20250629 Sermon Genesis 19 The Limits of God’s Blessing to all the families of the Earth

Introduction

Hell-Fire-Brimstone

There is an expression: “Hell Fire and Brimstone.” This expression generally refers to a preaching style that places God’s judgment at the center of a message to convince people to repent from their sins and to turn to God. The expression comes from the old KJV of Gen 19:24. Is "Hell Fire and Brimstone" good or bad? Judgment is a consistent theme of the Bible. When we ignore it, we leave Biblical Christianity. This morning, we will be a Hell-Fire-Brimstone kind of church, because it is in our text. If you don’t come back, it was an honor to worship with you. If you do come back wanting more, you may be disappointed, we are not Hell-Fire-Brimstone every week!

Approach

Before getting to the text, I want to highlight two complexities with a text like this and my approach.

First, it is complex because the theme of judgment is not popular. Judgment is good and reflects God's perfect being. Even God has complex emotions on judgment. The accounts of the flood and the end of Jonah reveal God is deeply grieved by judgment. It is good for us to feel this tension.

The second complexity with this text is that the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is a famous story. This means we many have preconceived ideas about this text. Sometimes when we are familiar with a story we become less open to what the Bible actually teaches.  

This is going to be my approach. My primary goal is the author’s intention. To get to the author's intent, we study the text in all its appropriate contexts, which are the whole Bible, Genesis, and the Abraham account. Approaching the text this way helps to study the Bible rather than impose our ideas on the text.

The largest context is the Bible. The word “Sodom” appears 9 times in the NT. Each time, it is used to teach a lesson in the present. Both 2 Pet 2:6 and Jude 1:7 teach that the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah offer us an example of the final judgment on the ungodly.[i]

If the authors of the NT, and Jesus himself view judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah as having lessons for us in the present, we need to arrive there as well. If we think about Sodom and Gomorrah as judgment a long time ago, or for a narrow group of sinners, we are reading it the wrong way. This text is for us and our spiritual formation.

The second context is the book of Genesis. The themes of Gen 1-11 keep repeating in the Abraham account. Since Genesis 16 had a lot of Genesis 3 and 4, Genesis 17-19 has a lot of Noah and flood language. Lot and Noah have similarities.

In the context of the Abraham narrative, this is the final Lot episode. In Genesis 12, Abram had to leave everything behind, but he did not. He brough Lot, his nephew. As long as Abraham does not have a son and Lot remains in the picture, we could wonder if Lot would be Abraham’s heir. Gen 16-17 make it clear Abram will have his own child. Genesis 18-19 confirms once and for all that Lot is out of the picture. Also in the context of the Abraham narratives, this episodes shows development in Abraham's character. Genesis 18-19 presents him as the agent of blessing who intercedes for the Nations. 

Outline

Genesis 19 presents the basics of the Christian message. God wants to bless the world, but sin is a big problem. We will look at Sin, Salvation through Judgment, and Sin after Salvation. The account of Sodom and Gomorrah is about God's sovereign and generous grace to us sinners.

Genesis 19:1-9 Sin: Righteous Lot and the Sin of Sodom

This is an overview of Gen 19:1-9

In Gen 19:1-14, angels arrive at Sodom. Lot strongly urges them to accept his hospitality. The angels were there to inspect the wickedness of Sodom.

The people of Sodom confirm their wickedness. The people of Sodom wanted to violate the angels sexually. Lot offers his daughters to the people of Sodom instead, and says, “Do to them as you please.” The angels urge Lot to take his family out of the city because judgment is coming. As strange it may seem, these verses contrast righteous Lot to sinful Sodom.

Gen 19:1-3 Present Lot as Righteous.

This may sound like a crazy statement since he offered his daughters to the men of Sodom. These are my three arguments.

First argument: In Genesis 18, Abraham interceded for the righteous of the city, that they would not be punished with the wicked. This is Lot.

Second argument: The author goes out of his way in Gen 19:1-3 to portray Lot like he portrayed Abraham in Gen 18:2-8. We read that Lot, like Abraham, "saw [the angels], he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth (Gen 19:1//Gen 18:2). Like Abraham, Lot wants to wash their feet (Gen 19:2//Gen 18:4). Like Abraham, he prepared them food to eat. In Lot’s case it is called a feast (Gen 19:3//Gen 18:5-8)!

Third argument is 2 Pet 2:7, Peter calls Lot, "righteous Lot."

This is a lesson for us who live in a godless city or nation. We can remain set apart.

Gen 19:4-9 The Depravity of Sodom

Gen 19:4 reads, “the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house.” In answer to Abraham’s intercession, this verse highlights that the 10 righteous to spare the city will not be found. (C.f. Gen 6:5, 8:21). The men surrounding Lot’s house asked Lot to bring out the men who came that they might “know them.” There is no confusion this is sexual in nature, and the intent to assault.

Lot responds in Gen 19:7, “I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly.”

This wickedness reminds us of Genesis 6:2 when the sons of God (the angels) took human women for themselves in the wickedness leading up to the flood.

The prophets speak of the sins of Sodom. Ezek 16:49 mentions “pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. Jer 23:14 speaks of their sin of adultery, lying, not turning from evil.

The sin of Sodom in Genesis 19 is the forbidden and unnatural union between men and angels. Both references in Gen 6 and Gen 19 occur before destructive judgment. The destruction of Sodom is parallel to the flood. Now because the angels are also described as men, we can also talk about homosexual relations. 

Application

The Bible’s standard for sexual relations is that they are to be in the context of marriage alone. The Bible teaches that marriage is for one man and one woman until death separates them. And Christians must marry Christians.

We must assume some people around us have same sex attraction. If anyone around us has same sex attraction we want them to know they are welcome in our church.

When it comes to the Biblical standards for sexuality we all fail. I have failed. Teenagers and adults commit adultery in their hearts with impure thoughts. Engaging in same-sex relations falls short of the glory of God. It is not a worse sin but it is sin, the same way engaging in sexual activity before marriage, looking at pornography, and a marriage between a Christian and a non-Christian fall short. Our sin is so deep that our sexual orientation even our heterosexual orientation is affected by sin. This kind of sin fits our view of total depravity.

There is no aspect of our life not tainted by sin. In the text, sin is called wickedness. No matter what this looks for us, we must strive for God’s standard. Judgment comes on account of sin and wickedness.

Genesis 19:10-29 Salvation: Salvation Through Judgment

Gen 19:10-29 describes Lot’s salvation and the destruction of Sodom.

The men of Sodom were threatening Lot, when the angels in his house, brought Lot inside and shut the door. Lot’s house is very much like Noah’s Ark surrounded by wickedness. In Gen 7:16, the Lord shut Noah in the ark to protect him from what was to come so it is that the angels seized brought Lot back in and shut the door.

Then the same way Noah was saved along with his wife, his three sons and his three daughters-in-law, now Lot can escape judgment with his wife, daughters and his two to be sons in law.

These are five highlights in the text about the message of salvation.

First lesson on the message of salvation is in Genesis 19:14, Lot’s sons-in-law thought Lot was joking about judgment.

Things have not changed much. If you share about salvation in Christ and coming judgment, chances are people would find that funny. Maybe we too second-guess ourselves at times.

It helps to reflect on the horrific nature of sin in the world. It is not funny. When we think of the horror of sin, judgment should bring us relief!

We do not just announce judgment, we also announce salvation. Judgment is real but Jesus took God's judgment on himself to spare those who trust in Him from being judged. We escape God's judgment by finding refuge in Christ by trusting in what he has done on the cross. We may get laughed at for believing this or announcing this, but it is the loving thing to do.

Second lesson on the message of salvation, Gen 19:15-16 Angels save them each by the hand

In was the morning of the destruction of Sodom, according to Gen 19:16, Lot lingered so the angels seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand.

One thing I really love about the Hebrew of Gen 19:16 is that the text says, the angels took Lot by the hand, and his wife by the hand, and their daughters by the hand. I love this emphasis which shows the personal nature of salvation. Following the warning to escape the city, Lot was still not able to save himself. He needed God through his angels to deliver him and his family. This is one of my favorite pictures of salvation, angels holding Lot by the hand.

It is a beautiful picture for those of us who may doubt of our own salvation. This image of salvation teaches us about our salvation. If we look to ourselves for assurance, we will struggle with lack of assurance. If you look to our loving God who loves us who sends angels to hold our hands, our faith is strengthened.

Third lesson on the message of salvation in Gen 19:24-25 Describe God’s judgment and so we know what we are saved from.

Gen 19:24 is that “Hell Fire and Brimstone” verse. The Lord made it rain on Sodom and Gomorrah like he made it rain in the flood story. He destroyed all things. This is the judgment that Lot escaped. This picture of judgment teaches all of us we too need to be saved from God’s just judgment against the wicked.

Fourth lesson on salvation, Gen 19:26 Lot’s wife became a pillar of salt.

In Gen 19:17, one of the angels said, “Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away.”

Gen 19:17-29 describe the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot escaped to a city called Zoar with his daughters. His wife looked back when she was told not to and became a pillar of salt. It seems like this detail is included to teach us about the importance of being single minded in our fleeing sin. We must flee and not turn back.

Fifth lesson on salvation from Gen 19:29 God remembered Abraham

Gen 19:29 notes, “God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow.” This verse may summarize the whole chapter. This refers either to Abraham’s intercession or God’s promise to bless all those who are associated with Abraham. For us, this shows God’s faithfulness to Abraham. We could say Jesus died the sinners death because God remembered Abraham. As we are gentiles who enjoy God’s saving reign, we can say, God remembered Abraham. We are spared from judgment because of our association with Abraham through faith in Christ, his descendant.

Genesis 19:30-36 Still Sin after Salvation- Our Ongoing Sin and God’s Faithfulness

So far the parallel between Lot and Noah have been the following: the illicit unions between angels and humans, a man and his family surrounded by wickedness, the shutting of the doors, both Lot and Noah are warned about God’s judgment. The judgment language is similar Now, following the judgment, the parallels continue. Following the flood there is an incident in which Noah gets drunk, and his son sees his nakedness. What exactly happened we do not know but it was sexual.

Now, Lot gets drunk and his daughters get pregnant by him. These actions lead to two nations the Moabites and the Ammonites.

The tragic irony is that we may be shocked by this behavior, but it is not accepted in any culture, not even Sodom and Gomorrah.

Even this disturbing story does have its redemption.

The Bible recounts the story of Ruth, a Moabite. She is a descendant of Lot and his daughter. Ruth has such an important part in the Bible because she is the great grandmother of King David. She is one of 5 women mentioned in Jesus’ genealogy in Matt 1.

In Ruth chapter 3, there is a strange but redeemed Gen 19 moment. A righteous man called Boaz has a drink like Noah and Lot (Ruth 3:7). Ruth, like Lot’s daughters was able to uncover him without his knowledge. The difference is that Ruth uncovered Boaz’ feet and lay down. While Lot's daughter deceived him, Ruth sought refuge under the wings of a redeemer. Boaz praises Ruth for her kindness and her faithfulness to her Mother-in-law, Naomi.

Ruth's actions meant that though her family line had the worst beginning, God redeems the Moabites in such a way that they are part of Jesus' genealogy.

The lesson is that God's love is always greater than our sin. Our sins have consequences. In God's economy he loves to forgive and restore us. On account of Christ dying for all our past, present, and future sins, God can declare us and treat us as righteous.

Conclusion

Genesis 19 is a tough chapter. When we study it its proper context we see how it fits in Genesis with parallels to Noah, how it fits in the Abraham narrative. It is a chapter about judgment and a chapter about salvation.

A tough lesson we do draw is that God's grace and blessing does have its limits. God has judged, is judging, and will judge sin and sinners.

NT texts refer to these chapters as examples for us of the judgment that is to come. Genesis 19 and the judgment of Sodom gives us an example of the judgment that is to come. Judgment texts in the Bible a loving calls to repent because of God’s coming judgment.

Genesis 19 is also about salvation. God in his sovereign grace saves helpless sinners. This story ends with a horrific act. But the Bible even offers redemption through the most unthinkable acts.

Genesis 19 offers the Christian message. God is committed to blessing the world. Our sin deserves judgment. God saves sinners. Even if we continue to sin, God remains committed to bless his people.

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[i] In the Gospels, Jesus teaches that it will be worse for the towns who rejected him than it was for Sodom and Gomorrah (Matt 10:15, 11:23-24; Luke 10:12; 17:29).