Lot Rescued from Sodom – Genesis 19:1-22

The sin of homosexual intercourse has at times been referred to as sodomy.  To sodomize someone is to sexually and violently/unwillingly force homosexual intercourse on someone.  This term comes from this passage’s description of Sodom and one of its prevailing sins.

[1] The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth [2] and said, “My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.” They said, “No; we will spend the night in the town square.” [3] But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.

[4] But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. [5] And they called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.” [6] Lot went out to the men at the entrance, shut the door after him, [7] and said, “I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. [8] Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.” [9] But they said, “Stand back!” And they said, “This fellow came to sojourn, and he has become the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them.” Then they pressed hard against the man Lot, and drew near to break the door down. [10] But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them and shut the door. [11] And they struck with blindness the men who were at the entrance of the house, both small and great, so that they wore themselves out groping for the door.

[12] Then the men said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city, bring them out of the place. [13] For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it.” [14] So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, “Up! Get out of this place, for the LORD is about to destroy the city.” But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting.

[15] 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.” [16] 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. [17] 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.” [18] And Lot said to them, “Oh, no, my lords. [19] Behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life. But I cannot escape to the hills, lest the disaster overtake me and I die. [20] Behold, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there—is it not a little one?—and my life will be saved!” [21] He said to him, “Behold, I grant you this favor also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. [22] Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. (Genesis 19:1–22, ESV)

Lot has the same response to his visitors that Abraham did, showing humility and hospitality.  Even as Abraham persuaded Yahweh and the two angels to stay for dinner, Lot must persuade the two angels not to stay in the square, which he considered dangerous and for good reason, but to stay at his home.  Lot sits in the gate of Sodom as a judge, but he is not proud of his city.  His concern is well-founded.

That night every man, young and old, to the last man (though it would seem Lot’s sons-in-law are not there) come to Lot’s house and want to have sexual relations with the visitors.  And they threaten violence when Lot refuses.  What is the sin of Sodom?  It is homosexuality, the acting on it, not the inclination to it, violence and lawlessness, and thus a failure to show hospitality, a grave sin in the middle east.

What should we make of Lot’s offer of his daughters?  Most consider it cowardly and disgusting, having no regard for his daughters.  Some suggest that it was not meant seriously but as a way of shaming the men into acting right.  Either way, it does not work, so the angels must rescue Lot from the anger of these men and from breaking in the house by striking them with blindness and confusion.

The angels make it clear to Lot that they are going to destroy the city and the other cities of the plain (though exactly how they do so is confusing, since it is Yahweh who does the destroying).  Lot and his family must leave.  But the angels let Lot take any family he has and he has two sons-in-law (his daughters are virgins, v.8, so they are betrothed but have not yet consummated the marriage).  Lot has to go out of his house and among the blinded men to get to his sons-in-law, but they find his suggestion that the city will be destroyed to be impolite and unbelievable, so they won’t come.  Lot even hesitates leaving, but the angels basically force him to go.

Lot is reluctant to dwell outside of a city, so he asks the angels to spare the city of Zoar and let him live there.  Lot is a righteous man but he is emotionally tied to this wicked city.  He has maintained his righteousness but he is still drawn to something in it (the security?).