A Spiritual Warfare Study

    AND WHEN THE MORNING AROSE, THEN THE ANGELS HASTENED LOT, SAYING, ARISE, TAKE THY WIFE, AND THY TWO DAUGHTERS, WHICH ARE HERE; LEST THOU BE CONSUMED IN THE INIQUITY OF THE CITY. Note the words, LEST THOU BE CONSUMED IN THE INIQUITY OF THE CITY. AND WHILE HE LINGERED. We may note that Lot was not obeying the Lord as he ought, because he lingered. Even though the people of the city were wicked, something there still seemed to be an attraction to Lot. He was having difficulty leaving. Pulling away from sin, even from our sinful environment or surroundings, may be difficult sometimes. Sin has an alluring attraction for the flesh. Sin may offer pleasure but produces death. Christians are not to have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness-ref Eph 5:11. Yet, it can be difficult to cut those ties. People often refuse to obey God and leave their dead churches. They do not want to leave the blind leaders of the blind. They refuse to obey God and continue to fellowship with those that hate God. They linger.
    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.
    One of the angels said unto Lot, ESCAPE FOR THY LIFE; LOOK NOT BEHIND THEE. Note, two direct commands are given. 1-ESCAPE. 2-LOOK NOT BEHIND THEE. We need to escape from the ways of the world. We need to be set free from the works of darkness. We need to overcome all things. Once we begin to follow Jesus, we should not look back but forward to Jesus. We should not look back and desire our old sinful ways. Our past is to be put behind us as we put off the old and put on the new. As it is written, NO MAN, HAVING PUT HIS HAND TO THE PLOUGH, AND LOOKING BACK, IS FIT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD-Lk 9:62.

The Lord continued, NEITHER STAY THOU IN ALL THE PLAIN; ESCAPE TO THE MOUNTAIN, LEST THOU BE CONSUMED. Again, Lot hesitates in obeying the Lord. LOT SAID UNTO THEM, OH, NOT SO, MY LORD. Lot is listening to another voice: a voice of compromise, a voice of fearfulness, a voice prompted by his emotions. Lot said, BEHOLD NOW, THY SERVANT HATH FOUND GRACE IN THY SIGHT, AND THOU HAST MAGNIFIED THY MERCY, WHICH THOU HAST SHEWED UNTO ME IN SAVING MY LIFE; AND I CANNOT ESCAPE TO THE MOUNTAIN, LEST SOME EVIL TAKE ME, AND I DIE. Lot was fearful. He was not trusting in the Lord as he ought. He did not understand that what he feared might come upon him in the mountain, indeed, might come upon him in Zoar. Lot continued, BEHOLD NOW, THIS CITY IS NEAR TO FLEE UNTO, AND IT IS A LITTLE ONE: OH, LET ME ESCAPE THITHER, (IS IT NOT A LITTLE ONE?) AND MY SOUL SHALL LIVE.
AND HE (the Lord) SAID UNTO HIM, SEE, I HAVE ACCEPTED THEE CONCERNING THIS THING ALSO, THAT I WILL NOT OVERTHROW THIS CITY, FOR THE WHICH THOU HAST SPOKEN-Gen 19:15-21.

HASTE THEE, ESCAPE THITHER; FOR I CANNOT DO ANY THING TILL THOU BE COME THITHER. Note the words, I CANNOT DO ANY THING TILL THOU BE COME THITHER. Lot had to escape to safety before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities of the plain would take place. THEREFORE THE NAME OF THE CITY WAS CALLED ZOAR. Some may say this is a type of Rapture, wherein the saints have to be removed before the Tribulation can begin.
THE SUN WAS RISEN UPON THE EARTH WHEN LOT ENTERED INTO ZOAR. THEN THE LORD RAINED UPON SODOM AND UPON GOMORRAH BRIMSTONE AND FIRE FROM THE LORD OUT OF HEAVEN. AND HE OVERTHREW THOSE CITIES, AND ALL THE PLAIN, AND ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE CITIES, AND THAT WHICH GREW UPON THE GROUND-Gen 19:22-25. The people in Sodom were probably laughing and joking about the possibility of their city being destroyed by the Lord. But then it happened, and their mocking was undoubtedly turned into screams of terror and death.

    BUT HIS WIFE LOOKED BACK FROM BEHIND HIM, AND SHE BECAME A PILLAR OF SALT-Gen 19:26. She did not believe the words of the Lord. It cost her, her life. Many today will not believe that God means what He says. It costs them their life.
    One might wonder if Lot's arguing with the Lord about not going to the mountain, but rather to Zoar and succeeding, could have caused his wife to think that she could disobey God and look back, and nothing would happen. Was her looking back simply to see what had happened, or was it a longing for the city she had left? Was it a desire to return to the old, rather than proceed to the new to which God in His mercy had called her? It appears her heart will still in Sodom. She had left her house behind, her friends, and the sons-in-law that were engaged to her two daughters. We are reminded in the Scriptures, REMEMBER LOT’S WIFE-Lk 17:32. Once God has called you out of the darkness into His marvelous light, do not look back.
    Remember, Lot was afraid to escape to the mountain lest some evil would overtake him. It is written, AND LOT WENT UP OUT OF ZOAR, AND DWELT IN THE MOUNTAIN, AND HIS TWO DAUGHTERS WITH HIM; FOR HE FEARED TO DWELL IN ZOAR: AND HE DWELT IN A CAVE-Gen 19:30. How much better it is to obey God the first time and not argue with Him. We need to learn to be childlike, humble, and submissive before God's Word without arguing.
    Lot had gone toward Sodom with great riches. He came out hesitantly and having nearly nothing. He had become a compromiser. He came out with a carnal or lukewarm attitude. He had become fearful. He had lost nearly all worldly possessions even his house. He lost his sons-in-law. He lost his friends. He lost his wife, and his daughters had become perverted. Lot went toward Sodom rich. He came out poor.
    Did Lot succeed in causing Sodom to repent? No. Did they cause him to become carnal? Yes. Did his wife and daughters turn from the ways of God? Yes. Were the sons-in-law that were engaged to his daughters men of faith? No.
    AND THE FIRSTBORN SAID UNTO THE YOUNGER, OUR FATHER IS OLD, AND THERE IS NOT A MAN IN THE EARTH TO COME IN UNTO US (that we may preserve seed of our father)...COME, LET US MAKE OUR FATHER DRINK WINE, AND WE WILL LIE WITH HIM...AND THE FIRSTBORN WENT IN, AND LAY WITH HER FATHER; AND HE PERCEIVED NOT...AND...ON THE MORROW...THE YOUNGER AROSE AND LAY WITH HIM-Gen 19:31-35. Lot’s own daughters had become perverted with Sodom’s standards.

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