Turn in your Bibles to Genesis
19. Genesis 19. I'll begin reading in verse 1. Now the two angels came to Sodom
in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot
saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his
face toward the ground. And he said, Here now, my lords,
please turn into your servants' house and spend the night, and
wash your feet. Then you may rise early and go
on your way. And they said, No, but we will spend the night in
the open square. But he insisted strongly, so
they turned into him and entered his house. Then he made them
a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. Now before
they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both
old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded
the house. And they called to Lot and said to him, where are
the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we
may know them carnally. So Lot went out to them through
the doorway, shut the door behind him, and said, Please, my brethren,
do not do so wickedly. See now, I have two daughters
who have not known a man. Please, let me bring them out
to you, and you may do to them as you wish. Only do nothing
to these men, since this is the reason they have come under the
shadow of my roof. And they said, stand back. Then
they said, this one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting
as a judge. Now we will deal worse with you
than with them. So they pressed hard against
the man lot and came near to break down the door. But the
men reached out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with
them and shut the door. And they struck the men who were
at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great,
so that they became weary trying to find the door. Then the men
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. 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. 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. So 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. Then Lot said to them, please,
no, my lords. Indeed, now your servant has
found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy
which you have shown me by saving my life. But I cannot escape
to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die. See now,
this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Please
let me escape there. Is it not a little one? And my
soul shall live. And he said to him, See, I have
favored you concerning this thing also, in that I will not overthrow
this city for which you have spoken. Hurry, escape there,
for I cannot do anything until you arrive there. Therefore the
name of the city was called Zoar. The sun had risen upon the earth
when Lot entered Zoar. Then the Lord rained brimstone
and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah from the Lord out of the heavens.
So he overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants
of the cities, and what grew on the ground. But his wife looked
back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. And Abraham
went early in the morning to the place where he had stood
before the Lord. Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and
toward all the land of the plain, and he saw, and behold, the smoke
of the land, which went up like the smoke of a furnace. And it
came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that
God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow,
when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt. Then
Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountains, and his
two daughters were with him, for he was afraid to dwell in
Zoar. And he and his two daughters dwelt in a cave. Now the firstborn
said to the younger, our father is old and there is no man on
the earth to come into us as is the custom of all the earth.
Come, let us make our father drink wine and we will lie with
him that we may preserve the lineage of our father. So they
made their father drink wine that night, and the firstborn
went in and lay with her father, and he did not know when she
lay down or when she arose. It happened on the next day that
the firstborn said to the younger, Indeed I lay with my father last
night, let us make him drink wine tonight also, and you go
in and lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our
father. Then they made their father drink wine that night
also, and the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not
know when she lay down or when she arose. Thus both the daughters
of Lot were with child by their father. The firstborn bore a
son and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites
to this day. And the younger, she also bore
a son and called his name Ben-Ammi. He is the father of the people
of Ammon to this day." Amen. Well, certainly an unsavory chapter
in many of the details in terms of human depravity, sinfulness,
and wretchedness. Remember that chapter 18, verse
1, all the way to chapter 19, verse 38, deals ultimately with
the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and those cities on the plain.
And chapter 19 specifically breaks down into three major sections.
First, we have the demonstration of Sodom's wickedness, which
we'll deal with tonight in verses 1 to 11. Secondly, the deliverance
of Lot in verses 12 to 22. And then finally, the destruction
of Sodom. And so tonight, as I said, we'll
look at the first section in terms of the demonstration of
Sodom's wickedness. Remember, these angels come to
investigate the city, to confirm the city, to make sure that,
in fact, they are ripe for judgment, and that is precisely what takes
place. Because of the nature of the particular sin in here,
homosexuality or sodomy, I thought it would be good for us to consider
the scriptural teaching on that doctrine tonight. after we look
at this section in chapter 19, verses 1 to 11. There's certainly
a lot of confusion within the church today in terms of this
particular sin, and it's very good for us to know the biblical
data concerning this situation. Well, as we look at the demonstration
of Sodom's wickedness, there are three things here. First,
the investigation by the angels. Secondly, the hospitality of
Lot. and then finally the wickedness of Sodom, as it's clearly displayed
in this particular passage. But notice first, the angels
come in 19.1, now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening.
Remember back in chapter 18 in verse 20, the Lord announced
to Abraham, that because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah
is great and because their sin is very grave, in verse 21 it
says, I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether
according to the outcry against it that has come to me. And if
not, I will know. It's written in the manner of
men. God certainly knows the sinfulness of Sodom. It probably
foreshadows what will later appear in the law. By the mouth of two
or three witnesses, every fact is confirmed or established.
And then here, specifically in 1822, we have, then the men turned
away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood
before the Lord. So you have the appearance of
these three men. One was, as chapter 18 verse
1 says, it says that Yahweh appeared to the Lord, Abraham looked and
he saw three men. So one of them was probably a
theophany, a manifestation of God in a man's form, and the
other two were angels, as we see here in chapter 19, and as
we see in Hebrews chapter 13. And so what these angels are
doing are confirming the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah in order
to bring the judgment of God to bear upon them. They are the
agents of judgment. They speak in that language in
terms of bringing punishment or judgment to bear upon them.
And they do deliver Lot. They do deliver Lot's family.
Now notice, secondly, the hospitality of Lot. And here he is very much
like Abraham. There's a lot of parallels between
Abraham and Lot, but Lot's never quite as good as Abraham. Lot
is the sort of fellow that is always needing deliverance, he's
always needing help, he's always needing some sort of assistance,
but here specifically in verses 1 to 3, the hospitality that
he exercises is legit. It's good, it's righteous, and
to a fault he wants to engage in protecting these two men that
come to stay at his house. To a fault because he's willing
to offer up his two virgin daughters to an angry mob of rapists. So
he wants to exercise hospitality, which was certainly the manner
and the custom in the ancient Near Eastern world. but he goes
overboard in terms of the way that he tries to appease this
mob. But if you notice, he saw them, he rose to meet them, and
he bowed himself to the ground. And then he offered his home
to the weary travelers. Notice in verse 2. He said, here
now, my lords, please turn into your servants' house and spend
the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise early and go
your way. Again, Walkie speaks in terms
of the parallel. with the contrast with 19, the
contrast with 19-1, and what we find in Abraham when he entertained
the three men under the terebinth tree at Mamre. He says, Abraham
sits in the shade of a sojourner's tent, a welcoming place to travelers. Lot will sit at the gate of an
evil city, hazardous to strangers who enter. And so he extends
this offer for them to stay in his house, and then notice their
response in verse 2b. It says, no, but we will spend
the night in the open square. Now, Lot responds in verse 3. He insisted strongly, so they
turned into him and entered his house. Then he made them a feast
and baked on leavened bread, and they ate. I believe that
Lot insisted strongly because he knew precisely the character
of the persons in that city. If you remember in 2 Peter chapter
3 at verses 7 and 8, Peter describes Lot this way. He says, God delivered
righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the
wicked, for that righteous man dwelling among them tormented
his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their
lawless deeds. He knew what to expect in terms
of his city, whether he knew specifically in terms of the
way they would come to the house and do all that they did, I'm
not sure. But he certainly knew that this
was an unsavory place for visitors to go and spend the night in
the city square. So he strongly insists, or insisted
strongly, so they turned into him and entered his house. Then
he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.
Now within this brief description, with reference to Lot, we see
two indicators of further declension in his life. Remember that initially
when he occupies this particular part of the land, he takes for
himself the richest and the most fertile in Genesis chapter 13.
He initially pitches his tent near the city of Sodom. Now he
has a house in the city of Sodom. Additionally, look at where he
is according to verse 1. Now the two angels came to Sodom
in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. Now the
gates in these ancient cities were the place where judges met,
they were the place where the elders of the city met, they
were the place where there was adjudication of matters, business
was conducted, commerce took place. It was a place of notoriety. So he not only has a house within
the city of Sodom, but he's also within the gates of the city
of Sodom. He had ascended within that particular
city, and he has some degree of notoriety. Wenham says the
gateway was the public square of the city where the elders
sat, public meetings were held, and legal disputes were adjudicated.
That Lot was here suggests that he was a respected member of
the community. It's not a good thing to be a
respected member of the community of Sodom. See, all along the
way, Lot makes foolish decisions. Lot makes impetuous decisions.
Lot just looks at things based on the naked eye or the physical
eye. He doesn't think in terms of
spirituality. He doesn't think in terms of
company. He doesn't think in terms of declension. As we move
through this chapter, again, you see this hesitancy on the
part of Lot to ever leave the city. It says that Lot lingered. Well, when angels announce to
you that you flee the city because the judgment, wrath, and fury
of God is going to come upon that city, you don't linger.
And then he doesn't want to go to the mountains. I mean, you
almost want to say, poor baby. I mean, you go where they tell
you to go. But he doesn't want to do that.
He wants the city of Zoar. It's just a little city. And
God, in his mercy, gives this to him. That's what's most amazing
about this. Not that Lot lingers, not that
Lot doesn't want to go to the mountains, not that Lot wants
Zoar for himself, but that God accommodates him. And then when
we get to the end of the chapter, and we see this horrific account
with he and his daughters, we see that while you can take the
girls out of Sodom, you can't fully take Sodom out of the girls.
And so this man made some grievous decisions along the way, And
it cost him dearly. He did not take the path of his
uncle Abraham. He did not walk in the fear of
God the way that he ought to have. Now, Peter tells us that
he was a righteous man. And I would say we ought to praise
God for the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ. Because as far
as we can tell from the written page in Genesis with reference
to Lot, it wasn't a righteousness that was his own. It wasn't his
godliness. It wasn't his good family government.
It wasn't his wise choice of a place to live that ultimately
landed him in heaven. It was the imputed righteousness
of Jesus Christ given to him and received by faith alone. So Lot makes foolish decisions. Bruce Waltke says, Lot has exchanged
his tent, formally pitched near the city, for a house in Sodom. So he's in a bad or precarious
position, but he knows enough to tell these men, these angels,
he doesn't know at this time that they are, in fact, angels.
He believes them to be men, and he tells them to come and stay
in my house tonight. You don't want to stay in the
public square. And that brings us thirdly to
verses 4 to 11, the wickedness of the city. Notice in the first
place, it's the entirety of the city. It's the entirety of the
city. Remember back in Genesis chapter
18, Abraham intercedes. He says, if there's 50, if there's
45, if there's 40, if there's 30, if there's 20, if there's
10 righteous in the city, will you spare the city? And God says,
yes, if there's 10 righteous in the city, I will spare the
city. There weren't 10 righteous. The ones that were righteous,
namely Lot and his family, were spared. But in terms of having
a number 10, that wasn't the case. Notice in verse 4, now
before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom,
both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded
the house. It couldn't be any more conspicuous
that it was every person in the city that was given to this particular
sin. Whether they would have all participated
in it, or some would have simply witnessed it, nevertheless we
have everyone in the city comes to engage in this wickedness.
And this underscores for us the justice and the righteousness
of God. when he does rain hell from heaven upon these cities
of the plain. It's just, it's righteous. There
were no righteous in the city, and so it is fitting and appropriate
for God to decimate or devastate these cities on the plain. Notice
the specific sin of the city in verse five. And they called
to Lot and said to him, where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we
may know them carnally. Now last week I mentioned that
some interpret the sin of Sodom as being a lack of hospitality. Now I think that is to completely
miss the mark, and we'll look at that in a moment, but they
typically refer to Ezekiel 16. And in Ezekiel 16 at verses 48
to 50, God says, as I live, says the
Lord God, neither your sister Sodom nor her daughters have
done as you and your daughters have done. Look, this was the
iniquity of your sister Sodom. She and her daughter had pride,
fullness of food, and abundance of idleness. Neither did she
strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty
and committed abomination before me. Therefore, I took them away
as I saw fit. Now certainly, Lack of hospitality
is there, a lack of kindness to the needy is there, but it's
sort of a complex of sins. The abomination in Ezekiel 16
is most likely the sodomy or the homosexuality that is displayed
here in Genesis 19.5. When they say, bring them out
to us, that we may know them carnally. The New King James
has, in italics, the word carnally. That is a good implication. Whenever you have a word that's
in italics in the text, it's a word that's supplied by the
translators. Sometimes it's necessary, because
in Hebrew or Greek, you don't necessarily need a verb. And
so to supply a verb, they put it in italics so that it makes
sense in English. Here this is an interpretative
call, that the knowledge that these men of Sodom wanted, with
reference to these men in the house, was to know them carnally. We know that the Bible uses the
language of know with reference to carnal or sexual relations
between a husband and a wife. We see that with reference to
Adam knowing his wife. Not always. It's not always the
case when a man knows a woman or a woman knows a man that sexual
intercourse is on the table. But it's certainly used that
way a lot. And as we move through the text,
we see that that's how it's being utilized in this particular setting. So carnally is supplied by the
new King James. And I think it is a legitimate,
correct interpretation of the text. The Hebrew word yada is
often used of sexual intercourse. Again, Genesis 4.1, 4.17, 4.25. Now, to sort of make the case
that they didn't want to just know them cognitively is obvious
from the context. The word know means cognition,
to know something about someone. But in the text, we see that
that's not what their desire is. We want to know You know,
do they have wives? Do they have kids? Do they go
to college? Do they have businesses? What
kind of car do they drive? We want to know information about
them. That's not what's on the table.
They want to know them intimately. They want to know them carnally.
They want to know them in a homosexual way. Notice first the strong
insistence by Lot in verse 3 that they don't spend the night in
the public square. Lot knows something about his
city, and Lot cautions them. Lot insists strongly that they
don't take that particular course. As well, notice the plea of Lot
in verse 6 to these men. He says, please, my brethren,
do not do so wickedly. Or in verse 7, please, my brethren,
do not do so wickedly. He knows what's in their minds,
he knows what's in their hearts, and he doesn't want them to engage
in this. the offer of Lot in verse 8 of
his virgin daughters. Now, with reference to the sons-in-law,
most likely they were betrothed. The sons-in-law think that Lot
is joking, and so most likely the sons-in-law stay behind,
and that then brings Lot and his two daughters at the end
of chapter 19. But in verse 8, he says this. See now, I have two daughters
who have not known a man. Again, cognition is not in view. What's in view is sexual intimacy.
I have two daughters who have not known a man. Please, let
me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you wish.
Not know them, ask them questions, learn what their favorite colors
and their favorite Mexican food is. That's not what the intention
is. Only do nothing to these men
since this is the reason they have come under the shadow of
my roof. Now the confirmation in 2 Peter
chapter 2. the sins, the lawless deeds of
these men of Sodom wasn't that they wanted information about
passers-by in their city. And then Jude 7 specifically
condemns or specifically highlights the sins of these cities on the
plain was gross sexual perversion. So that's what's in view here.
And may I also add that at this particular juncture, there's
nothing in the text to indicate that their intention is gang
rape. As far as they're concerned,
this is going to be consensual. They want to meet with these
particular men, and they want to have relations with them.
Now, the scene is certainly one of homosexual gang rape. But from their particular point
of view, that's probably not in their mind, or at least the
text doesn't indicate that. Now, that's an unsavory thing
to even have to say, homosexual gang rape. But I bring it up
for this reason, because we actually have persons today saying that
gay Christianity is okay, provided it's between two men, provided
it's monogamous, provided it's based on love. And so the crime
here in Sodom was this intent to do serious bodily injury vis-a-vis
gang rape. The rape is what is condemned.
It's not homosexuality in and of itself. This is where, again,
not the world is going presently. The world's been there for a
long time. But it's the church, or at least
some sections of the church, that are actually conceding this
sort of logic, or rather illogic, which flies against the thrust
of scripture. So again, in their minds, perhaps
they have formulated they're going to assault these men in
a violent, horrible way. But perhaps they're simply going
to entice them or seduce them with the thought of engaging
in homosexual relations. unsavory stuff to talk about,
but we live in an unsavory age, and it makes good sense for us
to know what Scripture says concerning these particular things. Now,
look at the proposal by Lot in verses 6-8. He wants to protect
his guests. Again, this was consistent and
right and good on Lot's part. Notice in verse 6. So Lot went
out to them, through the doorway, shut the door behind him, and
said... So if they just wanted to know
these men cognitively, that's an odd thing to do, isn't it?
to leave the men behind, go out, to face this angry mob, and to
shut the door? I mean, that's not what they
wanted. It wasn't cognition, it was sexual
perversion, is what they had in mind. Now, the plea that the
men of Sodom do not do so wickedly. Verse 7, please brethren, he
appeals to them, he is kind to them, He is winsome toward them
because he doesn't want them to pursue this particular path.
They're not brethren in terms of family. They're brethren in
terms of nationally. They're brethren in terms of
the city state. They're brethren in terms of the way that Chilliwackians
are brethren, one with another. That's how he is referring to
them in this instance. And then the offer of his virgin
daughters to the men of the city in order to protect his guests.
Now, it's as if, notice in verse 8, see now, I have two daughters
who have not known a man. Please let me bring them out
to you and you may do to them as you wish. Only do nothing
to these men since this is the reason they have come under the
shadow of my roof. Now, it's intriguing to read
commentaries on biblical texts, because everybody agrees this
is horrific. I mean, there's no sort of regal
room out of this. I mean, you can't say, well,
you know, his desire was good, and so therefore the offer of
the daughters, you know, that's the price of doing business in
the land of Sodom. But guys do that. In fact, the
text, in some sense, does that. It offers a rationale or an explanation,
because when we're struck with the horror of verse 8a, the reality
that he's going to hand over his daughters to a sexually charged
angry mob, it goes on to tell us, only do nothing to these
men, since this is the reason they have come under the shadow
of my roof. It's almost as if this is the rationale that justifies
the giving of the daughters. But we ought to appreciate and
understand he should never have offered his daughters. This is
horrible. This is wicked. This is evil.
This is bad. This is absolutely illegitimate
and inconsistent. Calvin says he does not hesitate
to prostitute his own daughters, that he may restrain the indomitable
fury of the people. But he should rather have endured
a thousand deaths than have resorted to such a measure. Amen. He should have resorted to a
thousand deaths than ever to have done something like that.
You don't give your daughters to an angry mob of rapists. That is simply unacceptable and
you don't do it. Matthew Henry says it is true
of two evils we must choose the less. But of two sins we must
choose neither, nor ever do evil that good may come of it. He
reasoned with them, pleaded the laws of hospitality and the protection
of his house, which his guests were entitled to. But he might
as well have offered reason to a roaring lion and a raging bear
as to these headstrong sinners who were governed only by lust
and passion. They weren't going to be reasoned
with. They weren't going to be bartered
with. They are, as he says, given over
to their wickedness. Who delivers Lot? It's not Lot. Just like Abraham delivers Lot
in Genesis 14, just like these angels are going to deliver him
later, they are delivering him here again. Now, not that we
ought not to appreciate the deliverance of God, but brethren, we ought
not to demand or put ourselves in these sorts of positions necessitating
deliverance all the time. Because God is a good deliverer,
it doesn't mean we should go out and put ourselves into horrible
situations so that He can deliver us. I don't think that Lot is
doing this consciously, wanting to put myself in a precarious
position so that the Lord will have to deliver me. I don't think
that, but I think that as learners, as readers, as students of Scripture,
that the lesson that we ought to glean is don't judge things
based on the physical eye. In other words, defer to Abraham
in Genesis chapter 13. When it comes to pitching your
tent near Sodom, don't do it. You're not that holy. You're
not that godly. You're not going to affect them
positively. Most likely, they're going to
affect you negatively. And when it comes to situations
like these, don't rely on your own wisdom, wherein you think
offering your daughters is somehow a legitimate bartering chip with
reference to an angry mob of godless heathen. That's not something
you ever want to do. Now notice the protection that
comes. The men turn on Lot. Verse 9. I mean, no one saw this
coming, right? They said, stand back. Then they
said, this one came in to stay here. Basically, he's a resident
alien. He's not even one of us, and
now he's going to tell us what we get to do? He keeps acting
as a judge. He thinks that he's got it all
figured out, and he's going to be arrogant and tell us what
we're about to do. Matthew Henry says, those that
hate to be reformed hate those that reprove them. So it says,
they pressed hard against, or actually first it says, and he
keeps acting as a judge, now we will deal worse with you than
with them. So they pressed hard against
the man lot and came near to break down the door. Now I'll
give him credit for courage. I mean, that he went out there,
that he faced this angry mob, and that he shut the door on
the two men that were in the house. That is a courageous move
on his part, especially knowing the characteristics of the men
in his city. I mean, that took a degree of
guts or, you know, just more folly on the part of Lott, but
he does it. Now, verse 10, he's delivered. The men reached out
their hands and pulled Lott into the house with them and shut
the door. See it, don't you? Lot's there,
he's staring down the face of these angry bears, and these
guys just grab him by the scruff of the neck and yank him back
into the house. In other words, Lot, you can't do that. Praise
God that these angels were there and they extend the arm of deliverance
to Lot and bring him back into the house. And then in verse
11, they step up the ante and they struck the men who were
at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great,
so that they became weary trying to find the door. Now this is
the same sort of blindness that you see in 2 Kings 6.18. It's
probably not total, it's probably not complete, it's probably not
forever. Klein says, it was not so much
loss of sight as a sudden striking of the tormentors with a severe
disorientation that frustrated their purpose. It wasn't like
the removal of sight forever and ever, but it was this disorientation. But notice what happens in verse
11. They're struck with this blindness,
both small and great, but the end of the verse tells us so
that they became weary trying to find the door. When they are
disoriented or struck with this blindness, they don't stop. They
continue trying to find the door. The fact that they didn't find
the door is another indicator of God's grace, protection, provision,
and mercy. I mean, if you and I were blind
and we were put outside the door here, eventually I think we'd
find the handle. At some point, these guys, you
know, how big was Lot's casa? I'm sure it wasn't a mansion.
I mean, they could have found this eventually if in this blind
stupor they just did like this. But God kept them from this.
But what's more disconcerting and more alarming is that they
continued in it. Wenham speaks to this. He says,
why did they not go home as soon as they were struck with blindness? I mean, brethren, think about
it. You were struck with blindness.
You might interpret this as, you better stop your current
path. I'd like to think that's what we would consider, right?
You better stop your current path. He says, is this another
hint of how deeply rooted this sin was? Divine judgment is supposed
to induce repentance. He cites Amos 4, 6 to 12. Here it does not, so yet greater
calamities must be expected. In other words, that they continue,
show us how bad or how ingrained their sin is, and the only thing
that is fitting and appropriate is when God does rain hell from
heaven upon these cities to utterly wipe them out. These aren't innocent,
peace-loving people that just wanted to engage in some extracurricular
activities. These are vile, rebellious, God-hating
rebels that he is going to bring judgment to bear upon. And the
text is very evident, and it's very clear and conspicuous that
that's what we're dealing with in this particular overthrow
of Sodom, Gomorrah, and the cities on the plain. So that is the
demonstration of Sodom's depravity. The angels go, according to the
will or plan or purpose of God, to investigate the city, to confirm
that this is in fact the case, and then to issue or usher in
that judgment of God upon them. Now, in terms of the doctrine
or the teaching of the Bible with reference to homosexuality,
as I said, our fight at this present moment isn't so much
with the world, though it is, it's within evangelicalism, it's
within Christianity, it's within the ranks of the professing blood-bought
people of God, that say as long as it's monogamous, as long as
it's love based, in fact some are advocating as long as you
don't actually engage in any sort of touching, you can have
a monogamous homosexual relationship that's loving and romantic, but
yet without the touching. I don't know what leads people
to come up with this sort of thing, but that's what we're
dealing with today. So it's very important that we,
as the people of God, understand what the Bible says concerning
homosexuality. In the first place, obviously,
homosexual gang rape is condemned, but so are all forms of homosexuality. The testimony of Scripture with
reference to homosexuality. A couple of thoughts. some Old
New Testament texts. In the first place, we need to
remember the intention of God at creation, because ultimately
homosexuality is an inversion of the created order. God determines
specific things when he made the world. He determined that
men and women marry each other, one man, one woman, that it was
to be forever. It was a God-blessed union. He
brought them together. Now, post-fall, there is legislation
given in the event that one of the parties in a marriage sins
and breaks the covenant, God authorizes, God permits, lawful
biblical divorce. I will argue that till my dying
day, because the Bible teaches that. But in terms of the original
intention of God at creation, one man, one woman, forever. That is His design. We see that in Genesis chapter
2, verses 18 to 25, our confession of faith, which some have suggested
we need to beef up the chapter on marriage to sort of contend
with the various assaults against marriage. I don't think we do.
Our confession of faith in 25.1 says, marriage is to be between
one man and one woman. I mean, that's as clear as one
can make it. You don't have to exclude every
other sort of created thing. It really does, you know, get
to the point. So the intention of God in creation.
Secondly, the general prohibition of the seventh commandment. The
general prohibition of the Seventh Commandment. The Seventh Commandment
protects chastity. It protects sexual purity. In
the Westminster Larger, it asks, what are the sins forbidden in
the Seventh Commandment? The sins forbidden in the Seventh
Commandment, besides the neglect of the duties required, are adultery,
fornication, rape, incest, sodomy, and all unnatural lusts. Now that's just a portion of
question and answer 139. But Exodus 20, 14 and Deuteronomy
5, 18 is the general prohibition of the seventh commandment against
all manner of unlawful sexual expression. And then thirdly,
you have the specific condemnation of homosexuality in the Bible. In the Old Testament, you can
turn to Leviticus 18. Again, I just think it's important,
based on the challenges that we face as the church in the
21st century, those who confess the infallibility and inerrancy
of Scripture, we need to know what the Bible says concerning
this ethical issue. in Genesis chapter 18 and verse
22. You shall not lie with a male
as with a woman. It is an abomination. Nor shall
you mate with any animal to debile yourself with it. Nor shall any
woman stand before an animal to mate with it. It is perversion. I remember hearing a couple of
sermons by Andy Hamilton, the Andy Hamilton that we pray for
in China. Prior to going to China, he pastored a church in Louisiana
for 20 years. Andy went as an older man, convinced
that the older seasoned men are the men that should be going
to the mission field. Prior to becoming a Christian and a pastor,
he played professional football. for the Kansas City Chiefs. And
then he became the pastor, and he preached a couple sermons
in the early 90s on sexual purity in a sensual age. And man, those
were great sermons. If you can find them, they are
very excellent. But one of the things that he
mentions in there, he says, it should make us hang our heads
in shame. that God even has to prohibit this. As the creature
of God, it should make us all hang our heads in shame that
we even have to be told some of these things. But needless
to say, we do, at least some people do, and it's told in this
particular instance. You shall not lie with a male
as with a woman. Now in verses 24 and following,
this is the reason for the expulsion of the Canaanites from the land
of Canaan. So just keep that in mind. It
wasn't nice, innocent, happy people. And this God of Israel
said, OK, too much. It's over. You're gone. And send
out these nice, innocent people and replace them with it. No,
it's not it. They were vile, wretched, rebellious, and God
judged them. Leviticus chapter 18, I'm sorry,
Leviticus chapter 18, verse 29. For whoever commits any of these
abominations, the persons who commit them shall be cut off
from among their people. Again, speaking to those things
that had been previously mentioned. Notice in Leviticus 20 at verse
13. If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both
of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death.
Their blood shall be upon them. And then, excuse me, to Deuteronomy
chapter 23. Deuteronomy chapter 23, verses
17 and 18. Now this is probably not your,
I don't want to say normal homosexuality, that just doesn't sound right.
Garden variety homosexuality doesn't sound exactly right either. But this is in the context of
ritual perversion. It's in the context of religious
sort of prostitution. Notice in 2317, there shall be
no ritual harlot of the daughters of Israel or a perverted one
of the sons of Israel. You shall not bring the wages
of a harlot or the price of a dog to the house of the Lord your
God for any vowed offering, for both of these are an abomination
to the Lord your God. Now, the pagans engaged in fornication
in worship, and this is why the prohibition is here for Israel.
Don't worship like the Canaanites around you. See, one of the reasons
why God says you need to go in and utterly dispossess the land
of the Canaanites, because God knows his people. And he knows
that if they don't exterminate the Canaanites, and if they don't
tear down the altars to Baal, and they don't tear down the
Asherah poles, it won't be long before they're fornicating before
them. And that's precisely what happens
in Israel's history. And so this prohibition, it wasn't
just in case, it actually did need to be in place because of
what would happen ultimately with persons there. The dog here
probably is a male prostitute. You see this reference in the
book of Revelation to those outside the city. God doesn't have a
problem with canines. He has a problem with perverted
men who engage in homosexual relations. That's what Dogg refers
to in these instances. Remember it was Esau and Jehoshaphat
both rid the land of the perverted persons. Kedashim. The word Kedash means righteous,
and these Kedashim, in a sort of a strange turn on the word,
would be ritual prostitutes that would engage in this sort of
thing. Greg Bonson says, with reference
to the teaching of the Old Testament on homosexuality, which by the
way, great book, by Greg Bonson on homosexuality, written probably
in the mid-70s, still very excellent, very exegetically sound, it's
not real long, it's a good work. But he says, from the perspective
of Old Testament revelation, the conclusion is clear. Homosexuality
is perverted, contrary to God's created order, immoral, contrary
to God's commandment, and worthy of death, temporal, societal,
and eternal." Notice what he says. It's perverted. It's contrary
to God's created order. We need to maintain God's original
intention at creation, because what we find with homosexuality
is that it inverts that. It introduces chaos into the
cosmos, and God is not for that. Now, in terms of the New Testament,
you've got, in the first place, by way of a general observation,
Jesus' affirmation of the creation account. In Matthew 19, verses
3-6, Jesus is asked by the Pharisees, is it lawful for a man to divorce
his wife for just any reason? Verse 4, Matthew 19, He answered
and said to them, Have you not read that he who made them at
the beginning made them male and female, and said, for this
reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined
to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? So then they
are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined
together, let not man separate." That doesn't speak specifically
to homosexuality. It doesn't speak specifically
to the various forms of perversion. It affirms the man-woman principle. But the larger concern, or the
larger affirmation, is the affirmation of the original creation. See,
this is fundamental in arguing ethics. When you get into a debate
with pagans, and when you get into a debate with professing
Christians, when you deal with ethics, yes, specific passages,
which we are doing, but the general overarching intention of God
the Creator. When you see that inverted, or
when you see that twisted, or when you see that defaced, that's
not pleasing to God. God the Lord wants or has designed
that things operate in a particular way. So Jesus affirms the creation
account. Notice in Romans chapter 1, in
terms of specific texts. And again, some of these are
hopefully familiar to you. And some of these are hopefully
instructive for all of us so that we can see what God's Word
consistently says with reference to this issue. In Romans 1, 26
to 27, Paul refers to homosexuality as the result of God's having
given sinners up to their vile passions. Notice in verse 26.
For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. That doesn't
sound good and healthy and right. The marriage bed is undefiled,
it's honorable among all, Hebrews 13 verse 4 says. It's not vile,
it's not wretched, it's not wicked, it's not bad, it's not perverse.
No, the marriage bed is undefiled, it's honorable among all. But
fornicators and adulterers, God will judge, according to Hebrews
13 verse 4. Here at the outset, we see that an act of God's judicial
abandonment of sinners results in them pursuing their vile passions. He gives a concrete illustration
in verse 26. For even their women exchange
the natural use for what is against nature. And some suggest that
he begins with that because that's really sort of the demonstration
of a society. I mean, we sort of expect men
to be beasts. But we don't always expect that
from women. We like to think they're a bit
more delicate, a little bit more fair, a little bit nicer, a little
bit kinder, a little bit gentler. They don't kind of engage in
the baseness and the wickedness and the vileness and the wretchedness
of the piggish men. So he starts off here and says,
for even their women exchange the natural use for what is against
nature. Look at the terminology Paul
uses. There's a natural use vis-a-vis God's intention in the created
order, and there is that which is against nature. So again,
with reference to arguing ethics, you need specific passages, but
you need an appreciation for the doctrine of creation and
how God has intended for creation to function. Birds are supposed
to fly, fish are supposed to swim, men are supposed to function
in a particular way, and so are women. And when you cross the
lines, or when you cross the wires, or when you take things
and put them in a position they were never intended to be, it's
confusion and chaos and sin and disorder that results. And so
the language here suggests the wickedness in view. So he says
they exchange the natural use, there is a natural use, women
and men have for one another in God's world in terms of their
marriage relationship, for what is against nature, that which
is contrary to the created order. God's purpose for his creatures
relative to marriage and sexuality. And then notice how he describes
homosexual union in verse 27. Likewise, also the men, leaving
the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one
another, men with men, committing what is shameful. See, the idea
of the apostle is not a condemnation of homosexual gang rape. The
idea of the apostle is not the condemnation of a lawful, loving,
monogamous homosexual relationship. The idea of the apostle is the
condemnation of homosexuality because it's against nature.
It's an inversion of the created order. It is an assault upon
the Creator Himself. It is to suggest that what He
has ordained is not legit, it's not right, and we're going to
do what we want to do. It is an expression of the autonomy
of man, and it is wicked. And Paul says, men with men committing
what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of
their error, which was due. And then notice in 1 Timothy
1, 1 Timothy 1, verse 10. Well, we'll back up for just
a moment to verse 8. Hopefully, we're going to do
this on Saturday morning, too, because at the end of the chapter
on Burkhoff that we're on, he deals with the lawful use of
the law. Someday, we may actually get there. It's a short chapter,
and we've been on it for months now. But there's a right way
to use the law and a wrong way to use the law. There's a right
way to use your toaster and a wrong way to use your toaster. Toasting
bread, good. Drying hair, not good. Using
the law as a means to expose sin, using the law as a means
to inform the sanctified believer on how he or she should walk,
good. Using the law as a means of justification is an unlawful
use of the law. There's a wrong way to use the
law, and Paul treats at least a part of it here in 1 Timothy
1a. He says, we know that the law
is good if if one uses it lawfully. Legalism is not a lawful use
of the law. So therefore, it's not a good
use of the law. We know that the law is good
if one uses it lawfully. Now, he's dealing with one specific
use of the law. He's not dealing with all of
the uses of the law. He's dealing with one specific.
And the specific one he's dealing with in verses 9 and 10 is the
first use, or what the Reformed have called the first use of
the law, which is the civil or the political use. In other words,
the law of God as a means of restraint. It's just a big, big
parameter to hopefully restrain wickedness. If we had no restraint,
you had no sort of law out there, you would just be given over
to madness and sinfulness. And that's what he says, knowing
this, that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for
the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners,
for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers, murderers
of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for
kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing
that is contrary to sound doctrine. Most commentators observe is
that Paul goes through the Ten Commandments. That's what he's
doing in verses 9 and 10. He's going through the Ten Commandments. So when your dispensational friend
says, oh, that was for Israel. No, it wasn't. It's for everybody. The Ten Commandments have a trans-covenantal
utility. That means that they are for
anybody and everybody, irrespective of the covenant that they happen
to be in. Think about Sodom. Think about Sodom. There was
no law given at Sinai at the time of Sodom. Sodomites weren't
the covenant people, were they? The Canaanites weren't the covenant
people, but how come God has them thrown out of the land? It's because they broke his law.
2 Peter chapter 2 says that Lot witnessed their lawless deeds. See the law of God is written
on the heart of man according to Romans 2 14 and 15 man has
it in him and man Suppresses truth and unrighteousness man
tries to distance himself from it, but he can't evade it He
can't escape it fully he is under God's law Whatever his state
whatever his covenant whatever his nationality he is bound to
the God of heaven and earth So he's using the Ten Commandments
and in some of the commandments he goes for the the highest or
the most serious violation connected to the commandment. Look at what
he does specifically. In verse 9, he says, for murderers
of fathers and murderers of mothers. That's the most serious expression
of violating the Fifth Commandment you could have. I mean, right?
I mean, that's dishonoring and not obeying to the nth degree.
When you murder, when you engage in patricide or or matricide,
when you murder your parents. That is a violation of the Fifth
Commandment. Notice when he says, for kidnappers,
after fornicators and sodomites. Kidnappers is the highest and
most serious form of the violation of the Eighth Commandment. I
mean, there's a difference between stealing a candy bar at Walmart
and stealing a human. So you see what he's doing. He's
using kind of the most egregious examples, at least for the 5th
and the 8th. And some would say he's doing
the same with reference to the 7th. Fornicators, sodomites,
the most serious and egregious examples are seen in those who
have no respect for covenant, no respect for responsibility,
no respect for decency, and actually engage in fornication, or men
who lay with men, or women who lay with women. That is a serious
expression of the violation of the Seventh Commandment. So we
see, again, it's not homosexual gang rape, it's not non-monogamous
loving homosexual, it's homosexuality that is condemned by Paul. And
then the last New Testament text, we sort of jumped over because
there's a couple other thoughts we should make in conclusion,
is 1 Corinthians 6. 1 Corinthians chapter 6. Verse 9, do you not know that
the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be
deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers,
nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the
kingdom of God. Some see this and they say homosexuals
and sodomites. Aren't sodomites homosexuals?
Aren't they synonymous terms? Yeah, they are in English. But
Paul is reflecting two technical terms in Greek. The first has
reference to the passive partner in a homosexual relationship,
and the second to the active partner in a homosexual relationship. He's using the verbiage, the
language, the technical terminology of his day to illustrate that
both the active and the passive, the one who plays the part of
the man, the one who plays the part of the woman, Both of them
alike are sinful. Again, it's not monogamous, gang
rape. It's homosexuality. That's what's
condemned by the Apostle Paul. But we need to appreciate this
list as a whole, because homosexuality is not the only sin. And we can't
ever be high and mighty while those wretched, dirty homosexuals,
while we're heterosexual fornicators. You can't do that. That's not
cool. That's not consistent. That's
hypocritical. Notice, do you not know that
the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be
deceived. Now, there's that element, that dimension, that added ingredient
that we see in Romans 1 where it's against nature. It's an
inversion of the created order. But these other sins are vile
in the sight of God as well. And that's something we need
to see also. Paul does not ascribe homosexuality to genetics. He doesn't say, well, you know,
they're born that way. No, they're sins like other sins. And this is where I think that
Christianity is not only not homophobic, whatever that means,
but we're positively homo lovers in the sense of we have the remedy
to deliver them from the malady. If we tell them it's a sickness,
which Freud did, if we tell them it's genetic, which modern science
is doing, there's no hope. There's no deliverance. But if
we tell them there's sin, there's hope in Jesus. There's forgiveness
with them that He may be feared. There is a fountain open for
sin and uncleanness. You see, we have the answers
for homosexuality. And this is what Paul goes on
to say, verse 11, and such were some of you. See, if it was genetic,
if it was in our DNA, if we were hardwired that way, there'd be
no stopping. I sat under the ministry, not
full time, but I went to a conference and a man was preaching who had
been a homosexual and now was happily married and had several
kids. That's not DNA, brethren. You can't change your eye colors.
You can't change your skin color, but you can change and not be
a homosexual anymore through the power of the Christian gospel.
And that's the hope that we hold out to that. We don't do anybody
any favors by, well, I guess you were born that way. I guess
it's in your DNA. I guess it's a genetic hardwire
with reference. No, it's a sin. And like other
sins, there is forgiveness with God in and through the gospel
of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We have good news for
the homosexual, and we need to remember that. It's a sin, like
other sins, again, the added dimension or element where it's
against nature, but nevertheless, such were some of you. But you
were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the
name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. Have you
ever read the gospel narratives? And you've read stuff like Luke
15, and it says that all the sinners and tax collectors drew
near him to hear him. Well, what kind of sinners were
they? They were the kind of sinners that you and I are. They were
the kind of sinners that populate our streets. They were sinners,
you know? It wasn't as if they were polished
and righteous sinners. There's no such thing. Sin has
always been sin. Sodom, you know, is Sodom in
Genesis 19. It's terrible. But nevertheless, the apostle
highlights the forgiveness of God that can be had through our
Lord Jesus Christ. And one final thing we ought
to appreciate. I had a couple others, but I
want to finish here. Matthew chapter 11. Matthew chapter 11. We need to understand that there
is a sin worse than sodomy. There is a sin worse than sodomy. And that is to not believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ. In 1120, in Matthew's gospel,
then he began to rebuke the cities in which most of his mighty works
had been done, because they did not repent. Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if
the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre
and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon
in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who
are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades. For if
the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom,
it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that
it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day
of judgment than for you. There is a sin worse than sodomy,
and it's to not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And we need
to make sure we don't forget that. There's hope, there's forgiveness,
there's mercy to be had for homosexuals in the gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ. And if you reject that, if you
resist that, if you forsake that, there's going to be more judgment
upon you than even for Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities on
the plain. Well, let's close in a word of
prayer. Father, we thank you for your word. Well, chapter
19 in Genesis is an unsavory chapter filled with many sinful
things. We see, God, that nevertheless
you are full of mercy toward Lot. He lingers, He is resistant,
He is hesitant, and you nevertheless show mercy to Him. God, may these
things encourage us not to be lingerers and not to be slothful,
but rather to see that there is great mercy in you. And help
us to think clearly concerning the Bible and its application
to society today, its application in our own lives and in our own
hearts and practice, and with reference to those outside of
the Church. May we indeed have mercy upon, may we show love
to and grace toward those who are in sin and in rebellion,
and may we exercise that love that you tell us is the second
great commandment by telling sinners the glorious gospel of
Jesus Christ our Lord. We ask that you would go with
us now, help us to have a good remainder of the week, And may
we bring glory to your most holy name. And we ask through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
