Which way

DEVOTION

GENESIS

WHICH WAY

Gen 19:30-38

30 Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave. 31 One day the older daughter said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is no man around here to lie with us, as is the custom all over the earth. 32 Let's get our father to drink wine and then lie with him and preserve our family line through our father." 33 That night they got their father to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and lay with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up. 34 The next day the older daughter said to the younger, "Last night I lay with my father. Let's get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and lie with him so we can preserve our family line through our father." 35 So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went and lay with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up. 36 So both of Lot's daughters became pregnant by their father. 37 The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab; he is the father of the Moabites of today. 38 The younger daughter also had a son, and she named him Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the Ammonites of today.

NIV

Before we place to much judgment upon these two daughters of lot for this incestuous act. They brought forth two sons. We should take a look first at the character of these two daughters and perhaps their motivation. It is also needed that we note this act was committed prior to any law given to Moses which prohibits such unions. Although by all accounts this does fly in the face of normalcy. Yet we also should not judge the actions of those of old by the standards or law of today. What we know about these two daughters of Lot is very little, yet we know from the plea Lot made to the men of Sodom regarding not taking the two men for their indecent acts, that his daughters were still women of virtue never having been with a man, although they had been betrothed. They were not women who had succumbed to any immoral sexual behavior although living in a city that was full of that behavior. So this act they conspired to do with their father had some purpose which we are told in this narrative. As others were also living in Zoar, and perhaps some of the others also fled to the mountains, it is doubtful they felt this need to preserve the human race. We might also notice as they were living in a cave, they were not the makers of wine, but that this region, as researched by scholars were more like hills and were full of vineyards. This would mean other workers of the vineyards were in the area and so the daughters were not trying to preserve the human race, but rather the ancient line of Terah, the father of Haran who was the father of their father Lot. They may well have understood as Abraham was a special man blessed of God, their father Lot having been spared, by the hand of God, by two angels divinely intervening in the life of their father, he too was a special man in the eyes of God and thus they wanted to preserve his line. We also should take note of the actions of Lot in leaving Zoar in the first place. He was assured by the angels he would be safe in this small city, yet he leaves it because he was afraid to stay in Zoar. Why was he afraid? Was he not trusting in the Lord? Did he not just have this divine encounter with the angels seeing them blind all the men of Sodom and keep him and his household safe? Yet here he is afraid. Fear does not come from God.

2 Tim 1:6-7

 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

NIV

Timidity is also translated fear and we know this is to be true. God does not give us fear, but he gives us peace and assurance of his grace, mercy and forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ. Although we know that to fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Prov 9:10

10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom ,

NIV  

But this word is used to denote reverence rather than to be afraid of God, yet in some sense it would be wise to fear his wrath and thus repent of our sin and accept his grace, Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. That is truly the beginning of wisdom. But Lot feared  for his life in Zoar. So he escaped to the mountains. He surely was not trusting in God. His daughters were not trusting in God either, for both Lot and his daughters took their lives into their own hands. Lot leaving Zoar, and his daughters having sons by their father. This whole situation shows us not to take matters into our own hands, but to trust in the ways of the Lord. He will direct our paths. He will provide ways we may not think are the best ways but they are his ways. We can devise plans but he orders our footsteps.

Prov 16:9

9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

NIV

It is wise for us to seek the counsel of God before making any plans for our lives. Lot did not do this and neither did his daughters and as a result their two sons were the fathers of two tribes, nations of peoples who warred against the nation of Israel. The Moabites and the Ammonites were both enemies of the Israelites. The plans of man without the counsel of God will result in nothing but turmoil and disaster. We need to see our lives as being directed by God. We need to move, to live in accordance with his plan for our lives. Trusting in God, means just that, trusting. In retrospect, if Lot would have stayed in Zoar, his life and the lives of his daughters would have been much different. But it was what is was and we can learn from his example as to what not to do. Let us remain in complete trust in the hand of God at work in our lives. What he has started, he will compete.

Phil 1:3-6

3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

NIV

So we know the best way, not our way, but his way