We left off with the Lord’s merciful deliverance of Lot, from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and other cities of the plain for their great iniquity. Even Lot’s carnal faith was enough to save him, but it could not save his wife. She did not believe. Lot has been allowed to take refuge in the “little” city of Zoar with his two young daughters. But he doesn’t stay there long –

30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.

On this hillside above the town of ancient Zoar (modern Safi), Byzantine Christians built a church and monastery around the cave where Lot and his daughters found refuge after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. It says in verse 30 that Lot left Zoar to take shelter in a cave for fear. It does not specify what he was afraid of -but it is very likely that the men of Zoar were as the men of Sodom.

31 And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:

32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.

A great many lewd paintings have been made of this incident – which have no basis in fact. They often portray a drunken, lecherous Lot, groping at one or both or his daughters. The Scripture clearly states that he had no idea what occurred. What Lot is guilty of here – is the same thing he was always guilty of – lax conduct. He was a carnal believer. The entire reason Lot’s daughters were able to get him so intoxicated – was his carnality. He was always thinking of the comfort of his flesh, from the moment his Uncle Abraham offered him the choicest pasture lands for his flocks, to when he chose to return to worldly Sodom, with all the bells and whistles, after being rescued. Most Christians today, are like Lot. Think about just how terrible it is – that he was so drunk – he didn’t even know what happened!

We must also consider the possibility that Lot’s daughters believed that they were the only people who had survived, and perhaps had copious experience of their father’s excessive drinking. And blackouts? Also interesting to note – these were the mountains that the Lord had told Lot to go to at the first! More evidence of Lot’s “lingering.” How often we Christians are like Lot, and fail to be “alert,” to sin. And how often are we “blacked out” to the far reaching consequences of our sin!

36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.37 And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Ben–ammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day. Genesis 19: 30-38

At the far right of the map in the white areas you will see the lands of Moab (older daughter’s son) and Ammon (younger daughter’ s son) Click to enlarge.

These son’s descendants will be future Muslims, and violent persecutors of Jews and Christians.

On the subject of Lot’s drinking, and the great immorality and pursuant centuries of genocide and war that followed through these sons of incest, there is an established connection between drinking alcohol and sin, notably sexual sin.

Historian Sir Arnold Toynbee has identified alcohol as a major force in the destruction of nineteen civilizations preceding our own. [Alcohol: The Beloved Enemy, Dr. Jack Van Impe. p. 23]

Oh! That men should put an enemy into their mouths to steal away their brains! O God, that we should with joy, pleasure, revel, and applause transform ourselves into beasts! [William Shakespeare, Othello Act 2 Scene 3]

The habit of using ardent spirits by men in public office produced more injury to the public service, and more trouble to me, than any other circumstances that has occurred in the internal concerns of the country during my administration. And were I to commence my administration again, with the knowledge which from experience I have acquired, the first question that I would ask with regard to every candidate for office would be, “Is he addicted to the use of ardent spirits?” [Thomas Jefferson, by John Kobler, Ardent Spirits, p.33]

. . . if a 150 pound man consumes two bottles of beer on an empty stomach, the level of alcohol dissolved in his blood will reach about five hundredths of one percent. At this level, the normal activity of the cortex, or the outer layer of the brain – particularly in the centers concerned with worry or anxiety – will be affected. The drinker will feel falsely “lifted up,” because the inhibitions that usually hold him steady have, in effect, been paralyzed. [Albert Maisel, Alcohol and Your Brain, Reader’s Digest]

Why would any Christian want to be intoxicated? Why would any Christian want to be uninhibited? Why would any Christian risk giving a poor testimony to a lost and dying world? If I added another 1,000 or so words to this article – I could prove that the “wine” at the Last Supper, and at the Wedding Feast at Cana was not fermented. But that is not the focus of this Bible Study, rather, it is the observation of how many Christians walk in Lot’s shoes, and what we may learn from his life, and try to take to heart the enormously far-reaching consequences of sin.

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Galatians 5: 19-24