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Chapter 171

Evils of City Life

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When Abraham gave Lot his choice of where to live, what did Lot choose for himself and his family?
"And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord. ...Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan." Genesis 13:10, 11.

Where did this choice take him?
"Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom." Verse 12.

What were the inhabitants of that city like?
"But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly." Verse 13.

What additional description of this city is given us in the Word of God?
"Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before Me: therefore I took them away as I saw good." Ezekiel 16:49, 50. (See Genesis 19:19.)

How did their conduct affect Lot?
"And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds)." 2 Peter 2:7, 8.

Before destroying Sodom and Gomorrah, whom did the Lord send to deliver Lot and his family?
"And there came two angels to Sodom at even." "And the men [angels] said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou has in the city, bring them out of this place: for we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it." Genesis 19:1, 12, 13.

Was Lot successful in warning his married children?
"And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city, But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law." Verse 14.

What did the angels tell Lot the next morning?
"Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city ...Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed." Verses 15-17.

What occurred next?
"Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; and He overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground." Verses 24-25.

Because the affections of Lot's wife were still in Sodom, what happened to her?
"But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt." Verse 26.

Foretelling the condition of the world just prior to His Second Advent, to what did Christ liken it?
"Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all, Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed." Luke 17:28-30.
NOTE. - The cities of today are like Sodom and Gomorrah, centers and sinkholes of vice, pride, violence, confusion, and crime. The cities of the United States furnish most of the nation's crime. The numerous holidays, the whirl of excitement, pleasure, and sports, theatergoing, gambling, liquor drinking, and reveling in the cities, attract thousands from the sober duties of life, and stimulate every evil passion to activity. What a poor place, therefore, are the cities of today in which to rear a family! Too many, like Lot, have pitched their tent toward Sodom. 

Of what great final event is the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah a pattern or type?
"And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly." 2 Peter 2:6.
NOTE. - The destruction of such cities as Sodom and Gomorrah, Babylon, and Jerusalem is set forth as a type of the destruction awaiting the world. Says one writer: "The time is near when the large cities will be visited by the judgments of God. In a little while, these cities will be terribly shaken. No matter how large or strong their buildings, no matter how many safeguards against fire may have been provided, let God touch these buildings, and in a few minutes or in a few hours they will be in ruins. The ungodly cities of our world are to be swept away by the besom of destruction. In the calamities that are now befalling immense buildings and large portions of the cities, God is showing us what will come upon the whole earth."

What is to take place under the seventh plague?
"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath." Revelation 16:17-19.