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Day 22 – Intervention Genesis 19:1 Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. 2 He said, “Here now, my lords (Adonay), please turn in to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.” They said, “No, but we will spend the night in the open square.” 3 He insisted strongly; so, they turned in to him and entered his house. Then he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. 4 Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. 5 They called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally.” 6 So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him, 7 and said, “Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly! 8 See now, I have two daughters who have not known a man; please, let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you wish; only do nothing to these men, since this is the reason, they have come under the shadow of my roof.” 9 They said, “Stand back!” Then they said, “This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.” So, they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break down the door. 10 But the men reached out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with them and shut the door. 11 They struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they became weary trying to find the door. 12 Then the men said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city—take them out of this place! 13 For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the LORD (Jehovah), and the LORD (Jehovah) has sent us to destroy it.” 14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, “Get up, get out of this place; for the LORD (Jehovah) will destroy this city!” But to his sons-in-law he was joking. 15 When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, “Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.” 16 While he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the LORD (Jehovah) being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. 17 So it happened, when they had brought them outside, that he said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere on the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.” 18 Then Lot said to them, “Please, no, my lords! (Adonay) 19 Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me, and I die. 20 See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little one?) and my soul will live.” 21 He said to him, “See, I have favored you concerning this thing also, in that I will not overthrow this city for which you have spoken. 22 Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” Therefore, the name of the city was Zoar. 23 The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar. 24 Then the LORD (Jehovah) rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD (Jehovah) out of the heavens. 25 So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. 26 But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. 27 Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD (Jehovah). 28 Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace. 29 And it happened, when God (Elohiym) destroyed the cities of the plain, that God (Elohiym) remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt. God’s name: Adonay – God Jehovah – Self-existent, Eternal Iesous – Yeshuwa – Jesus Kurios – Master, God God’s character: Mercy How do you treat people who try to keep you safe? Do you respect them and treat them honorably? Or do you pacify them with hospitality? The Angels who visited Abraham went to Lot to take him and his family out of the city before they destroyed it. Lot acknowledged them with disrespect, calling them lords (Adonay) in the same way people acknowledge God today with a small g. When the men of the city knew Lot entertained men, they went to his home to persuade him to allow the men who came to him to come out to them so they could know them carnally. Lot refused their request and offered his daughters to them. However, the Angels pulled Lot into the house and blinded the men outside the door. The Angels told Lot to alert his sons-in-law and daughters to leave with him. Lot didn’t realize the seriousness of his situation, even when he went to his sons-in-law to try to urge them to come with him. They thought he joked with them and refused to acknowledge his request. In the morning the angels urged Lot to flee the city with his wife and daughters because they would destroy the cities and told them not to look back at the destruction. Lot’s wife looked back and became a pillar of salt. As soon as they left and entered Zoar, the angels rained fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah. Then Lot fled to the mountains with his two daughters. Elohiym remembered Abraham and saved Lot and his family from destruction. Early in the morning, Abraham rose and saw smoke rising from Sodom and Gomorrah. How seriously do you take Adonay’s instructions? Do you obey immediately, or do you throw a party before you consider His request? Hear what Jesus said to the man He asked to follow Him. Luke 9:61 Another also said, “Lord (Kurios), I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” 62 Jesus (Iesous) said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Elohiym expects you to obey Him right away, not later. He doesn’t want you to throw a party for your friends before you obey Him. Elohiym shouldn’t need to persuade you to obey Him. Yet, it happens. You throw your parties, say farewell to your friends and neighbors, and then you obey God. When Lot threw a party for the Angels, the men of the city surrounded his home. Ignoring their requests to give them the ‘men’ who came to him, he offered his daughters. What father would offer his daughters to men who wanted to violate them and make sport of them? Lot had no regard for his daughters. At his suggestion, the Angels drew Lot back into the house and blinded the men who came to him. When you ask someone to do something for you, you want an immediate response from the person. You don’t want to wait until the person is ready to help you. Lot didn’t feel the urgency of the Angels request until he was outside the city and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah began. He treated the Angels as common men, even though he called them lord (Adonay). Elohiym requires your respect. He requires your obedience. Adonay will show you mercy until you realize the seriousness of the situation. When you acknowledge the seriousness of Adonay’s request, hurry to obey. Don’t wait. Waiting could cost you your life. Those who stand in the gap for you, know the seriousness of your situation and will see the results of Adonay’s intervention. Let’s pray: Father, help me to obey you immediately when you give me instructions that could save my life. Keep evil from my door as I acknowledge Your request. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 9 February 2024 by Valerie Routhieaux The image belongs to me.