Fire from Heaven

Genesis 19 as a Picture of Divine Judgment and Human Depravity

Invite you to take out your Bible and turn to Genesis chapter 19 and hold your place at verse 24. I'm gonna give a few preliminary words before we read the text as many of you know, we preach verse by verse here as much as possible through books of the Bible and that is a blessing to be able to study whole books of the Bible together, but that also comes with it a difficulty at times.

Because there are chapters That we might rather skip. At least in our mind we think boy, this is going to be tough to talk about. And I got to thinking about the fact that we're family integrated worship which means that we invite our children not to leave the service, but to stay and to be here and Today the subject matter is so sordid That I had to consider my words carefully as I began to prepare for what we are going to talk about.

I do think that as my responsibility to be honest about what the text says, but we don't have to be graphic. We have imaginations. We know what's being said. And so I want to be fair and There will be times where I say, you know what this means and you'll know what it means.

And I want to remind us again where we are in Genesis because Many of you haven't been here. Some of you've only been coming for a little while some of you Maybe today is your first day. We have been studying through Genesis now for a couple of years.

We're only now to chapter 19. We took a lot of time in the first 11 chapters and now we're sort of trying to go whole chapters at a time if possible. Because we don't want to be in Genesis until the Lord come.

Oh, well, I mean if he comes tomorrow, that'd be great. We don't know when he's going to come but I mean we'd like to eventually move to another book. And so we're kind of taking longer sections now as the narratives draw longer.

We're going to be looking at longer texts and today. I mean, honestly This text is one I'd rather get through in one day. It begins with a attempted gang molestation and ends with incest. It's very very I'd just like to get it behind us.

Be honest. It's a lot of stuff to get through. But I want to remind you what brought us here you will remember that Abraham is this is the key figure in Genesis beginning in chapter 12 and He will really remain the key figure of Scripture because even in the New Testament Abraham has a place of importance.

We who have who have been brought into the family of God by faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible says we have been made sons and daughters of Abraham. So this figure in Genesis is not just important in a few chapters.

He's important throughout the whole of redemptive history. But if we go back to chapter 12, we learn there's also someone else that's important in Abraham's life and his name was lot. Lot was Abraham's nephew.

He was the son of Abraham's brother and Abraham loved lot. After they came back from Egypt when they had went away for a famine when they came back lots Servants and Abraham's servants were arguing with one another and Abraham said we can't let this continue.

We have to separate you pick which way you want to go and I'll go the other way. So Abraham gave deference to his nephew when Abraham was the he was the one who was in the position of superiority. But he he he humbled himself and he said you go where you want to go and in Genesis 13 verse 11 It says this you want to turn there.

I just want you to be reminded of this. It says so lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley and lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan. While lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom.

The King James says he pitched his tent toward Sodom. I like that phrase. He's looking towards Sodom and it says this in verse 13 of chapter 13. It says now the men of Sodom were wicked great sinners before the Lord.

So that's where that's where lot went. He went to this city where he was in proximity. With some of the greatest sinners in the world who had who had gathered themselves together in this city called Sodom.

Wasn't too many years later that that city fell under attack by the five kings. You remember we studied that in chapter 14 the five kings came in to take over Sodom. And they took the people as spoils of war and one of the people that they took was lot.

Abraham grabbed his 300 men and they ran after and they went after and they captured and killed those kings and they took Lot back. Abraham loved his nephew. He loved lot and he saved him he brought him back.

But notice lot didn't come back to Abraham's house. You would think maybe that he would. This man loves me. Maybe now this will be the point that joins our people together and we can come back and live in harmony.

No, a lot goes right back to Sodom right back to the wicked people that we come to chapter 18 and the Lord appears to Abraham. Abraham by now and he says to Abraham I'm going to destroy Sodom. The cry of their wickedness has reached my ear.

I've sent two angels into Sodom to investigate this cry. And Abraham said Lord if if you were to find 50 righteous, would you? Spare the city and the Lord said if I find 50 righteous I'll spare the city and then he 45 and 40 30 20 and 10.

But you know why Abraham was interceding for Sodom at least I hope you understand why Abraham Cares so much for Sodom because he knows in the heart of the city he knows that among the village of Sodom among this city is a house and in that house is his nephew whom he loves and He's asking God.

Will you not spare the righteous and will you not even spare the wicked on account of the righteous? God said if I find 10. And perhaps Abraham talking to brother Mike about this last week, perhaps Abraham was counting in his mind.

Well, we got lot his wife. He's got two daughters. They've got two husbands and they've got in-laws. Maybe that's where he came up with the number 10. We don't know. Maybe that's where he kind of figured maybe we have 10 righteous people and we'd save the whole city.

Well as we know because we're familiar with history God's judgment did befall Sodom and it befell Sodom in such a way that Sodom would then become the example throughout biblical history of what it looks like when God's Unfettered wrath falls upon a people.

And that's what we're going to look at today. So let's stand we're going to read verses 24 and 25 giving honor and reverence to God's Word as we stand. This is the point of God destroying the city it says in verse 24.

Then the Lord reigned on Sodom and Gomorrah Sulphur and fire from the Lord out of heaven and he overthrew those cities and all the valley and all the inhabitants of the cities and What grew on the ground?

Was all destroyed Father in heaven as we seek to open your word today and understand what it means. I pray that you would keep me from error. I Pray that you would keep me in the center of your will. I pray that you would give me boldness.

That you would hold my tongue that I would not say anything that would be in an opposition to your word. But at the same time Lord that I would not be afraid to say whatever your word says in Jesus name Amen, as I said earlier.

Sodom as a Biblical Pattern of Wickedness and Judgment

Throughout the Bible when we look at Historical narratives we often see Sodom come up as the symbol of wickedness. Anytime Sodom comes up after this story after this narrative. It's almost always to point back to this narrative and say look what God does to the wicked.

It's a picture of what God does to the wicked. Sodom is mentioned seven times. And the rather excuse me seven books of the Old Testament. So out of 39 Old Testament books seven books mention Sodom and in the New Testament out of 27 books six books Reference Sodom.

So Sodom is mentioned throughout the Old Testament and throughout the New Testament as a picture of God's Judgment, it's a picture of wickedness. Sodom is a picture of Man's depravity on display God having given them over as it were to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

Sodom is the picture of that. In fact, don't we still use that today? I Mean we talk about cities like Vegas or Atlantic City or whatever. We look at the cities that have you know prostitution and all these different things that are just legal and Available at any at any moment and we say that's a modern example of Sodom.

It's a modern Sodom and Gomorrah. That's the example we often use. Because we know the depravity for which this city was named. And God constantly points us back to that. Reading through I was reading all the passages in all the books that reference Sodom.

This week as I was preparing for the sermon and it was always the fingers was always pointing back. But it was always look at yourselves look at Sodom and know that you're in danger because you're like them.

In fact, sometimes Sodom was used as almost a better example. Think of what Jesus said to Corazon and Bethsaida. Woe to you Corazon and Bethsaida for if what had been done and you had been done in Sodom they would have repented.

How wicked they were and how much more wicked you are. Than they. Sodom is the fourth major judgment that we find in the Bible. The first major judgment came when man ate of the fruit of the tree of the garden.

He was cast from the garden. He was separated from God. That was the first and might I add I think in a sense the worst. Because the the fellowship that Adam had with God was divided and separated. We see the first judgment come in Genesis chapter 3.

Three chapters later the wickedness of man was was wild on the earth and widespread and so God sends a flood. That's the second major judgment that we find in The Bible then we get to chapter 11. We come to the third major judgment.

Man was commanded to go into all the world to to fill the earth and subdue it. But rather he stayed in one place and he tried to build a tower to heaven and tried to build a tower for his name. And to make his name great rather than exalting the God of heaven.

He tried to exalt himself. And so he built the Tower of Babel and when he built the Tower of Babel God came down and he confused their languages. And he divided men. He created Created nations. Remember we go through the table of nations in chapter 10.

Just all the division of all the nations we look around the world today a war all over this is part of the separation that happened at Babel. So we see three major judgments, right? We see the fall we see the flood we see Babel then we come to chapter 19 and we experience the fourth and might I say quite possibly the most stunning of the judgments.

Because as epic as Noah's flood was and it was epic it was on a global scale. But it wasn't fire falling from heaven. We've all seen water fall from heaven. We have all seen rain flood the earth in one sense or another.

We've all seen as Hurricanes come and break levees and destroy cities. We have seen a snippet of what? Noah Experienced but outside of perhaps a volcanic eruption, none of us have seen fire fall from the sky and Consume a people in brimstone and ash.

It is a the spectacle of it must have been absolutely Mind-boggling and that's what we see in Genesis 19. Now before we read the text and I I tend to have longer introductions and the reason for that in case you don't have it Picked up on my methodology yet I'm preparing you so that when we actually read the text you have some context to understand more of what we're reading and The last thing I want to say before we get to reading the the chapter is this.

There is a particular sin Which Sodom is associated with and It wasn't too long ago that the term sodomite was used to describe a Homosexual and there's a reason for that and we're going to see that in the text today however, I don't know how familiar you are with biblical academic literature and Men who write to make arguments about the Bible but in the last 10 to 15 years, there's been a huge push in The academic circles to try to say that the sin of Sodom was not homosexuality and Rather they will point to passages like Ezekiel which does mention some other sins and say it really wasn't homosexuality.

But it was it was the sin of not being hospitable. It was the sin of being gluttonous. It was the sin of being lazy. These are things that Ezekiel mentions and all of those are true. I want you to understand all of those sins are true but if we try to eliminate the sin of homosexuality from this we have missed a very important part of the story and In fact what we are doing is we're trying to whitewash one sin.

Oh Yes, sure in hospital in hospital battle in Hospitality. Okay. Yeah, there we go in hospitality is a sin and sure gluttony is a sin. But this one's not a sin you see that's what's trying to happen but understand this.

When we read through the Bible and Sodom is mentioned The abomination of their sin the abomination of their sexual sin is often the key point that's brought out in fact. If you go into the New Testament You read 2nd Peter and you read when the passage is mentioned in Jude as well about these.

About Sodom it mentions their sexual perversion. So we can't eliminate that as part of the issue and and I want to just point something out to you in Romans chapter 1 it tells us what happens to us a people when they abandon God and They are given over to a debased mind.

You remember what it says it says that they they give up worshiping God and instead they worship the Creator Created things they worship birds and animals and totems and creeping things and all these different things.

They worship all these things and what happens to them. They're given over to a debased mind. In fact, that's one of the things that God does is he gives people over to the to the basest part of their sin?

And what does it say in Romans 1? I'll read it to you Romans 1 26 for this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions for their woman their women exchanged the natural relations for those that are contrary to nature and the men likewise gave up gave up natural relations with women and were Consumed with passion with one another men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the penalty for their error.

You say well Romans 1 isn't talking about Sodom not specifically what Romans 1 is talking about. It's talking about a people that have continually rejected the God of Scripture and God has given them over to the sinful lusts of their flesh and one of the ways that they express the sinful lusts of the flesh is through abhorrent and perverted sexual expression when a society is given over to overt expressions of sexual depravity.

Especially the unnatural perversion of homosexual lust you can be confident that that society has been given over to a debased mind. Now I say that and you stop for a minute and let's leave Sodom and let's go to America for just a hot minute.

And what have we done. We have given over to overt expressions of perverted sexuality. Calling them normal. We're we are a Romans 1 society should scare us. Because we're right where Sodom was. I mean sure people aren't surrounding the house calling for the angels to come out but Who knows what's going to happen tomorrow?

So this is where Sodom is. Sodom is right in the heart of Romans 1 so that gives us the context to begin reading. Now, let's read Genesis 19 beginning in verse 1. The two angels came to Sodom in the evening and lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom.

When lot saw them he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth and said my lords Please turn aside to your servants house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.

They said no, we will spend the night in the town square, but he pressed them strongly. So they turned aside to him and entered his house and he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread and they ate All right, just for a moment.

Let's I don't want to read the whole chapter. I want to stop and make some comments as we go. The angels have been sent by the Lord to investigate the city the city of Sodom as the angels come into town.

They come upon a man who's sitting at the city gate. The city gate was a place of authority. So in some way Lot has risen to a position of authority within the city. He's risen to a position of being probably a judge one who made legal decisions among the city.

You'll remember What was it Psalm? 31 I'm sorry Proverbs 31 about the the the Proverbs 31 woman and her husband is known in the city gates. References that so this is this is common in the ancient world that a man of prominence would have a position in the gate of The city and this is where a lot was and I I want to say something about lot before we go too far into the story.

It is important to remember that the Bible identifies lot as a righteous man. I Say that because we're gonna he's gonna do some stuff. That's gonna make us wonder about that designation. But if you go to 2nd Peter chapter 2, in fact, let's do it.

Let's look at 2nd Peter to just quickly turn in our Bibles. I want you to notice what it says about lot. It first talks about Noah in verses 4 through 6 I'm sorry 4 and 5 and then it says in verse 6 if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes He condemned him he condemned them to extinction making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly and if he rescued Righteous lot notice righteous lot that term.

Greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked for as that righteous man. Second time uses the word righteous still talking about lot as that righteous man lived among them day after day. He was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw in her notice.

It calls his soul righteous. Three times the word righteous is used of lot and this is what it says. It says he lived among a wicked people, but it vexed his soul living among a wicked people vexed his soul now.

Do you feel that like I do. I really I feel that because there have been times where I turn on the Television and I see the wickedness of the world that I live in and it vexes my soul. So for a moment before we get into lots failures.

Let's at least identify who he was in Sodom. He was a voice of reason and righteousness in the midst of a people of wickedness and debauchery. He was one of the judges. And some people think well the reason why he had a position of a judge is because he was related to Abraham.

Abraham had saved them all from the evil Kings. Maybe that's how he rose to power could be we don't know. But it could also be that they recognized in this man a reasonableness and a justice. That was necessary even in the midst of a wicked people.

He had a position in the town where he was sitting at the gate and in come the two angels. We can go back to Genesis now in come the two angels and what does he try to do? He tries to protect them. They said we're gonna go sleep in the city.

Oh imagine how that would have went we're gonna go sleep in the city square and Lot said no, you're not. If you go to the city square, I don't. I can't imagine what's going to happen. You see he knows the potential danger by the way, and I don't think he knows our angels yet.

Just just to be clear. He thinks these are two men. In fact, you know why I believe lot sat at that gate. I believe lot sat at that gate to turn people away. I Can't prove that and again you want to argue with me later you you can but I think lot had a protected Protective heart and when he saw people coming he knew the danger they would be in and he would try.

What does he say to him? They said we're gonna go stay in the know you come to my house and you're gonna leave early in the morning. You're gonna leave before anybody sees you. We're gonna get you in where you get your fed.

We're gonna get you out. Again lot is no superhero. Trust me. He gonna make a mistake a bunch. But I'm trying to help you understand what I think his heart's at in this as they're coming in. No, don't come into the city square come into my house and we're gonna put you up for the night.

You're gonna leave early in the morning. Okay, so that's where we get to and he feeds him by the way He feeds them. Well, we see the example of hospitality. We talked about Abraham was so hospitable last chapter.

We see lot taking the example of his uncle and being also hospitable here. And then we get to verse 4 but before they lay down. The men of the city the men of Sodom both young and old all the people to the last man.

Surrounded the house and they called to lot where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them Just very quickly. The term no there does not simply mean they wanted to check their green card it does not mean that they wanted to check their citizenship papers and Some people argue that's all they meant.

They just want to get to know these guys. They just want to know who they are. You got strangers lot and we don't take kindly to strangers. We want to get to know them in The Bible the word no is Often associated with intimate or some might use the term carnal knowledge.

Adam knew Eve and they conceived a child. It's a good example. So the idea of no Does not simply mean hey, we want to get to know these guys and I can prove it if you have an issue with my Interpretation I will prove it by simply continuing to read.

Because notice what lot does verse 6 lot went out to the men at the entrance. Shut the door after him and said I beg you my brothers do not act so wickedly. Notice he doesn't say I beg you to leave these men alone.

You don't have to get their green card. You don't have to get their citizenship papers. No, no, don't act wickedly. Why does he say that because he knows what they want? They don't want these men simply to check their ID.

They want these men to engage in a brutal act of community molestation. That's what nicest way I can say verse 8 this is the part we have trouble with and I get it. Verse 8 makes your stomach turn. Notice what he says.

Behold, I have two daughters who have not known a man. Let me bring them out to you and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men for they have come under the shelter of my roof. By the way, there's proof right there what they want.

What they want is a carnal interaction. Lot knows it. They know it. Lot comes out do not molest these men and Then he says something that I don't get at all and please don't come to me and ask me to defend him because I will not.

Lot says I have two daughters who are virgins. Take them. I don't get it. The only thing I can say and this is the only thing I can really and again I've thought all week I pray about this. What am I going to say?

How am I going to understand this? How am I going to preach this? The only thing I can understand is Lot has his has had his mind so jaded living among the people of Sodom. That his He's his thoughts are messed up the way he thinks is messed up.

That's that's kind of the way I've cut, you know, you live among the sinful people long enough it affect, you know What the Bible says you your bad company corrupts good morals, right? And so he's among these people long enough that he he begins to think a little a little messed up that that's one way of Considering it but also this and.

And this one's a little little tougher Lot is. Lot knows these men enough. He knows it's not going to work. That's another thought. He knows they don't want that they have wives. They're not looking for female intercourse.

They're looking for this Debauchery and by the way, think about think about the position that lot is in this is like house of the living dead, right? I've never seen it, but I've seen Clips where the we're like the zombies are coming and they're surrounding the house send out the men and so this is his Response he's he's he's trying to bargain with them.

He's trying to find something that will get them to give up this wickedness and go home. Go sleep it off get away from here. So in sheer terror and With a mind that has been probably corrupted in many ways.

He offers his daughters Verse 9 but they said stand back and They said this fellow came to surge sojourn and he has become the judge now. We will deal worse with you than with them. Then they pressed hard against the man lot and drew near to break the door down.

But the men reached out their hands and brought lot into the house With them and shut the door and they struck with blindness the men who were at the entrance of the house both small and great. So that they wore themselves out groping for the door.

That's that by the way verse 11 crazy. Absolutely crazy because here's what happens lot goes out. He tries to bargain with the guys. The guys aren't having it. They begin to they begin to say who are you to judge us?

Don't you love that? Doesn't that sound like America? 2021. Who are you to judge? This man is a sojourner among us he is a visitor with us. He's not one of us. He's not a sodomite who is he to be our judge and they're shouting who are you to be our judge and We're gonna treat you worse than them.

What does that mean? Lots about to become the victim of their lust. So the angels grab lot they bring him back inside and then they blind the men now. It's interesting if you look at the Hebrew word for blind here.

It's not the typical word for blindness it's actually the word that would mean more something to the idea of dazzle them or confuse them and Brian Borgman one of my favorite pastors. He said it was kind of like kind of like the angels threw out a flashbang grenade.

It was like it wasn't that they were totally blinded like a sight removed, but they couldn't. They were confused. Absolutely confused but notice verse 11. They don't stop. Their lust and their passion for this desire to be fulfilled.

It says they were groping for the door. I can't get past that. I can't get past the fact that even though they were blinded They were still groping for the door sinful men. It's kind of like a person who you know.

A person who's addicted to something. They know it's killing them. They but they still gotta have it. Even though they're dying. They still want it and these men are Addicted to this lust and they're not gonna let anything stop them from getting it even blindness.

Verse 12. Then the men said to lot have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law sons daughters or anyone you have in the city bring them out of the place for we are about to destroy this place. Because the outcry against this people has become great before the Lord and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.

So lot went out and said to his sons-in-law who were to marry his daughters, by the way, that sounds confusing. He calls them sons-in-laws who were to marry in the ancient world. Remember betrothal was a year process that happened before the marriage.

They were still considered married, but they had not yet consummated marriage. This is why he said his daughters had not yet known a man. Right these these his daughters had not yet been officially In the in the relationship of marriage, but they're they're still sons-in-law because they've already signed the contract.

Okay, so that's where they are. And he goes to them. So lot went out said to his sons-in-law who were to marry his daughters up get out of this place for the Lord Is about to destroy the city, but he seemed to his sons-in-law to be joking to be jesting.

Understand this to the unbelieving world. God's judgment is a joke to the unbelieving world the justice and judgment of God is laughable. You turn on your television. What is what is Satan? He's a he's a fictional character in a TV show right, he's a he's a Goat-legged horned beast with a pitchfork.

He's not anything to be feared. He's a joke. Hell is a joke. Everything's a joke. Jesus is a joke. They thought he was joking many people when you proclaim the Lord to them. They will think you're joking, too.

They will laugh at you, but the judgment of God is no joke. Verse 15 as morning dawned. The angels urged lot saying up take your wife and your two daughters. Who are here lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city?

But he lingered oh I'm sorry. I keep having to stop. Lot lingered he know he just told his sons-in-law God's about to destroy this city come with us when it's finally time to go though Lot doesn't want to go.

Why? Because he's still in Sodom and his heart his heart still in Sodom. He's still he done. He's not ready to go. It says but he lingered so the men that being the angels seized Him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand the Lord being merciful to him and they brought him out and set him outside The city now I want to say this now, so I don't forget to say it later.

This is a picture of how God saved us. We who are in the world loving the world. Dead and trespasses and sins and the Bible says God came and he changed our heart. He brought us out. We didn't go looking for him.

He came to us. Talk about irresistible grace these angels come with us and they grabbed lot by the arm verse 17. And as they brought them out one said escape for your life. Do not look back. That's important.

Do not look back. Or stop everywhere anywhere in the valley escape to the hills lest you be swept away. And then verse 18 again this guy confuses me so much I want to give him the benefit of the doubt in every area but lot just a lot.

I don't get it verse 18 again I've been studying this all week. I just don't get it. Listen. He says verse 18 and lot said to them Oh my lords. Behold your servant has found favor in your sight and you have shown me great kindness and saving my life.

We call that the understatement of the year. But I cannot escape to the hills lest the disaster overtake me and I die. Behold the city this city is near enough to flee to and it's a little one. Let me escape there.

Is it not a little one and my life will be saved. Behold. Excuse me. He said to him behold I grant you this favor also. That I may not overthrow the city of which you have spoken escape there quickly for I can do nothing till you arrive there.

Therefore the name of the city was called Zohar. Zohar means it's not in the text. But Zohar means insignificant or small or little the idea of a it's a little city, but here's the thing you got Angels right and they're like, come on.

We got to go and they're grabbing him by the arm. They're pulling him along and and and lot first of all, he doesn't want to leave he's lingering. Don't understand that and he's dragging him along and he and they go you're gonna go to the hills and you're gonna find your place In the hills and no, no, no.

No, I need city living. I'm not made for country life. I need a city. But notice his excuse if I go there, I'll die. You mean to tell me? That God sent two angels to save you from this city. That's about to burn with fire from heaven and you think you're not going to make it in the mountains.

You think God's gonna let you go up there and perish. But they gave him his desire go to the city. We'll find out in a minute though. He didn't stay there long. He ends up in the mountains. It could be the fact that in a few moments we're going to see something happen to his wife.

That's really could have maybe changed his mind. But that's where he's at, right? He wants to go to the city. They say okay go to the city. We won't destroy that city. We'll leave that city for you. Then we get to verse 23.

This is the moment of impact if you will. The Sun had risen on the earth when lot came to Zoar then the Lord Reigned on Sodom and Gomorrah Sulphur and fire from the Lord out of heaven and he overthrew those cities and all the valley and all the inhabitants of the city and What grew on the ground?

But lots wife Behind him looked back and She became a pillar of salt. This moment Has created much consternation in the minds and hearts of people for two reasons one There are those who would say this is purely mythological.

The idea that God would throw fire out of heaven and destroy a people that's Mythology and the idea that God would turn a woman into salt. Sort of like Medusa if you looked at her in the face, you would become stone.

Right, and so many people who have a derisive heart against the scriptures who have a very antagonistic Heart against what the word says they look at this and they say see here this never happened. This is absolute mythology.

Let me respond to that the Bible does tell us that God does amazing things they're called miracles and These miracles are when God steps into the order that he has created what we might call the natural order and God interrupts the natural order.