ESCAPE FROM SODOM
In ancient times, God rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens (Gen. 19:24).
Before destroying the cities, God sent His angels to Sodom to tell Lot, who lived in that city, to escape lest he be consumed in the punishment together with the city and her people.
Gen. 19:15 When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, "Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city."
The story of Sodom and Gomorrah recorded in the Bible remains till this day to serve as a warning to all of us. Sodom was destroyed because their sins were grave and the outcry against them had reached the Lord.
Gen. 19:13 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."
Today, the world is more wicked than Sodom. The Lord Jesus Christ will not show partiality and he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done.
Col. 3:25 But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.
Sodom was destroyed because of her sins. The present world is reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
2Pet. 3:7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
Therefore, we must escape immediately from this sinful world – the Great Sodom. Otherwise, when the day of God’s wrath comes, we will inevitably be punished together with the rest of the world.
To escape from the city of Sodom, we must adhere to the following:
1. Do Not Leave Our People Behind
The angels 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! (Gen. 19:12)
The Lord Jesus Christ is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance and be saved.
2Pet. 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
1Tim. 2:4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
The Lord Jesus Christ once commanded a man in Gadarenes, from whom He had cast out the unclean spirits, to testify to his family the great grace that the Lord Jesus Christ had bestowed on him.
Mark 5:19 However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you."
The Lord Jesus Christ also taught His disciples that they must preach the word of salvation that they had received freely; and He commanded them to go into all the world and preach the gospel.
Matt. 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
Mark 16:15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Today, we are chosen to be God’s disciples not because we are better than others, or have made significant contributions to Him, but it is out of God’s unconditional love and grace that are freely given to us. Therefore, we should obey His commandments by spreading the glad tidings of salvation to our friends and relatives to lead them to Him so that they will not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
2. Do Not Linger
When the angels were hurrying Lot, he lingered at first. As a result, although the angels eventually brought him out, he did not receive God’s blessing.
Gen. 19:16 And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife's hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.
Today, many people know that the true church has the word of salvation, yet they are hesitant to enter. There are also many Christians who indulge in the pleasures of the world and forsake the true word. They take comfort in believing that the Lord Jesus Christ has not come yet and thus, procrastinate in making progress in the path of salvation. However, the Bible clearly says: “For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.” (Heb. 10:37)
Rev. 22:7,12 7Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.12And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work.
2Pet. 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Furthermore, life is short and unpredictable. We do not have the power to retain our life within us when our time on earth is up.
Job 14:1 Man who is born of woman Is of few days and full of trouble.
Eccl. 8:8 No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit, And no one has power in the day of death. There is no release from that war, And wickedness will not deliver those who are given to it.
Therefore, unbelievers should not hesitate any longer lest they regret it when the door of salvation closes.
Luke 13:24 Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
Believers should take the foolish virgins as a warning and emulate the wise virgins, letting the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts like oil in a lamp, remaining steadfast in the word of God, radiating the true light and shining upon the world through the power of the Holy Spirit until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Matt. 25:1-13)
Matt. 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
3. Do Not Look Behind
Lot’s wife disregarded the angels’ warning and looked behind. She immediately became a pillar of salt.
Gen. 19:17,26 17So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed."26But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
Lot’s wife would have been spared if she did not look back, as she had already fled from the city. This serves as a warning to all of us. The Lord said “No one, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62)
We are called by God to run on this path to the kingdom of heaven just like the chosen people of God who departed from Egypt and marched on in the wilderness. However, the Israelites often murmured in the wilderness because they missed the sinful pleasures in Egypt and even wanted to return to Egypt. This provoked God’s wrath and consequently, some of them perished in the wilderness and did not inherit the promised land of Canaan.
We must never follow the footsteps of the rebellious Israelites. We ought to imitate Paul in forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. He suffered the loss of all things for God and counted them as dung.
Phil. 3:13,8 13Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended. but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 8Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.
Let us keep our faith till the end and we will surely be rewarded with the crown of righteousness.
2Tim. 4:6-8 6For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
4. Escape To The Mountains
If we want to escape to the mountains, we must work hard to climb the mountains. Similarly, if we have set our hearts to obtain eternal life, we must strive to grow in the word and go on to perfection.
Heb. 6:1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
The mountain road is narrow and difficult to walk, so is the true path that leads to eternal life. However, if we want to be saved, there is no other way but to work hard and to rely on the Lord because “the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matt. 11:12LP)
Matt. 7:14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Matt. 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Matt. 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.
The mountain road is rugged and dangerous and there are many ferocious animals along the way. Therefore, we must be cautious while walking on this path. Similarly, the heavenly path is also filled with dangers and if we are not careful, we might stumble and lose our life.
1Cor. 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
Our enemy, the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1Pet. 5:8), therefore we ought to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12).
As the mountain road is covered with thorns, we must endure the pain when we walk. Believers will experience hardships on their journey to heaven, but these hardships are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able and He will make the way of escape so that we may be able to bear it.
Rom. 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
1Cor. 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Conclusion
May the Lord Jesus Christ give us strength so that we can keep His word of patience, fulfill His will, be delivered from troubles and receive the promise of eternal life.
Rev. 3:10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
Heb. 10:36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: Amen!
(The Holy Spirit Times – 20.03.1965)
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