II.         THE INTENSIFIED CALLOUSNESS OF THE CORRUPT RESIDENTS            6-9

            A.         THE DOCILE POSTURE

His Persistent Protection, 6

Explication: continuously protects his guests.  By going to the doorway and shutting the door behind him he actually prevented the intruders from going into his home.  A courageous act.

His Pitiful Plea, 7

Amplification: a week, timid, fragile plea.  Note his civility -- he calls them brothers!  It's unimpressive, unheard and overlooked.  You're one like me.  We are all of the same kind, ilk.  Lot had  become one of the boys now that it was hard for him to stand firm on the foundation of God's law and confront evil and wickedness face-to-face.  And so what comes out of his mouth is a reflection of a divided heart, a heart that had been perforated by compromising the local customs and local corruption.

Thus, it is a very weak and flaccid attempt at intercession, a very insipid attempt at mediatorship.    Why?  .  Because it comes from a heart that is already compromised.  Because it comes from a heart that is already riddled from the effects of making concessions with the world.  Therefore he has no moral fortitude; the people there have no respect for him.  His words have no weight because his attitudes and actions were apiece in moral content and cultural similarity with the Sodomites.  He had been dining with them.  He had been dancing with them.  He had been entertaining them and engaging with them, and as the Scripture tells us bad company corrupts bad morals.  Years of continual contamination by the Sodomites; years of constant corruption by the Sodomites, had changed and colored his way of thinking and acting.  He has adopted their worldview.   Thus, when he should have been a pillar of purity and a model of integrity commanding their attention and receiving their agreement, his efforts were evacuated of all seriousness and authority.

His words fall on deaf ears.  His words cascade off the cauterized skin of hardened hearts.  Such is the dilemma of the backslider -- he tries to live in the kingdoms of light and darkness; he tries to please 2 masters; he delights in the approbation of the world.

            B.         THE DESPICABLE PROPOSITION                     8

His Sacrificial Replacement, 8a

His Sinister Request, 8b

His Specious Reasoning, 8c

Amplification: the original indecent proposal.  It comes from a man who now certainly is so clouded and corrupt in his thinking that a basic, fundamental responsibility, not only of God's chosen people but also known and accepted as a universal principle, that is, the man is the protector of his home,is now being wickedly forsaken and replaced by the local priority of the custom of hospitality.  This backslider is willing to sacrifice their purity and chastity of his daughters for the sake of local customs.  Obedience to the laws of hospitality do not require us to break another law, another more fundamental and therefore more important commandment.  Never commit the sin in order to prevent breaking the custom or even, another sin!

Reminds us of the Levite and  his concubine in Jdg 19:1-30

Here we have the foolish absolutizing of the responsibility of hospitality.  The priority it is given here is criminal. 

Lot not guided by godly principles but by the customs and conventions of the local citizens.  Frankly, he is doing just like everybody else, what is right in his own eyes.  The way of life and of ethics as laid down by God's law has been forgotten and neglected in favor of the overwhelmingly popular lifestyle and worldview.  Lot is caught up in this justification that the world shouts, "everybody's doing it. 

Yet, the Lord is gracious to him.  Regardless of his despicable acts, he is still regarded as a Christian, 2 Pe 2:7-10.

            C.         THE DISDAINFUL PURSUIT                              9

Their Violent Reaction, 9a

Explication: make way; get back; be gone!  Lot’s efforts akin to pouring gasoline on the fire.

Their Vicious Ridicule, 9b

Explication: he is not even one of us -- -- just a sojourner!  Lot's compromises have gone full circle and now he is reaping the fruit of his own unfaithful compromises.  The people reject him as one of their own.  The irony = he thinks he is one of them and they say he has no part of us! 

Amplification: He dares to take upon himself, to be judge over us, to arrogate to himself the responsibility, role and the power to exercise judicial control over us.  You are assuming a position of authority that does not fall to you.  You are unqualified to correct or chasten us.  You are nothing but a Johnny-come-lately so be gone!  You are useless, powerless moralizer! 

Application: presumptuous sinners, scoffers, always reject attempts to correct them, especially when such attempts are made by backsliding Christians who once frolicked with them in sin and wickedness.. 

Their Vile Resolve, 9c

Explication: they summarily dismissed this ineffectual moralizing do-gooder and redoubled their determination to get to the visitors.  We can sense their raging anger!  We can see the venom spewing out of their hearts.

Application: we see here is the fruit of compromises.  Whatever little respect they had for him is now gone.  And now, their depravity descends to deeper levels.  They are a repetitious mob, an uncontrollable herd n a demonic rage pressing themselves to break the door down.

Compromises with sin and sinners will bring us down.  The sinners with whom we once compromised will always remember the times of our sin.  They will never recall whatever good advice or material help we may have given them.  It is very foolish and very sinful is very sinful to align ourselves with them.  If the way of the transgressor is hard, then you can bet your life that the way of the backslider is even harder.