Old Testament Lesson 8: Living Righteously in a Wicked World

Genesis 13, 14, 18

Abraham settles in Canaan after living in Egypt, Lot settles near Sodom. Lot is taken captive during battle ans is later rescued by Abraham. Afterward, Abraham pays tithes to Melchizedek and also refuses the spoils of war from the king of Sodom.

Sodom and Gomorrah are pretty nasty places, so the Lord tells Abraham that he intends to destroy the cities, which leads Abraham to plead to spare them if he can find righteous people living there. Lot is the sort-of-righteous guy, and the Lord commands him and his family to leave Sodom.

The most famous passage then ensues, with Lot's wife daring to look back at Sodom, and then becoming a "pillar of salt" (some have argued rock, dust, metaphor, etc.—There are many pillars said to be Lot's wife throughout the Holy Land).

So what do we learn from this? The Old Testament is full of harsh examples about the importance of obedience. What does the experience of Sodom and Gomorrah teach you about hearkening to God's will?

And Bill Doolittle is in the house!