The End Doesn’t Justify the Means

GETTING STARTED

Today’s verses in Genesis 19 are ugly, sinful, bizarre, and dysfunctional, to say the least. I appreciate that the Bible doesn’t whitewash or hide ugly events from its pages. God gave us his Word to reveal who he is: a perfect, loving, holy father. He also wanted to reveal who we are: people who, apart from God, are capable of any sin and in need of his love, grace, and salvation. We are also people who can justify almost anything when we are not willing to wait on God and allow him to work out his plan in our lives.

  • Can you think of an instance in your life where you chose to allow the end to justify the means?

READ THE WORD: GENESIS 19:30-38 (ESV)

30 Now Lot went up out of Zoar and lived in the hills with his two daughters, for he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. 31 And the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth. 32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father.” 33 So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father. He did not know when she lay down or when she arose.

34 The next day, the firstborn said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine tonight also. Then you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father.” 35 So they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. 36 Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. 37 The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day. 38 The younger also bore a son and called his name Ben-ammi. He is the father of the Ammonites to this day.

English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

DIGGING DEEPER

  1. What did Lot do out of fear (vs. 30)?
  2. What is the dilemma, or what was the motive of Lot’s daughters (vs. 31)?
  3. What was the result of Lot getting drunk?
  4. What decisions could have been made by both Lot and his daughters that would have prevented this bizarre and dysfunctional event? What would faith have looked like for them?
  5. What situations are hard for you to endure or to face, and what are you tempted to do about them?

RESPOND TO GOD

In the previous chapter, Lot was given an opportunity to escape the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot should have gone back to his own people and provided husbands for his daughters. Lot’s daughters should have waited for God to provide husbands to preserve the family line. When we take matters into our own hands, it never is right. Using the wrong means never justifies the end; in fact, it usually messes up the end. Because of their lack of faith and unwillingness to wait on God to provide husbands, Lot’s daughters gave birth to two nations who would become some of the nation of Israel’s greatest adversaries. Two bad choices led to years of heartache and consequences.

  • Consider the areas in your life where you are tempted to take matters into your own hands. Ask God to give you patience and faith to wait on him.
  • Ask God to lead you to godly counsel from his Word, family, and friends so you can make wise decisions in your life and not suffer the consequences of doing things your way.