Genesis 18:1-22:24
“Adonai appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre as he sat at the entrance to the tent during the heat of the day” (Genesis 18:1).
Tradition teaches that this event occurs three days after Abraham circumcises himself and the men of his family.
Excerpt:
Lot invites the ‘messengers’ into his home and makes them a meal that includes unleavened bread or matzah. Leaven is often compared to sin, and Lot who lives in the midst of abominable sin serves unleavened bread. This may allude to his own sinless life in a culture of depravity or be prophetic to the sinless One, Yeshua, who is going to deliver him from death. Though the ‘appointed times’ have not yet been given to the nation of Isra’el, Lot and his family take part in a type of ‘passover’ and ‘unleavened bread’ and are ‘passed over’ in Elohim’s judgment. They do not die in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Yeshua tells his disciples that the world will be like Sodom and Gomorrah at the time of his coming (Luke 17:26-30). Today, homosexuals, lesbians, and transgenders cry for equality and acceptance. They want to marry one another and raise children together. This perversion, if allowed to continue by Elohim, will mutate into pedophilia, sex trafficking, and even beastiality. Like in Sodom and Gomorrah, these perverted people arrogantly parade in the streets of large and small cities not hiding their disgusting practices. Though the consciences of humanity may “know well enough God’s righteous decree that people who do such things deserve to die; they not only allow them to keep doing them, but they applaud [them]” (Romans 1:32).
Another great abomination that may have been happening in Sodom and Gomorrah is the influence of Nephilim who were still on the earth. Some of the Nephilim may have inhabited the area of Sodom and Gomorrah and acted in ways previous to the flood. Ezekiel 16:48 says that the sins of Sodom involved the daughters of Sodom who committed detestable acts. Perhaps the daughters of Sodom were fornicating with Nephilim descendants leaving human men in need of other men, so much so that the men didn’t even desire virgin women.
Jude 1:6 states that the angels who left their place of authority were bound in chains because they had gone after “strange flesh.” Some interpret “strange flesh” as just being homosexual behavior; others suggest it has to do with angels. Homosexual sex, though an abomination to Elohim, has existed for millennia without any fiery judgment; however, when it comes to spiritual beings like the half-breed Nephilim and human beings having sexual relations, it is an abomination worth destroying those involved.
Elohim destroyed the earth once because of immoral, abominable behavior between angels and women. Perhaps these same unholy unions bring Him again to the point of wrath. Because He made a covenant with Noach to never destroy the earth by water, He pours out fire and brimstone on two cities that were morally depraved.
The final judgment of the lake of burning fire and sulfur is the second death, the death of the spirit. As the fallen angels and the Nephilim are spiritual beings, the only way to destroy them may be through fire. This could be another hint as to what was happening in Sodom and Gomorrah –– the need to destroy all spiritual remnants of the Nephilim.
The melachim have to pull Lot back into the house and they shut the door. Shutting a door symbolizes an ending and a separation from what is on the other side of the door –– permanently. Even so, Lot dallies in the morning not wanting to leave the city.
The residents of the two cities believe that Lot has been judging them, though there is no evidence that he is a bold evangelist or a prophetic voice. It doesn’t appear that he is even semi-righteous, though the life of a semi-righteous person in a completely depraved society can be very convicting. From what is known about Lot, it wasn’t his righteousness that saved his family, but the intercession of his Uncle Abraham and the mercy of El Shaddai (Titus 3:5). Lot may have perished with everyone else if the melachim had not pulled him by the hand and forcibly removed him from the city.
“Flee for your life, don’t look back!”
The Hebrew phrase “escape for your nefesh” means ‘escape for the sake of your soul.’ This command involved more than not looking back to see the destruction, it was commanded for the redemption of the souls of Lot, his wife, and his two daughters from a life of slavery to sin. Lot’s wife looked back and lost her soul; she was turned into a pillar of salt.
It is often taught that Lot’s wife looked back because she lost members of her family. Lot’s other two daughters and sons-in-law did not leave the city because they didn’t believe Lot’s warning. Though this may be one reason she looked back, her nefesh was not the same at Lot’s. Some believe that she was a native Sodomite.
There is a midrash that discusses another possible reason why Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt. In the Middle East salt is a symbol of hospitality. Sharing salt at a table requires peaceful fellowship between those sharing the salt. Hospitality and sharing salt was not the code of law in Sodom, one of their grievous sins. In the midrash it is suggested that Lot’s wife did not approve of him bringing guests into her home. Then, he asked her to bring out the salt. She had no salt in her home so she went door to door asking for salt which revealed to the citizens of Sodom that her husband had broken the code of law against hospitality. It was this action that brought the men of the city to Lot’s door. The midrash concludes that because she sinned with salt, she was punished with salt. Today, the pillars of salt that surround the Dead Sea are a reminder of Lot’s wife, her lack of hospitality for the angels of God, and the loss of her soul (Hebrews 13:2).
The midrash also explains why El Shaddai destroyed the cities by fire and brimstone. It supports the theory that Nephilim or angelic offspring inhabited the cities. Angels, unlike humans who were created from the dust of the earth, were created by fire. As man returns to dust when he dies, the only way to destroy angels is with fire. Perhaps turning around and seeing with human eyes angels being consumed by burning sulfur would have a devastating effect on the human nefesh –– turning human flesh into salt.
“When you enter someone’s household, say, ‘Shalom aleikhem! [Peace upon you]’ If the home deserves it, let your shalom rest on it; if not, let your shalom return to you. But if the people of a house or town will not welcome you or listen to you, leave it and shake its dust from your feet! Yes, I tell you, it will be more tolerable on the Day of Judgment for the people of S’dom and ‘Amora than for that town!” (Matthew 10:12-15)
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