Living In the Days of Lot

by Rev. Ken Ervin

Jesus spoke of two specific time periods that one could watch for that would point to the soon return of Christ as King. These are given to us in the Book of Luke 17:26-30. In this article we want to focus on the days of Lot, Luke 17:28-30. "It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed." What is it that occurred in the days of Lot that Jesus wanted us to be aware of? Here are some of things that characterized the days of Lot from Genesis Chapter 13-14 - Homosexuality, Gang Rapes, Violence, Murder. The Book of Ezekiel lists six other facts about Lot's day in Sodom, for which it was judged - Pride, Overabundance, Prosperous Ease, Forsaking the Needy, Haughtiness, Many Abominable Offences.

There are many things we need to know about Lot's Day to help us understand where we are in regard to the last day of the church age. Here is a quote from Ulrich W. Mauser who made a presentation on the issue of ordination of homosexual persons. The event took place at Central Presbyterian Church in Montclair, New Jersey. (Homosexuality in the Church-A New Situation) "Israelite-Jewish tradition, together with an almost unanimous Christian voice, have for millennia judged homosexual behavior to be contrary to the will of God, and destructive to human community. At times they did so against pervasive cultural trends in societies where homosexuality was an accepted practice, at other times they succeeded in molding public attitudes and social morals and laws. The situation today is radically different. The Gay/Lesbian campaign for public recognition of homosexuality as a moral and legitimate lifestyle has not only made deep inroads into the media and into cultural institutions, but it has produced an advocacy in the church which calls for a new reformation in which Homosexuality is affirmed as a Christian form of life, demanded by the Gospel and infused with God's spirit."

Here are some scriptures that speak of homosexual practices as unacceptable to Christian lifestyle. (Lev.18:22; Lev. 20:13; Romans 1:26-27; I Cor. 6:9-10; I Tim. 1:9-10; Genesis 19:1-11; Judges 19:-21)

However, there is much more that Lot's day will teach us. Lot himself is an example of a society that was moved away from God and into a kind of apostasy. Listen to the word of warning given by Peter in II Peter 2:6-7. "If he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued Lot a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for the righteous man lived among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)." Lot made some choices that created the situation he found himself in.

Lot departed from Abram because of a strife that existed between their herdsman. The choices that Lot would make that day would cost him everything, his wife, his family, his material assets and almost his own life. Choices you make today will effect tomorrow and your future. The various steps in the downward course of Lot are plainly marked out. First - he lifted up his eyes and beheld, the Eye-gate is one of the avenues through which temptations assail the soul. Please read Genesis 3:6, and Joshua 7:21. Second - he chose himself all the plain of Jordan. What was in the plain of Jordan but Sodom and Gomorrah? Third - he dwelt in the cities of the plain. Forth - he pitched his tent toward Sodom. Fifth - he lived in Sodom. Finally, we see him as an alderman of Sodom seated in its gate, Genesis 19:1. What was the out come of those choices? Genesis 19:14 is a good example, "So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters. Hurry and get out of this place, because the Lord is about to destroy this city! But his sons-in law thought he was joking." Lot was powerless in any testimony that would save them. Lot's wife was so attached to the city that she could not help but look back, becoming a Pillar of Salt. Jesus said," remember Lot's wife."

Lot's day is a picture of how a righteous man became so caught up in a wicked world that the angels of heaven almost had to pick him up to save him from the judgement that was to come. We are living in a day where few take God's word seriously. What we are facing today is very much like Lot's day. A day filled with violence, murder, and the various abominable offences that brought God's judgement on Sodom and Gomorrah. As one trying to be obedient to the words of Christ, who said to watch and pray that the day of God's Judgement not close in on you as a trap. I see and proclaim that the social trend we are moving in will lead to the Judgement of God and the soon return of Christ our King. We too have some choices to make today, choices that will affect your tomorrow and your eternal future. Jesus Christ gave up His life as a sacrifice for your sin and mine, will you not choose Him today to be Lord and Savior of your life. Will you not choose to be a testimony that honors Him and has the power to direct your family to Christ? Will you not choose today to seek his forgiveness and prepare yourself for the soon return of Christ our King?