Genesis 18:16-19:22
As God confronts the sin of Sodom in this passage, it reveals three ways the patience of God relates to our sin.
Outline
- First, the patience of God and the penalty of sin (18:16-33)
- Second, the patience of God and the power of sin (19:1-11)
- Third, the patience of God and the presence of sin (19:12-22)
- Some people loathe the patience of God (19:12-13)
- Other people laugh at the patience of God (19:14)
- Lot lingers despite the patience of God (19:15-16)
- Some limit the patience of God (19:17-21)
- Other people lead in light of the patience of God (19:22)
Christ Connections
- God’s compassion on Sodom foreshadows our substitutionary deliverance on the cross. The righteousness of a few in Sodom, or later the perfect righteousness of one in Jesus, would have the ability to cover over the unrighteousness of others in a way that spares them from God’s wrath.
- Abraham stands as a righteous mediator standing before God pleading for the rescue of others. This points to Christ, who stands before God pleading for our salvation. None of us are righteous and God’s deliverance, but we are freely given it by Christ’s work as a righteous sufferer. He doesn’t just plead for the salvation of sinners but purchases the salvation of sinners
Applications
- God doesn’t immediately bring judgment on Sodom, and what’s true for Sodom is true for us. God is not patient because he is weak. He is patient because he is willing—willing for sinners like Sodom to turn from our sin, turn from our guilt, turn from our darkness and turn to him in repentance and faith.
- We face the same sins today, but instead of showing up on a physical doorstep, we may show up at someone’s digital doorstep through pornography. If you’re enslaved by pornography you need to find escape from the culture that has drawn you to it and find freedom in the gospel.
- We cannot abandon the next generation to continue i sin like Lot tries to do. We must call out sin in our culture and stand for truth for our children.