Righteous Lot

I get irritated when I listen to "pastors" teaching on something and they twist scripture to make their point.  They don't just interpret it different, they twist it to say something totally opposite of what scripture says.  This includes nationally (and internationally) known so-called "pastors".  What irritates me just as much is that few say anything about their scripture twisting and it is never corrected so people accept what they said as truth - cunningly devised fables.  This is why it is extremely important to read and study the bible for yourself and not rely on the teachings of ANYONE.

One favorite twisting of scripture by these popular "pastors" is using righteous Lot as an example of someone who fell into sin.  They take scripture and add so much to it to make Lot out to be a major sinner.  In today's show (jan 14, 2016) by Michael Youssef Defeating the Enemies of Success Part 3,  Youssef, like so many other "pastors", totally maligns Lot and twists scripture to make Lot out to be an evil person - something the bible clearly does not say.

Lot was a righteous person and was living where Yahweh led him.  He chose the lands of the plain because Yahweh wanted Abraham in Canaan.  Many "pastors" claim Lot was evil because he chose the lush plain of the Jordan Valley.  Abraham gave him a choice and there was never a mention in the bible that Lot was greedy in his choice of the land for his family.  Abraham gave him a choice and there is no indication in scripture that Abraham wanted to dwell in the plains of the Jordan.  There is no indication they even knew how evil sodom had become.  In fact, scripture indicates all of the area of Canaan, the plains of the Jordan, and Egypt were well watered and like the Garden of Eden.  

Choosing one over the other is not even implied to be wicked and evil.  Lot in choosing sodom over dwelling among the Canaanites was not putting his family in any more danger than choosing Canaan would have as Youssef claims.  Yahweh intended on giving all of Canaan to Abraham as scripture clearly shows.  Also, since on two occasions Abraham was willing to give his wife Sarah to kings to save his life because Sarah was so beautiful, keeping Abraham out of Sodom may have been to protect Sarah.

Genesis 13
5  And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.
6  And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.
7  And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.
8  And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.
9  Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.
10  And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
11  Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
12  Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
13  But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
14  And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
15  For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
16  And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.
17  Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
18  Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.

Many "teachers", including Youssef, claim that Lot became as wicked as sodom and have even implied Lot was involved in the same sins as sodom because he became one of the leaders.  Sitting in the gate of a city means that he was one of the leaders / elders of the city:

Genesis 19:1  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;

Yet these same "teachers" that claim Lot was wicked and capitulated with the evil are the same "teachers" that support Christian politicians running for office, and are the same "teachers" who live in the cities that are just as bad as sodom was.  Just because someone lives in a city that is evil does not necessarily mean they are evil.  Yahweh has His people in every city being the salt and light for that city.  These teachers are condemning believers that live in ungodly cities - in other words, EVERYONE!

Some false teachers malign Lot because he was willing to give his daughters over to the men of sodom in order to protect the two angels.  As I have shown in previous posts, the bible has at least three times shown that the house guests will be protected at all cost (one was in Gibeah and this one with Lot, and the blessing of Noah that the house of Japeth will dwell in the safety of the tents of Shem) Yet many erroneous teachings claim Lot was unrighteous because of his daughters:

Genesis 9:27  God enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and let Canaan be their servant. 

Judges 19
22  Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him.
23  And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly.
24  Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.

Genesis 19
5  They called Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who came to stay with you tonight? Bring them out to us! We want to have sex with them!"
6  Lot went out to them and stood in the doorway, closing the door behind him,
7  and said, "Please, my brothers, don't do such a wicked thing.
8  Look here, I have two daughters who are virgins. Please, let me bring them out to you, and you can do with them what seems good to you; but don't do anything to these men, since they are guests in my house."
9  "Stand back!" they replied. "This guy came to live here, and now he's decided to play judge. For that we'll deal worse with you than with them!" Then they crowded in on Lot, in order to get close enough to break down the door.

Another reason so many "teachers" malign Lot is because he is a victim of "date rape" by his daughters after they left sodom.  I thought people have learned to not blame the victim for rape yet apparently Lot is the exception by false teachers.  What Lot's daughters did was wrong although they thought they were the only survivors in the world.  Lot certainly was not to blame for what his daughters did - he was not willing otherwise his daughters would not have gotten him drunk.  The bible is clear he did not know what they had done (in contrast to Noah knowing what his son Ham had done to him when he was drunk)

Genesis 19
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 firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.

Scripture is clear that Lot was righteous and Yahweh rescued him because he was righteous.  Abraham bargained with Yahweh to save sodom, because Lot lived there, if there were ten righteous and  Abraham was happy with his bargain since he obviously thought there had to have been ten righteous in the city.  Even though there were not ten righteous in sodom, Yahweh did rescue Lot and his family.

Genesis 18
22  And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
23  And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
24  Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
25  That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
26  And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
27  And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
28  Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
29  And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.
30  And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
31  And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.
32  And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.
33  And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

Finally, the new testament clearly shows that Lot was not happy with what his city was doing and he was righteous and godly.  No where in scripture does it say anything about Lot's sins or give any indication he compromised with the world.  The false teachers that add or subtract from scripture making it say what it clearly does not say will be judged by Yahweh.

2 Peter 2
7  And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
8  (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
9  The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

Proverbs 30
5  Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6  Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

2 Timothy 4
3  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5  But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.