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XVI.
The Home
Chapter 184
:
Evils of City Life
1. WHEN Abraham told
Lot to choose that part of the country which he
preferred, what choice did Lot make?
"And Lot lifted up his eyes, and
beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well
watered everywhere, before the Lord destroyed
Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the
Lord. . . . Then Lot chose him all the plain
of Jordan." Gen. 13:10,11.
2. Where did Lot dwell?
"Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan,
and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain,
and pitched his tent toward Sodom." Verse
12.
3. What was the
character of the inhabitants of Sodom?
"But the men of Sodom were wicked
and sinners before the Lord exceedingly."
Verse 13.
4. What further
description is given of this city?
"Behold, this was the iniquity of thy
sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread,
and abundance of idleness was in her and
in her daughters, neither did she strengthen
the hand of the poor and needy. And they
were haughty; and committed
abomination before Me: therefore I took them
away as I saw good." Eze. 16:49,50. See Gen.
19:1-9.
5. How did their
conduct affect Lot?
"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)."
2 Peter 2:7,8.
6. Before destroying
Sodom and Gomorrah, whom did the Lord send to
deliver Lot and his family?
"And there came two angels to
Sodom at even. . . . And the men [angels] said
unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides?
son-in-law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and
whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out
of this place: for we will destroy this place,
because the cry of them is waxen great before
the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us
to destroy it." Gen.19:1-13.
7. What did Lot do, and
how were his efforts rewarded?
"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." Verse 14.
8. What did the angels
say to Lot the next morning?
"Arise, take thy wife, and thy two
daughters, which are here; lest thou be
consumed in the iniquity of the city. . . .
Escape for thy life; look not behind thee,
neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to
the mountain, lest thou be consumed." Verses
15-17.
9. What then took
place?
"Then the Lord rained upon Sodom
and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from
the Lord out of heaven; and He overthrew those
cities, and all the plain, and all the
inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew
upon the ground." Verses 24,25.
10. Because she
disregarded the instruction given by the angels,
what became of Lot's wife?
"But his wife looked back from behind
him, and she became a pillar of salt."
Verse 26.
NOTE.-As a result of choosing a city life,
Lot lost nearly all his family.
11. Foretelling the
condition of the world previous to His second
advent, to what did Christ liken it?
"Likewise also as it was in the
days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they
bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it
rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and
destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in
the day when the Son of man is revealed."
Luke 17:28-30.
NOTE.-The cities of today are fast becoming
like Sodom and Gomorrah- centers and
sink-holes of vice, pride, violence,
confusion, and crime. The cities of the
United States, while containing only about
one half the population of the country,
furnish ninety-seven per cent of the crime.
Out of 268 boys in the Kansas State Reform
School a few years ago, all but three came
from cities. In New York City a murder is
committed every thirty-six hours. The
numerous holidays, the whirl of excitement,
pleasure, and sports, theatergoing,
horse-racing, gambling, liquor drinking, and
reveling in the cities, attract thousands
from the sober duties of life, and stimulate
every evil passion to activity. What a poor
place, therefore, are the cities of today in
which to rear a family! Too many, like Lot,
have pitched their tent toward Sodom.
12. Of what is the
destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah a type?
"And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah
into ashes condemned them with an overthrow,
making them an ensample unto those that after
should live ungodly." 2 Peter 2:6.
NOTE.-The destruction of such cities as
Sodom and Gomorrah, Babylon and Jerusalem,
is set forth as a type of the destruction
awaiting the world. Says one writer: "The
time is near when the large cities will be
visited by the judgments of God. In a little
while these cities will be terribly shaken.
No matter how large or strong their
buildings, no matter how many safeguards
against fire may have been provided, let God
touch these buildings and in a few minutes
or in a few hours they will be in ruins. The
ungodly cities of our world are to be swept
away by the besom of destruction. In the
calamities that are now befalling immense
buildings and large portions of the cities,
God is showing us what will come upon the
whole earth," The destruction of the great
cities now almost wholly given up to sinful
pleasure, pride mammon-worship, and
idolatry, is impending. It is time,
therefore, that those who are really in
earnest concerning their children's
salvation begin to think about leaving these
cities.
13. What is to take
place under the seventh plague?
"And the seventh angel poured out his
vial into the air;
. . . and there was a great earthquake, such as
was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty
an earthquake, and so great. . . . And the
cities of the nations fell." Rev. 16:17-19.
HOW
PRONE are professors to rest on their lees,
To study their pleasure, their profit and ease!
Though God says: "Arise, and escape for thy
life!
And look not behind thee; remember Lot's wife."
Awake from thy slumbers, the warning believe;
'Tis Jesus that calls you, the message receive;
While dangers are pending, escape for thy life!
And look not behind thee; remember Lot's wife.
The
ways of religion true pleasure afford,
No pleasures can equal the joys of the Lord.
Forsake then the world, an escape for thy life,
And look not behind thee; remember Lot's wife. |
