MERCY AND JUSTICE

Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven. And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord. And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace. Genesis 19:24-28

It is the history of Sodom’s ruin, and Lot’s rescue from that ruin. We read (ch8) of God’s coming to take a view of the present state of Sodom, what its wickedness was, and what righteous persons there were in it: now here we have the result of that enquiry. It was found, upon trial, that Lot was very good, and it did not appear that there was any more of the same character. It was found that the Sodomites were very wicked and vile. Special care was therefore taken for the securing of Lot and his family, in a place of safety. 

Mercy having rejoiced therein, justice shows itself in the ruin of Sodom and the death of Lot’s wife.

God will not destroy the righteous with the wicked. No, that be far from thee. We must never entertain any thought that derogates from the honour of God’s righteousness.  (Rom 3:5-6)

The righteous are mingled with the wicked in this world. Among the best there are, commonly, some bad, and among the worst some good: even in Sodom, one Lot.  Though the righteous be among the wicked, yet the righteous God will not, certainly he will not, destroy the righteous with the wicked. Though in this world they may be involved in the same common calamities, yet in the Great Day a distinction with be made.

That the righteous shall not be as the wicked. Though they may suffer with them, yet they do not suffer like them. Common calamities are quite another thing to the righteous than what they are to the wicked. 

That the Judge of all the earth will do right;undoubtedly he will, because he is the Judge of all the earth; it is the apostle’s argument. God is the Judge of all the earth; he gives charge to all, takes cognizance of all, and will pass sentence upon all. 

God’s general good-will appears in this, that he consented to spare the wicked for the sake of the righteous. See how swift God is to show mercy; he even seeks a reason for it. See what great blessings good people are to any place, and how little those befriend themselves that hate and persecute them. 

Abraham returned unto his place, not puffed up with the honour done him, nor by these extraordinary interviews taken off from the ordinary course of duty. He returned to his place to observe what that event would be; and it proved that his prayer was heard, and yet Sodom was not spared, because there were not ten righteous in it. We cannot expect too little from man nor too much from God.

Commentary: Matthew Henry

Image: Sodom and Gomorrah
Artist: John Martin