Why do we share stories of our failures?

I’ve shared how I got in trouble for stealing money for fancy pencils.  I shared it as an illustration. There’s also another reason I shared it: to serve as an example of what not to do.

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Scripture is not silent on examples not to follow.  In our study of Genesis, we have seen the sad and tragic story of Sodom and Gomorrah. This tale is also part of the story of Lot.

We tend to want to go easy on sin because we think we are being merciful.  But without consequences, we would not only continue in that sin but would progress to more sin.  We must cut sin off before it destroys us.

After Lot leaves Sodom and makes it to Zoar with his daughters, the cities of the plain are destroyed.  Lot’s wife longed to return to Sodom, and her heart was disobedient.  She was turned into salt, just like the entire region was.  Abraham looked down silently on the destruction and complete finality of God’s judgment on the cities of the plain.  This brings us to where we are today in Genesis 19:30-38.

30 Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave. 31 One day the older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man around here to give us children—as is the custom all over the earth. 32 Let’s get our father to drink wine and then sleep with him and preserve our family line through our father.”
33 That night they got their father to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and slept with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.
34 The next day the older daughter said to the younger, “Last night I slept with my father. Let’s get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and sleep with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” 35 So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went in and slept with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.
36 So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. 37 The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab; he is the father of the Moabites of today. 38 The younger daughter also had a son, and she named him Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the Ammonites of today.  

Genesis 19:30-38, New International Version

We were first introduced to Lot in Genesis 11 as the son of Haran, the brother of Abram and Nahor.  When we first meet Lot, it is in chapter 13. He is choosing the best land for himself, which is the land of Sodom. And we know where that ended up.

Today, we come to the last recorded story of Lot, until there are references to him in the New Testament. We never hear from him again, and the last story recorded about him is this abysmal account.

The short version of this story is Lot’s daughters getting him drunk, sleeping with him, and having his children.

Perhaps you can sympathize slightly with Lot.  He shouldn’t have gotten drunk, but his daughters took advantage of him.  Today, that’s a crime.  We can investigate his situation and see room for pity.

At the same time, we must see the point of the passage. This was the logical outcome of self-seeking and sinfulness. These traits seem to have been a close companion in his life.

This account is so despicable to modern ears that many skip over it.  Even commentaries tend to be skimpy in their discussion of this section. If you’ve never experienced the “joy” of commentary research, let me tell you: they often say a lot. They typically have an opinion on everything.

Yet, this is part of Scripture, and it is there to teach us something.  This passage, like all the rest, is “useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

There are several things we can learn from Genesis 19:30-38.

  1. Sin spirals downward. Lot wanted the better land. Sodom taught Lot’s daughters this pragmatism. Lot begged to not be sent to the mountains. He wanted to go to Zoar (It’s not as sinful…).
  2. Sin helps us justify it. Lot’s daughters, repeating the same selfishness they had learned from their father, used “logic” to justify incest. The older sister believed there were no other men who could replace their fiancés. Their fiancés had died in Sodom. So, she decided to sleep with her father. They also justified it through a desire to preserve their family line.
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The Lord remembered the descendants of Lot later when he gave them a gift of land (Deut. 2:9). Yet the nation of Israel could not forget their incestuous origins.  They were to be different and called to be a holy nation.

Remember this: sin will take you farther than you want to go. It will keep you longer than you want to stay. It will cost you far more than you want to pay. 

When Lot was a young man, he didn’t wake up one morning with the idea that one day he would get so drunk (twice!) that he’d sleep with his daughters and father two nations that God’s people would despise.

We must see sin as it really is.

We seem to get away with it for a little while, and we will probably enjoy it.  But a payday is coming.

The consequence of our sin, ultimately, is death.  Apart from the finished work of Jesus Christ, we would be without hope.  But because of Him, we have hope.  We can escape the horrible judgment of the Righteous Judge.  As His children, we are not assigned wrath but mercy because of Christ. 

Learn from the example of Lot.  Heed the warning.  Walk in the Lord’s grace and mercy.