The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1913-03-05
Sunday School Notes
Side Lights on Next Sundays Lesson
for Teachers and Pupils.
Edited by Charles K. Meyers

March 9-'The Destruction of Sodon.
Gen. 10, Is, 1929. The Temperance
Lesson.
One of the most striking pictures
presented in the Old Testament has
for it's subject the destruction Of
Sodom. 1t will be remembered that
when Lot was given his choice as to
which part of the land before him he
would chose for his residence that
he chose the well-Watered plain of the
Jordan and pitched his tent toward
Sodom." Now, Sodom turned out to
be wicked heather city, one whose
inhabitants were desperately wicked.
In pitching his tent toward SOdOm
and finally taking up residence in
that city, Lot showed his weakness
of character. He did not personally
get so wicked but what God remem-
bered him and saved him, but he was
dangerously close to destruction by
his course of life.
In connection with this account of
the destruction of the wicked city and
the rescue of Lot there comes a chap
ter in the career Of Abraham. 1t
would appear that one evening two
strangers came before the camp of
Abraham and that he joyously well
coined them, having food prepared for
their use and extending to them the
hospitality of an eastern chieftan.
One of the strangers was an angel,
who spoke with the authority of God
and he told Abraham that he and his
companion were on their way to
SOdom with the expectation that the
city must be destroyed because of it's
wickedness. Abraham was deeply
moved by this state of affairs and be-
gan plea on behalf of the city, max
ing requests that if fifty righteous
persons were found within it's limit
that it be saved. This request being
granted, he made further entreaty un-
til he was promised that if ten
righteous persons were found to be
inhabitants of Sodom that the city
would not be destroyed.
The two strangers proceeded to
Sodom and Lot was not behind his
relative in extending hospitality to
strangers. They were taken into the
house and soon after informed Lot of
their mission. The men of the city
had seen the two strangers enter the
home and formed mob to find out
who they were, and were only kept
from forcibly entering through the
door by the act of one of the guests
in striking the leaders with blindness.
Lot was told to gather his belongings
and to notify such friends and rela-
tives as he thought would be moved
by his message, and to tell them that
safety for themselves lay only in
flight. Lots words met the same re-
Spouse as did the similar ones uttered
by Noah. He was laughed to scorn;
even the two men who aspired to be
his sons-in-law refused to believe
what he told them. In this interval
precious time had been taken and at
last the two angels laid hands on
Lot, his wife and two daughters and
told them that they must fly at once,
and in their fight must not look back.
The refugees were told to go to the
mountains, but a compromise was
made in small city named Yoar.
One of the important facts which
one must learn from the bible is that
God requires obedience and faith. A
striking example of this was shown
by the lack of faith of Lots wife. She
was told on pain of death that she
must not look back to see whether
the city was being destroyed, but
must believe that the angels spoke
to her the truth. 1t will be remem-
bered that Jesus said that one who
puts his hand to the plough and looks
back is not worthy of the good cause