AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF LOT (Part 7)

AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF LOT (Part 7)

Kenute P. Curry

LOT’S ESCAPE

As the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to take his wife and two daughters and leave the city. Lot delayed, so the men took the hands of him, his wife, and his two daughters, and led them safely outside of the city. One of the men told them “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.” (v. 17) Lot had mixed feelings about the destruction that was to come. He and his family had to be propelled from their home by physical force. The verb for “took hold” means “to seize.” The LORD was merciful to Lot, and because of God’s mercy חֶסֶד, חֶסֶד [checed /kheh·sed/], his angels grabbed Lot and his family and brought them forcefully to safety. He must not yearn for Sodom or linger by the way. The plain would all be made one Dead Sea. Lot must hastily escape to the place of refuge appointed him These are the commands given to those who through grace are delivered out of a sinful state:

 1. Return not to sin and Satan, for that is looking back to Sodom.

 2. Rest not in self and the world, for that is staying in the plain.

 3. Reach towards Christ and heaven, for that is escaping to the mountain with haste.

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mercy: Transliteration: Strong’s H2617 חֶסֶד, חֶסֶד [checed /kheh·sed/] n m. From 2616 TWOT 698a, 699a; GK 2875; and 2876; 248 occurrences; AV translates as “mercy” 149 times, “kindness” 40 times, “lovingkindness” 30 times, “goodness” 12 times, “kindly” five times, “merciful” four times, “favour” three times, “good” once, “goodliness” once, “pity” once, “reproach” once, and “wicked thing” once. 1 goodness, kindness, faithfulness. 2 a reproach, shame.

The word “mercy” translates as Strong’s H2617 checed /kheh·sed. Yahweh showed mercy to Lot because of his love and His covenant with Abraham. In James 2:23 Abraham is called the “friend of God” which denotes that they had a close and intimate relationship. Yahweh showed grace and compassion to Lot and his family by leading them out of Sodom before judgment rained down on the people. Such lovingkindness and merciful favor our LORD shows to sinners in a backslidden state, beckoning them to come back home to Him.

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Lot then said to them “Please, no, my lords!” (v. 18) He tells them that he cannot run to the mountains because the disaster will catch him and he will die. He then points to a little town that is not too far away, and tells the angel that he will be safe there. The angel tells him that he will grant this and will not destroy that town; but to run fast for he cannot destroy Sodom until Lot and his family are safely in the town. The name of the town was Zoar. Lot played upon the mercy that had already been shown him, and negotiated for an alternative escape destination—another city! The angel’s reply (v. 21) indicated that this city was included in the original judgment plan, but would be spared for Lot’s sake. The only reason Lot was being spared was because of God’s love for his uncle Abraham (vv. 27-28). Zoar was an ancient little city situated on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea (Genesis 13:10), also known as Bela (Genesis 14:2, 8). It was one of five city-states in the area, each with its own king.