Casting our Lot
This was another one of those lessons that covered what could have been two lessons easily: the miracle of Isaac's birth and then the commandment to Abraham to offer him up as a sacrifice, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
We started with Lot, Abraham's nephew. Several things had struck me in reading and rereading. Lot seemed to be a person who was "mostly there" spiritually. When Abraham, seeing that there were too many people and livestock to support on the same space, he offered Lot his choice of direction, and his offer was genuine. He trusted that God would provide for him wherever he ended up, and he welcomed Lot's decision to go in the direction of the Jordan, to the plain where there was water and life would be easier to sustain. That was naturally where the cities were, because if you're in a desert, water is where people come together.
The only trouble was, the city of Sodom was an unrighteous place, to put it mildly. But the earlier chapter says that Lot "pitched his tent towards Sodom" and apparently he became a part of its life and commerce. He had at least two daughters who married men of Sodom, because the Genesis account describes Lot going to his sons-in-law, plural, to take the message that the city will be destroyed. They scorn him, they are clearly not believers.
The most disturbing thing about the account as it reads in the King James is the confrontation between Lot and the men of the city over the arrival, and the treatment, of his visitors. The men press Lot at his door, asking for the travelers so that they might molest and taunt them. The response was that no, they must not, but it reads that Lot offers to bring out his daughters instead, "who have never known man." Many years ago, a teacher who had studied the original Hebrew text told us of reading this passage with a rabbi, who told him he could do better than that. He pointed out a negative that his pupil had missed, and which the English translators apparently also missed. It's not supposed to say, "but I will bring you my daughters," it actually says, "nor" or "neither" will I bring you my daughters. That made me feel a lot better, but I went to the Joseph Smith Translation (Inspired Version, as it was formerly called) and found a whole fuller account. (Genesis 19) This picks up at verse 4 in the King James:
The JST makes it clear that these three (not two) men were the same ones who had just counseled with Abraham, and that they are on a divine commission of judgement. They tell Lot to get his family out--and don't look back. It was like Jesus's declaration that in the last day, the people would flee to the mountains, not to return to their homes for their goods, not to delay or stop for anything. When Lot wavered, they took him and his wife and two daughters by the hand and removed them to the hill above the city and told Lot to flee to the mountain. He feared that it was too far, and anything could happen on the way--what good would it do to escape Sodom if he was killed in his flight? Couldn't he just get to that little, peaceful city right over that way?
Fine, go quickly! they answer, and wait until he is there before they go forward to Sodom and Gomorrah and bring down fire and brimstone and wipe them out. The JST also tells us that Abraham had come to where he could see the river plain in the distance, and saw the fires; and the Lord appears to him and assures him that Lot is safe. He is comforted in that. From his effort to seek mercy from the Lord, who knew that there were not even ten righteous to be saved, he learned that there was only one righteous man to be saved, his nephew. Lot's wife turned back and died, whatever the literal happening was. One supposition is that the fires and explosions sent many bodies into the nearby Dead Sea, where, burned and encrusted with its salt melted into their remains, they would have worked their way up to the surface, and could be referenced as "pillars of salt." Plausible and yucky.
So Lot, scared after the actuality, leaves the city of Zoar and now goes into the mountains, where his daughters are sure that they will never have an opportunity for a normal life, so they get their father drunk and lie with him and each conceive a child. This is not the righteous way to have a family.
Lot lost all that mattered most. The two daughters who fled with him, the two he saved from the depradations of the crowd, were virgins, so they were not the daughters in the city who were married to the locals...I had never thought about that piece of logic before. If there were sons-in-law, there were daughters to go with them. Genesis 19:12 (KJV) says Lot is told to get his sons, his sons-in-law, and his daughters, and anyone else he has, out of the city. The JST adds his "sons' sons" suggesting there were grandchildren. He lost almost everyone in his family because they were wrapped up in the life around them and wouldn't believe, and the two daughters who came with him didn't have enough faith to ask God the question of were would they go and who would they be able to marry. Having grown up amidst wickedness, they took the question into their own hands and took advantage of their own father. Evil examples trumped spiritual instruction when they felt like they were up against a bad situation, and had to decide how to deal with it. Can we doubt that the Lord would have had an answer for them if they had pleaded with him in faith?
Lot did not exercise the full faith and obedience that his uncle, Abraham, did. He had gone for the easier life, he thought, in the well-watered plain. Abraham had great wealth, but he never let it become a distraction to what really mattered, which was his covenat relationship with God, and God's promises to him; he was privileged to talk to the Lord face to face. He didn't worry about where we might find greater worldly advantage. Lot seemed to mark how much was good enough, rather than how very good he might become. He did genuinely respond to the messengers, and recognized their nature immediately, and his heart was still good, but he had not reacted to pervasive evil by removing himself and his family long ago. The time to flee was before his loved ones were caught up in the attitudes and values of Sodom.
The world today is becoming more and more accepting of wickedness, and we are told that it will be like Sodom before the Second Coming--the world will be 'ripened in iniquity.' If we are to stand against that, we have to be more than "mostly there" spiritually. We have to find ways to help our children experience the Spirit, treasure it, and not just hear about it. We have to hold fast to light and stand for what's right, and it isn't always easy. God has promised us strength, no matter what we have to contend with, and guidance, no matter what we need. We must rely on him, fully. There really is no other safety.
We started with Lot, Abraham's nephew. Several things had struck me in reading and rereading. Lot seemed to be a person who was "mostly there" spiritually. When Abraham, seeing that there were too many people and livestock to support on the same space, he offered Lot his choice of direction, and his offer was genuine. He trusted that God would provide for him wherever he ended up, and he welcomed Lot's decision to go in the direction of the Jordan, to the plain where there was water and life would be easier to sustain. That was naturally where the cities were, because if you're in a desert, water is where people come together.
The only trouble was, the city of Sodom was an unrighteous place, to put it mildly. But the earlier chapter says that Lot "pitched his tent towards Sodom" and apparently he became a part of its life and commerce. He had at least two daughters who married men of Sodom, because the Genesis account describes Lot going to his sons-in-law, plural, to take the message that the city will be destroyed. They scorn him, they are clearly not believers.
The most disturbing thing about the account as it reads in the King James is the confrontation between Lot and the men of the city over the arrival, and the treatment, of his visitors. The men press Lot at his door, asking for the travelers so that they might molest and taunt them. The response was that no, they must not, but it reads that Lot offers to bring out his daughters instead, "who have never known man." Many years ago, a teacher who had studied the original Hebrew text told us of reading this passage with a rabbi, who told him he could do better than that. He pointed out a negative that his pupil had missed, and which the English translators apparently also missed. It's not supposed to say, "but I will bring you my daughters," it actually says, "nor" or "neither" will I bring you my daughters. That made me feel a lot better, but I went to the Joseph Smith Translation (Inspired Version, as it was formerly called) and found a whole fuller account. (Genesis 19) This picks up at verse 4 in the King James:
Then it continues with the declaration that the wicked men were struck blind and could not find the door, at verse 11 in the KJV.6 But before they lay down to rest, the men of the city of Sodom compassed the house round, even men which were both old and young, even the people from every quarter;7 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came unto thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. [ footnote--the word used in both Hebrew and English is a sexual euphemism]8 And Lot went out of the door, unto them, and shut the door after him, and said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.9 And they said unto him, Stand back. And they were angry with him.10 And they said among themselves, This one man [Lot] came in to sojourn among us, and he will needs now make himself to be a judge; now we will deal worse with him than with them.11 Wherefore they said unto the man, We will have the men, and thy daughters also; and we will do with them as seemeth us good.12 Now this was after the wickedness of Sodom.13 And Lot said, Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, plead with my brethren [you] that I may not bring them out unto you; and ye shall not do unto them as seemeth good in your eyes;14 For God will not justify his servant in this thing; wherefore, let me plead with my brethren, this once only, that unto these men ye do nothing, that they may have peace in my house; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.15 And they were angry with Lot and came near to break the door, but the angels of God, which were holy men, put forth their hand and pulled Lot into the house unto them, and shut the door.
The JST makes it clear that these three (not two) men were the same ones who had just counseled with Abraham, and that they are on a divine commission of judgement. They tell Lot to get his family out--and don't look back. It was like Jesus's declaration that in the last day, the people would flee to the mountains, not to return to their homes for their goods, not to delay or stop for anything. When Lot wavered, they took him and his wife and two daughters by the hand and removed them to the hill above the city and told Lot to flee to the mountain. He feared that it was too far, and anything could happen on the way--what good would it do to escape Sodom if he was killed in his flight? Couldn't he just get to that little, peaceful city right over that way?
Fine, go quickly! they answer, and wait until he is there before they go forward to Sodom and Gomorrah and bring down fire and brimstone and wipe them out. The JST also tells us that Abraham had come to where he could see the river plain in the distance, and saw the fires; and the Lord appears to him and assures him that Lot is safe. He is comforted in that. From his effort to seek mercy from the Lord, who knew that there were not even ten righteous to be saved, he learned that there was only one righteous man to be saved, his nephew. Lot's wife turned back and died, whatever the literal happening was. One supposition is that the fires and explosions sent many bodies into the nearby Dead Sea, where, burned and encrusted with its salt melted into their remains, they would have worked their way up to the surface, and could be referenced as "pillars of salt." Plausible and yucky.
So Lot, scared after the actuality, leaves the city of Zoar and now goes into the mountains, where his daughters are sure that they will never have an opportunity for a normal life, so they get their father drunk and lie with him and each conceive a child. This is not the righteous way to have a family.
Lot lost all that mattered most. The two daughters who fled with him, the two he saved from the depradations of the crowd, were virgins, so they were not the daughters in the city who were married to the locals...I had never thought about that piece of logic before. If there were sons-in-law, there were daughters to go with them. Genesis 19:12 (KJV) says Lot is told to get his sons, his sons-in-law, and his daughters, and anyone else he has, out of the city. The JST adds his "sons' sons" suggesting there were grandchildren. He lost almost everyone in his family because they were wrapped up in the life around them and wouldn't believe, and the two daughters who came with him didn't have enough faith to ask God the question of were would they go and who would they be able to marry. Having grown up amidst wickedness, they took the question into their own hands and took advantage of their own father. Evil examples trumped spiritual instruction when they felt like they were up against a bad situation, and had to decide how to deal with it. Can we doubt that the Lord would have had an answer for them if they had pleaded with him in faith?
Lot did not exercise the full faith and obedience that his uncle, Abraham, did. He had gone for the easier life, he thought, in the well-watered plain. Abraham had great wealth, but he never let it become a distraction to what really mattered, which was his covenat relationship with God, and God's promises to him; he was privileged to talk to the Lord face to face. He didn't worry about where we might find greater worldly advantage. Lot seemed to mark how much was good enough, rather than how very good he might become. He did genuinely respond to the messengers, and recognized their nature immediately, and his heart was still good, but he had not reacted to pervasive evil by removing himself and his family long ago. The time to flee was before his loved ones were caught up in the attitudes and values of Sodom.
The world today is becoming more and more accepting of wickedness, and we are told that it will be like Sodom before the Second Coming--the world will be 'ripened in iniquity.' If we are to stand against that, we have to be more than "mostly there" spiritually. We have to find ways to help our children experience the Spirit, treasure it, and not just hear about it. We have to hold fast to light and stand for what's right, and it isn't always easy. God has promised us strength, no matter what we have to contend with, and guidance, no matter what we need. We must rely on him, fully. There really is no other safety.
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