Luke 17:28-30 So also as it was in the days of Lot: they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but the day Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from the heaven and destroyed them all. Even so it shall be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
Yeshua (Jesus) gave us some signs and indications of what society would look like just before His return. One sign was the sign of Lot.
In Genesis, we read that Lot decided to reside in Sodom, where society had become so detestable before God that He destroyed that city and the cities of the plain with fire and brimstone. While Lot was ‘vexed daily’ [2 Peter 2:7-8] because of the evil that surrounded him, there is another aspect of this passage that I’d like to expound upon.
When God revealed to Abraham his intention to destroy the cities [Genesis 18:22-33], Abraham interceded with the Lord such that if merely ten righteous souls were found there, God would relent from his terrible judgment.
Just ten souls … and the cities would have been spared. Did Lot allow his community to silence him? This is the question I’d like to explore. While the Scriptures do not allude to it, I can only wonder that if Lot had preached the righteousness which burned in him, he might have preempted the wrath which Sodom's sins were piling up.
Is one of the signs of this age that we who walk in the righteousness of Yeshua will be silenced by a society growing in evil and iniquity day by day? Apparently, it doesn’t take much these days to be "silenced", at least not in the vast world of social networking. I was recently banned from Facebook for 30 days … why, I don't know, but I cannot help but wonder which post was deemed unacceptable! Nevertheless, I will not allow society to silence me. We are called to be a light on a hill … not to hide our light under a bushel. It is not a time to be silent, but rather to be ever more resolved to share the good news of the gospel, even as never before, in the spirit of grace and truth!
Don’t be discouraged with the rapid decay of society around you, but realize this is merely a sign of the times. May the Lord continue to speak through you to reach this world around us … for we are not called to be silent!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]The parable of the Prodigal son might also serve as an illustration of the relationship between Israel and the Church.
The first thirty years of my life were spent in Baltimore, Maryland, and I have many fond memories there. One of these is a trail in the woods by the Patapsco River. I used to go fishing there with my dad and spent many a weekend hanging out with my friends, wading in the water.
Scottish minister Alexander Whyte was known for his uplifting prayers in the pulpit. He always found something for which to be grateful. One Sunday morning the weather was so gloomy that one church member thought to himself, "Certainly the preacher won't think of anything for which to thank the Lord on a wretched day like this." Much to his surprise, however, Whyte began by praying, "We thank Thee, O God, that it is not always like this."
As we continue in our study of the parable of the Prodigal son, let's focus on the central figure in the story -- the father. The father is much like the helpless parent whose unending love is neither understood nor appreciated by either son. He allows his sons to make their own decisions, despite how bad those choices may be. No matter what terrible wrong they may commit, he loves them -- a perfect picture of the love of our Heavenly Father has for his children.
Most people overlook a very significant part of the parable of the prodigal son, which is – the elder son received his inheritance as well! (Luke 15:12b) According to the custom of the times, the older son's inheritance would have been twice that of the younger son. In that light, his response to his younger brother's initiative, a response of silence...speaks volumes.
I'm sure we all have heard the parable of the Prodigal Son [Luke 15:11-32], but I want to spend some time this week really dissecting this particular parable so we can gain deeper insight into this message of Jesus (Yeshua).
Many believers have a special place, a quiet place where they go to spend time with the Lord. This is a very important thing. But how many believers have actually 'prepared a way' for the Lord?