This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
2 Peter 2:7-8
7 And [kai] delivered [rhoumai] just [dikaios] Lot [Lot], vexed [kataponeo] with [hupo] the filthy [aselgeia] conversation [anastrophe] of the wicked [athesmos]:
8 (For [gar] that righteous man [dikaios] dwelling [egkatoikeo] among [en] them [autos], in seeing [blemma] and [kai] hearing [akoe], vexed [basanizo] his righteous [dikaios] soul [psuche] from day [hemera] to [ek] day [hemera] with their unlawful [anomos] deeds [ergon];) KJV-Interlinear
7 and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men 8 (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day with their lawless deeds), NASB
God rescued Lot from the disgusting surroundings that he lived in, despite Lots own decisions that created his predicament.
There is more here than meets the eye.
Peter mentioned Lot, but dose not mention the source scripture that the story comes from. Like most believers of his day, he presumes that people are familiar with the story, and therefore do not need coddling in order to make his point.
Far too often you will run into folks that will demand documentation for your words. If they were truly interested, then they would research out a matter (objectively), but it is often much easier to question the speaker and make them do your homework, rather than figuring out life for yourself.
One of the objectives of spiritual growth, is to bring you to a point of self-independence from the views of this world. That means you assume the responsibility to get the answers you need to the questions you have, rather than simply rejecting a statement and ignoring the possible answers, because you are too lazy to go after them.
Lot is in this situation. Recall the story from Gen. 13. Actually it begins earlier than that chapter, but that is a good starting point.
Lot lived with Abraham on the western side of the Jordan River valley. To their east lay a vast plain in which Sodom and various cities existed.
Abraham and Lot knew very well, the reputations of the peoples (their neighbors), that lived there.
Lot decided that they did not have enough room for their combined flocks and herds. He wanted to separate from Abraham and go to the plains to the east. Abraham gave him his choice, and Lot chose Sodom.
Lot moved there and remained there. In our current verse, Peter explains that Lot was emotionally burdened (oppressed), daily, by the social habits of the people that lived there.
But, Lot did not move away.
Later in Genesis we read that Lot was taken captive by an invading force, which came into that valley, and sacked several of the cities, taking many captives.
Abraham went after the invading force and rescued Lot and everyone else, along with all of their property.
Lot had many warnings that the place in which he lived was not a good place. The people of the region had many warnings to turn for their corrupt ways.
Everyone seems to ignore the warnings.
Then came the angels and the decision to destroy the cities of the valley. Abraham prayed for the righteous (those who were saved individuals). Lot was the target of his prayer, obviously. And God graciously granted Abrahams prayer.
Lot was saved, but not because he deserved it, but primarily because of Abrahams prayer.
Lot moved into corruption. Lot remained in corruption. Lot suffered as a result of living among corruption, and yet God graciously delivered him.
Corruption is not limited to the city of Sodom, but follows the pattern of rejection of truth.
We all live in a corrupt world. Most of the world is anti-Christian (Sodom). Most of Christianity is indifferent, or has adopted various weird or compromising ideas (Lot) about their own faith. Most Christians resist leaving their own beliefs, wanting someone else to search out the truth for them (Abraham).
Some angels were locked away in the Abyss and have been there for all of human history, and probably longer. The reasons for their imprisonment are never revealed in the scriptures. Some angels disobeyed and were locked up in Tartarus. We presume that the first group was locked up for some other type or similar disobedience. Why does anyone get locked up in prison?
Humanity was disobedient to the maximum and was destroyed. Sodom citizens were corrupt, by their own choice, and they were destroyed. Lot moved to corruption, remained there, but he was set apart because of his former faith, and thus was delivered. His wife was not so lucky.
All of us are given a constant stream of warnings in life, that are intended to keep us on track with our spiritual lives, and to prevent failure from all of our flagrant, indifferent, or just dumb ideas about life.
The ideas from this world are nothing more than a constant burden as Lot was exposed to. The only way to free yourself from that burden, is through a daily study of doctrine, an open mind, and lots of patience.
If you are genuinely positive toward God, then even despite your failures in life, and you will have lots of failures (we all do), God is faithful to deliver you not only from the corruption of this world, but from the stupidity of your own decisions.
But then isn’t it a good deal less trouble for you, if you don’t make dumb mistakes in life?
Growing up helps you in that regard.
