Vexed Then Hexed!

Temple Baptist Church - 8-29-2010

2 Peter 2:1-9

Introduction:

A. The book of 2 Peter deals with the problems associated with the end-times and the second coming of Christ. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is a type of the impending doom of those who have rejected the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our Lord may come today and, if He does, those who have rejected Christ are eternally damned. Biblical examples show for God’s holiness and justice:

1. False Teachers judged in verse 1, 3 – “swift destruction … damnation slumbereth not”
2. Fallen Angels judged in verse 4 – “chains of darkness … reserved unto judgment”
3. The Old World judged in verse 5 – “spared not … flood upon the world”
4. Sodom and Gomorrah judged in verse 6 – “ashes … overthrow”

b. In every case, God judged the wicked but God spared Noah (verse 6) and had to “deliver” Lot (verse 7)! Lot is a type of both the backslidden, sinful believer as well as the end time church corporately with its association and consequent defilement just prior to the Rapture.

c. These Old Testament examples are written for our admonition and need to be carefully scrutinized in light of the times in which we live. The last mention of Lot finds him living in a cave, getting drunk, committing incest with his two daughters, with no mention of him ever getting right with the Lord.

d. Is he a lost man? Has he lost his salvation? There is no place in Scripture where a saved man was ever lost again. You will be seeing a “lot” of Lot in eternity! God did judge Lot’s sin but in a way that was different from the unsaved of Sodom.

e. I want to look at several things of interest in these verses that we have read this morning.

1) Lot vexed his righteous soul
2) Lot hexed his family

LOT VEXED HIS RIGHTEOUS SOUL

1. Let’s take a look at the marvelous grace of God manifested the eternal salvation of an Old Testament saint. Just Who And What Was Lot?

a. Lot was a man of great heritage - Genesis 12:4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

b. Lot was a man of great wealth - Genesis 13:5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.

c. Lot was a man of great rebellion - Genesis 13:8, 10-11 Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.

d. Lot was a man of great compromise - Genesis 13:12-13 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

e. BUT, Lot was a man of great salvation - 2 Peter 2:7-9 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with [their] unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

1) He was declared Just in verse 7 - a judicial term meaning “just as if he had never sinned”
2) He was declared Righteous in verse 8 – imputation of Christ’s righteousness
3) He was declared Godly in verse 9 – meaning pious or devout (like it or not, Lot was eternally saved!)

2. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons that Lot made “unhonorable mention” in 2 Peter instead of “honorable mention” in Hebrews chapter 11!

a. He dwelt among – verse 8 “dwelling among them” 2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

1) Lot “pitched his tent” toward Sodom at first. He realized their wickedness but the land was a place that was good for raising cattle.

2) He later is found living in the city and sitting in the gate which is a place of authority.

3) He possibly took a wife from Sodom as there no mention of either a wife or children previous to Genesis 19.

4) He chose to raise his children in that wicked city because he made it well financially.

b. He vexed his righteous soul – verses 7-8 1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

1) He was continually bombarded with their wickedness (seeing) but evidently got used to it. Everywhere we look, there is sexual perversion in our day just as there was in the days of Lot. Sodomites permeated his society. We see more pornography in Wal*Mart than men once saw in the “men’s magazines.”

Psalms 101:3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.

2) He was continually bombarded with their conversation (hearing) but got used to that also. Dirty jokes, filthy language, worldly music (just listen to what they play in most restaurants), etc. How many times do the lyrics of a worldly song from our past cause us to whistle or hum to its beat?

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

3. He “ vexed” his own soul! The world did not vex it, it did it himself. VEX - to torture: - annoy, cause perplexity, to puzzle, to distress, to plague, to afflict, to shake up, to cause pain, toil, torment, or to toss about. He saw, heard, and understood (because he was a righteous, just, godly man according to the Bible) but continued on anyway ignoring the conviction of his soul and the clear warning of God’s Word.

c. He understood their wickedness and continued anyway. Romans 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Psalms 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

1) “From day to day” and the word “dwelling” say it all. He had opportunities every day to pack up and leave but the draw of prosperity chained his soul to the wickedness of the city.

2) He eventually called them “brethren” in Genesis 19. “Getting used to the dark” is a dangerous thing because, eventually, your eyes get adjusted to the dimness of light.

3) Before I was saved, I went into bars that were so dark that—after I entered and closed the door—I remained still until my eyes became adjusted in fear of stumbling over a table or chair.

LOT HEXED HIS FAMILY

1. Let us look at Lot’s “deliverance” in 2 Peter.

a. Because of God’s eternal life - John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (Salvation is not merit based! It is anchored in the finished work of Christ on Calvary.)

John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

b. Because of God’s eternal love - Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Romans 8:34-39 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (35) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (36) As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. (37) Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (38) For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, (39) Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2. Let us look at Lot’s judgment in Genesis 19.

a. He lost his testimony and usefulness for God:

1) Before the lost - Genesis 19:7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.

2) Before his family - Genesis 19:14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.

b. He lost his children and their spouses - Genesis 19:14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.

c. He lost his wealth and possessions - Genesis 19:16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.

d. He lost his wife - Genesis 19:26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

e. He ended up living in a cave - Genesis 19:30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.

f. He brought some liquor - Genesis 19:32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.

g. His daughters committed incest with him - Genesis 19:33-35 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. (34) And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. (35) And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.

h. His children by incest grew up to be “thorns” in the side of the people of God - Genesis 19:36-38 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. (37) And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. (38) And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.

Conclusion: We had better think about this “eternal life” that we have and consequences of sin that go along with it. We are saved eternally; therefore, our judgment is in this world.