Lot - a Man Who Began Well but Ended Badly! — Erlo Stegen

Lot's Beginning and the Danger of Ending Badly

Today I'd like to speak about somebody who started well, but he ended in a very sad way. And that is Lot. Good Lord.

Abraham's nephew. Because Lot was Abram's brother's son. I'm taking from Genesis chapter 13 and then Genesis 18 and 19.

It's quite a long passage and so I will not be able to read all of it. One day Abram was visited by three men. It was during a time when it was hot. And he was seated at the opening of his tent. There was quite a big tree there, an oak tree on which he sat.

When he saw them, he ran to them, he bowed down before them, and he invited them to come to his place to have something to eat and to be refreshed. And as they were seated, and he ran to his wife Sarah and he said, Sarah, quickly, take some flour, bake some bread and also I want the fattened calf to be slaughtered for these people.

And so he ran to his servant and he also said to his servant to quickly prepare the fattened calf because he's got some visitors.

I wouldn't like to go into it, who they were, but we leave that for today. They came from God and he bowed to them.

Sodom's Sin and God's Judgment

God saw Sodom and Gomorrah. And they forsook Abraham and they entered into sin, into carnality. God had said that if we do not honor and recognize him as God, God will give men over to all types of perversity and even homosexuality.

And so it was also in Sodom and Gomorrah. They were inflamed with lust, men towards other men, women towards other women, young and old, amongst them all, it was like that. And then there was a great noise of this and a stench of this that rose up to God in heaven because even if we do things that are on earth, the noise of that reaches God.

And so he said to his servant to quickly prepare the fattened calf because he's got some visitors.

There was a great uproar. There was an outcry in heaven, heard in heaven because of their sin. For example, also what happened to Abel and Cain. When Cain said to his brother Abel, let's go out into the fields, and there he murdered him.

After that, God said, the blood of your brother Abel is crying out to me in heaven. Whatever you do here on earth, your sins, cry out in heaven. Now that today shouldn't confuse us, we should be able to understand it with modern technology and communication that there is today.

For example, if somebody speaks in the USA, then that gets broadcast on TV all over the world and you can hear it here as well. Well, God has got his own television system in heaven. One very wise mother taught her daughter and said, my child, you have got a body in heaven as well, just as you've got a body here on earth.

And whatever your body here on earth does, your body in heaven does. And it does it before God and all his holy angels. And that child never forgot that. She always remembered it, that whatever she does here on earth, she's doing in heaven as well, before the sight of God.

When he had murdered his brother Abel, God saw that, that greater than that even, that blood that was shed, cried out to God in heaven. Now this homosexuality of these Sodomites and those in Gomorrah, they lived in a very plain and a wonderful area, it was in the plains, very fertile.

And then God said, I am sick and tired of this sin, of these people.

I'm going to send them rain from heaven, but not rain as in rain, but it's going to rain fire and brimstone down from heaven. And God said, but how can I hide anything from my servant Abraham, that I'm going to destroy these people because of their sin?

Because Abraham doesn't hide anything from me. God said, I have known Abraham. And the Hebrew language, that word has got a very deep meaning. It is said that Adam knew his wife Eve, and then she bore him a child.

That is the most intimate fellowship there can be. And God said, Abraham doesn't hide anything from me, he's totally transparent before me, shall I then hide from Abraham what I'm about to do?

And God said, I'm going to send rain from heaven, but not rain as in rain, but it's going to rain fire and brimstone down from heaven.

And so these three men, just before they left, said to Abraham what God was about to do. That God was going to send down fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah, and destroy those cities, those evil cities, who could constantly, from sunrise to sunset, all the time, only think about sex.

Whatever they did was totally saturated with sex. Their thoughts, all they could do and think was sex. And God said, instead of there being an improvement in Sodom and Gomorrah, in their lifestyle, in their morality.

It only goes down and it gets worse into the mire and clay of sin. And then God said the following day there will be rain from heaven but not of water of fire and brimstone. And then Abram asked of God, he said, will you sweep away the righteous with the unrighteous, with the wicked?

Will they be destroyed together? And Abram asked of God, he said, O God, if there were to be 50 righteous people in those cities, will you really sweep away those cities and not spare it for the sake of those 50 righteous people?

And God answered, if 50 righteous people were to be found, I will not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. And then Abram thought about that and he thought, well, maybe I am too high. He said, O God, what if there are five less, if there are only 45?

Or 40. And went down to 30. Or 20. Or only 10. And God said, if only 10 righteous people were to be found, I will not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. So do you realize that God hasn't yet destroyed South Africa must be because there are still a few righteous people to be found?

And God said, if 50 righteous people were to be found, I will not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. And God said, if 50 righteous people were to be found, I will not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. I will not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.

Moral Compromise and the Influence of Sodom

Homosexuality is rife in South Africa to such an extent that laws are even promulgated where homosexuals can get married to one another. And if you speak against homosexuality then you are guilty of a crime that you.

Are going against that law. In some countries servants of God are even jailed those who criticize and speak against homosexuality but if a few righteous.

People are found then. God doesn't destroy that country because of them. Now I say and I say that lot started well but ended badly. One day Abraham called his nephew lot to him. They were both they both herds.

The herds and flocks were blessed. God had blessed both of them. God had blessed lot.

Because of father Abraham and the grazing became too little for both of.

Their flocks. And so one day Abraham called lot and he said it's not good if.

Our herdsmen quarrel he said lot you decide now you choose the direction that.

You want to go. If you go to the east I go to the west if you go to the north I go to the south. But he said lot there should not be disunity amongst us there shouldn't be any quarreling. Abraham as a man of God knew that if God's children are not one and totally united that is where Satan comes in amongst them.

And I wondered but what was this quarreling all about. And what type of quarreling was it. And what did that word in the original Hebrew language.

Really mean. Yes it speaks about quarreling and infighting.

But always when this word quarreling is used it has the connotation of defending.

Yourself where a person always defends himself you defend yourself. You say I'm right that person is wrong. Now I can talk about it I can speak about it. And Abraham said such a thing is not allowed amongst God's people.

Go to the east I'll go to the west go to the north. The best is to separate those people. We don't need people that can gossip talk about others living in disunity. We don't want them here. They are a curse to us.

There's also another word that is related to this way which has the connotation or the meaning where you think yourself better than others and that is why you find that you've got the right to speak about them.

And in Genesis 4 verse 23 we read it about this man who always saw that he was right and the others were wrong. Now Abraham's herdsmen they found fault with the herdsmen of Lot and vice versa.

As well and they would say well they've got better grazing than what we've got and all of that is contained in this word where they quarreled where a person.

Justifies himself or a person sees himself as better than the other one. And so Abraham man of God spoke to his nephew Lot and he said you choose now. He made himself to be the smallest and the least and he gave Lot the first choice.

Lot's response should have been father Abraham let not my will happen but you.

Decide and I'll do what you say.

And so Lot lifted up his eyes and he looked around him and he then chose for himself. He made his own choice. And he saw the plains of Sodom and Gomorrah that they were like a well-watered garden. He said oh my sheep and my flocks they will get such good grazing there.

They will grow fit and I will be well off and I will prosper much better than when I'm here with father Abraham. He wasn't concerned about their immorality and their prostitution. Even as you have prostitution in South Africa today and in the world where young people sell their bodies for money and well those things belong to Sodom and Gomorrah.

And where you get job offers where you don't need any qualifications and you think well this is a job opportunity to go and sit in an office in the meantime it's to get involved in prostitution. Lot went and dwelt in Sodom and Gomorrah and the plains of those cities and the.

Says that his soul was vexed day and night because of the wickedness and it wasn't easy for him to go away from that place because his wife was very.

Attached to that place. She loved those cities she loved their lifestyle she.

Loved the atmosphere there do you hear that you wives and so her children grew.

Up there and if children grow up in a place like that they become influenced by the atmosphere there and the spirit there. And they even got themselves some husbands-to-be from that area. They got engaged to them.

And I wondered, Lot, even though your wife liked that place so much why didn't you bid her farewell, said goodbye to her, left her there and went off.

Lot, how could you allow such a thing to happen?

I said Lot, how could you allow such a thing as the head of the home of your family the father of your children to allow your daughters to live in such a place to be educated there to be influenced and to be married by men of that place.

Not. How on earth could you allow something like that. What came into you. You see a man on a high level and a high standard gradually lowering his well. On the other hand one can understand why he had no authority to rebuke his wife and his children and to straighten them because he himself was of that caliber.

He himself became weak because even when God said now flee from here he hesitated and he lingered. And then he also argued with God. He said oh God let me not fly to the mountains because I might perish on the way.

Let me rather go to this little city. You see why. His servants were like that and his wife and children because he was like that even though he was a righteous man. And God said of Abraham I have known Abraham.

There is an intimate fellowship between us and I have. I knew and I know that Abraham will have the authority to command his family his children and his servants to obey my commands Abraham had.

Authority to command his children and his servants to do something. And they did it. How did he get that authority. By hiding nothing from God walking in the.

Lot's Welcome to the Heavenly Messengers

And these heavenly messengers said to Abraham we are leaving we're going there to Lot because we're going to tell him about those cities that are going to be.

Destroyed. They went there and Lot also welcomed them very well as a righteous man and he invited them into his home and they said no we'll just sleep here.

On the city plane he said no these are wicked times and he pleaded with them until eventually they gave in and they came to him. And after they had eaten supper before they had gone to bed their house was surrounded by a big crowd of men young and old and they say bring these visitors of yours out to us bring them out to us so that we can have sex with him.

Do you see how they were like wild animals. Even wild animals don't do that but do you see how degraded.

A person becomes that turns his back on God. And they had a big demonstration there beating on the door shouting and saying Lot open for us and so Lot.

Excused himself from his visitors he said just excuse me for a moment. And so he went out to go and speak to these men outside. And so Lot went to these men and he said please I plead with you stop with this which you intend to do.

Don't do anything to these men for they have come.

And my roof for protection. But a lot. When was then the judge persuade. And it when I'll see you Allah I'll see you. I need to move. Dog figure Moosa bombs to say Lord Lord. But the bump in the Zilla.

I'm a total. Our abode would. He was only.

My Lord but on Bullard. And then these people started shouting at lot and said now you make yourself out to be a judge over us and you've just come recently you're not even from this place you're an alien get out of our way.

And they pressed against him and these other men inside lots house realized that they reached out to lot and they pulled him into the house and shut the door and.

Then they struck all these men young and old with blindness. But you let go.

The door but now they couldn't find the door anymore and they went round and round the house not being able to find the door. And then these messengers said to lot they said we have come as messengers from heaven we have come to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah by dawn and you need to get out of this place.

And he said that the outcry to the Lord against its people has become so great that he sent us to destroy it. He said haven't you got any people here in the city that belong to you. And so he said he's got some sons-in-law that are pledged to be married to his daughters.

And he went to them lot and he tried to convince them and he said hurry you must come with me to flee from this place. God is going to destroy this place at sunrise because of its wickedness. And they thought he was joking and they laughed at him and they thought well maybe lot is drunk.

That's.

Why he's speaking like that. And he said don't play the fool with us we don't.

Believe that that fire would come down from heaven from God and destroy everything. There's no such thing. And so lot said to his wife and his daughters now early in the morning we've got to flee from this place.

We must hurry. And you have to leave your husbands to be or your boyfriends behind and let's flee. Maybe there are some amongst us that have got boyfriends and rather than separating from their boyfriends they rather choose to separate from their family from their home to separate from their opportunities to be educated.

And such people are citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah. And the next morning lot hesitated. He lingered. He dragged his feet. He wasn't sharp and that which God had said to him and commanded to him. He was blunt.

I don't know whether he perhaps doubted. And when he hesitated the men the angels they grasped his hand and that of his wife and his daughters and they said to them hurry we must flee. God is only holding back his judgment because of you.

And they left with him. And as soon as they had let them out into safety they said to them now flee for your lives and don't look back. But then lots wife look back. I feel sorry for such a man who has married to such a wife.

Remember Lot's Wife and the Cost of Looking Back

You young men you're in such a hurry to get married. But you don't realize that that wife to whom you get married might be like a millstone around your neck and will hold you back from attaining to that that God wants you to attain to daughters that want to get married to men of the world.

And then the mother even comes and defends them and says my husband don't be so strict. Is it really so bad if they get married to men of this world. And if they are here in Sodom and Gomorrah is it really so bad.

Oh cursed. You are such mothers that destroy their own families and you will be destroyed together with him. When Lot's wife looked back she turned into a pillar of salt always in that position with the body facing forward but her head turned back.

And as they went on Lot all of a sudden realized that his wife was no longer with him. And the daughters realized that their mother is not with them. But Lot couldn't even look back and say my wife where are you have.

You perhaps fainted or the daughters.

Couldn't cry out to their mother and say mother where are you. And the Lord Jesus said remember Lot's wife. He himself calls that instance to your remembrance. He says remember Lot's wife. Maybe you're a boy you're a man you're a father you're a son or a daughter.

Remember Lot's wife. She looked back.

Lot's Reluctance and the Consequences of Compromise

After these angels had led Lot and his family outside of the city they then said to them now you flee to the mountains. And then Lot replied but I know my lord I can't flee that far. I am old already.

Maybe I'll perish on the way. Let me rather flee to that little town over there and then my life will be safe. Do you hear what Lot was like. Are there maybe such people like Lot here in our midst that compromise like that.

If that is the case then the flames of hell.

Will already lick you here in this world too strenuous too difficult a way. What does that mean. You're nothing else than a citizen of Sodom and Gomorrah. You're nothing else than a citizen of Sodom and Gomorrah.

And but that they granted him as well they granted him that request and said all right you go there but hurry. And no sooner he reached there. Then that the Lord rained burning sulfur down on Sodom and Gomorrah and everything was destroyed by fire totally consumed all the livestock every animal and Lot he also.

Lost everything which he had. Lot left Abraham because of his cattle because of his riches because of his sheep. He chose to leave Abraham and to live with the Pilate's in an evil place. But now he's got to the place where he lost everything.

You seem you men of God servant of God. You may be blessed but I don't know how you'll end. Well if you end like Lot you'll regret it having lost everything everything everything that's the way to lose everything.

Lot grabbed the best for himself. Lot thought of himself he wanted the best for himself. He was selfish but he lost everything. Not one cow not one sheep lost everything including his wife and then it's even recorded in the Bible that is both of his daughters became.

Pregnant because of him they made him drunk. They said we've got no husbands.

And they went and they lay with him and became pregnant. How is it possible that a righteous man can end in such filth. And if he could do it you can do it as well maybe much more. That's why run as fast as you can out of Sodom and Gomorrah your sinful life and go to the place.

Choose the right place God's place. Never choose the world. That's where you will end. You hear young people you hear your mother you mothers. Do you watch over your children. If you don't that's where you will end as well.

A Final Call to Repentance and Holiness

Starting with the man of God but ending without him on his own way and see where he ended. And I ask you men a personal question. Are you walking the way of Lot. Has something been spoken here where you find God is speaking to me.

If not you must be dead.

And that pertains to you school children as well. You're not excluded from that. If you go that way you will die in a far off place and a very dark place where your offspring will be nations that will oppose.

God blessed is he who has.

Has an ear to hear. Cursed is he who doesn't hear being told over and over again and not repenting.

See where no one else ever. Your goals were go to Caligy. See way all and I'm never. Your goals were no my agent we don't walk in the way God why ain't got.

A lady a coupe a gay get the lack. Must I start this sermon all over again. Kumaila go back in California footy so that you'll understand who goes a call. I hope that this will suffice. And if you don't understand ask yourself whether you so demon-possessed and the demons and the devils are in your ears that you're so blunt of hearing.

I ask you Oh Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you will send.

Your Holy Spirit to come and to touch the lives of those who are like lot that.

They might be joy in heaven because of their repentance.