“(for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)” (2 Peter 2:8).
Our text from 2 Peter 2:7-8 mentions Lot’s personal righteousness three times over the course of two verses. Lot’s Biblical record shows that he was a just man who was deeply distressed by the lawless conduct of those around him. Lot bravely sought to defend two strangers from a mob of sexual predators who subsequently threatened him as well. He heeded the warning he received from God’s messengers and urged others to do the same. Finally, Lot followed their directions in sharp contrast to his wife’s example.
However, Lot was also something of a weak and vacillating individual. For instance, Lot made several questionable decisions with no apparent desire to seek God’s direction or input. He also made an unconscionable offer to sacrifice his virgin daughters to those who would abuse them. In addition, we should note that Lot was hesitant in the face of a clear directive from God’s messengers and wavered in his compliance (see Genesis 19).
Finally, Lot underestimated (or disregarded) the detrimental influence of Sodom’s godless culture on his family, particularly his children. Their immersion in that immoral society clearly impacted their choices and decisions. Despite Lot’s personal integrity, the people of Sodom successfully instilled their values in his children, leaving him powerless to counteract their influence in his daughters’ lives.
Lot’s example should prompt us to consider the cultural influences that are imposed upon our families and respond accordingly. This may mean establishing a family devotional time, prioritizing church attendance, or removal of our children from academic structures that serve as a detriment to their spiritual lives. These are important considerations, and the example of Sodom’s cultural influence on Lot’s family should motivate us to take action in these and other areas.
We will close our look at this portion of Scripture with some final observations from Lot’s life…
“If we had only the OT account of Lot, we might not think him a true believer at all. In the Genesis account, he almost appears as a status-seeking opportunist, willing to put up with sin and corruption in order to make a place and name for himself in the world. But Peter, writing by inspiration, tells us that he was a righteous man who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked.
God saw that Lot had genuine faith, and that he loved righteousness and hated sin. To emphasize that Lot really was a righteous man in spite of appearances to the contrary, Peter repeats that his soul was tormented daily by the things he heard and saw in Sodom. The vile immorality of the people caused him deep suffering.” (1)
(1) William Macdonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary Edited by Arthur Farstad, Thomas Nelson Publishers [pg. 2297]