Scripture: Now Lot went up out of Zoar and lived in the hills with his two daughters, for he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. And the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father.” So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father. He did not know when she lay down or when she arose.
The next day, the firstborn said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine tonight also. Then you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father.” So they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day. The younger also bore a son and called his name Ben-ammi. He is the father of the Ammonites to this day.
Genesis 19:30-38 ESV [Click here to read the entire chapter.]
Observation: Recapping Friday’s Daily Focus, the angels urge Lot to gather his family and immediately flee the city lest they suffer the collateral damage of the Lord’s judgment. So they lead Lot, his wife, and two daughters outside Sodom, where one of the angels commands them not to look back but to flee for the hills. Expressing gratitude for their rescue, Lot reasons that he cannot outrun the disaster and requests they allow him to seek refuge in the little city of Zoar. They agree, promising not to destroy Zoar, but Lot’s family must hasten. Lot and his daughters arrive at this small town as the sun rises. Immediately, Yahweh rains sulfur and fire on Sodom, Gomorrah, and their surrounding valleys. Sadly, Lot’s wife disobeys the one angel’s command, looks back, and turns into a pillar of salt. Meanwhile, Abraham safely looks on from where he had earlier interceded for Sodom before the Lord and sees the rising smoke from the ruins, resembling a furnace.
Today’s passage concludes this segment of Lot’s family. Fearful of Zoar’s residents, Lot relocates to the hills with his daughters and settles in a cave. As time passes, the eldest daughter reasons with her sister that given there are no available men to develop conjugal relations and continue the family line, each should intoxicate their father with wine and lay with him. So they, on separate nights, each take their turn; all the while, drunkard Lot is oblivious to what has happened—until his daughters show signs of pregnancy.
Moses concludes this bizarre story of incest to inform his audience (the second generation of wilderness wanderers about to enter the Promised Land) that the despicable Moabites come from Lot’s oldest daughter, who gave birth to Moab (whose Hebrew name sounds like “from father”), and that the loathsome Ammonites come from the younger daughter who gave birth to Ben-ammi (whose Hebrew name means “son of my people”).
Takeaway: This troubling story has two intriguing parallels to the past. First, that Lot laid with his daughters points the readers to Lot’s offer to the sexually charged men of Sodom to lay with his daughters rather than violate his guests (19:8). It serves as a warning to Moses’ audience that what goes around comes around. Secondly, Lot wrongly became intoxicated with wine and unknowingly exposed his naked body to his daughters. This shameful behavior harkens to Noah’s episode with his youngest son, who mockingly gazed upon his father’s nakedness (9:20-27). In both instances, the father’s poor judgment followed God’s rightful judgment of wicked people. And while both men escaped the consequence of death, they proved themselves no better than those who did not. Thus, their gluttonous behavior warns against the excesses of God’s gifts from the ground intended for pleasure in moderation (Psalm 104:14-15).
Our takeaway? The common element of making poor choices after a dramatic event runs through humankind’s history, particularly our lives. Consider the two-plus years of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Upon their harrowing journey’s end, nearly all of them lived shortened lives, dissipating to alcoholism and acts of violence. And we sometimes see this from our vets who return home from wars. Why? Those who survive such traumatic events often sink into depression once the adrenalin rush wears off—and haunting memories and thoughts of why they survived when others did not add to the temptation to numb the post-traumatic stress with substances. But like Noah and Lot, if we run from the pain by acting out, we will only worsen matters.
So, how should we respond? Revitalize rather than anesthetize. We must nurture our love for God, our family and friends, and our passion for life. How so? When tempted to act out, take the Holy Spirit’s escape route (1 Corinthians 10:13). It can take various forms but always leads from the darkness to the Light. Here’s a list I’ve developed from facilitating recovery groups:
- Worship with praise and thanksgiving (turning our focus upward)
- Fellowship with other believers (for support, encouragement, and accountability)
- Counseling (from pastors, counselors, and life coaches)
- Creativity (God created us to co-create)
- Acts of service (outward focus)
- Scripture recall (memorizing verses that encourage and inspire us)
So, be on guard when God delivers us from a traumatic event. Be proactive to avoid easily accessible escape routes that lead us into sin’s snare and consequences. Instead, take the one the Holy Spirit brings to mind. Lastly, regarding Lot’s careless words that came back to haunt him, we must tame our tongues to prevent collateral damage and much heartbreak (James 3:1-12).
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for your Son, who spoke no untoward words but only the truth in love. And we thank you for his example of staying on course by worshiping you (corporately and in solitude), fellowshipping with his disciples, creatively preaching and teaching, serving the hungry, oppressed, and marginalized, and recalling Scripture to rebuke Satan and the corrupt spiritual leaders. Still, despite his successful example, we tend toward anesthetizing our pain. So, please help us follow your Holy Spirit’s lead to revitalize our love and affection for you through these means of grace. Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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