Why did Lot's sons-in-law dismiss his warning in Genesis 19:14? The immediate scene: Genesis 19:14 “So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law who were pledged to marry his daughters. ‘Get up,’ he said, ‘Get out of this place, for the LORD is about to destroy the city!’ But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.” Why the sons-in-law laughed off the warning - Hardened hearts from constant exposure to Sodom’s sin - 2 Peter 2:7-8 reminds us that Sodom’s depravity was relentless; those who lingered there grew numb to truth. - Spiritual blindness of the natural man - 1 Corinthians 2:14: “The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God… they are foolishness to him”. - Lot’s compromised witness - Lot chose to live near, then in, Sodom (Genesis 13:12; 14:12). His moral hesitations may have undermined his credibility when sudden seriousness was needed. - Cultural scoffing at divine judgment - Proverbs 14:9: “Fools mock at making amends for sin”. - 2 Peter 3:3-4 warns that mockers will question any promise of judgment. - False security in prosperity and routine - Luke 17:28-30 shows people “eating and drinking, buying and selling” right up to the moment judgment fell. Comfortable circumstances dulled urgency. - Absence of personal covenant faith - Unlike Abraham, the sons-in-law had no recorded relationship with the LORD. Without reverence for God, Lot’s words sounded like mere opinion. Lessons for today - Prolonged compromise weakens a believer’s testimony. - A culture steeped in sin will treat God’s warnings as a joke. - Urgency must accompany gospel truth; delay can cost lives. - True faith responds to God’s Word even when circumstances seem calm. Key Scriptures to reflect on - Genesis 13:12; 14:12 – Lot’s gradual drift toward Sodom - 2 Peter 2:7-8 – Lot’s distress amid wickedness - Luke 17:28-30 – Jesus likens end-times indifference to the days of Lot - 1 Corinthians 2:14 – Spiritual things discerned only by the Spirit - Proverbs 14:9; 2 Peter 3:3-4 – The folly and danger of scoffing |
    |