What the Bible Says About Sodom, Lot, and Judgment (Romans 1)

Hello, and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick. An Oklahoma rancher and farmer, Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick. Okay, and good to have everybody. And for those of you watching on television, once again, we trust you can take a Bible, act as if you're just part and parcel of our class, and chase down these references with us. Because after all, the only reason I teach is to help people get interested in this book, realize how exciting it really is, and to be able to understand it and to study it on your own. As I've said before, and I'll say it again, I'm not here to build an empire. I don't try to switch from one church to another. All we want to do is teach the book in such a way that maybe you can take it into a Sunday school class. Maybe you can enlighten some people. Because in spite of all that has been done, there is such ignorance of so many of these spiritual things. And so we trust that we can be used at least a little bit. All right, now if you'll come back with me then to Genesis chapter 19, where last program, you remember, we saw that Lot who had left his uncle Abraham back up in the mountains, and he pitched his tent toward Sodom. Now above other things, Lot here is a perfect illustration of a backslidden, carnal believer. Because the Bible calls him a believer. Hard to imagine, but we'll be looking at the Scripture verses that prove he was. And now he has not only pitched his tent toward Sodom, but he is in Sodom. And he has been so much a part and parcel of Sodom that he has actually become one of the city leaders. He's sitting at the gate, which indicates his position. And then you remember the two angels who accompanied the Lord back in chapter 18, and that's what they were, although they were three men. It was the Lord and two angels. The two angels have now approached Lot at the gate, and it's almost sundown. It's time for darkness to fall. And Lot realizing what the people of Sodom are going to attempt to do to two strange men, anticipating their behavior, quickly invites them into his own home. Now, as I've mentioned before, this also indicated the hospitality that Abraham also showed back in chapter 18. But more than that, Lot realizes what is possibly going to happen, and so he invites them into his own home, and they refuse. And then I think my closing remark was, how would you like to have been in Lot's shoes, knowing that if these men spend the night in the street, what would befall them? And so, let's pick up the context then in verse 2, where Lot said, Behold now, my lords, and remember I told you the word lords here is merely a term of address, sirs, or whatever, and he says, Turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet. And you shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay, we will abide in the street all night. Verse 3, And he pressed upon them greatly. And so they did. They turned in unto him, and entered into his house. He made them a feast. He did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. Now the unleavened bread must have significance of some sort, and I guess the only thing I can put to it is that Lot, for some reason or other, associates this unleavened bread with his spiritual state of believing. I can't be sure, but unleavened bread, you know, especially when we get into the law, indicates something special. The absence of sin, of course, which is always represented by leaven. But anyway, verse 4, Before it was bedtime, before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, come past the house round about, both old and young, all the people from every quarter. Now we can't imagine a city that had come to the moral climate of Sodom. Now we may have areas that are getting close, but at least it still has not enveloped a whole city. On the other hand, of course, Sodom is not near the size of a San Francisco or New York. But whatever, Sodom had come to the place where the whole population was wrapped up in this immoral, rotten lifestyle. And they called, verse 5, unto Lot, and they said unto him, Where are the men which came to thee this night? See how fast the news spread? Bring them out unto us, that we may know them. And, of course, that's the Scriptural term for intimate relations. And so they actually wanted these two men for their lustful purposes. Verse 6, And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door at them. Can you picture that, can't you? He just sort of stepped out on the front stoop and begins to plead with this crowd of Sodomites. And this also shows us how far down the ladder Lot had slipped. This is one thing that I have a hard time comprehending. Whereas he deals with these ungodly citizens of Sodom, he said, I pray, or I beg you, brethren, do not so wickedly. Verse 8, Behold now I have two daughters, who have not known man, probably late teenagers, virgin young women. And imagine a father willing to throw two such young ladies, in so many words, to the wolves. That's what he's doing. He said, you can have them, only leave these two men alone. And so he says, Do unto them, in verse 8, Do unto them as is good in your eyes, only unto these men do nothing. For therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. In verse 9, they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came into sojourn, and he will needs be a judge. And of course, they're referring to Lot. See, they still know that he's an outsider. He had come in long after Sodom had been established. And so now they're castigating him for taking a place of authority, when in reality he never was really one of them. And so they said, Now we will deal worse with thee than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. In other words, I think Lot's life was right here in danger, in spite of all that he had offered with regard to his own daughters. Yet his own life was in danger. And so the angels used their power, and they come in to the picture, verse 10. But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut the door. And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, small and great, so that they wearied themselves to find the door. Well, what we have here, and for many, many years, I would almost try to circumvent chapter 19. I didn't even like to bring it up, especially in a mixed class. But since it is now in every page of our newspaper, it's in every magazine you pick up, we're now in our day and age, we are being confronted with the so -called alternate lifestyle of the homosexual. And beloved, the Scripture never gives it that much credibility. It is not an alternate lifestyle. It is wickedness. It's an abomination. It is sinful to the nth degree. And for that reason, of course, God had to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. I know there may be those who would say, well, now wait a minute, this is Old Testament. But let's see what the New Testament says, and if you will, turn with me to Romans chapter 1. And Romans chapter 1 doesn't paint a very pretty picture, beginning with verse 18. And I'm not going to take this again in detail, verse by verse, any more than I have to, just for sake of time. But Paul writes here to the Gentiles, he'd just as well be writing to us in 1991. And he begins in verse 18 by saying, "...the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness." Now, we are also living in the time that Paul refers to as the Age of Grace. And Paul makes it as evident as any place in Scripture that where sin abounds, grace is always greater. And so, whatever I say, if any homosexual should happen to be listening to my voice, it's still a sin that the grace of God can overcome. It is still the same old thing that God hates the sin, but He loves the sinner. Never lose sight of that. But look at what Paul says, that the wrath of God is revealed against ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. Now, the truth here, of course, refers to the Word of God. And so, I don't care how sophisticated men may claim to be. When I use the word men, I'm indicating the whole human race. I always have to remember many years ago, not many years ago, but several years ago, I must have been reading a Cosmopolitan, I think it was, in a doctor's office. And at that time, it was a lady editor, and an article was being written by a lady. I guess I use the term loosely. But anyway, she was describing activities in New York City, and she made the statement that after all, and it was kind of a put-down of us in the rural areas of America, that we couldn't quite comprehend that kind of a lifestyle because we're not as sophisticated as they are. You know, as I read that, now, I'm a farmer, and I make no apologies for it. And I've been acquainted with barnyard morality since I was old enough to walk. But yet, it has gotten to the place in this country, the people who live a barnyard morality are the ones who think they are sophisticated. Hey, they're not sophisticated. They're right down in the mud with everything else. And so, we have to look at what the Bible says. I don't care what sociologists say. I don't care what the psychologists say. The only thing that counts is the truth of the Word of God. And the truth of the Word of God is that God hates sin. And these things that people will simply explain away as an alternate lifestyle is not sin. But the Bible says it is. All right, so if you'll continue on down to verse 21. I like to say I'm skipping some of this, not because it's not important, but only to save a little time. Verse 21, because that, when they, mankind, the human race, when they knew God, now remember, they've always had a witness. They glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened by a judicial act of God, believe it or not. Verse 22, professing themselves to be wise, educated, degrees behind their name, but what are they? They're fools, so far as God is concerned. Always remember that. When some of these so-called highly intellectualized people will come up with some of these ridiculous statements, don't be shocked, because this is exactly what God says will happen. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. Now, verse 23, here is the progression downwards. Now, I think it's safe to say that here in Romans chapter 1, we have not only the track record of the human race in general, but empire after empire in particular, and then you can bring it down to nations in particular, and then finally to the individual. And this is the downward track. Verse 23, they changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible men, or made like corruptible man, and birds, four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Now, of course, this began at the Tower of Babel when idolatry and the worship of images came on the scene, and it's been downhill ever since. But remember, empires have started with something better than that, and they too end up on this downward track. Then verse 24, when mankind began to turn his back on the one true God and began to worship idols and things made with men's hands, now watch the language. God gave them up. Now, that's an act. God gave them up, but he didn't give them up to something higher. He gave them up to what? Something lower. And so he gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonor their own bodies between themselves. Now, when I teach Romans verse by verse, then I usually stop long enough here and indicate that in verse 25, we still have immorality heterosexually between the sexes. But now you drop down into verse 25 and 26, we see another step downward. Now verse 25, who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshiped and served the creature more than the creator who is blessed forever. Verse 26, for this cause, God gave them up again to a still lower level, only this time not to, what shall I call it, normal immorality between the sexes, but now he gives them up to, what's the word? Vile. He gave them up to vile affections, and now it's plain English. Where are the women? Did change the natural use into that which is against nature. We're talking about homosexualism. Verse 27, and likewise the men, having or leaving the natural use of the woman burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working that which is unseemly or unnatural and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error. Now isn't that plain English? There's no way you can explain this away. And then we've got denominations having problems. What do they want, these kind of people in the pulpit? We've got to call sin, sin. It's what the Bible does. But now remember, I'm still being loving. I still want you to remember that God hates the sin, but he loves that sinner, and God is ready in a moment to still offer salvation to them. Now then, come on down to verse 28. When this becomes their whole preoccupation in their thinking, and as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind. Now, I don't have to define reprobate. To do those things which are not convenient or, again, natural or normal. Now verse 29 to the end will give you a vivid description of their community. This is what Sodom was, and this is what any community will become when homosexualism takes over and becomes the norm. I think we saw a vivid example of it of this character up in Wisconsin. This shows exactly where they can end up. I'm not saying they all will, but this is their potential. Where they're filled with all unrighteousness, immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, and so on and so forth. None of those words are very pretty. And then the closing statement of the chapter is, verse 32, "...who, knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, and they not only do the same, but they have pleasure." And another commentary, I think, has put the words, they applaud. The Greek seems to imply that not only do they agree with that kind of a lifestyle, they actually promote it, and they applaud those that practice it. Enough said. All right, now let's take a look at Lot. You're already in the New Testament. I'd like to have you turn on back to 2 Peter chapter 2. And now we get still another picture of the environment of Sodom as with regard to Lot. Now, some of you may want to call me and write me and ask me how in the world I can make a statement to the effect that Lot is a believer. Well, I don't make it. I can't understand it. The Scripture does, and I don't argue with the book. And if you'll get into 2 Peter chapter 2, and this is a chapter that deals with false teachers, those who have turned their back on the truth of the Word of God, and they are becoming legion. There's no doubt about it that we're living in the days of apostasy. But Peter here is addressing these false teachers, verse 1 of chapter 2, false prophets. Now, you come down to verse 5, where Peter rehearses, and God spared not the old world. Now, I pick up God because it's up in verse 4. I've learned to be very, very careful because, see, if I put a word in verse 5 and it's not there, they'll call and tell me, hey, you're adding to the Scripture. Well, I'm not adding to, I'm clarifying because God is used in verse 4, and the same God is referred to in verse 5 as having spared not the old world. But save Noah, the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly. And remember, we had much the same thing back in Genesis chapter 6. And then verse 6, turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemn them with an overthrow. For what purpose? To make them an example. And people better wake up. God is still the God of heaven. God is not changed. And what He has done previously as an example, He is ready to do again. All right? And so He made them an example unto those that should after live ungodly. Now, isn't that plain English? Now, verse 7, but in the process of destroying Sodom and Gomorrah, He delivered, what's the next word? Just. Now, it doesn't mean only, as we would use the term. It means that justified, that righteous man, as it says in the next verse. And He delivered just Lot, who was vexed. Oh, you bet it bothered him. But he continued to overlook it. But he was vexed with the filthy conversation or manner of living, behavior. Those are all words that are out of the Greek. Vexed with a filthy conversation of the wicked. And now look at verse 8. For that righteous man. How in the world can you call Lot righteous? He was a believer. He was a believer. He had believed what Jehovah said, as Abraham had believed. And so the scripture declares him a righteous man in spite of all that he's been agreeing. Now, I don't think Lot actually practiced the lifestyle of Sodom. But he was so interwoven with it for monetary gain, and for his own wealth, and for his own sumptuous lifestyle. But he was vexed in his righteous soul, continuing on verse 8, from day to day with their, the Sodomites, unlawful deeds. Plain enough? That's just plain English. I don't see how in the world you can twist it out of that to make it mean any different. All right, now while you're still in the New Testament, a verse just comes to mind. Turn with me to Revelation. I think it's chapter 9. Yeah, Revelation chapter 9. And as I mentioned from time to time in my programs, I'm not a date-setter. I don't know what year the Lord's going to return. But I know that in the light of all that's taking place around the globe, it's getting close. And we're going to see wickedness and unbelief continue to mushroom. We can be a little tiny voice in the wilderness, so to speak. And I know we're still approaching people. Even in my small little effort, I know I have been privileged to see hundreds of people get interested in the Word, and a fair number come to know the Lord. But for the most part, we're going to see the world wax worse and worse. And now, of course, Revelation chapter 9 comes right out of the tribulation period itself, when the judgments of God are being poured out on the human race. And they've already had a bunch of them hit them as we come to chapter 9 and verse 21. But I point this out to show you how what was described in Romans is just going to be a perfect picture of the end-time humanity. Verse 21, even in spite of all that has happened, and a goodly percentage of the earth's population is already gone, yet it says, neither repented they of their... Now, look at the language, their murders, their sorceries, nor of their immorality, nor of their thefts. Now, the word sorceries in the Greek is the word pharmakia. Pharmakia translated, unfortunately, I think, sorceries. What word do we get from pharmakia? Pharmacy. And what is pharmacy? Drugs. And so it's going to be a world literally saturated with a drug culture. And all you have to do is remember any account that you have read in Reader's Digest or any other magazine from time to time about particular events that took place as a result of drugs. And what have you got? Just exactly what you've got here. People on drugs have to steal to support their habit. And in the process of stealing, they'll murder whoever they have to murder. And along with it, they come into their gross immorality of all sorts. And this is just going to continue to continue to mushroom until the whole world is going to be living under that kind of an environment. Aren't you glad that the Scripture gives us hope that there is an end to it? I am. Because if the Lord didn't return, it would get worse than it was at the time of the flood. Well, remember, if you were with us when we taught Genesis chapter 6, murder was so prevalent that nobody knew how much of a life they could live until their life would be snuffed out. And we're getting closer and closer to those sort of things. So anyway, I think you can see why. I just as soon skip over Genesis 19. I don't like to teach it, but it's in the book, and we must. And so remember these things, that human nature hasn't changed one iota. God hasn't changed. The things that God hated back here in the Old Testament, God hates today. And just because we're living under grace and not under the Old Testament economy, that doesn't change it that much. But always remember that no matter how vile the sinner, God's grace is still anxious to bring them to a knowledge of Himself. Thank you for watching Through the Bible with Les Feldick, a weekly Bible study. If you would like more information about the Les Feldick Ministries, a Bible study in your area, or about this program, write to Les Feldick Ministries, Route 1, Box 760, Kinta, OK 74-552. That's Route 1, Box 760, Kinta, OK 74 -552. Through the Bible with Les Feldick is viewer supported, and your gift is appreciated. Thank you, and be sure to tune in next time.