May 5, 2025

DAILY BIBLE READING

Genesis 19 – The Destruction of Sodom and Lot’s Deliverance

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 Bible Text – Genesis 19 (KJV)

¹ And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

² And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.

³ And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.

⁴ But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:

⁵ And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

⁶ And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,

⁷ And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.

⁸ Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.

⁹ And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.

¹⁰ But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.

¹¹ And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

¹² And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:

¹³ For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it.

¹⁴ And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.

¹⁵ And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.

¹⁶ And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.

¹⁷ And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

¹⁸ And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:

¹⁹ Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:

²⁰ Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.

²¹ And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.

²² Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

²³ The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.

²⁴ Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven;

²⁵ And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

²⁶ But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

²⁷ And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord:

²⁸ And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.

²⁹ And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.

³⁰ And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.

³¹ And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:

³² Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.

³³ And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.

³⁴ And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.

³⁵ And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.

³⁶ Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.

³⁷ And the first born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.

³⁸ And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.

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Introduction

Genesis 19 vividly portrays God’s righteous judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah alongside His mercy in rescuing Lot by divine intervention. This chapter unveils both the severity of moral decay and the power of intercession, grace, and judgment.

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Commentary

1. The Angels’ Arrival and Lot’s Hospitality (vv. 1–3)

   • Two angels appear at Sodom’s gate. Lot greets them with deep respect and begs them to stay in his home.

   • His eager hospitality—running to meet them, washing their feet, preparing a feast—exemplifies true biblical hospitality.

2. Sodom’s Moral Depravity (vv. 4–11)

   • A mob of men, young and old, encircles Lot’s house demanding the visitors be handed over for abuse.

   • Lot’s offer of his own daughters highlights the tragic tension of living righteously in a corrupt environment.

3. Warning and Escape (vv. 12–22)

   • The angels unveil God’s plan to destroy the city and urge Lot to flee with his family.

   • Lot’s hesitation and his sons-in-law’s mockery underscore the tragedy of unbelief—even when salvation is offered.

4. God’s Judgment and Lot’s Deliverance (vv. 23–29)

   • As dawn breaks, brimstone and fire rain down, obliterating Sodom and Gomorrah.

   • Lot’s wife looks back in sorrow or disobedience and is turned to a pillar of salt—a sobering warning against clinging to sin.

   • The smoke rising “like the smoke of a furnace” signals the completeness of God’s judgment.

5. Lot’s Retreat and His Daughters’ Sin (vv. 30–38)

   • Fearing Zoar, Lot and his daughters flee to a cave. There, in a misguided effort to preserve their family line, the daughters get Lot drunk and bear his children—founding the Moabite and Ammonite nations.

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Summary

God’s patience towards Sodom culminates in decisive judgment, yet His grace rescues the righteous remnant. Lot, flawed and fearful, is still delivered by God’s mercy. The chapter ends with a stark reminder that deliverance does not guarantee moral purity—unwise escapes and compromises can yield tragic consequences.

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Message for Today

• God’s justice is real—sin brings consequences.

• Yet His mercy endures for those who trust Him, even imperfect ones like Lot.

• Compromising with evil invites ruin; remaining steadfast matters.

• Intercession matters—Abraham’s earlier pleading paved the way for Lot’s rescue.

• Looking back (like Lot’s wife) can condemn us to the past; we must press forward in obedience.

• Grace, not our righteousness, saves.

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May 4–10, 2025

WEEKLY SPIRIT OF PROPHECY READING

Ellen G. White │ Patriarchs and Prophets – Chapter 3

“The Temptation and the Fall”

Read online here

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Introduction

Following the perfect account of Creation in Chapter 2, Chapter 3 recounts the most tragic turning point in human history: the Fall. Amidst perfection, peace, and communion with God, the first human pair chooses disobedience. This single act unleashes a cascade of consequences—guilt, separation from God, suffering, and death. Yet even here, God’s mercy shines through: He does not abandon humanity but promises redemption.

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Commentary

1. Satan’s Purpose and Deception

   • Driven by envy, Satan seeks to lure humanity away from obedience to God.

   • He selects the most beautiful creature—the serpent—as his instrument.

   • Eve departs from Adam and the safety of their fellowship, taking the first step toward temptation.

2. Attack on God’s Word

   • Satan questions the very words of God: “Did God really say…?”

   • He lies: “You will not surely die”—the first great deception.

   • His aim: sow doubt, distrust, and rebellion against God’s character and commands.

3. The Fall

   • Eve listens to the serpent, sees the fruit, takes and eats.

   • Adam likewise eats, out of love for Eve—a tragic, deliberate choice.

   • Immediately they feel shame, fear, and guilt—they recognize their nakedness.

4. Divine Judgment

   • God seeks them: “Where are you?”

   • Adam shifts blame onto Eve—and indirectly onto God.

   • Eve blames the serpent.

   • The consequences: a curse on the serpent, pain for the woman, hardship for the man, and exile from the Tree of Life.

5. First Promise of the Gospel (v. 15)

   • The Proto-Evangelium: “He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

   • The first announcement of the Redeemer—victory over Satan is assured.

6. Mercy Amid Judgment

   • God clothes Adam and Eve in garments of skin.

   • The Garden is barred—not merely as punishment but to prevent eternal life in sin.

   • A hope remains for restoration in the “new Eden” (Revelation 21–22).

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Summary

The Fall marks the beginning of all human suffering but also the moment when God’s mercy appears. Adam and Eve’s decision to transgress God’s command was no minor slip—it was a fundamental breach of trust and obedience. Yet God speaks not only judgment but also grace, promising a Savior.

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Application for Today

• God warns and protects but never forces—true love grants freedom.

• Sin often begins with small steps: moving away from God, doubting His word, and yielding to curiosity.

• Despite our failures, God does not give up on us. He still calls, “Where are you?”

• Jesus is the promised offspring who crushed the serpent’s head. In Him we find hope, restoration, and new life.

• Our obedience today reflects our love for God—not as a work to earn His favor, but as a response to His grace.