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Balancing Engagement and Separation
One understated but important lesson we learn from the tragic story of Lot’s sojourn in Sodom is that we must be careful in thinking that it is easy to be “in the world but not of the world.”(John 17:14-16)
Lot’s initial choice to settle in the lush, yet morally corrupt, valley of Sodom had tragic consequences for his family. Many centuries later, Yeshua warned his 11 Apostles about the perils of worldly influence and the need to maintain a delicate balance between engagement and separation. We’re not meant to shut ourselves off from the world entirely, but we also can’t follow the ways of unbelievers and still expect a deep, thriving relationship with HaShem. True connection with Him comes from walking a different path—one set apart in faith and purpose.
The Apostle Peter, through divine revelation, tell us that Lot was “vexed” by what he saw and heard in Sodom yet he did not willingly leave. Just as what happened with Lot, we are saved because of the prayers of the righteous.
The contrast between Lot’s actions and the hospitality displayed by his uncle, Abraham, in the preceding chapter (Gen 18:1-8) further underscores the importance of maintaining a steadfast commitment to godly values. Abraham’s swift and joyful response to the arrival of his guests, even as the LORD Himself stood before him, stands as a model of the kind of radical hospitality that should characterize the people of God.
Lot’s Daughters Misguided Attempts at Salvation
Like Sarai with Hagar, Lot’s daughters sought to have children to preserve their patriarch’s, but Lot’s legacy (seed) would be Ammon and Moab, whose descendants would battle against the People of Israel, who were the ancestors of the Promised Messiah for generation after generation. The Moabites and Ammonites did not extend the kind of radical hospitality to the children of Israel during the Exodus that Abraham and Lot had extended to those in need generations before.
“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:25 NASB95)
Abraham, both in Egypt and later in Philistia, fell into the trap of trying to lie to the king to save his own life, at the expense of his wife’s safety. Lot committed a similar sin when offering his virgin daughters to the mob of Sodom.
Lot pleaded with the angels to allow him and his remaining family to flee to the nearby village of Zoar. The angels agreed, assuring him that he would be safe there. However, when the destruction began, Lot still did not feel secure. Despite heaven’s assurance, mercy, and protection, he finally chose to flee into the mountains, where the angels had originally advised him to go in the first place. This mindset of self-preservation led to serious consequences, as Scripture reveals. After the loss of his wife, Lot and his daughters struggled to trust in the Lord’s protection.
Lot’s Dilemma: Preserving Righteousness in a Corrupt Society
What happened to Lot’s family is a foreshadow of the Day of the Lord. There’s a popular heresy taught by many Christians that tells us that believers should desire to be swept away from the world rather than left behind, but the pattern in the Scriptures tell us the opposite: we should desire to be lifted up and sent away because those who are left behind are the ones who perish.
The legacy of Sodom and Gomorrah, serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of moral decay and the LORD’s righteous judgment. The smoke that continues to rise from the ruins of these cities (Gen 19:28) is a testament to the enduring nature of sin’s consequences, a theme that reverberates throughout the prophetic writings, where the apostate Jerusalem is likened to Sodom (Isa 1:9-10; Ezek 16:46-50; Rev 11:8).
Lot, when he first met the strangers at the gate of Sodom, went the extra mile to extend hospitality to them. Archaeological sites have revealed that in ancient times, the gates of the cities were common area where the elders of the city would render judgement between those with disputes.
The people of Sodom had no issue with Lot serving as a judge at the city gate, as long as he passed judgment on others. However, when he condemned their own immoral behavior, they rejected him. They tolerated Lot because of his wealth but resented his moral values.
According to Jewish tradition, the sages taught that the people of Sodom were known for their extreme hostility toward outsiders. Rather than offering kindness and hospitality to strangers, they responded with cruelty and oppression.
Yeshua’s Teachings on Hospitality: Reflecting the Peace of Heaven
Yeshua, the living embodiment of the Torah, echoes this call to hospitality in His teachings, emphasizing that,
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”” (John 13:20 NAS95)
God’s words have been faithfully recorded by His people as a message for us. Similarly, we communicate with each other through various mediums—emails, paper, or even ancient clay tablets—and preserve these messages for future reference. However, the true essence of a message remains the same, regardless of the medium. It is not the ink, electrons, papyrus, or paper that hold meaning, but rather the words themselves. In this way, a message is immaterial—its significance is spiritual, not merely physical. You can literally kill the messenger but that does not kill the message. It’s human nature to get angry at someone who tells you something you don’t want to hear. The test is in how you respond. A wise man learns from correction, but a fool digs deeper into ignorance when confronted.
“Let love of the brethren continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” (Hebrews 13:1-2 NAS95)
Lot saw these strangers in the city plaza and insisted on protecting them from what he perceived as their naivety.
““But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. “All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’” (Matthew 25:31-36 NAS95)
Acts like feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, and visiting prisoners are expressions of compassion, but they also require personal sacrifice. In the story of the Good Samaritan, he was the only one willing to be inconvenienced to help someone in need, showing true kindness to a vulnerable person. The Good Samaritan exercised compassion and care for the marginalized, even at great personal cost.
Matthew 25:37-46 gives us another glimpse of Heaven’s definition of hospitality. Those who are being crushed down, poor in spirit, and made low are those we should give a help up. Those who are persecuted for righteousness and in prison also deserve help and compassion. In the ancient world, there was no concept of innocent until proven guilty so anyone who visited a prisoner, were risking their own freedom and reputation to do so.
The Levite’s Folly: Societal Decay and the Absence of Godly Leadership
The appalling account in Judges 19 is a chilling parallel to Lot’s experience in Sodom, but with even darker twists. This immoral Levite, supposedly on his way to serve at the tabernacle in Shiloh, stopped for the night at a stranger’s house. A violent mob descended upon the home, demanding to assault the guest. In a shocking act of cowardice and moral corruption, the host and the Levite threw their daughter and concubine out to the predators. The mob seized the Levite’s concubine, brutalized her, and left her dead. The men of Benjamin displayed the same vile depravity as the men of Sodom, but here, the sojourner himself was no righteous man. His outrage over the atrocity committed against his concubine was justified, but his demand for vengeance reeked of hypocrisy.
The book of Judges repeatedly drives home a grim reality: “There was no king in Israel.” But the deeper truth is that Israel did have a King—they simply refused to acknowledge Him. When they later begged Samuel for a king, they weren’t just rejecting his leadership; they were rejecting God Himself. The lawlessness of the judges’ era wasn’t just political chaos—it was outright rebellion against their rightful Ruler in Heaven.
Blinded by their own desires, they craved a king like the surrounding nations—a ruler draped in wealth, seated in a palace, and burdening them with crushing taxes. But human nature demands allegiance; something will be obeyed, something will be worshipped. If you cast aside God as your Judge and King, do not think for a moment that elevating a man in His place will bring freedom. It will only tighten the chains.
When life feels chaotic and uncertain, we can find our anchor in God’s truth. By turning to Him, we find the strength and guidance we need. When we lift up Yeshua, we invite others to experience His love, peace, and the firm foundation He provides.
Transfiguration and Transformation: Glimpses of God’s Glory
“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:25 NAS95)
Yeshua warned His disciples that He was going to Jerusalem to suffer. He was prepared and asked His disciples if they were prepared to go with Him and suffer.
““Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”” (Matthew 16:28 NAS95)
Yeshua is telling us what His Kingdom is like and in the next chapter, several of the Apostles receive a glimpse of his glory.
Yeshua took His closest apostles—Kefa (Peter), Yaakob (James), and Yokhanan (John), the brother of Yaakob—up a high mountain. There, He was transfigured before them, His face shining like the sun and His garments glowing white. Standing beside Him were Moshe (Moses) and Eliyahu (Elijah).
Moses and Elijah shared several key experiences, including their encounters with Adonai on Mount Sinai. When Moses returned from his time with God, his face shone so brightly that he had to cover it with a veil.
Moses exemplified servanthood through humility, but he was not born “the humblest man who ever lived.” Instead, he was shaped by 40 years in the wilderness, where trials and struggles refined his character before he was elevated as Israel’s leader.
Elijah also walked the difficult path of servanthood, enduring repeated rejection by his own people. On Mount Carmel, he witnessed a dramatic victory as HaShem proved His power over the false gods of Jezebel. Yet even after this triumph, Elijah fled in fear. Despite witnessing supernatural power firsthand, Elijah still had to learn who was truly in control.
The Fate of Sodom: A Warning for the Last Day
The Scriptures warn us not to follow the pattern of Sodom. Those who live like those in Sodom are the ones who will be left behind on the Day of the Lord.
““For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.” (Matthew 16:26-27 NAS95)
The Day of the Lord will mirror the Days of Noah and the Days of Lot in an unsettling way. Those who choose to remain willfully ignorant will be caught completely off guard, blind to the warnings of their impending destruction. Just as the people in Noah’s time saw nothing unusual and continued with life as usual, so it will be at the coming of the Lord. Instead of ignoring the corruption around them, they should have mourned, repented, and turned back to God.
Likewise, the people of Sodom and the tribe of Benjamin refused to repent of their lack of hospitality and oppression of foreigner and suffered devastating consequences. In the last days, those who persist in their rebellion will face the same fate. No amount of wealth, status, or luxury can cover up a corrupt heart—God sees beyond appearances, and His judgment cannot be escaped.
We have a choice: to be watchful and prepared or to remain ignorant and be overtaken by the coming judgment. We have the choice to show compassion and hospitality or to be heartless and oppressive. Now is the time to stand firm, to resist the evil spreading in the world, and to be ready to stand before the Lord before everything is consumed in His final reckoning.
We are challenged to embrace the radical hospitality and unwavering commitment to righteousness that characterized the lives of the patriarchs and prophets. We must heed the warnings of the past to be able discern the signs of the times and to align our lives with the eternal purposes of the Messiah — the Word of the Torah made flesh — who alone can lead us through the perils of this world and into the glory of His everlasting kingdom.
Summary: Tammy
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