. His family has been singled out for rescue. Despite his delay, the angelic messengers have basically forced Lot to let them save his life and family members. Perhaps all this would clue Lot into the idea that’s it time to get going. But, no, he decides that just fleeing to the mountains is not good enough. How about a city. That’s not a big deal, right?

Now, at this point, if I were in the angels’ shoes, Lot would be real close to a smiting. The fact that Jehovah tolerates our negotiations at all is a huge testament to both his patience and kindness. It’s also a testament to how foolish we can be. Does Lot really think that Jehovah has ordered his salvation just to see him die in the mountains? Okay, that seems pretty silly, but look at my own life. How many times have I negotiated with God on some “little thing”, and how many blessings has that cost me?