1 And there came two angels to Sodom at evening. And Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. Lot saw them and rose to meet them, bowing himself with his face toward the ground.
These two angels are most likely the two that left Abraham and God back at Abraham’s house. They have a definite mission to complete; seeing if there are enough righteous men left in the city to spare it.
Lot is sitting in the gate implying that he was actually a leader of the city. That, or he had a habit of waiting for travelers to take into his home to protect them from the city.
2 And he said, “Sirs, come, I pray you, into your servant's house, and spend the night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways.” And they said, “No, but we will stay in the town square all night.”
It was the custom in these days for travelers to simply camp out in the town square. There was often a well for water and they carried their own food and bedding. Only the rich could have afforded a night in an inn.
3 But Lot insisted, so they went with him, and entered into his house. And he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
Lot insisted they come home with him. He knew what would happen to them out on the street.
4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both old and young, all the men from every quarter.
5 And they called to Lot, and said, “Where are the men who came in to thee tonight? Bring them out unto us, that we can have sex with them.”
These men- all the men of the city- gathered at Lot’s house to demand he turn his visitors over for them to rape.
"When the two angels came to Sodom to warn Lot of the impending doom, they found him sitting in the city gate. This indicates that Sodom was fortified. Bab edh-Dhra (believed to be Sodom), which means "gate of the arm," had imposing fortifications. The city wall, enclosing an area of 9–10 acres, was a massive 7 m (23 ft) wide and made of stones and mud bricks. Evidence for settlement was found outside the walls as well. The total population at the time Bab edh-Dhra met its end was between 600 and 1,200. Within the walls were a sanctuary on a high spot at the southwest end of the city, domestic and industrial areas, and a gateway on the northeast side." Reference
These two angels are most likely the two that left Abraham and God back at Abraham’s house. They have a definite mission to complete; seeing if there are enough righteous men left in the city to spare it.
Lot is sitting in the gate implying that he was actually a leader of the city. That, or he had a habit of waiting for travelers to take into his home to protect them from the city.
2 And he said, “Sirs, come, I pray you, into your servant's house, and spend the night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways.” And they said, “No, but we will stay in the town square all night.”
It was the custom in these days for travelers to simply camp out in the town square. There was often a well for water and they carried their own food and bedding. Only the rich could have afforded a night in an inn.
3 But Lot insisted, so they went with him, and entered into his house. And he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
Lot insisted they come home with him. He knew what would happen to them out on the street.
4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both old and young, all the men from every quarter.
5 And they called to Lot, and said, “Where are the men who came in to thee tonight? Bring them out unto us, that we can have sex with them.”
These men- all the men of the city- gathered at Lot’s house to demand he turn his visitors over for them to rape.
The city probably had a population of around 1000 people.
From The Associates for Biblical Research:
The Bible condemns homosexuality in the first place (Lev 18:22-30, 20:13, Romans 1:24-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9, 1 Timothy 1:10- all of which equate it with murder, lying, incest, child sacrifice, and stealing), and made it a capital offense in the Mosaic Law along with adultery, incest and bestiality.
The fact is that homosexuality is a choice, or more accurately, a series of choices, generally made over the course of several years. Our emotions and attractions will follow our decisions.
Science has found no evidence of a “gay gene” like so many gay activists claim. There were three studies whose authors said that they had proved such a gene existed, but if you read the actual studies all three were so poorly done as to be pure garbage, scientifically, and even if valid, did not even come close to proving the “gay gene” theory. Recently, the American Psychiatrist organization rescinded their statement of homosexuality being caused by biology and has stated it “has many causes.”
Why would God outlaw homosexuality?
First of all, sex was designed for two reasons: example and procreation.The marital relationship exemplifies the Church’s relationship with God. It communicates to us the relationship God wants to have with His people. Homosexuality communicates, “God doesn’t need the Church. He needs to find another God. The Church doesn’t need God, just another church to fellowship with.” Ludicrous.
And homosexuality is non-fruitful. It is a type of relationship that cannot produce godly offspring. (“And did not He make one? Yet had He the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That He might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.” Malachi 2:15)
Many believe sex is for communication and recreation. It’s not. These are the rewards, the fringe benefits, not the purpose.
The homosexual lifestyle is, in fact, very unhealthy. Gays simply don’t live as long as heterosexuals on average (though individuals may, of course). They have a much higher rate of violence and depression as well (Lesbians call the police due to domestic violence in much higher percentages than either gays or straights, with gays being second. So, though in sheer numbers straights call for help more often, a lesbian couple is way more likely to beat each other up than a straight couple is.) The entire lifestyle is based on self-fulfillment and selfishness and is as empty as it is fruitless.
Does this mean that we should “hate” gays?
Of course not. Neither should we hate adulterers, murders, liars or prostitutes. We should love them into the Kingdom of God. We need to teach them, as we do any sinner, that “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” And “the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus our Lord.” And “go and sin no more.” It doesn’t matter what a person’s sin is (adultery, lying, stealing, self-righteousness, bigotry, homosexuality, violence, etc) they are going to hell unless they repent (turn from their sins) and accept Jesus as their Lord (Boss). It would be the most hateful thing in the world to not try to bring the lost to salvation, no matter what path they are lost on.
We must note that in addition to the sin of homosexuality, these men wanted to commit rape, which was also a capital offense in the Mosaic Law, equal to murder.
However, Ezekiel tells us “Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy, And they were haughty, and committed abominations before Me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.” Ezekiel 16:49-50.
This sounds frighteningly like America today; proud, fat, lazy, and selfish. This is why God destroyed Sodom.
"Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:” Romans 1:24.
It appears from these verses that homosexuality is the result of a whole-sale commitment to sin. It is a curse from God.
The homosexuality and rape were results of these heart sins. The heart will always tell in the actions.
6 And Lot went out the door to them, and shut the door behind him,
7 And said, “I pray you, brothers, do not be so wicked."
Obviously, the men of the city weren’t simply interested in getting to visit with the men in Lot’s house, making friends (as some have suggested). What Lot knew they had planned was wicked.
Jude agrees; “And don't forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God's judgment.” Jude 1:7
And 2 Peter 2:6 "Later, God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and turned them into heaps of ashes. He made them an example of what will happen to ungodly people.
7 "But God also rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a righteous man who was sick of the shameful immorality of the wicked people around him.
8 "Yes, Lot was a righteous man who was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day.
9 "So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.
10 "He is especially hard on those who follow their own twisted sexual desire, and who despise authority.”
Genesis 19:8 “Look, I have two daughters who are virgins. let me, please, bring them out to you, and do ye to them whatever you want. Only don't do anything to these men, because they are under my protection.”
Lot offered his daughters for them to rape instead. This would be a lesser offense (though either one is deserving of death and hell by itself) and by bringing these men into his home, Lot had promised them protection. To give them up would make him an accomplice to the city’s sin.
And since his daughters had grown up in the city, the men of the city would already be acquainted with them. Meeting new people was not on their agenda, but doing wickedness in a way that Lot hoped virgin women would satisfy was.
Of course, one has to wonder about a man who would give up his own daughters to be raped, no matter the reason.
9 And they said, “Stand back!” And they also said, “This man is an immigrant, and he is judging us? Now we will treat thee worse than them!” And they lunged at Lot to break the door down.
These men were determined to cause trouble. They were offended at Lot’s calling their lifestyle choice “evil” and his standing in the way of their plans. He committed the greatest of “sins” according to the world; he was judging them. He was not “tolerant.”
10 But the men in the house put out their hands, and pulled Lot into the house, and shut to the door.
11 And they smote the men of the city with blindness, both small and great, so that they couldn't find the door.
The angels rescue Lot and make it so the men of the city can’t even find the door. They have all the proof they need of the wickedness of the city. Not only did they not find ten righteous men, they only found one.
12 And the men said to Lot, “Have thou here in the city anyone else? Son-in-law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whoever thou have in the city, get them out of this place!
13 "Because we will destroy this place, because the cry of them has grown great before the face of the I AM, and the I AM has sent us to destroy it.”
They give Lot a chance to rescue his whole family, even those who are grown and out of his home if he had them.
14 And Lot left, and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were engaged to marry his daughters, and said, “Hurry! Get out of this place, because for the I AM will destroy this city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.
Later, the oldest of Lot's daughters mention as being virgins in the house is called "firstborn," a term that is pretty exclusive to a man's oldest child. So evidently he only had the two children, which is unusual in these days before birth control.
But his sons-in-law thought he was joking (or probably just “going on about that religious stuff again.”) What a heartbreaking situation for Lot.
15 And when the morning dawned, the angels hurried Lot, saying, “Get up! Take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here, so thou aren't killed in the destruction of the city.”
“Get out now!”
16 And while he lingered, the men grabbed hold of his hand, and the hand of his wife, and the hands of his two daughters, the I AM being merciful to him, and they brought him out, and set him outside the city.
The angels had to literally drag them out of town. How many Christians today are so attached to this world and their “modern American lifestyle” that they would have to be dragged out of it, or worse yet, so far gone they would think anyone warning of coming danger would be taken as a joker or nutcase?
17 And it happened that when they had brought them outside the city, the angel said, “Run for thy life! Don't even look behind thee, or stay anywhere in the plain! Escape to the mountain, so thou aren't killed!”
18 And Lot said unto them, “Oh, no, Sirs!”
He is actually going to take the time to argue!
19 “Look, you have showed me undeserved favor, and a great deal of mercy by saving my life, but and I can't run to the mountain, because some evil will happen to me, and I die!
20 “See, this city is near to run to, and it is a little one. Oh, let me run there, (isn't it a little one?) and I will live.”
Lot, though described as a righteous man who was “vexed,” or upset by the wickedness of his neighbors in the book of Hebrews, was so attached to his lifestyle he wanted to bargain with God to retain a little piece of it. “Can’t you spare a little wickedness so I can be more comfortable?”
Of course, Lot was a rich man a couple of chapters ago. rich enough to rival Abraham. Where are all his animals now? Could they have been stationed in Zoar?
21 And the angel said to him, “OK, I won't destroy that city your asked for.
22 “Hurry! Run there! Because I can't do anything until thou get there.” So the name of the city was called Zoar.
Zoar means Little One. God decided to accept Lot’s request.
Interesting that it is the angel that is fixing to cause the destruction.
23 The sun was up when Lot entered into Zoar.
24 Then the I AM rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah out of the sky.
25 And He destroyed those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and all the plants.
This may have been a meteor shower, the fallout from a distant volcanic eruption, or the results of a fault line opening up with resultant fires from released petroleum products (current archaeological evidence suggests the last one, including remains from these cities being burned from the roofs down. The leading suspect for the location of these cities is in a valley full of fault lines which are full of oil and natural gas. It would have taken a simple earthquake to shoot all that gas and oil into the air, then a single lightning strike to set it on fire). The end result is the same, no matter which mechanism God used. This region today is still very bare and desolate and the soil has a very high sulfur content.
26 But Lot's wife looked back to the city, and she became a pillar of salt.
She didn’t want to leave her life in Sodom. She gave up her future to try to save her past.
There are a number of salt formation in the area of Sodom, one of which is named "Lot's wife." We have no way of knowing if this is really her or not.
27 And Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he stood with the I AM.
28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and the smoke of the country went up like the smoke of a furnace.
"When Abraham looked down upon the scene of devastation, he observed smoke rising from the land of the plain, keqitor hakkibsan, "like smoke from a furnace." A kibsan is a pottery kiln. Air passing through a pottery kiln does so by means of a forced draft resulting from the heating of the air. The smoke exiting from a kiln is forced out of the exit flue and pushed upward into the air. That is what Abraham observed—smoke from the land of the plain being forced upwards. The word used for smoke, qitor, is not the word used for smoke from an ordinary fire. Rather, it is a thick smoke, the smoke that comes from sacrifices. It is clear that something unnatural or extraordinary is recorded here." Reference
29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that He remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the middle of the destruction, when He destroyed the cities where Lot lived.
The New Testament calls Lot a righteous man, but Genesis says the reason God spared him was because of Abraham. I believe Lot was a righteous man who was quickly being lured by Relativism. He was in danger of losing his salvation. For Abraham’s sake, God made sure he was taken out before he was lost.
30 And Lot left Zoar, and lived in the mountain, and his two daughters with him, because he was afraid to stay in Zoar. And he lived in a cave, he and his two daughters.
After all the begging for God to spare Zoar and the angels assurance that God would do so for him, Lot got scared and ran to the mountains where the angels originally told him to go.
31 And the eldest daughter said to the younger one, “Our father is old, and there are no other men around to have sex with.
32 Let's get our father drunk with wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve our family line.”
Lot’s oldest got it into her head that there were no men left anywhere or that they would stay hidden too long for her and her sister to ever find husbands. She decided to take matters into her own hands with the only man available. It appears Lot failed greatly in his training of his daughters in righteousness. His daughters committed one of the most wicked sins possible.
33 And they got their father drunk that night, and the eldest daughter went in, and lay with her father. He didn't know when she lay down, nor when she got up.
34 And it happened the next day that the eldest daughter said to the younger one, “Look, I lay last night with my father. Let's get him drunk tonight also, and thou go in, and lie with him, that we may save our family line.”
35 And they got their father drunk that night also, and the younger one got up and lay with him, and he didn't know when she lay down, nor when she got up.
36 This is how both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father.
Both girls got their father so drunk he didn’t know what was going on and seduced him.
37 And the eldest daughter bare a son, and called his name Moab. This is the father of the Moabites to this day.
38 And the younger daughter, also bare a son, and called his name Benammi. This is the father of the children of Ammon to this day.
Both of these nations later became involved in child sacrifice. Since they started with incest after being offered as sacrifices to a raping mob, this just kind of logically follows.
Though God originally forbid Israel from attacking them or taking away their land because they were related, both countries eventually made themselves total enemies of the Jews. Remember, humans always mess things up when they follow their own plans instead of God’s.