Unveiling Lot – the Prelude

What we’re looking at today regarding Lot is really an aside from his story. He is more of a plot device that explains why Abram does what he does. Lot is simply mentioned in passing, yet, even here Lot has his critics. As such, before we get to the main feature of Lot’s story in Genesis 19, we will briefly look at the aspects of Genesis 14 that have concern with Lot either in the way of a defense of his character or a prelude to what is coming.

The text we will be looking at is Genesis 14:1-16. For the sake of space I will not reproduce it in entirety here but only as needed.

In a nutshell, the city-states of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela are in a confederacy that goes to war against an eastern alliance of city-states (perhaps one day I’ll do a bit of an examination of the potential geo-politics of the time). A major battle sees Sodom and her allies defeated and ransacked resulting in Lot being taken captive along with many other people. Lot is key to the narrative as because of his capture, Abram goes on a rescue mission with his own confederacy, successfully defeating the kings and recovering Lot as well as the spoil.

Let’s quickly look at the criticism levelled at Lot here.

From Clarke’s Commentary: “Lot also suffered, being found in company with the workers of iniquity.”

From Gill’s Commentary: “this (his captivity) was a just correction of him for choosing to dwell among such a people.”

From Poole’s Commentary: “Lot now suffered for his cohabitation with bad neighbors”

In essence, the argument is: Lot should never have associated himself with the evil inhabitants of the valley.
Is the argument valid? Yes. But is that argument the only one? Not at all.
The Bible never condemns Lot, and as has been said before, and will be repeated again and again as we proceed, the Scriptures declare Lot to be righteous.

One could argue that Lot should not have been in such close proximity to such people, but what if God wanted him there?

There is quite a powerful argument that could be made in such a direction. I will quickly outline it, and you can find all the Bible references if you please, but they are there.

1. God is not willing that any should perish.
2. The only way people are saved is through a preacher
3. Thus for God to reach even the most despicable of cultures, there must be a preacher present even if he stands alone
4. The coming judgement is forestalled while God waits for people to be saved, which must be through a preacher, and when that means is about to disappear, judgement falls.
5. Every time God’s judgement falls, there is a handful of righteous men left, and each time they are prophets/preachers to repent. Whether it’s Noah to the whole world, Jonah to Nineveh, or Hosea to Israel.
6. All these cities of the plain are on the verge of divine judgement and destruction for their sin. If God is not willing that any should perish, then would it not make sense that there is a preacher amongst them? We know there was a righteous man, Lot, and we know he parallels with Noah and the believers in the last days before Christ’s second coming.

I believe this makes a far stronger case for the idea that God WANTED Lot to be where he was. Who are we to pass moral judgement on a man God called righteous?

It’s particularly worth to note that there was a knowledge of Lot’s connection to Abram, meaning if one considers the circumstances, Lot actually ‘saves’ Sodom and the cities of the plain here. If Lot was not amongst the captives, then Abram would probably not have acted. It was the presence of the righteous Lot that saved the cities.

What if . . .

What if this battle and the subsequent defeat was God sending a ‘rod of discipline’ against the cities of the plain, just as He would later do with Israel and Judah? What if Lot was amongst the inhabitants of the plain to act as a witness and intercessor? What if this whole debacle was a precursor to the main show, where, (spoiler alert) Lot will once again act as an intercessor?

A preparatory note:

In Genesis 14:10 it says something that will become relevant in the future story of Lot:  “and they that remained fled to the mountain.”

This sentence becomes important later in the story of Lot when he is accused of a lack of faith in requesting to ‘not flee to the mountains’. The mountains were a natural place to go for the people here in times of trouble.

A takeaway

Instead of attacking Lot’s character which clashes with what the Bible says about his character as well as not having any firm basis, would it not be better to elevate the good we see?

There is a powerful lesson in this chapter: when the righteous are in trouble, God will intervene, and the influence of the righteous is astronomical! Think of how many people were positively touched and helped simply because of the presence of righteous Lot!

Abram stands in as type of God when he offers Isaac on Mt Moriah, perhaps there is a similar type at play here: when his flesh and blood is taken captive, Abram stirs himself up and goes out to recover his kin.

If you’re washed in the blood of the Jesus Christ, you are now family, and if the devil tries carrying you off, you can be assured that He’s not standing by doing nothing, but Heaven is racing to your assistance.

The protection that covers you does more than just cover you, it will influence and project itself all around. Just as righteous Lot triggered a rescue for all the captives around him, so can a righteous person today trigger rescue for those around them simply by their presence.

You are the light of the world.

You are the salt of the earth.