Shalom and Good Morning. Our message and teaching will be from Genesis 19.1-11.
Genesis 19.1 Sodom in Hebrew is Seh dome meaning; Scorched, burned.
GOD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with brimstone and fire and both cities are dead and buried under the Dead Sea which would be in today’s southern Israel between Israel and Jordan.
Sodom was a beautiful city before GOD destroyed it.
Genesis 13.10-13
GOD will also destroy this world we live in which is also very beautiful. It’s possible many places in the world look like the Garden of Eden, but GOD will destroy this world for the very same reason He destroyed Sodom & Gomorrah. Because of sin. Sin is breaking GOD’s Law, 1 John 3.4, and mankind has broken all GOD’s Laws, The Laws He gave to Moses. They have transgressed His Laws, changed His ordinances and broken His everlasting Covenant, His Word, Isaiah 24. 5-6. As Peter writes in 2 Peter 3.16, “To their own destruction”.
Lot was Abraham’s Nephew. He was Abraham’s Brother’s Son, and Lot was not Jewish. The Bible calls Lot righteous meaning, he did that which was right in the eyes of The LORD. He obeyed The Commandments of GOD, and that explains why GOD saved him.
2 Peter 2.6-7
Sodom and Gomorrah should be examples for us.
They were destroyed and the people in it because of sin. Breaking God’s Law of the time, 1John 3.4
God delivered Lot because he was Righteous, he obeyed God and His Laws.
The gate of Sodom
Verse 1 Perhaps a public place in Sodom where people gathered for business or leisure or just to talk with one another.
And 2 angels came to Sodom.
Genesis 18.1-2, 22, Genesis 19.1
Men – Ah nah sheem – Men, they looked like men but in fact they were angels.
Question: How did Lot know the 2 men were angels?
Genesis 19.1-3
Verse 1 He bowed to them. You just don’t do that to any stranger. It’s not right to bow to angels, but he did.
Verse 2 My lords In Hebrew; Hee neh nah Ah do nee: Please my lords or please my masters.
Yes, The angels appeared as men.
Genesis 18.22
So, how did Lot know they were angels? They did not have wings as some angels do.
Isaiah 6.1-3
Seraphim – An order of angels that attend to God and serve Him.
Ezekiel 1.1-11, 25-28; 2.1-3
They did not fly to Lot as the angel Gabriel flew to Daniel. Yet Lot knew they were angels.
Daniel 9.20-22
However, the 2 angels were sent to Lot by the LORD GOD to minister to him and protect and deliver him because Lot was righteous and he was an heir of Salvation.
Hebrews 1.14
Ministering Spirits or ministering angels.
They worship God and serve Him.
Minister for them; That is they look after us, help us and protect us, as they did for Lot.
Psalm 91.10-11
Befall – Approach or happen.
Plague – Epidemic disease.
Charge – God will order His angels to guard you.
Keep – Watch over you, protect and guard you.
I don’t read that the 2 angels shined their light on Lot as the angel of The LORD shined the Glory of GOD upon the shepherds in the field when Messiah was born.
Luke 2.8-11
Nor did their clothing shine like light as did the 2 angels who appeared to the Disciples when Yeshua ascended into Heaven after His resurrection.
Acts 1.10
White here meaning Shined as light.
The 2 angels who came to Lot were 2 of the millions or billions of angels who serve GOD.
Hebrews 12.22
And GOD will use His angels to toss the unrepentant law-breakers into hell. Tough words.
Matthew 13.40-43
And GOD will use His angels to gather His elect into the Kingdom of Heaven. GOD’s elect are those who believe in Yeshua and live their lives according to Torah, The Law of Moses.
Matthew 24.29-31
So, how did Lot know that those 2 men were angels?
GOD sent His 2 angels to Sodom to destroy those two cities Sodom and Gomorrah. And He also sent His two angels to save Lot and his family.
Genesis 19.11-13, 24-25 To destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.
Genesis 19.29 And to save Lot and his family.
Genesis 18.23-26 Thus GOD would not destroy the righteous, who is Lot, with the wicked. That was GOD’s promise to Abraham and His promise to you and me.
Genesis 19.14-17
– GOD sent His angel to save Daniel from the lions.
– GOD sent the angel Gabriel to Miriam to tell her she would have a Child – Yeshua.
– GOD sent an angel to Zacarias to tell him his wife Elizabeth would have a son – John – John The Baptizer.
– GOD will send His angel Michael in the end of days during the Tribulation to stand for His people Israel and defend them.
– And GOD sent His angels to minister to Yeshua as He does for us though most times, if not all times, we are not aware of them.
– And GOD sent His angels to Lot to deliver him, to get him and his family out of Sodom.
So, how did Lot know the 2 men were angels? My answer is this. GOD gave Lot the knowledge and wisdom to know they were angels. He gave Lot the wisdom to submit to them and obey them so the LORD GOD could save and deliver him and his family from sure death, because Lot was Righteous.
One more fact about angels. Do not bow down to angels or worship them.
Revelation 22.8-9
To complete this study. Homosexuality and lesbian homosexuality is a sin. We all know that. And it is treated with severity unless the person repents and changes. Repentance is turning from sin and sin is breaking God’s Law, the Law of Moses, 1 John 3.4, and turning to GOD and obeying him and His Law.
Leviticus 20.13
Here’s another fact from Scripture. People become homosexuals and lesbians because they disobey GOD, that is, they disobey GOD’S Law of Moses, and disobedience to GOD is to be reprobate.
Romans 1.26-29, Proverbs 8.32-36, Proverbs 15.9, 29, Proverbs 20.7
Matther 10.14-15
Verse 14 – Nor hear your words. Do not listen or pay attention to what you say.
Verse 15 – More tolerable – Why? Because they rejected the Word of GOD. The same applies today. Most everybody rejects GOD’S Word. Jesus died for my sins and fulfilled the Law, they say. Therefore I do not have to obey GOD’S Law of Moses. That testimony will prevent anyone from entering into the Kingdom of Heaven. GOD’S Law of Moses in to be obeyed by everyone, whether you are Jewish or not Jewish. It is the teaching of the Bible.
More tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah – Because no one taught them the Word of God. We have no excuse. We have GOD’s written Word in our Bibles right in our hands, before our eyes. As Messiah says, He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
In Conclusion:
The key to GOD’s teachings is always the same. It was the same in the days of Noah. It was the same in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah. And it is the same today. GOD’s teaching is this. Obey Him. Believe in Messiah and keep the ways of GOD. That is, obey The Law of Moses. And when you do, you will find life and favor with GOD. He will love you and hear your prayers. He will bless your children when you believe in Messiah and keep The Commandments of GOD, The Law of Moses. That is how a righteous person lives their life.
Shalom, Ira Weinstein