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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Genesis 19:12 - 19:22
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The Rescue of Lot
v. 12. And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? Son-in-law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place;
v. 13. for we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it. In their capacity of protecting servants to the children of God, the angels now bid Lot bring any relatives that he may have in the city out as quickly as possible, in case there should be a son-in-law, and then any sons and daughters. This order they substantiate with a definite reference to the destruction of the city which they had been given charge of.
v. 14. And Lot went out and spake unto his sons-in-law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city. The two daughters of Lot were still living in his house, but they were engaged to be married, their husbands to-be being designated as Lot's sons-in-law, since before the Lord a valid betrothal is equal to a marriage, so far as its obligation is concerned. Lot urged these two men to flee out of the city, since the Lord was about to destroy it. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons-in-law. They laughed at him for his foolish fears, since they, in their fleshly security, did not believe that the judgment of God was near. Cf Luk_17:28-29.
v. 15. And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife and thy two daughters which are here, lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. The new day dawned, and Lot was still busy with his affairs or felt loath to leave the associations of the city where he had his wealth. But the angels urged him to arouse himself and to lead forth the relatives who were present with him in the house, as there was no time to lose. Lot showed the weakness of the flesh which finds its delight in the things of this world.
v. 16. And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand and upon the hand of his wife and upon the hand of his two daughters, the Lord being merciful unto him; and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. Lot was preserved in the general destruction almost by force, since the angels, by virtue of the fact that God intended to spare him in mercy, took hold of him, of his wife, and of his two daughters and drew them out of the city.
v. 17. And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life. Look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. The angels, having attended to their duty of bringing the fugitives forth out of the city, left them for other work, and the Lord took charge of their flight by bidding them escape to the mountains in the east, later those of Moab. Leave the valley, look straight ahead of you, hide in the mountains, those were the orders of the Lord.
v. 18. And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord!
v. 19. Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in Thy sight, and Thou hast magnified Thy mercy which Thou hast showed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me and I die.
v. 20. Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one; oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live. Whether the Lord had again joined the angels after Lot had left Sodom, or whether Lot spoke these words to the angels as Jehovah's representatives before they turned back to their gruesome work, is immaterial. But his prayer shows that fear, confusion, terror had reduced him to a state of gibbering helplessness, which caused him to appeal to the grace and mercy of the Lord in permitting him to flee into the little town of Bela. Lot's argument was that the city was so very small; surely, to save it from destruction would make little difference.
v. 21. And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city for the which thou hast spoken.
v. 22. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. Thus did the Lord have compassion on Lot's weakness and magnify His grace upon him, even to the extent of delaying the entire judgment of destruction until Lot reached the haven of Zoar (little). Thus the believers are often full of doubt and timidity when they are placed before the necessity of renouncing everything that this world offers. But God bears patiently with their weakness and helps them in spite of themselves.