Lesson 7 - Elementary

Memory Verse

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world" (I John 2:15).

Notes

The Wicked Cities

Abraham's nephew, Lot, had chosen the land he was living in, because it was a good place for his cattle. Abraham had given him his choice. But while the land he chose was good for his cattle there were very wicked people living in it. God saw all their wickedness. God hates sin. When men sin they disobey God, and hurt themselves; and God must punish them in order to help them and to warn others.

God decided to destroy the wicked cities and all the people in them. But Abraham asked God if He was going to destroy the good people too, when He destroyed the bad. He asked God if He would save the city if there were 50 saved people there. The Lord said He would. Then Abraham asked if He would save it for 45; the Lord said He would. Then he asked about sparing it for 40 righteous; then for 30; then for 20. The Lord said He would not destroy the city if there were 20 saved ones. Then Abraham begged the Lord not to be displeased with him if he asked Him to spare the city for ten. The Lord said He would spare it for only ten. But there were not even ten saved people there.

The Strange Visitors

One evening Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. He saw two angels coming toward him, and he arose to meet them. He bowed very politely to them. Then he invited them to come into his house and stay there all night. He gave them food to eat, and treated them very kindly.

The Angels Tell Lot to Leave the City

The angels told Lot to take his whole family out of the city. It was so wicked God had sent them to destroy it. The angels even took hold of Lot's hand to hurry him out of the city. He told Lot and his family to hurry to the mountains. When they were out of the city the fire fell, and Abraham saw the wicked city burning.

Lot's Wife Disobeyed God

The angels had told them not to look back. But Lot's wife must have left something back there she loved, or she was curious to see whether the city was really burning, and she looked back. She was terribly punished for her disobedience to God. She became a pillar of salt. Those who obeyed God were saved.

God knows what is best for us, and He does not ask us to do anything that is not for our good. Adam and Eve were disobedient in the Garden of Eden, and their disobedience to God and to His commandments brought sin and sorrow into the whole world. Jesus was always obedient to God, and God said He was well pleased with Him.

Questions

1. Why did God send angels to destroy the cities? [GEN:19:13].

2. Why did God spare Lot and his family? [GEN:19:16].

3. How did the Lord destroy the cities? [GEN:19:24-25].

4. What happened to Lot's wife? [GEN:19:26].

5. What does God say to us about looking back? [LUK:9:62]; [HEB:10:38]