What were the conditions that prevailed, in the days of Lot? What was it actually like, in the city; and can we find some comparisons, to today? The background to the story is that Lot was living in the City of Sodom, and then he received two angels. Two angels came to the city, because God was wanting to save Lot. God has gone into a discussion with Abraham, and Abraham said: oh man, that's tough - you're going to destroy the city? Can we talk about this? Can I bargain with, You God? God said: okay, say your piece… He said: what if You found 50 people that were righteous, would You spare the city? He said: okay, if I found 50, I will spare it. Then he says: Lord, can we talk about this again? What if we could find a fewer number? Yes, I will do it for the fewer number… but there weren't the fewer number there - that was the problem.
So, the angels come into the city, and they're coming in to rescue Lot. They're coming into the city to warn him that there's imminent destruction, and he must depart from the city.
Genesis 19:1 – “The two angels arrived at Sodom, and Lot was sitting on the gateway of the city, and when he saw them, he got up to meet them, he bowed down his face to the ground”.
Notice that he's in the gateway - the place of leadership, so he's an influential person in the city now, because he's very wealthy. He got up to meet them. “My lords…” - so he recognised that they come from God.
Genesis 19:2-3 – “My lords,” he said, “please turn aside to your servant’s house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning.” “No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square. But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate.”
Now he knew why they needed to go into the city… Don't stay out in the city, it will be tough for you out there. The streets aren't safe. You need to come into my home.
Genesis 19:4-5 – “Before they'd gone to bed all the men from every part of the City of Sodom, young and old, surrounded the house. And they called out to Lot - where are the men who came with you tonight? Bring them out to us, so we can have sex with them”.
So, even putting them in his house didn't save them! This is a very dangerous city - lawless, out of control, and there were sexual perversions operating.
Genesis 19:6-7 – “Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing”.
They're all bent on the homosexual rape of his visitors, but he stands up, and pushes back. ‘Brethren’, he says - so he's not being judgemental in any way... Don't do this! This is not right, this is wrong. This is wicked to do such a thing, because they're under my house. In our culture, if someone comes into your house, they come into your protection - so he said: now they're under my protection, so please, this would be a terrible thing to break. What's going to happen in our culture, if people come into your house, but you don't look out for them, and protect them? I'm out here to stand on their behalf, to protect them, because, according to our culture, this is a covenant relationship. They come into my house, come under my name, under my protection - I'm responsible for them.
Genesis 19:9-12 - They said: stand back! They said: (talking about Lot) this one came to stay here, but now he keeps acting as a judge. Then they said: now we'll deal with you worse than them, so they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break down the door. Then the angels rescued Lot and blinded the people so they couldn't find the door. Then the angels told him: you need to get out of the city quickly.
Here's the condition of the people...
1) Pride, and arrogance. They were just self-important, and self-centred.
2) Self-indulgence, fullness of bread.
3) Cold-hearted, their lack of concern for the poor, and these are the things that come from a culture whose heart has become broken and hard.