No Turning Back (Genesis 19:12-26)
Rev. Charles B. Evans, April 29, 2018Part of the Morning Worship at North Greenville Church series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
God's patience had grown thin with Sodom and Gomorrah, because the residents defied God and the thoughts and actions ran to evil. However, God showed mercy to Lot and his family. Through His angels, God warned Lot to gather his family and leave. He would rescue them from destruction, but placed on them a stipulation that their deliverance would depend on them not turning back to look. Lot's family scoffed at the message at first. Of his family, Lot's wife disobeyed and looked back, and was turned into a pillar of salt because of her rebellion. We don't know her motivation, but it is safe to say that her heart and love remained in Sodom. Her response reminds us of other biblical figures: Jonah, the rich young ruler, Peter in his denial about accompanying Jesus through his ministry, Judas Iscariot and the unsaved of the two criminals who were crucified with Jesus. We are called to be vigilant to the commands of God. Patrick Henry is quoted as saying, "Eternal vigilance is the price of safety." What does this account teach us today? One thing is that those who turn back are responsible for their own destruction. If we are not vigilant, we may miss God's plan for us. We are commanded to take up our cross daily, not to hide our lamp under a bowl, to acknowledge Jesus as Savior before man, and to keep our lamps burning for Jesus' return. These are just some of the commands Jesus gave to us. There is no turning back to be fit for the calling of God; no backsliding, no doubt, no fear, no previous patterns of sin. We must keep our eyes on Jesus; our journey must be perpetually onward.
| Earlier: | Same day: | Later: |
|---|---|---|
| « Bearing The Cross Of Jesus | None | Testing That Equips Us For Greater Service » |
Genesis 19:12–26 (Listen)
12 Then the men said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city, bring them out of the place. 13 For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it.” 14 So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, “Up! Get out of this place, for the LORD is about to destroy the city.” But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting.
15 As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.” 16 But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. 17 And as they brought them out, one said, “Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away.” 18 And Lot said to them, “Oh, no, my lords. 19 Behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life. But I cannot escape to the hills, lest the disaster overtake me and I die. 20 Behold, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there—is it not a little one?—and my life will be saved!” 21 He said to him, “Behold, I grant you this favor also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. 22 Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
23 The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar. 24 Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven. 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. 26 But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.
(ESV)