Then the men (Angles) said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city—take them out of this place! For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it.” So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, “Get up, get out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city!” But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking. (vv.12-14)
Back in chapter 18 the LORD told Abraham of His plan to see if Sodom and Gomorrah were worthy of judgment (ch.18:20-21). Because the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous (Psalm 19:9, Revelation 16:7), God would only judge Sodom and Gomorrah on direct, accurate knowledge. We are not told this because God did not know, but to demonstrate to us the thorough character of God’s knowledge and integrity.
Abraham, upon hearing this and knowing his nephew lived in Sodom asked the question, “Will You destroy the righteous with the wicked?” (ch.18:22-26). Abraham here is boldly reminding the LORD of His own nature and principles (shall not the Judge of all the earth do right). Abraham thought that God, as a righteous Judge, could not and would not punish the innocent in the same way as the guilty. And, after much back and forth (ch.18:27-33), the LORD agreed to spare the cities for 10 righteous people.
Now here in chapter 19 we see that God had sent two angles to Sodom to warn Lot and his family to “get out of this city” for “the LORD will destroy it” (vv. 12-14). Sodom and Gomorrah were destined for judgment because of their depravity, but God wanted to spare Lot and his family.
However, not all were in agreement about the need to go. Lot’s son-in-laws took his warning of the coming destruction as a joke. This was clearly an effect of Lot’s life of compromise. When he spoke with utmost seriousness to his sons-in-law about the judgment of God, they did not believe him. Now, not even they would be saved from the judgment to come. So, the answer to Abraham’s question, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Genesis 18:25), is found here in verse 25. God, bound by His own righteousness and honor, could not bring this judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah until the few righteous people were rescued. Lot’s family of 4 was not enough to save the cities.
The life of Lot shows us that it is possible to have a saved soul and a wasted life. Lot himself was a righteous man who was grieved by the sin he saw around him (2 Peter 2:7-8), but because of his deep compromises, few of his family and none of his friends were saved. Compromise destroyed his testimony.
The Truth: “If anyone builds on this foundation (Jesus Christ) using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames. (1 Corinthians 3:12-15)
