p. 1 | ESCAPE FOR THY LIFE by Eld. N. Wardner

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 26, 1872

ESCAPE FOR THY LIFE.

By Eld. N. Wardner

BY ELD. N. WARDNER.

TEXT: Gen. 19:17: “And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.”

This was the language of the angel to Lot, warning him to escape from the destruction of Sodom.

Lot was the nephew of Abraham, and was brought up by him, and they continued to dwell together after he grew to manhood, till their prosperity caused a clashing of interests, which led to strife among their herdsmen, and threatened alienation between them. Abraham, seeing what it was likely to result in, addressed Lot, in substance, as follows: We being brethren, it is unbecoming that strife should exist between us, or among our herdsmen; better that we separate. Now if you will turn to the right, I will turn to the left; or, if you will turn to the left, I will turn to the right, but let there be no strife between us. Lot accepted the proposition, and, standing upon the high lands of Judea, began to survey the surrounding country for the purpose of selecting a location. And he looked upon the plains of Sodom and saw that they were good for pasture, and he pitched his tent there.

Now observe the motive that influenced him. There is no evidence that he chose that location for the sake of benefiting its inhabitants by acting as missionary among them; or that his children might be brought under better moral and religious influences. On the contrary, the men of Sodom had been declared to be “wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.” Gen. 13:13. He must have known that he would thus bring his family under the most demoralizing influences. It is evident, therefore, that he was moved entirely by the love of gain. “He saw that it was good for pasture,” and, for that reason, he chose to locate there.

Now notice the result of his worldly, selfish policy. Scarcely had he dwelt there seven years before that people became involved in war, were overcome and carried away captives, with their possessions, and Lot among them. And had it not been for Abraham, who, with his three hundred and nineteen trained servants, pursued, and, by a well-planned surprise, recaptured them, he and his family might have dragged out miserable lives in bondage.

Nor did he heed this warning, but returned and located himself in the city of Sodom. The result was that he lost all he took there, and all he accumulated while there, and nearly all his family, and was compelled to escape almost as destitute as he came into the world. Such was the result of his worldly policy, in which the claims of God and the spiritual interests of his family seem to have been forgotten. And the recording of this event was designed, as we are told, for a warning to those who should come after him.

But it seems that Lot came to be possessed of a different mind before he left Sodom; for the apostle tells us that his righteous soul was vexed from day to day with the vile conversation of the Sodomites; and he became, also, a messenger of God to warn that people of the coming wrath. God always warns in mercy before he smites in wrath.

It seems also that Lot gained a position of honor and influence among them; for, when the angels appeared, they found him sitting in the gate of the city. What was he there for? Ancient cities were always surrounded by a high wall for defense, and at each gate an extra wall was built outside, in the form of a half circle, leaving a space between in the form of a crescent, where seats were erected on which the magistrates and judges of the city sat, each day, to hear and decide cases of complaint or litigation among the people. In confirmation of this, see Deut. 21:18, 19; Ruth 4:1, 2, &c. Christ alluded to the same when he said, “Upon this rock will I build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” These gates were also the places where their councils of war were held, which explains the Saviour’s language to mean that all the plottings of the powers of darkness will not be able to prevail against his church and people.

Lot was thus filling his post of duty when these heavenly messengers came to deliver him from the impending ruin. Had he not been in the place of his duty, he might have perished with the Sodomites. The history of the world proves that all whom God honors by any special call or deliverance are those who attended faithfully to the duties of their calling, however humble.

Seeing those strangers enter, he respectfully entreats them to accept of the hospitality of his house. They, probably to test his sincerity, declined; but when he insisted, they accepted. Here, again, we notice the connection between a faithful and hearty discharge of duty, and the blessing and salvation of God. Had he neglected this duty, though he might have been warned, he probably would not have seen the miracle by which he was convinced of their divine mission, and, therefore, might have treated the warning as the Sodomites did. Salvation is always connected with submission and obedience on the part of the creature.

In consequence of this act of hospitality, Lot was assured of the supernatural character of these strangers, and of the validity of their message. Therefore, when they told him to go out and warn his children and kindred of what the Lord was about to do, he obeyed, laboring with all the earnestness of assuring faith. Now he began to realize the demoralizing effect which his residence in Sodom had produced upon his family; for they treated the warning as an idle tale, notwithstanding the attesting evidence which was publicly known. When daylight came, he and his wife and two daughters seemed so intent in trying to induce their friends to flee with them that they would not desist till the angels took hold of them and led them out.

Now, why was Lot saved, and the thousands of Sodom destroyed? Was it because he was better than they? or because God was partial? No; but simply because he believed and, believing, obeyed the message, and the others did not. Had they believed as he did, they would likewise have obeyed. This is the reason why part of the human family will be saved and the rest lost. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned.” God has warned us of a far more terrible storm of wrath that is gathering, which shall burst upon his enemies, and from which his saints shall be delivered; and whoever really believes the warning will heed it.

To illustrate: Supposing that, as you are sitting here, a man of undoubted sanity and veracity steps into the door, and announces that he has just discovered a keg of powder placed under this house by some evil-disposed person, with a slow match that is nearly burned out, so that the powder is liable to explode at any second; how long would you remain in your seats? You would all rush for the door instantly. But should you see a man, after listening to that statement, fold his arms and lean quietly back in a comfortable position, you would decide at once that he did not believe the statement; for we all understand human nature well enough to know that no sane man could thus sit quietly when he knew he was liable, at any instant, to be blown to atoms, if there was a chance to escape.

God has assured us in his word of a doom that awaits the impenitent as much more terrible than this as eternity surpasses time, and no person who really believes and feels that truth, and that his probation may terminate any moment, can remain in that condition, unconcerned. If he continues indifferent, it is evidence that he does not, from his heart, believe the revelation.

But supposing that after the angels had led Lot out of the city and pointed out to him the place of safety, he, instead of fleeing, had sat down and reasoned with himself thus: “If I am to be saved, I shall be; and if I am not to be saved, I shall not be, though I may make ever so much effort. God knew from eternity whether I shall be saved or not; and what he knew, he knew to a certainty, and nothing can happen contrary to his foreknowledge, and therefore it is useless for me to make any effort, since it cannot change his knowledge or purpose, and therefore cannot change the result;” and upon this plea, refused to make any effort. What would the result have been? Evidently he would have perished with the Sodomites. If God foreknew or determined that he should be saved, it was upon the condition that he should comply with the requirements revealed to him, and to be decided by his own choice. Otherwise, why reveal, or impose conditions?

But why did not the angels take him in their arms and carry him to a place of safety? Evidently because Lot had the power of locomotion, and did not need to be carried. When Peter lay in prison, bound between two soldiers, and his brethren were praying for his deliverance, an angel appeared in the prison and awoke Peter, broke his fetters, and commanded him to put on his garment and follow him. Why not put on his garment for him? Why not carry him instead of commanding him to follow? Why leave him alone in the street instead of taking him to Mary’s house? Simply because Peter had power to do these things himself. But he could not break his fetters, nor open the prison door, nor iron gate, and these things the angel did for him. God simply provides for man what he has not given man the natural power to do for himself; but requires the full use of his natural powers at the peril of his soul.

The command given to Lot, to flee, implied, in the first place, that there was danger in his remaining where he was. If not, why command him to escape? Secondly, it implied that there was a place of safety, and time would be allowed to reach it. If there was no safer place, why should he be required to leave Sodom? Or, if no opportunity would be granted for him to reach it, he might as well remain where he was. In such case, why should he even be notified of any danger? Every dictate of mercy, justice, and reason, would forbid that the short space left him should be filled with such forebodings, if there was no escaping the danger.

God has warned us of a far more terrible storm of wrath that is gathering over this world of sin, which will involve all in eternal ruin who heed not the warning. But if there is to be no such future state of punishment for the wicked, or, if no way of escape from it has been provided, then why should God thus warn? Why fill men’s minds with such forebodings and useless anxiety, and thus rob them of so much peace and enjoyment that they might otherwise experience, if there is to be no such thing, or if there is no way of escape from it? What conceivable attribute in God’s nature could be in fellowship with such false and unmerciful alarms? Is there any other way to account for such revelations than that they are true, and are, therefore, demanded by every attribute of justice and mercy? “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” This cannot mean the grave; for no such distinction is made in Scripture between the righteous and wicked with reference to burial.

Thirdly, the command implied that Lot was a free agent, and could go or stay as he chose. If not, why command him? As well command the city wall to flee! The same impropriety would attach to every command, warning, promise, and exhortation, in the Bible. If man is not a free agent, the Bible everywhere teaches a falsehood; for it teaches that man is accountable for all that he does, thinks, and feels.

But again, supposing that Lot, instead of fleeing as directed, had gone to quarreling with the angels for preaching such “fire and brimstone doctrine;” as though the God of love was going to pour down fire and brimstone from Heaven and burn up his children! And supposing he had presented such shrewd arguments as even to silence the angels; what would he have gained by it? Could he have changed the purpose of God, or stayed the gathering storm? He would only have quieted his own fears and made his destruction sure; for no fact in history is better authenticated than that Sodom was thus destroyed. Christ asserted it to be a fact. Luke 17:28, 29.

And again, supposing he had refused to make any effort to escape till he could settle the question whether or not he should hold out if he started; insisting that it would be better not to start than to go part way and then turn back or fail to reach the goal. One thing was certain. If he had not started, he would not have reached the place of safety, and certainly would have perished. And being a free agent, his holding out, or not, all depended upon his own choice. And the divine command to flee was an assurance of divine help where needed. The same holds true, including many positive promises, in regard to the command given to all to flee from the wrath to come.

No more certain is it that Lot would have perished had he pleaded such arguments and acted accordingly, than that every soul will perish who thus contends with God and casts aside his commands and his warnings.

Again, Lot was forbidden to look back; doubtless because had he done so, while in the way, and seen that no harm had yet befallen the city, the sight of his home, and friends, &c., might have induced him to falter or turn back and perish. Christ said to his disciples, “He that putteth his hand to the plow and looketh back is not fit for the kingdom of Heaven;” for it shows a covetous longing after the world, a double-mindedness, and half-heartedness that would be quite sure to result in apostasy.

The apostle says, “The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God; and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” 1 Pet. 4:17. The Jews had a saying that when God determined to destroy the wicked, he first began by afflicting his people, and thus to sift out from among them those who belonged with the wicked, that they might be destroyed together. Judgment began with Lot. It was a sore affliction to be required to leave all the fruits of his life’s toils, and especially his children. But what was the end of those who heeded not the gospel of salvation that was made known to them? The cloud of smoke rising up from that city told the tale.

Again, asks the apostle, “If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” Lot was scarcely saved, yet it was a complete salvation, though at the loss of nearly every earthly treasure. Not a hair of his head was harmed. And so it will be with every one who thus believes and obeys the heavenly message. But where did those ungodly sinners appear who scorned the message of mercy brought to them? The lurid flames and shrieks of anguish which came up from that city answer the question. And where and how did she appear who essayed to trifle with the command given to her; though willing to obey every requirement except in one little particular. She probably concluded that was of too little account for God to insist upon, provided she did everything else properly and conscientiously. “Surely God is not so hard-hearted as to deny me the small favor of just turning my eye to take one farewell look of my dear children on yonder wall, and of the home I have toiled so hard and so long to provide and beautify for the enjoyment of old age; provided I continue to press on in the way pointed out. If I never do anything worse than this, God certainly will not reject me. The spirit and object of the command must have reference merely to my safe escape out of Sodom, and not the direction of my eyes.”

Thus she ventured to trifle with God’s revealed will, and was instantly transformed into a monument of God’s wrath, as a warning to men in all ages. “Be not deceived, God is not mocked.” “These things were written for our instruction.” Christ said to his disciples, “Remember Lot’s wife!” What about her that they should remember? This act of compromising God’s authority to gratify self, and the judgment that fell upon her for so doing. By that act, she lost all that she coveted, and herself, soul and body. “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” and how much less if he gain only a momentary pleasure?

An anecdote is reported of John Jacob Astor, that he was once visited by a clergyman whom he took much pains to entertain; and, after showing him around his premises, took him up into his observatory, and placing a spy-glass in his hand, requested him to look down a certain street, inquiring, Do you see that block of buildings (describing them)? Yes. Well, that is mine. Now look in that street. Do you see that block of marble buildings and stores? Yes. Those are mine also. And in that direction; do you see those iron fronts and that bank? Yes. Those are mine also. Besides, I have investments in lands, mortgages, railroad stocks, shipping, &c., in all amounting to nearly fifty millions of dollars. I started in life poor; commenced by working out for eight dollars per month and board, and by economy, industry, and management, have accumulated all this; then, straightening himself up, waited for a compliment. The clergyman replied, You have been very successful, Mr. A., and deserve much credit. Few men can boast of what you can. Then putting the spy-glass into his hand, he said, Please look across the river there, do you see that shanty beside that large rock? Yes. A poor widow lives there whom I visit each week to carry provisions, &c., furnished by benevolent friends; and yet that widow is far more wealthy than you are. Mr. A. started back in surprise and said, What do you mean? please explain yourself. The minister replied, You have been showing me your treasures which consist in houses, money, lands, stocks, &c., but no treasure in Heaven. Fire may consume your buildings, thieves may steal your money, tempests may sink your ships, &c., or, if they are not thus taken from you, death will soon lay his icy hand upon your heart, and you will have to leave all. Not a cent of your princely wealth can you take with you; while that widow, though she cannot claim the food she eats, or the clothes she wears, can look upon Christ and say, My Saviour. She can look to God and say, My Father. She can look upon that sparkling crown in her Saviour’s hand, and say, That is MY crown. She can view that glorious mansion he is fitting up, and say, That is MY mansion. ALL HEAVEN IS MINE, AND MINE FOREVER! Is she not indeed more wealthy than you, Mr. Astor?

Give me the widow’s portion, and let the miser clutch his gold and the worldling his honors. Far greater honors await the humble, faithful servant of Christ.

ESCAPE FOR THY LIFE.*

ESCAPE FOR THY LIFE.