Suffering and Deliverance (Part 12) - Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot, Jacob

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4. Sodom and Gomorrah for the sake of Lot A. When Abraham and Lot decided to part company, Lot went to live in Sodom (Gen 13:8-13). B. Sodom and Gomorrah went to war with the nations who had previously subjugated them and were spoiled by them (Gen 14:8-11). C. Lot was also taken captive (Gen 14:12). D. Lot was a just man who was vexed by the sinners of Sodom (2Pe 2:7-8). E. When Abraham heard that Lot was captured he armed his 318 trained servants and smote the kings that had taken him captive and delivered him and the people of Sodom and Gomorrah from them (Gen 14:13-16). F. There are some lessons we can learn from this. i. God will sometimes deliver a wicked nation for the sake of a righteous man among them. ii. Remember that you could be that righteous person for whose sake the LORD could deliver our wicked nation. iii. God sometimes decides to deliver His disobedient children from trouble. iv. But God does not always do so, so never presume on the mercy of God (Rom 3:8). 5. Lot A. After Sodom and Gomorrah were delivered from their oppressors by Abraham they continued in their wicked ways, and God was ready to destroy them (Gen 18:20-22). B. This is an example of the wicked being shown favor but yet not repenting (Isa 26:10). C. Abraham bargained with God and got Him to agree to spare the cities if there were but ten righteous within them (Gen 18:23-32). D. There were not ten righteous people in those cities because God did end up destroying them (Gen 19:24-25). E. Lot was a righteous man who made poor decisions and was vexed by the wicked whom he chose to live near (2Pe 2:7-8). F. God delivered Lot, his wife, and two of his daughters (Gen 19:15-16). G. This is a case of only the righteous and those around him being delivered from destruction, but not the community or nation as a whole. H. There are some lessons we can learn from this. i. God would have delivered Lot's other daughters and sons in law if they would have heeded the warning (Gen 19:12-14). a. Failure to heed God's warnings which He gives through His messengers can result in destruction. b. God may deliver one of your family members, but not you if you disregard His admonitions. c. Don't assume that you will be delivered from calamity just because your family member (husband, wife, father, mother, etc.) is obedient to God (or somewhat obedient in the case of Lot). ii. The LORD was merciful to Lot and dragged him out of the city before He destroyed it (Gen 19:15-16). a. God is not always so merciful, so don't ever assume that if you delay to obey that God will miraculously save you. b. Don't assume that because Lot was a pathetic follower of God, but was nevertheless delivered, that you will be too. c. God rewards those that diligently seek Him (Heb 11:6), so if you want assurance of God's deliverance you should serve God fervently. 6. Jacob A. Jacob was delivered from Esau. i. Jacob had swindled Esau out of his birthright (Gen 25:29-34) and his blessing (Gen 27:35). ii. Esau hated him for it and vowed to kill him (Gen 27:41). iii. Jacob fled for his life, and after being away for many years he decided to go back to his home land. iv. He sent messengers to Esau telling him he was coming back and was seeking grace in his sight (Gen 32:3-5). v. He was told that Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men which greatly frightened Jacob (Gen 32:6-7). vi. Jacob made preparations to protect his family from Esau (Gen 32:7-8), and then he prayed to God for deliverance from Esau, reminding God of His promises (Gen 32:9-12). vii. When he met Esau, the Lord softened Esau's heart, and he received Jacob in peace (Gen 33:1-5). viii. "When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." (Pro 16:7) ix. There are some lessons we can learn from this. a. Do what God tells us to do, even when it looks like danger might lie ahead. b. Press on, and never turn back from doing what God has commanded because of fear. c. Make preparations to limit the harm or loss that we might incur in a battle. d. Remind God of His promises, and humbly ask Him to deliver us according to them. e. Humble ourselves when facing an enemy more far more powerful than ourselves and seek peace if doing so doesn't compromise obedience to God (Luk 14:31-32). B. Jacob and his family were saved from dying in the great famine. i. Near the end of Jacob's life a terrible seven year famine afflicted the land (Gen 41:54). ii. Jacob and his family got food from Egypt (Gen 42:1-3) and then later moved down into Egypt to be sustained there during the famine (Gen 45:9-11). iii. In order to experience this great deliverance (Gen 45:7), Jacob had to first undergo tribulation (Rom 5:3-4). a. Jacob's sons sold their brother Joseph, his favored son (Gen 37:3), into slavery in Egypt because they hated him (Gen 37:4 c/w Gen 37:28). b. They made Jacob believe that Joseph had been killed (Gen 37:31-33). c. Jacob had to suffer the terrible pain of thinking that Joseph was dead for years (Gen 37:34-35). d. Joseph ended up becoming the Prime Minister of Egypt and was put in charge of the food program during which he laid up food to bring them through the famine (Gen 41:41, 46-49). iv. There are some lessons we can learn from this. a. God will often allow us to suffer great affliction after having delivered us from trouble in the past. b. The elderly (even those who are godly) are not exempt from suffering calamities in life, so if you do someday, know that you are not alone. c. Sometimes our present suffering is the means by which God will deliver us from greater suffering later.