Question:
James 1:27 Family asked:
Here’s a random question… Every time I read Genesis 19 I get upset and get the heebie-jeebies! Why would Lot offer his two virgin daughters to the men of Sodom who were trying to rape the angels?!? I cant imagine a father doing this and I can’t see what God has for me to learn. I pray each time this comes up for God to show me what I am not understanding, but I haven’t had any clarity yet. Thanks for always standing firm for Jesus and for the great example you set in loving your family!
Answer:
Of course we can’t know a specific answer or be dogmatic about it because the Bible simply doesn’t tell us what his motives were.
Some believe he did it because he did not think the Sodomites would do anything to his girls. Some have postulated that it was because females in that culture were more property than persons. Others have proposed that he was simply choosing the least worst of a list of horrible choices.
Still others have wondered if it was because Lot knew the two visitors were angels, and would have rather faced God for giving up his girls, than handing over the messengers from God.
I don’t think there is much for you to be concerned about as far as not understanding. God does not expect us to understand motives and intentions of the heart of other people unless He alone has revealed it, such as the case of Judas the Betrayer.
The Bible does not give us a clear answer so we don’t have to worry about coming to some concrete conclusion. Sodom were so bad* that God was going to destroy it, so obviously they were things involve there that we have a hard time considering in hindsight.
*A certain group of people say that a certain sin was not what God was angry about. They say God was going to destroy the entire region because the people were not showing hospitality to the two men. Ahem… yeah, right. I’ll leave that certain group and certain sin unmentioned because I get sick of getting hammered for it.