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THEME: OVERTHROWN

SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 19: 15-29

The redemption of Lot and his family and the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah. 

 REFLECTION

Overthrown is the theme for our reflection. To overthrow means to defeat or remove someone from power, using force. In the context of our Scripture reading and reflection, overthrown alludes to a complete annihilation of Sodom and Gomorrah together its inhabitants and surrounding natural resources. “The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar. Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven. And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.”(Genesis 19:24-25)

Why were Sodom and Gomorrah overthrown by God? Genesis 19:4-8 proves to us that the people took pleasure in abomination and sin was their way of life. “But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.” Lot went out to the men at the entrance, shut the door after him, and said, “I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please” (Genesis 19:4-8)

The key lesson is that the wicked and unrepentant are overthrown by God but His mercy and grace available to the repentant and righteous. In Ezekiel 33:10 God said “Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?”  God is indeed a gracious God and He gives opportunity to the wicked to repent and be saved, that is why in Isaiah 55:7 He reminds us that “let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” However, if the wicked decide to continue sinning and refuse God’s offer of grace, repentance and salvation, they shall be overthrown as we saw in the example of Sodom and Gomorrah. Apostle Paul reminds us that God will overthrow the unrepentant people when he wrote in Roman 2:5-11 that “But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality.” Although Lot’s wife disobeyed the instruction given by the Angels, Lot and his family were saved becuase He obeyed the Lord. Even when the cities of wicked were overthrown God remained faithful and gracious to His own who trusted and obeyed Him. My dear friend in Christ,  Let us live wisely in the world and have nothing doing with the unrepentant and the wicked lest we are overthrown together with them. Shalom

PRAYER 

MERCIFUL GOD, MAY WE NOT BE INFLUENCED BY THE WICKED AND THEIR WAYS, LET THE HOLY SPIRIT CONTINUALLY GUIDE OUR STEPS TO TRUST AND OBEY YOU. LET US BE BENEFICIARIES OF YOUR MERCY AND GRACE WHEN JESUS COMES AGAIN TO OVERTHROW OUR SINFUL WORLD. AMEN

Jean-Paul Agidi (Rev)