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Considering Lot's lifestyle and the events of Genesis 19, how was he declared just, righteous and godly?



      

2 Peter 2:7 - 8

ESV - 7 And if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked 8 (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard).

Clarify Share Report Asked November 08 2014 Q jcryle001 JD Abshire Supporter

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Image41 Ezekiel Kimosop Supporter
Lot was accounted righteous by the grace of God. 

The Bible clearly demonstrates that Lot chose to live near Sodom, an extremely evil and immoral city which God later destroyed because of its wickedness. There is no biblical evidence that Lot led an unrighteous or ungodly life even as he dwelt among the Sodomites but there is no denying that the evil environment there may have contaminated his faith and that of his family. The fact that his wife could look back even as God commanded them to flee the city is evidence of the powerful allure of a sinful environment. 


It appears that Lot was attracted to the precincts of the twin city of Sodom and Gomorrah because of the lush pasture that was found in that valley. Genesis 13:10-13 says "And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. 12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. 13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly."

Lot dwelt in these cities even when it was clear that he could have moved away to a place where he could raise his family without the evil influence of the Sodomite culture. It is possible that the conduct of his daughters in siring children through their father was evidence of Sodomite culture. Scripture however reveals that Lot's daughters acted wickedly in causing their father to lie with them. Lot was not guilty of the sin but was perhaps negligent.

He was to become the ancestor of the Moabites whom God gave their own land which he warned the Israelites not to drive them away from (Deuteronomy 2:9). The Moabites were later to be counted as the enemies of Israel (Judges 3:28) and David later subdued them (2 Samuel 8:2). Both the Moabites and the Amonites worshipped Canaanite gods (1 Kings 11:33)

Surprisingly, Ruth a Moabites was accepted into the assembly of God's people and became the great grandmother of King David and a great ancestor of Jesus Christ. Knowing the history of the Moabites teaches us that God graciously permitted the lineage of Abraham and Lot to intertwine in the union between Boaz and Ruth. 

This reminds us that we who were undeserving of God's grace and mercy and were outside God's covenant were accepted into God's household by God' when we accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. 

David himself had many shortcomings yet Paul reckons of him in Acts 13:22 " And when he had removed him (Saul), he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will."

There is nothing inherently pleasing to God in us but by God's grace God counted for us righteousness by virtue of Christ's shed blood. 

Lots choice of the Valley of Jordan in which Sodom and Gomorrah were located was evidence of a man who was prepared to put his spiritual life at great risk at the expense of economic prosperity. Many of us are guilty of this sin too. We are often not ready to pay the cost of obedience to the extent that we permit the Sodom environment to pollute our faith even where our consciences are not reconciled because we stand to lose too much if we stood for godliness and righteousness.

Some have also viewed Lot as a righteous man in a wicked society and that his life is evidence that we can live right with God in the midst of our wicked societies where evil is celebrated and good is frowned at; where the wicked are social heroes and the righteous are considered an abnormal section of society. Lot also symbolizes the church and its coming deliverance from the judgment that will befall this wicked and unrepentant society we live in.

November 10 2014 6 responses Vote Up Share Report


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Open uri20141107 4425 yc4vbv JEAN KABUYA Supporter Pastor @Breath of Life
Lot's story starts long before with his uncle's (abram) call and decision to follow God's call.

After the destruction of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:3), People started to gather again in settlements. During the following decades, a resurgence of Sumerian (nomadic tribes) culture took place. The Sumerian city of Ur became the center of a new Mesopotamian empire, under the rule of its former governor, Ur-Nammu. 
However, the dynasty he founded collapsed at the beginning of the second millennium B.C, When the Amorites invaded from the West and the Elamites from the East. The Amorites established an empire in Babylon and the city rose to great prominence. Hammurabi, the famous lawgiver who reunited Mesopotamia, was the sixth king of the First Dynasty of Babylon. 
It was perhaps during the period of the Amorite invasion that Abraham's family moved to Haran in upper Mesopotamia.

The Bible outlines with precision the genealogy of the Patriarchs. It reports that Terah, the father of Abram, was a ninth generation descendant of Shem, the oldest of Noah's three sons.

Many of details of the patriarchal account in the Book of Genesis are supported by political, cultural, and religious history of the second millennium B.C. Near East. 
Ur, located in southern Mesopotamia was one of the largest cities in the kingdom of Sumer and later in Babylonia. 

The city of Ur reached its peak of development during Sumer's Third Dynasty around the 22nd-21st centuries B.C. 

Originating from the land of Ur in Mesopotamia, the family migrated toward the west. 
Ur and Haran were centers of the moon cult, which also seems to correlate with family names. 
Terah, the name of Abram's father, may be related to the Aramaic word for moon. 
Laban, the name of Jacob's uncle and father in law, means white and was an epithet of the moon god.

The Book of Jubilees, a second century B.C. Jewish text, greatly elaborated on abram's early years:

At age 14, Abram already abhorred the idol worship of his father. 
When he was 60 years old, he set fire to the house of idols.

For decades, Abraham urged his family to renounce this practice. 

The Book of Jubilees shows that God called Abram because he had crusaded against idolatry.

For Lot, accepting to leave with his uncle Abram, shows that he too had faith in the God his uncle heard and chose to follow.

When migrating, their flocks grew yonder and they had to separate, 

Although he chose the valley of Sodom for the green, the scriptures stipulate that Lot grieved every day in his soul for the perversion of the city was great; and he usually sat at the gates... Who knows if he was waiting for some rescue of any kind!.... There the 2 angels found him. 

This means Lot lived in Sodom, but did not belong to Sodom.

This is the image of the Church. We are in the world but not of the world.

Remember the Lord Jesus' prayer for us (disciples) in John 17: 14-15

14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

Take heed my brethren, Noah and Lot are compared to the church as the Lord Jesus Christ said it in Luke 17: 26-30

26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 
30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

Be enlightened by the true teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The sun is setting and the day of the Lord is closer than the time we believed.

Blessings to you.

November 12 2014 0 responses Vote Up Share Report


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Mini Bob Reese Supporter Bob. Sometimes failing to apply the truth in action.
I started to respond after meditating on the referenced scripture of Genesis 19 and commencing prayer with the Risen King.

When I decided to respond I was met with "check all boxes" to continue. I apologize for not reading all the "box" verbiage. 

This question spoke to me in as much as...why am I declared just? Righteous? Godly? I admit to the conviction and acknowledgement of my sin and confession of same, my conscious and unconscious decision, daily, of not surrendering myself, completely is an abomination to the I Am who lives in all of us reading this response.

If I am to ask if another "saint" is worthy of consideration of eternal life with His Majesty worshiping Him in eternity, I shall have no hope. 

He has called us to Himself to lay those sins which are imbedded in us, from birth. Those sins of self sufficiency, independence, and false pride.

How was Lot declared redeemed and all that implies? Thanks be to God we know the joy of Christ's gift (Good news) to us all. 

P.S. The name Lot may be translated as veil"; "hidden, covered. Peace be with you until we meet again.

November 09 2014 2 responses Vote Up Share Report


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Mini Shirley H. Supporter prayer warrior
Hebrews chapter eleven, the Great faith chapter. Verses 1 and 2, "Only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for or prove the existence of realities that are unseen. It is for faith that our ancestors are acknowledged."

We must truly accept what God tells us! Then our faith and trust in Him makes us righteous in His eyes. We all are sinners. Not one of us can be found good except Jesus! 

Lot recognized God's angels in Genesis chapter 19. He provided and protected them.. In verse 15-22 Lot and his daughters and wife are told to flee and NOT look back. The results are obvious! Mrs. Lot should have had more faith!

November 09 2014 2 responses Vote Up Share Report


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Mini Aurel Gheorghe Supporter
This is a perfect example of how our judgemt is diffrent than God's judgement: "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9. 

By human standards, Lot's actions in Genesis 19 (starting with verse 31) are appalling and not as righteous as one would except from a man of faith. I understand that Lot was tricked by his daughters, but you would think that a man like Lot would know better. God know people hearts and understands human frailties and is willing to forgives our errant ways as we submit to His will.

November 11 2014 1 response Vote Up Share Report


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