Advanced Level, Block 2, Week 18: God’s Judgment

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Advanced Level, Block 2—Result of Entering the Good Land

Week 18
God’s Judgment

Point to Emphasize: We must be warned not to associate with those who view wickedness as normal, but instead to follow those who love and follow God.

Reference Reading: Genesis 19:1-29, footnotes 11, 81, 111; Life-study of Genesis, msg. 52; CWWN, Vol. 18: “Notes on Scriptural Messages (2),” Issue No. 38, “A Defeated Righteous Man”

Memory Verse: Do not turn to the right or to the left; / Turn your foot away from evil.
(Proverbs 4:27)

Story Sample

If you were to ask what our five senses are, most people would say,” Sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing.” And this is correct. BUT we all have another sense. This is the sense of morality and it is according to God. It is the sense in your heart of what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is wicked. Today we will talk about how Lot and his family lost their sense of morality.

We have been hearing the stories about how Lot chose the better land for himself. Eventually, he moved to Sodom, a wicked and sinful place. He didn’t just go for a visit. He moved his family there to live there permanently. As a result of his decision, he and his family daily saw the wickedness of that city. Lot even became an elder of the city, sitting at the gate of the city to observe whoever came and went from Sodom. Lot could become a city official of the evil place because gradually over a period of time he lost his sense of morality.

There was a boy about your age who received a book as a gift. It was a book about families, so it seemed as though it would be wonderful to read. But the book had one page that said, “Some families have two moms or two dads.” What a shock! The Bible clearly tells us that God established marriage to be between a man and a woman. Anything else is wicked and not what God intended. But some others having read this page, might say “Oh, it doesn’t mean anything bad. A lot of people we know live like this and they are very nice.” People who say this have completely lost their sense of morality and they have taken sides with the wickedness. Many people who don’t care about God talk like this. This is the thought of ungodly people. They would be fine living in Sodom and not be bothered by what they see, hear and read. BUT God judged that place. So, when we see books like this one or hear someone says it is okay, we must be really bothered by it.

One day two angels were sent to Sodom to warn Lot that God was about to judge this evil city by destroying it. Lot was at the gate of the city and invited them to his home. These angels were sent by God to destroy this evil city and they did not even want to spend one night in this wicked place. But when Lot told them just to spend the night and leave early in the morning, they followed Lot to his home. The evil men of the city heard that two men had entered the city and came to surround Lot’s home to try to cause terrible harm to the two angels. It was an awful scene! They even began to attack Lot, trying to get past him and into the house. But the angels pulled him inside the house. They told him to gather his family and escape quickly, because God was going to destroy this evil city.

When Lot tried to gather his family, they reacted in different ways. First, he told his daughters and sons-in-law what the angels had said. But the sons-in-law thought it was a joke! They didn’t believe Lot, so they refused to leave and stayed in Sodom. They thought the wickedness of the city was fine so they were judged along with the evil ones. They ended up being destroyed with the rest of the city.

Second, there was Lot. The angels told Lot to get his wife and two daughters and escape to the hills. But Lot lingered. That means that he had lost his sense of morality. This is why he hesitated in following what the angels said. He doubted whether or not he should leave Sodom and go to a place he didn’t know. The angels finally grabbed Lot and his wife and daughters by the hand and took them from the city. Lot even made a compromise with the men, asking to go to another city that was not as far away.

And last, there was the reaction of Lot’s wife. Lot and his wife were told by the angels not to look back. When the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah began, she looked back. Because of her longing for Sodom and not heeding the warning of the angels, she looked back and became a pillar of salt. This was God’s judgment on her. Each of these reactions led Lot and his family to suffer loss in one way or another.

What is our reaction going to be? God calls these matters wicked, yet so many around us approve of them and even defend them. Many of these things are now in books, movies, songs, and all sorts of entertainment. As children living in families that love God, we should have a strong reaction deep within us. We must know that this is terrible and against God in every way.

When you hear about evil things like this at school or among your friends telling you that these things are okay, you should right away talk to your parents. This will strengthen the sense within you that is according to God. Sometimes as children we listen to our teachers, coaches and other adults and we don’t have a way to disagree with them. At these times we must always go and talk to our parents. They can tell us whether these things are okay or against God. We must never lose our sense of morality. The feeling for what is right, what is according to God, and what is evil in God’s sight is given to us by God and should always be in us.

We must be warned not to follow Lot, not to associate with those who view wickedness as normal. We must choose to follow those who love and follow God. This way we will not suffer judgment and will strengthen the sense within us that is according to God.

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