Lot: prophet, nephew of Abraham, saint
According to the Holy Scriptures, namely the Book of Genesis (chapters 11-14 and 19), Lot is the post-flood patriarch. He is the nephew of the prophet and patriarch Abraham, the son of his brother Haran. From Hebrew his name is translated as “cover”, “veil”. Canonized as a saint, his memory is celebrated in Orthodoxy on October 22 (9).
Righteous Lot, nephew of Abraham. Lot is the nephew of the prophet Abraham. He was the only one of his relatives, with the exception of Abraham's wife Sarah, who accompanied him during his migration to the land of Canaan. Photo: azbyka.ru
Lot is the only relative who accompanied the patriarch Araam, with the exception of his wife Sarah, during the resettlement to the land of Canaan. The Bible pays special attention to the flight of the prophet before the destruction of the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
During this, his wife was turned into a stone pillar and seduced by his own daughters.
Lot was born and raised in Ur of the Chaldeans in Sumeria
The Old Testament Book of Genesis says that Lot is the son of Haran and the nephew of the ancestor of the Jews, Abraham. Lot was born and raised in Ur of the Chaldeans in Sumeria on the Euphrates River. It was located in lower Mesopotami.
This happened about 4,000 years ago. His father died early, and his grandfather took the whole family and went to the land of Canaan. Having reached Haran, Farah stopped and soon died.
Abraham's journey to the land of Canaan from Ur. The Abraham Road is shown with a red arrow. His nephew Lot, along with his servants, livestock and family, accompanied him. Photo: bibliya-online.ru
His uncle Abraham settled here after he left Egypt, where, thanks to the fact that he gave his wife to Pharaoh, he acquired many slaves and livestock. Lot, with the exception of Abraham's wife Sarah, was the only relative who accompanied Abraham during his migration to the land of Canaan.
Righteous Lot lived in Mesopotamia approximately 4,000 years ago.
The nephew and uncle walked together to Bethel. For some time Lott lived with his uncle, until various disagreements and disputes arose between Abraham's shepherds and his own regarding the pastures on which their flocks grazed.
Then Abraham suggested to him: “...separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, then I will go to the right, and if you go to the right, then I will go to the left” (Gen. 13:19). As a result, Lot began to live in the east, in the vicinity of Jordan. His possessions extended to the city of Sodom, which was located in the flowering Sidim Valley at the mouth of the Jordan River.
What is the fall of Lot and the victory of Abraham?
We do not see a description of Lot calling on the name of the Lord and praying to Him.
Yes, Lot became righteous through faith, but he did not have love for the Creator.
(Gen 13:5)
And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents.
The Canaanites and Perizzites lived in that land at that time. The people of this world lived there. Abram wanted to testify to these people about God with his life. There must be a desire in your heart to testify for God. We must have a desire to glorify Christ with our lives.
Lot's uncle Abraham saved him from enemy captivity
The Holy Scriptures say that Lot, Abraham's nephew, maintained close relations with the residents of the city of Sodom and often visited him. The Bible says that they: “...were evil and very sinful before the Lord” (Genesis 13:13).
Sodom itself was constantly involved in military conflicts between the cities located in the Sidim Valley. One day, five allied kings, including the kings of Sodom and Gomora, opposed the king of Elam, Chedorlaomer. As a result, they were defeated and their entire country was plundered.
Meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek. Peter Paul Rubens. When the king of Elam, Chedorlaomer, captured Melchizedek and Lot, Abraham and a detachment of slaves freed them. Photo: artchive.ru
Lot and his family were captured and lost all their property. Having learned about this, his uncle the prophet Abraham gathered a detachment of 318 slaves. At night, the detachment attacked the enemy and freed Lot along with all his property, as well as women and people. After this, Lot settled again in Sodom.
Fall of Lot
Do you want to use your position as a righteous man to intercede with God on behalf of others? Or be the one for whom others constantly intercede?
And Lot went out from Zoar and began to live in the mountain. In the end he went to the mountain. That surrounding area consisted of mountains.
Although Lot was a righteous man, he was drawn deeper and deeper. He lost everything. Lost family and property.
(Genesis 12:4) And Abram went as the Lord had spoken to him; and Lot went with him.
Abram went because the Lord told him to. And Lot simply followed Abraham. In other words, Lot used his uncle's faith. He didn't use his. He did not believe that God was good, but he enjoyed Abraham's generosity. Lot was with his uncle, but not with God.
When the kings came and took away all the wealth of Sodom, the people and Lot himself, Abraham, along with his people, chased after the kings, fought with them and defeated them. Abraham took everything he had taken and the spoils to boot. The Bible says that Abraham returned all of Lot's property, women and people.
(Gen 14:18)
And Melchizedek, (this was Jesus Christ, before his incarnation on earth, because Christ is in the order of Melchizedek) king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was a priest of the Most High God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the Most High God, Lord of heaven and earth;
He reminded Abraham that he didn't need that gold. “God bless you, you are blessed by the Most High God, who is the Lord of heaven and earth.”
Among the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, the Bible lists greed, inhospitality and homosexuality
Sodom and Gomorah were part of the union of the cities of Admah, Sheboim and Bela (Zoar). To date, the etymology of the names Sodom and Gomorrah is unclear. The name Sodom probably came from early Semitic languages, and is associated with the root sadama meaning “to speed up,” “strengthen,” “strengthen.” The name Gomorrah is possibly based on the root ghmr, which means "deep".
Video: Sodom and Gomorrah / Sodom & Gomorrah (WAR). at the 5th minute the author says that an archaeological expedition of scientists from the United Arab Emirates found the supposed location of the lost ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
In Abrahamic religions, the expression Sodom and Gomorrah is synonymous with unrepentant sins, the fall and divine retribution for sins. Scripture indicates that sins such as homosexuality, inhospitality, and greed were common to the spectators of these cities. Christian tradition considers them to be among the most serious sins.
"Abraham and the Three Angels" by Giorgio Vasari. After the angels brought the good news to Abraham that his elderly wife Sarah would give birth to a child, two of them went to Sodom to Lot. Here they were harassed by the Sodomites, who blinded them. Photo: ingailm.com
Lot did not attach moral significance to his captivity. He decided to return to Sodom and live there. At the same time, the Bible says that: “Living among (violently depraved) people,” the Apostle Peter notes about him, “this righteous man was tormented daily in his righteous soul, seeing and hearing lawless deeds” (2 Peter 2:8).
Thus, he remained submissive to the will of God, but did not understand His warning and did not leave the nest of sin.
After being released from captivity, righteous Lot began to live in Sodom.
The Holy Scripture says that when Lot was at the gates of Sodom, two angels came to him in the guise of two young men. After meeting with Abraham, they wanted to check whether its inhabitants were truly mired in sin.
Lot, knowing the inclinations of the Sodomites, invited the guests to his house, but they refused and decided to sleep on the street, but after much persuasion from Lot they agreed. The owner baked unleavened bread for them as a treat. Before the guests had time to go to bed, the inhabitants of the entire city came to his house and began to demand that the Sodomites “get to know” them.
Lot and his family
Here is our testimony. Stop and talk to your children, family and friends about the Lord. Don't be shy about talking about Him in the house. It will feel awkward at first to talk, pray, or read the Bible, but you have to start somewhere. If you don't start, then when you talk about God, they will think that you are joking. And they will laugh at you. Lot lived where sin reigned. The sons-in-law did not leave the city. They died.
Why did the Angels go there? To talk to Lot. Because God is kind and merciful.
Even if you are in trouble through your own fault, God will intervene in this situation and personally rescue you.
(Genesis 19:15)
When the dawn rose, the Angels began to hurry Lot, saying: Arise, take your wife and your two daughters that are with you, so that you do not perish for the iniquities of the city. And how he hesitated...
Lot resisted. But God is good to him.
And those men, by the mercy of the Lord towards him, took him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand and placed them outside the city. When they were brought out, one of them said: save your soul; do not look back and do not stop anywhere in this vicinity; escape to the mountain so that you do not die. Lot's wife looked back and became a pillar of salt. Why? She looked at the judgment of God.
Lot and daughters
We are righteous in Christ by faith, so we should not look at the judgment of God.
Why did the angels invite Lot to go to the mountain? The mountain is the height of moral exaltation. Abraham was there and was there all the time. He was righteous by faith, which means he was in a place of exaltation.
(Genesis 19:27)
And Abraham rose early in the morning and went to the place where he stood before the face of the Lord.
Abraham was in a safe place where he communicated with God and built his relationship with Him.
When the Church raptures, we believers will look down on judgment. That is, we will be safe.
It is better to be the one who prays and gets people out of trouble than the one who gets into trouble and is prayed for.
Lot's wife turned around during her flight from Sodom, and the Lord turned her into a pillar of salt.
When Lot left Sodom, he told his daughters and wife to go and not look back. Thus, he carried out the instructions given to him by the Lord through his angels. Along the way, Lot’s wife could not stand it and violated God’s will. She looked back and turned into a pillar of salt. Lot himself and his daughters were saved (Gen. 19: 15-26).
The death of Sodom and the turning of Lot's wife into a pillar of salt. Lot's wife disobeyed the Lord's commandment and looked back while fleeing the city. For this she was petrified. Photo: school.orthpatr.ru
The interpretation of this is contained in the Bible. So the Lord, in one of his conversations about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world, said: “Remember Lot’s wife” (Luke 17:32). Saint Philaret says that her turning into a pillar of salt is a special punishment from God for her crime.
Her sin against the Lord lies not in the fact that she turned around and looked at the burning city, but in the fact that she transgressed God’s commandments and had an addiction to the abode of depravity. Thus, she thought more about the material than the spiritual.
Josephus Flavius in “Jewish Antiquities” mentions the pillar into which Lot’s wife turned (Ant. I, II, 4).
Historians confirm the existence of a pillar of salt into which the wife of righteous Lot turned. It stood for a long time in the vicinity of Sodom as a monument to God’s wrath for man’s disobedience of God’s will.
The writer of the book of the Wisdom of Solomon (Wisdom 10, 7) mentions him, and among later writers - Josephus Flavius (Ant. I, II, 4) and even Bishop Clement of Rome (post. to Cor. ch. 1).
"Lot's Wife" on Mount Sodom. On the slopes of Mount Sodom there are several formations of rock salt, which legend attributes to their origin from Lot's wife turned to stone. Photo: upload.wikimedia.org
Nowadays in Israel, next to the Dead Sea in the industrial area “Dead Sea Factories” on Mount Sodom there is a pillar or column made of rock salt. She resembles in shape a woman dressed in a veil and is traditionally perceived as a petrified wife.
LOT
In "Erminia" Hierom. Dionysius Furnoagrafiot (c. 1730-1733) mention of L. is found in connection with the story of Abraham, who, “having defeated the king Khodollogomor [obviously Chedorlaomer] and his allies, frees his nephew Lot” (Gen. 14. 14-16) . In the middle of the battle scene, where “the warriors pursue the warriors and kings and defeat them,” an armed Abraham is presented, holding L. by the hand, “and behind are visible horses, sheep and oxen” (Erminia DF. Part 2. No. 28. P. 55). “Herminia” prescribes to depict the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as follows: “Three angels look down from the clouds, from which flames rain down. Destroyed houses are burning below, and dead people lie in them. And in the distance Lot and his two daughters are running along the mountain: behind them Lot’s wife, white as salt, looks back” (Ibid. No. 31. P. 56). Rus. The iconographic original of the consolidated edition (18th century) by S. T. Bolshakov mentions L. in the part “The original of the holy forefathers, how to write them,” reflecting the prevailing situation towards the end. XVI century tradition of placing icons in Russian. high iconostases of the forefathers' row; L.'s name in the original is given between the names of the forefathers Jacob and Seth; he is “gray-haired, with small hair, with great hair, gray-haired, like Gregory of Nyssa, the top of his robe is green, and underneath the hook, he writes in a scroll: “The Lord brought me out of Sodom and saved me”” (Bolshakov. Iconographic original. P. 10).
Death of Sodom. Mosaic of the nave of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Nuova in Montreal. Between 1183 and 1189 Death of Sodom. Mosaic of the nave of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Nuova in Montreal. Between 1183 and 1189
One of the earliest surviving images of L. is presented on the relief of a sarcophagus from c. San Sebastiano fuori le Mura (c. 340) in the scene of his family's flight from Sodom. The image of L. here has features that later. will become traditional and will be found in Byzantine monuments. circle. This is a middle-aged man with thick hair and a short bushy beard, dressed in a tunic and pallium, depicted in a dynamic pose, looking forward. He drags his little daughters, who can barely keep up with him, with him, holding them tightly by the hands. On the left is the wife who is slightly behind; with her left hand she touches her husband’s shoulder, but is already facing back. The same scene is depicted in the painting of cubiculum B (cubiculum of the Forefathers) of the hypogeum on Via Dino Compagni in Rome (between the middle and end of the 4th century). The image of L. in the early monuments of monumental painting also appears in the Old Testament cycles in connection with the story of the forefather Abraham. Thus, on the mosaics of the nave of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome (432-440), where the history of the patriarch Abraham is described in detail, a scene from Gen. 13 is presented. 2-12 - the resettlement of the L. family from the family of Abraham: 2 adjacent groups diverge to the left ( Abraham's family) and to the right (L.'s family), behind the servant, next to L. are figures of little daughters, married couples exchange expressive glances; below are shepherds with their flocks separated in different directions. The age and typological characteristics of Abraham and his nephew are close here. Both are middle-aged, strongly built, blond (gray) hair barely covers their ears, short, thick beard.
Images of L. are also known in the most ancient illuminated manuscripts of the book. Being. Two miniatures preserved in fragments of the London manuscript of the book. Genesis so-called Cotton's Genesis (Lond. Brit. Lib. Cotton. Otho. B. VI, K-pol, turn of the 5th and 6th centuries) are associated with the history of this forefather: L. meets angels at the gates of his house, and the Sodomites besiege L.'s house, so that he would give them his guests; L. is a medieval man with dark curly hair and a wedge-shaped beard. In the Viennese Genesis (Vindob. Theol. gr. 31, 6th century), one of the miniatures (Fol. 4r) is associated with the text about the rescue of L. from captivity, but it emphasizes the meeting of Abraham with Melchizedek (shown twice), the figure of L. not visible (Abraham's hand points to L.'s family and his flocks). The following miniature (Fol. 5r) illustrates in 2 episodes the flight of L. and his family from Sodom and the destruction of the city by fire. The artist depicted, together with L., 8 figures led by angels outside the walls of the city; then the figures moving away from the burning Sodom remain 7: L.’s wife, walking ahead, is shown last in the form of a lonely whitish figure without a face. The story of L. closes with the scene with the daughters (Fol. 10), they approach their father twice, presenting him with a cup of wine. The cave, at the entrance to which there is a column, is marked with flakes, on which a bed of L. is arranged. In the Pentateuch of Ashburnham (Paris. lat. Nouv. acq. 2334. Fol. 18, Rome, 6th century) the history of L. is presented in detail on a sheet miniature in scenes read from bottom to top: L.'s dream, L.'s release from captivity, L.'s conversation with Abraham, the exodus with his young daughters from Sodom, L. observes the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, L. in the cave with his daughters accepts a cup of wine from them . The clothes of the forefather consist of a short, knee-length tunic, with trousers visible under the cut, and a cloak. On marginal miniatures of the manuscript “Sacra Parallela” St. John of Damascus (Paris. gr. 923. Fol. 307, 307v, 1st half of the 9th century) depicts the presence of angels in L.’s house - the forefather stands at the gate of the house, with his arms outstretched, i.e. blocking the path of the Sodomites, and fleeing from Sodom (with the salt figure of L.’s wife); in both scenes there is the right hand of God at the top: in the 1st - blessing, in the 2nd - bringing fire to the city.
The road to Canaan. Mosaic so-called Dome of Abraham in the Cathedral of San Marco in Venice. 1215 -1280
The road to Canaan. Mosaic so-called Dome of Abraham in the Cathedral of San Marco in Venice. 1215 -1280 In mosaic decoration on the west. wall of the nave of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Nuova in Montreal, Sicily (between 1183 and 1189), 2 scenes are associated with the history of L. The first shows angels in L.'s house and himself, leaving the house to the inhabitants of Sodom, demanding that his guests be handed over to be mocked. In the next one, Sodom dies (symbols of disaster are depicted - flashes of fire, destroyed buildings and many skulls), L. and his daughters run away, his wife in the form of a white figure froze like a pillar of salt. On mosaics the so-called. Abraham's dome (northern dome in the narthex) of the Cathedral of San Marco in Venice (1215-1280) L. is depicted in connection with his rescue from captivity as a very young man, riding with a servant on the left hand of Abraham.
The image of L. outside the scenes of the biblical narrative is extremely rare, but it helps to maintain a connection with the prehistory of the Incarnation and the genealogy of the Savior. The figure of the forefather is written on the vault of the arch at the altar c. Christ Pantocrator Monastery of Decani, Kosovo and Metohija (1335-1350). L. - in antique clothes, a purple tunic with a clave on the right shoulder, a light olive himation, with gray curls, a beard divided into 2 strands, a candle in his left hand, the right one in front of his chest. L. next to the righteous Joseph, Manasseh, Job is written in the north-east. parts (on the outer side of the arch between the north-east blade at the altar and the north-east column) of the parekklision in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, south. chapel of the Catholicon of the Great Lavra (1559/60, master Frangos Katelanos).
In Russian traditions, the story of the salvation of L. is found in the so-called. cycles of angelic acts. For the first time, the sequence of subjects associated with the appearance of angels in the Old Testament is noted in compositions in the south. the gates of the Cathedral of the Nativity of St. The Virgin Mary in Suzdal, made using the technique of “golden guidance” on copper (late 12th - 1st third of the 13th century). Of the 28 stamps, 3 relate to the history of L. (the stamps are not located sequentially one after another). Brand 14 presents the appearance of 3 angels. L., a husband with long curly hair and a wedge-shaped beard, kneels and greets the angels at the entrance to his house, which is marked by a staircase going deep into the room. Mark 18 reflects the presence of angels in L.'s house: the forefather stands at the threshold, in front of him are the Sodomites, within the walls of the dwelling are angels and 2 maidens - the daughters of L. The explanation for the image of 3, and not 2 angels, as follows from the text of the Bible, is contained in the inscription to the 14th mark: “The Archangel of the Lord appeared from the other side of the angel Lotto and may he escape from Sodom.” In stamp 19 there is a plot with the extermination of the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. The mark with a composition that combined the death of Sodom, the transformation of L.'s wife into a pillar of salt (in the form of a white figure) and the image of L. running into the rocks with two little daughters, was included in the cycle of acts of the arch. Michael on the icon with his image and the marks of his deeds - the temple icon of the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin (c. 1400). In later repetitions, the plot of the destruction of Sodom can be presented without the participation of L., as, for example, in the mark on the icon “Arch. Mikhail, with the marks of his deeds” from Lalsk (late 16th-17th centuries, Central Museum of Art and Culture). In the 2nd half. XVI century On the icons of the Holy Trinity (the so-called Old Testament), scenes appear depicting the appearance of the angels of L., known as the “Walking of the Holy Trinity” or “St. Trinity in Genesis." The central composition “Hospitality of Abraham” is complemented by stamps, which illustrate the story of the exodus of L.’s family from Sodom: for example, 3 stamps on the icon painted for the Solvychegodsk Annunciation Cathedral (80s of the 16th century, SIHM) - 3rd angel about symbolism; 2 - on an embroidered shroud from the Kostroma Ipatievsky Monastery, inserted into the monastery by order of the boyar D.I. Godunov (workshop of Stefanida Godunova, Moscow, 1592; GMMK); 9 - on the outer side of the doors to the icon of the Holy Trinity of 1595, enclosed in the Ipatievsky Monastery by the same boyar. The same set of compositions is repeated on the icons of the Holy Trinity in later monuments, especially on the icons made by the masters of Palekh in the 19th century. Nine scenes illustrating the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah are included in the painting to the south. the walls of the quadrangle of the Trinity Cathedral of the Ipatievsky Monastery (1684, artel of Gury Nikitin and Sila Savin); among the rare ones is “Lot warns his sons-in-law about the destruction of Sodom.”
The most complete cycle of compositions telling about the history of Leningrad is preserved in the Litsevoy chronicle code of the 70s. XVI century (GIM. Music. 358) - 19 scenes, beginning with the arrival of the forefather Abraham and his nephew in Egypt. Like the ancient mosaics of Santa Maria Maggiore, in several. scenes show the separation of Abraham and L., the appearance of angels to both forefathers is connected. The arrival of the inhabitants of Sodom to L.'s house is shown in several. scenes, the number of Sodomites grows, children appear among them, exhorting L. points to his house, L.’s crying daughters are visible in the window opening, whom the father offers to sacrifice. The negative characteristics of the Sodomites are expressive: their profiles resemble demonic faces, they raise their hands in obscene movements, stick out their tongues, and wave sticks. In the next scene, the angels take L. away, and the attackers of his house are defeated; the miniaturist superimposes a grid of long red strokes on their images. The most complex is the scene of the death of Sodom from heavenly fire, witnessed by L.'s wife, who has turned into a salt statue. The slides suddenly end, revealing a view of the city receding into the abyss with many destroyed buildings, and with dead bodies, streams of fire pouring out from above from the heavenly segment , angels fly next to them, pointing to heaven. The figure of L.'s wife with raised hands is repeated in other icon compositions on this subject and in works of sewing. Once again the dying city is shown in the miniature with L. looking from the mountain at the fire. In several The miniatures tell the subsequent story of L., his daughters, as well as the origin of 2 tribes from them, the Moabites and the Ammonites.
The image of L. is presented in the ancestral series of certain Russians. high iconostases, a half-length image - on icons from the Sakhalin Regional Museum and from the Epiphany Church in the village. Oshevensky Kargopol district, Arkhangelsk region. (end of the 18th century, artel of I. I. Bogdanov-Karbatovsky, renovations of the 19th century).
The image of L. is found among the images of forefathers in the painting of temples. For example, in the Trinity Cathedral of the Ipatievsky Monastery (1684) the half-figure of the forefather in the medallion is placed in the north-west. dome, in the wall between the south. and zap. the windows of the drum, in the area between the forefathers Tobias and Enos; in c. Vmch. Demetrius of Thessalonica in Yaroslavl, the work of Yaroslavl craftsmen under the guidance. Dmitry Grigoriev (1686, renovations 1859) - in the north-west. parts of the drum (keep the lower part of the figure).
Certain scenes from the history of Latvia are found in monuments of applied art. For example, the plot of a carved painted icon of the 18th century is associated with the visit of angels to L. from a private collection (see: Icons from private collections: Russian icon painting XIV - early XX centuries: Cat. exhibition. M., 2004. P. 77, 209). In the upper zone there are 2 mounted angels, with long spears they pierce the inhabitants of the city, depicted in prostrate poses below.
Lit.: Sergeev V.N. Inscriptions on the icons of the forefathers’ row of the iconostasis and the apocryphal “Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs” // TODRL. 1974. T. 29. P. 312; Ovchinnikov A. N. Suzdal Golden Gate. M., 1978. P. 29-30. Il. 2, 99, 100, 107-108; LCI. Bd. 3. Sp. 107-111; Murals of the Trinity Cathedral of the Ipatiev Monastery: In 2 volumes / Author: O. S. Kukolevskaya. M., 2008. T. 1. P. 221, 224.
E. V. Shevchenko, M. A. Makhanko
After fleeing Sodom, Lot lived with his daughters in the city of Zoar.
After Lot fled Sodom, he began to live with his daughters in the city of Zoar. The city where Lot lived was part of the union of five cities in the Valley of Sidim. Its name is translated as “small”, “insignificant”. Its name is also translated as Tsoar or Bella. There is still debate over whether the city of Zoar was located north or south of the Dead Sea.
Estimated location of the cities of Sodom, Gomorrah and Sior in the Kerek Valley based on archaeological excavations. Lot lived in the city of Zoar after the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Photo: cont.ws
The Crusaders called the city "villa palmarum". According to most interpreters, on the southeastern tip of the Dead Sea in the Kerek Valley on the border with the state of Moab. Here Lot did not live long because he did not feel safe. Soon he settled with his daughters in a cave on the nearest mountain.
Lot was guided by physical eyes
If someone or something has an attractive appearance, a beautiful shell, this does not mean that we should follow the advice of our eyes. If you're feeling anxious about buying a car or a home, or about getting a job or moving, it's best to stop and wait. Don't let anyone rush you. If you get an offer today, say no. Don't let anyone put pressure on you.
Wait and listen to what God has to say to you. Don't walk by sight, walk by inner evidence. Sometimes it is expressed in a feeling of anxiety. Wait a while and you will see what to do.
(Genesis 13:14)
And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: lift up your eyes, and from the place where you are now, look to the north and to the south, and to the east, and to the west; For all the land that you see will I give to you and to your descendants forever.
“Lift up your eyes”—God means spiritual eyes. Because for him to look around, spiritual vision was required. Lot was guided by carnal sight, and as a result he chose the wrong place. He was very limited and constrained. Lot did not know that these cities would soon be destroyed.
But Abraham trusted in God. This is the destiny he chose for himself. And everything that was located in the north, south, west and east went to him.
Which category do you want to belong to?
If you make decisions based on carnal vision, you will have limited blessings.
But if you trust in God, the blessing will be very great. Amen!
Lot's daughters gave him wine to drink and conceived sons from him.
When Lot lived as a hermit in a cave, his daughters lived with him and knew no men. In order to give birth to offspring, they gave the father wine and entered into a relationship with him. As a result, Lot's daughters gave birth to sons: the eldest was Moab, and the youngest was Ammon. The Bible talks about it this way: “And they made their father drink wine that night; and the eldest went in and slept with her father; but he did not know when she lay down and when she got up.
The next day the eldest said to the younger: behold, I slept with my father yesterday; Let's give him wine to drink that night too; and you go in and sleep with him, and we will raise up a tribe from our father. And they made their father drink wine that night; and the youngest came in and slept with him; and he did not know when she lay down and when she got up. And Lot's two daughters became pregnant by their father, and the eldest gave birth to a son, and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day. And the youngest also gave birth to a son, and called his name Ben-Ammi. He is the father of the Ammonites to this day.” (Genesis 19:33-38).
Lot and his daughters (Hendrik Goltzius, 1616). While the drunken Lot was sleeping, his daughters came to him and conceived his sons Moab and Amon. Photo: upload.wikimedia.org
Bible interpreters say that Lot’s daughters decided on such a base act because:
- They were afraid that men would neglect them because they came from cursed cities.
- The licentiousness of the Sodomites had already penetrated into them.
The Moabites and Ammonites are cursed in the Bible as a result of incest between Lot and his daughters.
The sin of incest is deeply condemned in the Holy Scriptures, which is why the Moabites and Ammonites are often cursed in the Bible. The Law of Moses provided for the death penalty for incest.
At the same time, the tribes of the Moabites and Ammonites became the basis of the ancient Arab people. After this plot, the name Lot is not found anywhere in the Holy Scriptures.
Slavic Baptists
“And as he delayed, the men, by the mercy of the Lord toward him, took him by the hand and his wife and his two daughters, and brought him out and placed him outside the city” (Genesis 19:16).
Only one single feature from the life of Lot should occupy us at this time. And since this happened in the life of the righteous, it is full of serious warnings for every believer. It was a life full of danger, which, of course, would have cost Lot his temporary and eternal life if God had not forcibly intervened. This life of his was a desire for Sodom, and after he was already there, a reluctance to leave there back, in the direction of God. And when God one day wanted to take him out of Sodom, Lot did everything he could to stay there as long as possible. This addiction to Sodom, to the world, to its lust, is the dangerous life of so many believers today. Some live in the world internally, others have gone even further and live there openly; and although God sends them His angels and messengers and exhorts them, they do not want to return. These believers not only remain there because they may have become accustomed to the world and are not so quick to come to any decision - oh no, many of them, when it comes to earthly and worldly things, are as decisive as Lot.
Only when they must break away from what is sinful and completely go over to the side of God, then it turns out that such believers remain in Sodom, like Lot, and hesitate. In any case, we will do well if we take a close look at this man, Lot, and test ourselves on him. God Himself wants this, which is why He placed it in Scripture before our eyes. A few questions about this person can help us make this test as beneficial to us as possible. Let us ask who he was, this one who lingered in Sodom. It was Lot, from whom such an act could least be expected. If anyone should have willingly and quickly obeyed the Angels in those days, it was, without a doubt, Lot. He was a believer and had been for many years. Then, because these two Angels told him the complete truth about the sin of Sodom. They removed the veil from Lot from the coming wrath of God, and he was given an express command against all others: to flee.
Shouldn't Lot have immediately broken all the threads and hastened from there? If it were said of Lot's wife, in whom we can nowhere discover any sign of spiritual life, and of his two unconverted daughters that they delayed, it would not be surprising. Ah, how sad it is that often it is the believers, that is, those who have become lukewarm or cold, who carelessly continue to live, disobeying God - precisely those who have much more light than others, know more and therefore bear greater responsibility! This disobedience indicates a hardness of heart. The latter arises precisely through the received light at a time when one closes one’s eyes to it and does not allow it to influence oneself and one’s life. Therefore, precisely where the Word of God is preached faithfully and without any admixture, many such hardened ones are often found. They have dulled their hearts, they can calmly listen to the holy and serious word - but it does not touch them.
On them, as on Lot, all human work is in vain. And the Angels cannot touch them, even threateningly heavy blows do not lead them out of Sodom. Only when God uses violence does success seem to happen. Lot, who had the task of leading those dear to him on earth out of Sodom, hesitated. We read in this chapter (v. 15): “When the dawn arose, the angels began to hurry Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife and thy two daughters which are with thee, lest thou perish for the iniquity of the city.” What a great and blessed task! What believing father of a family could evade her? Lot was to be a good example to his wife and his daughters. He had to hurry without delay; any talk would be reckless. Lot had to take the staff and resolutely direct his steps towards the doors, rush towards the gates of the city, so that they would remain behind him.
But how could Lot's loved ones take such a decision seriously if they saw how Lot, under various pretexts and excuses, postpones making a decision and takes pleasure in gaining at least a few more minutes to remain within the walls of Sodom? Oh, how many more fathers and mothers are guilty of not converting their sons and daughters! Through their half-heartedness and indecisiveness on the path to Christ, through their attachment to the world and to what is in the world, they entangled their own people in the world and made them akin to the world.
It is in vain that you expect children to become Christians. When one day William Booth and his wife were asked the question: please tell me how you did that your children were converted to Christ, Booth's wife answered: “We warned the devil, brought the children to Christ before he or the world could lay his hand " After this, the eldest son stood up and, turning to his parents, confirmed: “It was the determination with which you followed Christ that brought us into God’s arms.”
Do you, parents, hear this testimony? Will your sons and daughters be able to say the same about you? Are you free from Sodom and its lusts, of whatever kind they may be? Think! Lot hesitated, the man who had to encourage others to flee. Having learned about the prompting on the part of the Angels, we further read: “And Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said: Arise, get out of this place, for the Lord will destroy this city. But it seemed to his sons-in-law that he was joking” (v. 14). It was a good deed, although Lot did it under duress. We must admit that this call was made openly, because it was carried out on that last night, when the whole crowd of the city surrounded Lot's house. Imagine, the sons-in-law moved away after that and stood at a distance, around the corner of some house, to see from there whether Lot would run and how he would run. However, they waited in vain; Lot did not run - he hesitated. Shouldn't this be a stumbling block for them? “Let’s go home quietly and get some sleep after this sleepless night,” they could say, “because he himself doesn’t believe what he says. If things really were as he presented them to us, then the earth would have burned under his feet and he would have been outside the city long ago.” We still hear wealthy and cold believers, who also once encouraged others to convert, say that they themselves do not believe. If they believed, they would be completely different people. Oh, these temptations crying to heaven! What does Scripture say about temptations? “Woe to the world because of temptations” (Matthew 18:7). However, will it only be woe to the world when it gives temptations? Will there be grief for believers too? When you sometimes look at believers, they seem to think that they have been given the freedom to give temptations. Believers do not ask whether others die or do not die because of them.
But come and listen to the Lord, as He directly tells His disciples: “Temptations must come; but woe to the man through whom temptation comes.” Thus, according to the Lord, grief befalls a person, no matter who he is. Therefore, you tremble, believer, but, like Lot, grow cold, looking at your behavior! Oh, tremble greatly when you hear further how the Lord judges such behavior, for He says: “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and thrown into the sea, than for him to cause one of these little ones to stumble” (Luke 17:1,2). Go through all the countries of the earth and look for that country that would impose such a terrible punishment for even the greatest crime as this for temptation. You won't find a country like this. Just think how scary it is to plunge so deep “in the depths of the sea” with a millstone around your neck (Matthew 18:6). So, it is not the temptation that was given that must be irrevocably drowned, but the one who gave it! Let us ask further,
Where Lot hesitated
Notice that Lot hesitated where he should not have been at all. We all know very well that this man entered Sodom against the will of God. Lot was drawn there, and since God in no way forces anyone, He gave him freedom of choice. However, it was to be expected that Lot, as a believer, would come to his senses someday without any prompting - he would leave this city in order to finally correct what he had ruined, but could still correct.
But experience teaches that when a believer begins to descend, since he has taken his own path against the will of God and taken an incorrect position, then it is difficult to bring him out. It is almost impossible for such a believer to do this himself. Follow the once so richly gifted Samson, see what happened to the so exalted King Saul, and trace the Corinthian church. Through both messages, their work moves forward uncontrollably. But the further you go, the closer you are to a fall, but not to a correction.
There is almost no difference in what this accepted wrong direction consists of, if there is no desire to return and take the direction of God - be it lukewarmness, which is not usually considered a sin, especially if there are many others walking around lazily and indifferently, or be it carnal direction of thoughts that no one sees and which you know only yourself and are guessed, perhaps, only by close people, or be it some special sin that you carry around and which has almost become second nature, or an unclean word through which you I’m used to transferring from someone else’s pocket to my own pocket, or whatever it is that, having entered, firmly holds within us and to which we become slaves.
So walk carefully so that you never end up where you never need to be; if you are ready to get confused, then run in time, because woe to him whose rut begins to deepen! “Let everyone who confesses the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness” (2 Tim. 2:19). Lot hesitated where he had lost so much. At first glance, it will hardly seem like this to others. Many, on the contrary, will say that Lot, in any case, acquired a lot, a lot in Sodom: here he became richer than ever before, and in what esteem he was! When the Angels entered the gates of the city, they found Lot among the city elders, since all public affairs were discussed here. It was extremely rare for a stranger to receive such an honorable place. Only exceptional circumstances and very special favor could have elevated Lot to such a high position. Yes, another might consider this the greatest happiness. So, another Lot is chasing such happiness! However, what rubbish is this compared to what the unfortunate Lot buried here! Just take a closer look and you will find that he has lost communion with the saints within these walls.
Neither Abraham nor Sarah ever set foot here. It was not proper for them to do this. This was not holy ground. Also, Lot no longer had the communication of Angels here: they did not come to visit him. The angels intended to “sleep on the streets.” Only Lot's persistent requests prompted them to enter his house. As for communication with God, how far Lot was from God and God from him! God came to Abraham, ate and drank under the shade of his tent, but the Lord avoided Lot's house in Sodom. However, Lot did not want to leave here. You never know how many people exist these days who sold their birthright to the world for lentil stew! Countless confessions and letters speak of this. And how many are there who, like Lot, never open their mouths to testify about God!
Weary, unhappy, deprived of all blessings, they wander on the sidelines, often rejoicing when the beloved of God do not come close to them. Their hearts are attached to what they have captured as spoils from the world. This is their treasure. It occupied their cold heart and filled it. Why else do such people need God? To free and rid them of all this is everyone's desire. Despite the fact that these people are unhappy, pitiful, poor, blind and naked, they are quite well: they do not want any change, any pressure, the admonition of God’s messengers is only one burden for them. Is this the case for you reading this? Look again, Lot hesitated where sin developed downright satanic power. In those days, sin brought down angels from heaven, as God testifies to Abraham: “The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and their sin is very heavy; I will go down and see whether they do exactly what the cry is against them that rises up to Me, or not” (Gen. 18:20,21). In any case, the soul-tearing trampling of innocence and the like reached the throne of God, prompting Him to intercede. And Lot was notified by the Angels about this. Shouldn't this have brought Lot back to consciousness? Wasn't this last night enough to turn your back on this unholy place?
Could Lot have thought about how his house would be surrounded by a wild crowd, ready to commit disgusting sins that his lips refuse to utter, to think how they would want to take possession of him himself, because he would hinder the villains, and how he would finally be saved by the intervention of Angels who had struck the frantic blindness gathering? And seeing all this, how could Lot still remain here? What held this man back, what tied him to this place of filth and depravity, seems to us an insoluble mystery. And all this is not so mysterious for one who has learned that the human heart is deceitful and extremely wicked. So only the Lord can measure it (Jer. 17:9). Oh, how the heart knows how to hypocritically show disgust for sin, condemn it with words, and present itself as pure and innocent when it nourishes, tolerates and clings to it!
Haven't we experienced all this ourselves? There was a certain man who circulated among believers for less than a year; people always shook his hand willingly and from the heart, looked joyfully into his face, and I still see him among others, listening with joyful attention to the Word of God. Who would have thought that he, this man, not only loved being in Sodom, but was himself a Sodomite! When his ways became known, he disappeared and was afraid to show himself to anyone. How terrible it is to live where sin exercises satanic power, but how much more terrible when it achieves such dominance in your own heart! Let's pay attention to the Lots among us, and especially if they are in the front rows! To you who are in any way entangled in the world, who have found themselves in Sodom, where sin reveals its strength, let me advise you: listen to the call of the Father and His promise! Come out from among them. “Separate yourself, says the Lord, and do not touch the unclean, and I will accept you. And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Cor. 6:17-18). As for time, it would be worth asking
When Lot Hesitated
If we look closely at the Holy Scriptures, we will find that Lot hesitated when all hope of preserving Sodom was only self-deception. The sentence of God had already been pronounced by the Angels, and, moreover, before the ears of Lot. This sentence sounded: “We will destroy this place; for the cry of the inhabitants thereof to the Lord is great, and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it” (v. 13). And since God’s verdict was final and not subject to any revision, it could be expected that its fulfillment would not be long in coming. Only a fundamentally unbelieving person could convince himself that this would not happen, as Lot heard. Lot was one of the believers. How did it happen that, despite this, he still did not move? Oh, such a believer who has fallen away from God often believes God no more than a worldly person.
Because it is not suitable for the life he has undertaken and is now living. The true light has gone out for him, because he himself illuminates the path with his own light. He reverses the clear truths of the Word that God sent him. God's threats mean nothing to him; he is not in danger. In general, he feels so safe that he repeats to himself again and again: “Well, it won’t be that bad!” For most of all, the seduction of sin manifests itself in a believer who has again fallen into slavery, so that he, already standing at the steep cliff of the abyss and before the judgment of God, keeps repeating to himself: “God is merciful and merciful, for many years and decades everything has been going perfectly well, under God's long-suffering, and then everything will be the same. All these, of course, are very serious words, but there are also a lot of exaggerations here - don’t cause yourself unnecessary worries for them.” Thus, having become careless, the one who has fallen away makes lies his refuge and “deception” his cover (Isa. 2:15), behind which he hides when the matter must come to an end. Why does a backslider do this? Because he has become so intertwined with sin that he considers it happiness if he can only be with him for a short time.
The fetters that sin put on him he loves; the danger threatening him is unpleasant for him, but he closes his eyes to it and hopes to get through it. The same probably happened with Lot back on the day of the destruction of Sodom. But Lot hesitated, when every moment the wrath of God was ready to burst out... The people built on Vesuvius live quite carefree, they settle down well and surround themselves with luxurious gardens. When they are asked how they can be so calm, they answer: “Indeed, the volcano sometimes throws out flames, two or three times a year, but this is not always dangerous: only sometimes property and inhabitants perish over the course of a century.” Almost all residents count on the latter. However, they are still very wary. “We watch the thunder in its depths,” they tell visitors, “and when it looks like there will be an eruption this time, we leave everything and hurry away.”
Lot had to leave quickly, because then it didn’t just seem that the volcano on which he had lived for many years would begin to erupt its lava - no, it was firm, quite probably clear: today the wrath of God would fall. But the poor man has already lost all sensitivity for God’s warning, worthy of being called merciful. The angels suddenly took Lot, and his wife, and both daughters by the hands and led them through the streets of Sodom to the gates of the city, and, moreover, by force - this indicates that there was not a moment of time left to wait even further. The measure was full. She was ready to overflow, and this warm, cold husband still hesitated... If anywhere you can see how careless sin makes a believer when it lives in him, it is here. Is there any difference between Lot and his careless sons-in-law who laughed when he spoke of the destruction of Sodom? Yes, there is a difference, but not in Lot's favor. The great mass of the inhabitants of Sodom did not know a word about what was coming. Lot's sons-in-law heard about this only from him, but Lot had news from the Angels: he had the truth certified by God. If Lot was as careless as his sons-in-law, how much more guilty is he here!
Lot's violent rescue shows us that he would have died like them. Lot did not save himself - in this he was like them. Sin makes a weakened believer just as blind. Lot did not see the danger of dying in Sodom, despite the fact that the Angels opened his eyes to this. And he also did not see the even greater danger he was in through his disobedience and slowness. Lot trampled under foot God's last call for his salvation. Is there a more serious accusation against a believer than this: “I wanted,” says the Lord, “to save you, but you did not want”? Here you stand before the abyss of rejection. How immeasurably great was the mercy of God that Lot was still brought out of Sodom by Him! There is just one more question I would not like to ignore; in any case, it should be important for us
Why did Lot hesitate in Sodom?
We here, of course, can only have our own opinion, because what keeps someone in Sodom is usually carefully kept silent. So Lot does not tell us anything about what tied him there. Maybe Lot expected his sons-in-law to come to their senses? This may be the best we can guess about Lot. Maybe he thought how good it would be if these young people had not died? If their salvation had been the real reason for Lot's delay, it would have been somewhat excusable. However, it is always very dangerous to put off your own salvation for the sake of others, no matter who they are. First, we cannot be saved at all times, but must be saved when our hour has struck. Second, God does not always call, so we must respond in His time.
Therefore, if you want the salvation of others, tell them what you have to say for their salvation, call them, draw them, convince them to come (Luke 14:23). It's good if they pay attention; even better if they actually come to Christ. If they do not come or even do not want to, then do not delay, do not remain in Sodom, because you may someday pay with your own soul for your delay. If a husband hesitates to break communication with the world, waiting until his wife does the same, or if a wife is waiting for her husband, then it can easily happen that both will die. Run, whether anyone will be with you or not. Run when the call reaches you! “Save your soul,” said the Angels in those days (v. 17). However, it is likely that Lot was tied to Sodom by what was so dear to him there and what he had to leave behind. According to his whole character and being, we must accept this. And what was so dear to him was, without a doubt, something insignificant.
There was his beautiful home and what filled him. There was his property, his accumulated silver and gold. There were his flocks and herds and everything he had lived on until now. Nothing was to be taken from Sodom; everything was to be separated forever. There, further, were his comforts, his prosperity, his acquired habits and the whole worldly way of life, which, during the many years of his aversion from the narrow path, probably passed into flesh and blood and, so to speak, became second nature. If God snatches a certain Lot from Sodom, then nothing from Sodom should go with him - everything should remain. It was a very sharp break - it went deep, very deep. God demanded him inexorably, after a long wait, but Lot did not want to be left behind: then God himself made the break, without Lot’s participation. Lot was forcibly removed from there: nothing could be taken, and he was not allowed to cast a single glance back, when everything that had grown so closely to his heart was devoured by the flames of the wrath of God. You see that this is one attraction, and an attraction to Sodom. And delaying the escape from there ruined this man. He indulged in the seductive delusion that it was possible to acquire both heaven and this world - both the treasures of Christ and earthly treasures - to unite the Kingdom of God and Sodom. And there was only one end: he lost everything.
Don't hesitate, no one. Nobody. Voluntarily make your break with Sodom, so that God is not forced to do it by force and does not draw the line through our incorrect calculations. “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Heb. 3:7-8). Amen.
Share this:
Liked this:
Like
Similar
Tags: Biblical characters
Righteous Lot is revered in Judaism, Christianity and Islam
In different religions, the attitude towards the figure of Lot is mostly positive. Moreover, in Judaism he is considered righteous, but his righteousness is disputed. The fact is that in his life Lot deviated from the truths of the Jewish path, and therefore his descendants did not become part of the Jewish people. He is mentioned in the Torah.
Lot's flight. Illustration from the book “Biblical Images” The Hague, 1728. The Christian tradition is sympathetic to the image of Lot. Photo: eleven.co.il
The Christian tradition is to be sympathetic to Lot. This can be seen in the New Testament. In the Second Epistle of Peter, Lot is called a righteous man, weary of life among violently depraved people. At the same time, it is separately indicated that the Lord saved him because he remained obedient to His will, and Lot’s wife turned to stone because she disobeyed Him.
Muslims know Lot under the Name Lut and consider him the messenger of God and His prophet. Islam retells the biblical story almost word for word. Moreover, unlike the Bible, the Koran says that Lut in Sodom and Gomorrah was supposed to preach monotheism and stop the lustful and cruel acts of the local residents.
Lot is separated from Abraham [↑]
IN 2023
year (1737 BC) Lot comes with Abraham to Canaan: both are rich, both noble and even, as Rashi writes, very similar in appearance.
Similar, but not similar. Ibn Ezra explains that the root is "lot"
has the meaning of
“to hide”
or
. ” Let's try to find out what Lot is hiding.
In Canaan, Lot and Abraham's shepherds begin to quarrel with each other, and Abraham invites Lot to stop fighting and amicably go their separate ways.
Lot chose the valley of the Yarden (Jordan) for his life, despite the bad reputation that came about the inhabitants of these places: murders and robberies were in the order of things. The lands near Sodom and Amora were green and fertile “like the garden of G‑d,” that is, like the Garden of Eden. Lot calculated that he could increase his wealth in Sodom, and for the sake of this supposed gain, he separated from Abraham, who had been his teacher and spiritual guide for many years. In fact, Lot never shared Abraham's worldview, but hid it as long as it suited him.
The Bible calls Lot righteous because he did not disobey the will of God
We learn that Abraham's nephew Lot is a righteous man from the second letter of the Apostle Paul. He says: “And he delivered the righteous Lot, who was weary of being treated among violently depraved men; for this righteous man, while he lived among them, was daily tormented in his righteous soul, seeing and hearing wicked deeds” (2 Peter 2:7). Few figures in the Bible have received such praise.
The Cave of Righteous Lot. Lot is called righteous because he did not disobey the will of the Lord. Photo: openarium.ru
However, Lot's righteousness cannot be considered obvious. The fact is that in the Holy Scriptures and theological texts his personality is mentioned in connection with a dispute between his shepherds and the shepherds of his uncle Abraham.
Here Lot chose the best pastures for himself, and Abraham agreed to any, just to maintain peace. In the end, Abraham is blessed and Lot has lost everything. This often happens to those who only in this way become like Lot and strive for earthly well-being.
Audio sermon Righteous Lot. Archpriest Andrey Tkachev. At 20 minutes the author begins the story about righteous Lot.
At the same time, the Bible calls Lot righteous for a reason. The fact is that he did not wallow in the sin of Sodom and remained faithful to the commandments of God. That is why the Lord spared him and gave him the opportunity to escape from Sodom before its incineration.
Moreover, he did not disobey His will as his wife did. He chose the fear of God and obedience, and saved his life. He loved God just as the law given through Moses said many centuries later.
By leaving a comment, you accept the user agreement
Reasons for Lot's fall:
- Lot did not use his faith;
- The blessing was promised to Abraham, not Lot. The sacrament is not offered to everyone, but to those who have faith like Abraham (righteousness by faith).
Abraham gave a tenth of everything. Not everyone gives tithes, only those who have faith like Abraham.
(Genesis 14:21)
And the king of Sodom said to Abram: Give me the people, and take the property for yourself. (The king tempted Abram) But Abram said to the king of Sodom: I lift up my hand to the Lord God Most High, the Lord of heaven and earth (Abram exactly repeats everything that Melchizedek said), that I will not even take a thread and a shoe strap from all that is yours, so that you do not say : I made Abram rich.
Abraham knew that he would be very rich.
