This is SO Embarrassing...

Let's be honest. There are parts of the Bible which are simply... well... embarrassing. I just finished reading through Genesis 19, and found several examples of unmentionable acts.

The first, of course, is the incident in which the men of Sodom nearly knock down Lot's door in order to "lie with" his two male guests. As if that weren't bad enough, in an effort to divert the mob's attention Lot offers to give to them his "...daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please." I have never been able to read this account without shuddering. What kind of a father is Lot to sacrifice his only daughters to the wicked men of Sodom? My ESV Bible comments on this incident:

"Lot's readiness to protect the two men from the mob surrounding his house is commendable. In desperation he offers his two unmarried daughters as substitutes - a shocking, cowardly, and inexcusable act (even if he intended this only as a bluff, or expected the offer to be rejected). The reaction of the crowd only confirms the truly evil nature of their intentions."

John Calvin is even more brutal in his assessment of Lot's actions:

"He does not hesitate to prostitute his own daughters, that he may restrain the indomitable fury of the people. But he should rather have endured a thousand deaths, than have resorted to such a measure."

SO let's be honest, again. The Bible is embarrassing in its depiction of sin. Proving that there is "...nothing new under the sun," though, similar stories to Lot's can be found in news headlines even today. I guess the bottom line is that sin is embarrassing.

Is there any good news here? Yes, because there is still hope and salvation for a man, even like Lot, who is mentioned in 2 Peter 2:7 as one of the "...righteous who was rescued by God." If Lot is saved by the Cross, we can be, too. Let's pray that God would rescue us from our embarrassing sins.