Peter calls him “righteous Lot.”
. . . he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); 2 Peter 2:7-8
God’s grace runs deep, and His power is absolute. He can deliver us from bad circumstances, bad neighbors, from worldwide cataclysmic destruction, and even from hell itself. So there is no need to fear, if we are in Christ Jesus. Praise the Lord. God’s Holy Spirit likewise will guide us in holiness, even in the darkest of places, always leading us into compassionate empathy and desire for righteousness.
Lot was tormented by the evil that was around him, as the Bible says. Yet, he was destined to become the founder of two nations that were just as evil, just as sensual, and just as lawless as the one he eschewed. If he had lived among his own descendants, his righteous soul would have been tormented over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard.
We can learn about worship from every page in the Bible. Everyone worships, remember. Therefore, we can observe and copy the examples we see of worship that is pleasing to God. And we can also observe and avoid the examples we see of unacceptable worship. There are some things to emulate in the life of Lot. But in this series on worship, I think mostly he serves as a bad example to avoid. Let’s see how Lot does on the “How Not to Worship” list.
Remember: it was really for Abraham’s sake that Lot was spared.
So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived. Genesis 19:29
How not to worship. Lesson #8: Bribe God’s prophet to say the opposite of what God says, so that you can try to defeat His chosen people and drive them from the land that God had promised them. That’s pretty much wrong on every level.
So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, sent messengers to Balaam . . . , saying, ". . . Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed." Numbers 22:4-6
Moabites. They were a vile and corrupt people, violent and idolatrous, immoral and violent. They worshiped a god named Chemosh and were the sworn enemies of Israel for many generations, going back to King Balak, who hired Balaam to prophesy against Israel. God told Israelites to beware of them, to not intermarry with them, and to utterly destroy them. The nation of Moab was east of the Dead Sea (present Jordan) and often was at war with Israel, their neighbors.
"No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the LORD. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the LORD forever, . . . because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you. Deuteronomy 23:3-4
How not to worship. Lesson #9: Pervert God’s request of Abraham, who was willing to sacrifice his firstborn son to Him. Actually burn them to death before a giant idol, in order to gain favor in the spiritual and physical realm.
Ammonites. They were located just north of Moab, on the east side of the Jordan River, including the present capital city of Amman. They often paired with the Moab nation in warring against Judah. Their false worship of Malkam, or Molech, was the most detestable of all, in that they caused their children to pass through the fire (burned sacrifice of a child). Both the territories of Moab and Ammon are roughly the same square miles as that of the southern kingdom of Judah.
How not to worship. Lesson #10: Corrupt God’s king, and have him lead you in building a high place to those detestable gods. You know, just in case one of them might be right.
Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. 1 Kings 11:7
They were nothing but trouble for Israel, and were to be set apart for destruction. All of Israel was to stay away from them.
How not to worship. Lesson #11: Ignore God’s command to be set apart, and polygamously intermarry with idolatrous people and build high places throughout your realm to satisfy each of your wives.
On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, . . . As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent. Nehemiah 13:1-3
How not to worship. Lesson #12: Mock God’s people, and oppose His will at every turn. Provoke, taunt and boast, then fight and conquer as you are able.
"I have heard the taunts of Moab and the revilings of the Ammonites, how they have taunted my people and made boasts against their territory. Therefore, as I live," declares the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, "Moab shall become like Sodom, and the Ammonites like Gomorrah, a land possessed by nettles and salt pits, and a waste forever. The remnant of my people shall plunder them, and the survivors of my nation shall possess them." This shall be their lot in return for their pride, because they taunted and boasted against the people of the LORD of hosts. Zephaniah 2:8-10
Though Israel failed to utterly destroy Ammon and Moab in their day, God Himself eventually wiped them out and ended their evil reign.
Wow. Those guys were really bad. Really, really bad. How did they get to be so bad? The answer is, one sinful decision at a time, going all the way back to Abraham. That’s right. Abraham, the father of many nations, the model of our faith, started the whole thing.
So let’s begin the story of Moab and Ammon with their father: Lot.
How not to worship. Lesson #1: Compromise God’s call. When He tells your uncle to leave you and your family, go along with him. You just might get some of his blessing.
Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram's wife, and they went forth together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan, but when they came to Haran, they settled there. Genesis 11:31
Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. Genesis 12:1
If Abram was to leave his father’s house, that would be Terah. And if he was also to leave his kindred, the only person mentioned who was in Haran was Lot. This was not Lot’s calling. It was Abram’s.
Perhaps Lot only wanted to come along, knowing that God was with his uncle. That one is on Abram, I think, as the command was to him, not to the rest of his family. But...
...But it wasn’t just Lot, was it? He came with his whole entourage. And before long, his people were disputing with Abram’s household over water rights.
How not to worship. Lesson #2: Fight over stuff. Let stuff comes between you and your family. After all, stuff is more important than relationships.
And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. Genesis 13:5-7
How not to worship. Lesson #3: Choose your future selfishly. When your uncle gives you a choice as to where to live, choose the part that looks best to you. Short gains are better than family values.
And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. Genesis 13:10-11
How not to worship. Lesson #4: Choose immoral friends. They will affect your morals and those of your children. Show me a person’s friends, and I will tell you his future. Exhibit A: Lot.
Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD. Genesis 13:12-13
Lot eventually was willing to give up his daughters to this mob. He was willing to be drunk, and while drunk was predisposed to be willing to sleep with his daughters.
He had lived there in Sodom for a couple of decades or more, and let’s just say he hadn’t found a church to attend yet. Not even ten righteous people in the whole city, after all those years!
How not to worship. Lesson #5: Become unequally yoked. Choose a life partner who does not share your faith or your values. It will slow down and compromise your best intentions.
Lot had two daughters, and each had a significant other. Both of those men thought Lot was kidding when he said that Sodom was to be destroyed. Something in the character of those men was not believing a strong warning from God. Something in Lot’s character caused them to think he must be joking, like always. Because Lot apparently did not take spiritual things too seriously.
Jesus said it: Remember Lot’s wife. Something in her value system caused her to disobey the severe warning of the men who came to rescue her. She turned around. And Lot was unable to stop her from doing so. It is one of the shortest and most tragic accounts in the Bible, Lot and his wife.
Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot-they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all-so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. . . . Remember Lot's wife. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. Luke 17:28-33
How not to worship. Lesson #6: Self-medicate often. Bring lots of strong drink with you. Even when you are fleeing from a city and have to travel light, make sure you have provided for your libation needs.
Now Lot went up out of Zoar and lived in the hills with his two daughters, for he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. And the firstborn said to the younger, ". . . Come, let us make our father drink wine, . . .” So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father. He did not know when she lay down or when she arose. Genesis 19:30-33
He had lost everything in the rain of fire. He had once had flocks and servants and a large household. Now he was living in a cave. But something in his lifestyle was willing to drink, two nights in a row, to the point of having a blackout. Sounds like a serious drinking problem to me. Not to mention, a couple of daughters with no moral boundaries whatsoever.
How not to worship. Lesson #7: Neglect your children. Do not teach them moral values. Whatever your personal values may be, let your children learn their values from the neighbors, even if those paths are completely evil.
Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day. The younger also bore a son and called his name Ben-ammi. He is the father of the Ammonites to this day. Genesis 19:36-38
Righteous Lot seems to have had no influence on the moral boundaries of his daughters. Maybe we can blame Sodom for that. But he seems also to have had no influence on his grandsons—who were also his sons. ‘Nuff said.