Genesis 18-19   Abraham's visit with the Lord and His angels was two-fold..  First, came the promise of a child for Sarah within the next year.  Secondly, came the judgement on Sodom and Gomorrah.

Abraham realized the moment he saw the "men" that they were holy beings.  He ran to them, he bowed before them, and he offered a meal to them.   Abraham would have been 99 and Sarah slightly younger at this time. So when the Lord told them that they would have a child by the same time the next year, Sarah laughed.  But, the Lord was not offended.  "Is anything too difficult for the Lord?"  Sarah and Abraham learned this truth... and we need to learn it also!  Nothing ! Nothing is impossible for God!

The sin in Sodom is overwhelming.  How Lot could live there at all seems ridiculous .  The fact that the crowd surrounded his house and were becoming violent because of his refusal to offer the "guests" to them... well, no wonder the Lord was ready to destroy them!  Abraham bargained with the Lord to spare the town if 10 righteous people were there.. and there were not even 10.  In reality there were none... for Lot's wife turned back, his daughters got their father drunk so that he would sleep with them, and Lot, himself, allowed himself to get drunk to the point that he didn't even know he was sleeping with his daughters. ( Although Peter calls Lot "righteous" )   Lot's daughters both had sons from their father and both turned out to be fathers to nations that caused nothing but trouble for the Israelites.

We think that our world is becoming worse and worse... and it is.. but it is nothing like Sodom and Gomorrah.. yet.

 But Jesus had this to say about Sodom and Gomorrah... " And whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or the city, shake off the dust of your feet. Truly I say to you,  it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city." Matt. 10:15
And.. " Woe to you, Chorazin!  Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.  Nevertheless I say to you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgement than for you. And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You shall descend to Hades; for if the miracles that occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day. Nevertheless I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you." 

Peter wrote this, " .. and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who live ungodly thereafter; and if He rescued righteous Lot... then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgement..." ( II Peter 2:7ff)


Judgement came upon Sodom and Gomorrah for the sins that they committed.  Jesus says that the sin of not receiving His disciples and the sin of not repenting even when seeing miracles occur before their eyes...is worse than those of Sodom and Gomorrah!  All sin... every sin.. is judged and condemned in the eyes of God.  We, like Lot, may feel our "righteous soul tormented day after day" by the lawless deeds around us... but we must remember that there is nothing worse than rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ.. who loves us, who gave Himself for us, and who is coming again one day soon. 

Peter goes on to remind his readers that Jesus will come "like a thief". Everyone will have to account for their choices... so.. "be diligent to be found by Him in peace , spotless and blameless." 

Father, may we continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. "To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."