Genesis 19:12-14

‘And the men said to Lot, “Have you any other relatives? Son-in-law, your sons and your daughters, and whoever you have in the city, bring them out of this place. For we will destroy this place because their cry has grown huge before Yahweh, and Yahweh has sent us to destroy it”.'

Lot is offered the opportunity to save any who are related to him. His behaviour has earned them a reprieve. We are left to infer that this is because they are also therefore related to Abraham. ‘This place', repeated twice, may be seen as derogatory. It has lost its identity.

“Yahweh has sent us to destroy it.” The truth is now out. Although the visit of the angels did give Sodom a last chance, the ‘huge cry' that had previously arisen from it had really decided its fate. Now its fate is made known to Lot, and he becomes aware that these are no ordinary strangers. They are here to arrange the destruction of Sodom.

There are times in history when God cries ‘enough!'. The Flood was one such. Here is another. Later the exile will be a third. Sin contaminates, and grows, and spreads and then becomes all pervasive - and then God acts.

Genesis 19:14 a

‘And Lot went out and spoke to his prospective sons-in-law who were to marry his daughters, and said, “Up, you get out of this place, for Yahweh will destroy the city”.'

Lot's two daughters had not yet cohabited with a man (verse 8), so that if they are the daughters in mind any marriage is clearly not yet finalised. However, it may be that Lot had other daughters who were married, in which case we must read ‘his sons-in-law who had married his daughters'. Thus the appeal to the men is then an appeal to the family.

“Yahweh will destroy this city”. Lot still holds to a belief in Yahweh, and knows his sons-in-law will know it.

Genesis 19:14 b

‘But he seemed to his sons-in-law as one who was being ridiculous.'

They looked on his words as a huge joke. The poor fellow had always been a bit narrow minded with his belief in this strange God. Now he had gone over the top. If you compromise your religion and make family associations with those who do not believe as you do, you lose your credibility. If he had more daughters, Lot had now lost them. That is the price of compromise.