Deeper Christian Life Ministry – Youth Search The Scripture For January 30, 2022 (Lesson 5) : Topic – DESTRUCTION OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH
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YOUTH STS VOLUME ONE
LESSON 5
TOPIC : DESTRUCTION OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH
TEXT: Genesis 18:1-33; 19:1-38
MEMORY VERSE: “For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent. us to destroy (Genesis 19:13).
The focus of our study today is on the judgment that came upon Sodom and Gomorrah. This was the country where Lot and his family settled, after he selfishly parted ways with Abraham. Sodom and Gomorrah became warning sign for believers and sinners of all ages. The city of sin is spiritually called Sodom. Lot came to realise the error of his choice of the well-watered plains of Jordan. In the journey of life as Christian youths, we need the guidance of God, by asking for guidance directly from God in prayer, seeking’ counsel from our spiritual leaders and from our godly parents (Isaiah 46: 10).
God delights in the prayer of His children, made for themselves or for other people (Ezekiel 22:30). Intercession is a great privilege by which God wants to rescue nations, turn imminent ugly situations around, deliver families and communities, avert judgment and bring down His glory. Intercession is also potent enough to bring about hindrance or destruction of the operations and works of the devil.
Question 1: What is intercession and its significance in the programme of God?
God revealed His mind on Sodom and Gomorrah to Abraham (Genesis 18:20,21). Sin is reproachful. The whole of Sodom and Gomorrah was given to sin (Genesis 19:4,5). The act of sodomy is an act of abomination where there are sexual immoralities between people of the same gender.
ANGELIC VISITATION WITH ABRAHAM (Genesis 18:1-17,23-33;19:1-3; Proverbs 11:25; Psalm 65:9,10)
Intercession draws us nearer to God, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). Abraham, having heard of the fate that was going to befall Sodom, did not only stand before the Lord, but drew closer to Him as His friend. Abraham became a friend of God because he obeyed His commandment. The Lord Jesus said, “Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14). Every youth can be a friend of God by repenting from sin, believing in the atoning blood of Christ and accepting Him as his Lord and Saviour. It is then, a believer can stand in the gap, lifting up holy hands unto God.
Question 2: List some notable qualities believers should emulate in Abraham as an intercessor.
Abraham was a man who showed love to people. He was selfless in his request. He did not only plead for Lot and his household in Sodom, he also pleaded for all in Sodom. This teaches us as Christian youths that we should not limit our prayers to our loved ones and ourselves, but also extend them to others. It is mandatory for Christian youths to pray for the unsaved, like Paul did for Israel (Romans 10: I), for persecutors (Matthew 5:44), good governance in our nation (2 Chronicles 6:28,29), for our parents, teachers, leaders, missionaries, kings, guardians, all rulers (Ezra 6: 10) and also for the work of God. Our God is faithful; He did not stop granting Abraham’s requests until he stopped asking. “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us” (1 John 5:14). We have some lessons to note: one, we have liberty in prayers as believers to approach the throne of grace (Hebrews 4: 16); two, we should pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5: 17); three, we should pray according to God’s will either as revealed in Scriptures or as led by the Holy Spirit (1 John 5: 14; Jeremiah 14:11); four, intercessions should be motivated and sustained by love and compassion. Lot, brought up in Abraham’s household, learnt the virtue of hospitality. He welcomed the angels to Sodom and pleaded with them to put up with him in his house for the night. He was very generous in his invitation and entertainment of the angels. Christian youths should learn to accommodate others (Hebrews 6: 10). Five, God should be able to vouch for a Christian youth (Genesis 18:19).
DEPRAVITY OF THE SODOMITES (Genesis 19:4-11,30-38; Leviticus 18:1-20; Jude 7; Revelation 21:8)
Lot’s choice of Sodom as a place to sojourn in ended up in a disaster. It marked the beginning of a slide into unmitigated spiritual complacency. Christian youths should be warned, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). A Christian youth must learn to commit his ways unto the Lord and let Him direct his path (Proverbs 3:5-7). Lot became careless, and tolerated the evil men of Sodom and their ungodly ways of life. This brought tragedy unto his family. His daughters commited immorality with him and had children for him. “And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day” (Genesis 19:34-38), who later became the terrors to the children of Israel.
Question 3: Mention the dangers of taking decisions Without prayers or hearing from God.
As youths, we cannot make our choice of career or suggestions from our friends or the internet, without asking God. Do not be deceived by peer pressure syndrome. A song writer wrote “Many things about tomorrow, 1 do not seem to understand. But 1 know who holds tomorrow, and If you have gone astray and have been involved in such evils like examination misconducts or forgery of documents, you need to retrace your steps in repentance and restitution (Proverbs 28:13). As long as you remain seated at the gate of Sodom which has been marked for destruction, you cannot progress spiritually neither can you prosper academically.
Question 4: What is Sodomy?
The wickedness and the wrath in Sodom was unimaginable. Both old and young were bound with cords of lawlessness, abominations and violence. People from all quarters besieged Lot’s dwelling. This immoral relationship between same gender is called sodomy or homosexuality. The Sodomites asked Lot, “Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them” (Genesis 19:5). They wanted to defile heaven’s messengers. This shows how depraved and godless they were. Christian youths who give themselves over to uncleanness are in danger of eternal punishment. God hates immorality. Lawlessness is unacceptable to him. This is why the Bible is filled with several warnings against every form of immorality (Exodus 20:14; Leviticus 18:20,22; Mark 7:21-23; Acts 15:29). Scriptural admonition against immorality is clear: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8). Lot’s offer of his daughters as prostitutes to bail out his visitors is condemnable. We must never do evil so that good may come out of it. By this time, Lot had become spiritually lukewarm (though not practising sin, he compromised with sinners). Lot’s appeal to the Sodomites could not change their hardened hearts. They were bent on executing their design by force: “And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door” (Genesis 19:9). All men must heed to the declaration of the Bible, “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy” (Proverbs 29:1).
DESTRUCTION OF SODOM (Genesis 19:12-14; Psalm 9:17; Luke 13:5; Revelation 16:9,11)
Sinners are blinded and hardened by the deceitful pleasure of sin, which makes them to reject God’s offer of mercy. Seeing the stubborn impenitence of the Sodomites, the angels instructed Lot to seek out, those related to him in Sodom for rescue. This was a unique opportunity of evangelism given to Lot. It is the commission of God for every Christian youth.
Question 5: How can sinning youths escape judgment?
“We do not well: [if] we hold our peace” (2 Kings 7:9). There is judgment for all sinning youths, and the only way of escape is repentance. “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God” (Psalm 9:17). The Sodomites failed to repent; hence, judgment of God came upon them. “And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace” (Genesis 19:28). Lot went out at the angels’ bidding, to see to the deliverance of those related to him. Unfortunately, the Sodomites treated his warning With levity and scorn. To them, “he seemed as one that mocked” (Genesis 19:14). Several reasons are responsible to Lot’s strident warning. First, Lot had been spiritually sleeping all along While In Sodom. There is no record of any convert he won from among the sinning Sodomites. Christian youths are supposed to be salt of the earth wherever they are. Salty believing youths make others thirst for Spring of the Living Water. Secondly, because of his complacency, Lot was no longer a witness for God, thus becoming almost useless for God’s work. The truth is, anyone who intends to make a difference for God in his society must first decide and dare to be different. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2). Thirdly, Lot’s evangelism failed because he left it till it was too late. He had the opportunity to lead them to righteousness but he did not. The opportunity you have today to reach out to your classmates, neighbours and friends will not be there forever. The Bible says, to everything and to every purpose, there is a time (Ecclesiastes 3:1). You must arise and rescue the perishing. Be dutiful as from today. In evangelising the lost, our driving force must be like that of the Master, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4). Fourthly, Lot’s major stimulus to evangelism was the prodding of the angels. He was not spurred on by an inner conviction, a heartfelt burden to attempt the rescue of the doomed Sodomites. The best evangelism quality is to melt the hardened heart of sinners, stir up hatred for sin in their lives and stimulate repentance and compassion borne out of love for them (Psalm 126:5,6; Matthew 9:36). Reach out with the Gospel to the lost because you love them and you want them to be saved. Lastly, the Sodomites had become so hardened by sin that they made light of the last offer they would ever receive to repent of their sins and live. They soon perished in the fiery overthrow of their immoral city. Today, many youths who are repeatedly warned by faithful ministers of God and still continue in their sins, are rushing headlong into certain destruction. You must escape for your life now!