Ungrateful for Help

"Get out of the way!" they said, adding, "This one came here as a foreigner, but he's acting like a judge! Now we'll do more harm to you than to them." They put pressure on Lot and came up to break down the door. – Genesis 19:9 HCSB

The Son of God told Abraham that the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah was immense, and that their sin was extremely serious. He had decided to go there to see if what they had done justified the cry that had come up to Him.[1]

This statement caused me to wonder, “Who was raising that cry?” It was certainly not the Sodomites for they had universally hardened their hearts. God had promised Abraham that the cities would be spared if the Lord could find 10 righteous people, and that effort obviously failed.

There is no textual evidence that it was Abraham. He did not live there and when God made the deal to save the cities if 10 righteous people could be found, Abraham was content to walk home.
It was not Lot’s immediate family, because they had to be literally taken by the hand and pulled from the city. Lot’s future sons-in-law were actually lost in the conflagration because of their unbelief.

The essential clue is given to us by the apostle Peter who tells us that Lot was, “distressed by the unrestrained behavior of the immoral (for as he lived among them, that righteous man tormented himself day by day with the lawless deeds he saw and heard).”[2]

With that in mind, look again at Genesis 19 where we find Lot waiting by the gate. As soon as he saw strangers entering the city, he immediately invited them to stay at his house. When they at first refused, he “urged them strongly” to comply.[3] He knew what their fate would be if they slept on the streets and was doing his best to protect them.

The Sodomites had a righteous person in their midst who tormented himself about the conditions, whose prayers were raising such a hue and cry in heaven that the Lord God Himself decided to come down and check things out, and was doing what he could to make a difference.

The Sodomites didn’t mind Lot living among them. They didn’t mind his ability to judge and make wise decisions as long as it didn’t go against their wishes. But as soon as he thwarted their evil desires, they turned on him and slandered him as a judgmental outsider who was simply ruining everyone’s fun.

Society loves to ask Christians to help establish hospitals, schools and universities. They like the charitable foundations and they scream for Christians’ help when disasters strike. But let a Christian speak out against abortion, homosexuality or (God forbid) actually claim that another religion is false and watch out!

But don’t stop speaking out. If you save no one else, you might yet save your family.

[1] Genesis 18:20-21
[2] 2 Peter 2:7-8
[3] Genesis 19:3