BEFORE YOU LEAVE (Part 1)
Migration is not a new development it has always been practiced. Most of the people who are involved in this practice always go to a place that obviously appear better than where they are migrating from. Today we hear of people crossing the Mediterranean through the coast of Libya putting their lives in great danger just get to Europe. A lot of people tell all manner of lies just to get to North America. These lies range from falsification of age, false marital status and pretending to visit but with no intention of returning. It was like that also in the bible, people migrated to get a better life. Let us examine a man whose story was documented for our learning. The man called Lot:
‘And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. Now the Canaanite and the Perizzite were dwelling then in the land. So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers. “Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me; if to the left, then I will go to the right; or if to the right, then I will go to the left.” Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the valley of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere—this was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah—like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go to Zoar’. Genesis 13:7-10
Lot saw that Sodom was well watered and like the garden of the Lord i.e everything worked perfectly, power was constant, the road network was on point, security was on point, the infrastructure was out of this world, the schools in Sodom were the type Lot has always dreamt his children would attend. Think of any perfect developed nation today, that was how Sodom was.
But what was wrong? Sodom was a godless nation, they did not fear God, they oppressed the poor and committed homosexuality:
“Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned, they did not help the poor and needy’’ Ezekiel 16:49
“Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.” Jude 1:7 NASB
Lot “pitched his tent as far as Sodom. (Genesis 13:12)” Why is that significant? Because “the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord.” The next time we find Lot in the inspired record, he is no longer a stranger to the wicked inhabitants of Sodom—he’s one of their leading citizens (Genesis 19:1). Furthermore, he calls them his “brothers,(Genesis 19:7)” chooses one of their citizens as his wife, and raises his two daughters in a pagan environment. Apparently, Lot acclimatized himself to the wicked lifestyle of the Sodomites. When God sent two angels to rescue His family, the entire male population of Sodom sought to assault the angelic visitors sexually, who had lodged with Lot’s family for the night. What was Lot’s solution to the problem? He quickly offered his two virgin daughters to satisfy their sexual cravings. During the angelic rescue, Lot was reluctant to abandon his residence in Sodom, and when he finally realized the danger he and his family were in, his sons-in-law mocked his warnings to flee. Apparently, the citizens of Sodom didn’t take Lot too seriously when it came to discussions about God.
After God rescued Lot’s family and sent judgment upon Sodom, Lot’s wife, longing to return to her sinful pattern of life was turned into a pillar of salt. Following that tragedy, Lot’s two daughters got their father drunk and committed sexual incest with him in order to preserve their family lineage. (Genesis 19:33). The record of Lot closes on a bitter note he was a tormented soul who jeopardized himself and his family with a compromised way of life. For his legacy, he spawned two cursed people groups the Ammorites and the Moabites.
Sodom is no longer a geographical location but any place where the fear of God is absent. I have seen Christians who preferred a high paying job in a Godless environment to a job where they don’t have to tell a lie or do things against their faith. Don’t allow greed and covetousness send you to Sodom.
Don’t just change your child’s school because you want him or her to associate with the well to do in society, your children must never attend schools where they are told there is no God. The spiritual climate is key. Academic excellence without morals is a disaster waiting to happen.
The truth about a wrong location is that you may prosper temporarily, but will eventually loose everything material when trouble comes. The most important thing you will loose is your FAITH, that is if it matters to you anyway. As Christians, we must understand that spiritual lessons are more important than material blessings.
How close have you pitched your tent in Sodom? Before you leave, THINK!
