"The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah"
Here we have God protecting Lot, Abraham's nephew. While Abraham did not expressly ask God to spare Lot in the previous passage, it can be said that this was the intent of his bargaining with God.
After spending so much time with God-loving Abraham, we see a few contrasts, however, with Lot.
- While both Abraham and Lot had invited the messengers to stay with them, Lot badgered the messengers to go against their intentions and stay with him whereas Abraham applied no such force.
- While Lot extended his protection over his guests when the townsmen wanted to have their way with them, he attempted to divert their attention and appease them by offering them his virgin daughters. (I have no comparison to Abraham that comes immediately to mind)
- When commanded to leave Sodom, Lot hesitated, not following God's command immediately as Abraham did in other situations (i.e. leaving Ur).
- While both Abraham and Lot argued with God, Lot argued out of a self-serving complaint whereas Abraham argued for the sake of others.
Not to condemn Lot outright, but he did not have the same degree of faith in God that Abraham had. It is very evident that Lot knew of God and how God worked; what is unfortunate, then, is that he did not take this knowledge to a personal level. Lot knew about God's messengers, God's punishment, God's attitude towards sin and God's mercy. At the same time, he did not know God.
You can see this through his hesitation when leaving Sodom, his attitude and actions to the townsfolk, his complaints about the distance to which he had to run to flee God's wrath and by the manner in which the messengers were brought to his household.
Marvelously, though, God keeps compassion and mercy for Lot and a extends a great detail of patience towards him. This can be seen particularly in the messengers grabbing Lot when he hesitated, God not abandoning Lot when he offered his daughters to the townsmen and when God dealt with Lot's request for a closer safe place to go, respectively.
If God can show such great love, compassion, mercy, and patience towards a man who misses the mark repeatedly, sometimes spectacularly, then we should take courage and heart in the reminder that God extends the very same to us, the many imperfect people of the world.
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