The chapter begins by Lot seeing two angels at the city gate of Sodom. The notes state that for Lot to be watching over the gate shows that he held some high ranking amongst the city within the government, which could be why he was reluctant to leave Sodom, he held a small portion of power. Lot insisted the angles come stay with him and when the other men of Sodom heard that Lot had invited strange men to his home they demanded that Lot allow them to get to know these men carnally (sexually). Lot asked that the men take his unwed daughters and leave the men (angels) alone, but they wouldn't listen. For Lot to give his daughters to be ravished by these men shows how sin had altered his mind.
It doesn't state why he was doing this, if it was to truly protect the angels or if because he knew that his daughters were engaged and maybe their fiances would come to the rescue, or maybe he knew they would turn the girls down because the men were interested in men, not women. Regardless of his exact motives his train of thought to solve problems wasn't aligned with Gods word. The angels told Lot to stand back and they closed the door, then made the men become blind so they couldn't find the door to enter the home. The angels then told Lot to take his family and leave the city, for the city was going to be destroyed due to its evilness and wickedness. Lots son in laws mocked him, and didn't take him serious. In the morning Lot took his wife and two daughters and fled from Sodom. The angels urged Lot to go to the mountains far away and Lot begged the angels to let him settle within a smaller city instead, he had been so used to living with ungodly people that he preferred that lifestyle rather than trust where God wanted him to go. God's plan for us is always better then our own, it might not seem like it in the beginning when he gives you knew plans, but trust that his knowledge and understanding is far better than
ours. He knows our needs better then we do and he knows our desires better than we do. But Lot didn't want to go where the angels told him to go, so he settled in another city rather than go to the mountains.
God told Abraham that he wouldn't destroy Sodom if there were at least 10 faithful in the city, sense only Lot and his wife and two daughters left it goes to show just how corrupt the people had become. Yet God show to show mercy on Lot, even though he didn't live the way God wanted him to live and he didn't follow Gods full orders, he only partially followed them. God knows what we will say and do before we even say it, God knew Lot wasn't going to listen and go to the mountains, that he would beg to go to another city instead, yet God still showed mercy.
Because Abraham was such a great follower to God and trusted him so much, God showed mercy on his family, even the ones who weren't as deserving. Lot hesitated when leaving and the angel had to grab his hand to get him to leave. It is easy to be tempted with the wealth and power and attractions of cultures to lure us from Gods plan, but thats why its so important to always seek Gods plan for us.
Archaeological evidence shows that Sodom was an advanced civilization during Abrahams day. Most research also confirms that somethings sudden devastated the entire city and it is now believed that the once thriving city is somewhere under the black Dead Sea. Once they were out of Sodom and in Zoar the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, the angels told Lot and his family not to look back, but his wife didn't listen and when she looked back she was turned into a pilar of salt. Her looking back indicated her clinging to the past and showed her unwillingness to turn away completely. No one can serve two masters, when you get born again you are saying goodbye to your old life and being made new in Christ, to live a new life in Him.
Once Lot and his two daughters settles in a cave in Zoar, the bible tells us that Lot was scared and afraid to stay there. Had he gone where God told him too, he wouldn't have been scared because he would have known he was where God wanted him to be.Lots two daughters were also scared that they weren't going to reproduce and keep the family line going, so they got their father, Lot, drunk and slept with him so they both would continue the family line. They both acted out of fear and in turn turned to sin and committed incest to have what they wanted. This shows how their morals were incredibly low due to their upbringing in Sodom. Their sons, Moab and Ben-Ammi later grew up to become the fathers of two of Isreal’s greatest enemies. Its important to learn how desperation can lead to a very bad and sinful path, don't allow yourself to become desperate in your desires, instead seek God and trust His plan for you.
