Let Him Take Your Sin Up In Smoke

Scripture

Our verse for today comes from Genesis 19:28, ” Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace. “

Background

There Abraham stood, looking down over what used to be Sodom and Gomorrah. And seeing nothing but smoke rising from the ground, could Abraham’s mind have wandered back and revisited what had transpired in his life recently? Not too long ago, some messengers of the Lord had visited him and told him that his wife was about to become pregnant with their son, a fact that Sarah had a hard time believing. Right after that, they shared with him that God was going to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, the place that his nephew Lot happened to be living. So in his attempts to save his family and the people of those towns, Abraham reasoned with God and made a deal for their safety. Unfortunately, the citizens did not meet the requirements, and only Lot and his family were spared. And then, completely unexpectedly, Lot’s wife turns to look at the destruction and becomes one of the victims. And now Abraham stands there, perhaps where he had stood pleading with God for the lives of those people, and all he sees is smoke. What kind of impression could it have made on him? What had God worked in his heart by bringing him through these events, now to have him looking out over the cities He had destroyed and the sin He had erased to see the remains going up in smoke? That’s hard to say.

Application

For Lot, his two daughters ended up getting him drunk and having sons by him that began the nations of the Moabites and the Ammonites, two of Israel’s worst enemies. And Abraham, he headed to Gerar and told his (white) lie to their king Abimelech that Sarah was just his sister to ensure his own safety, and it almost cost Abimelech and his family their lives. Abraham saw a land of sin get wiped away under a storm of fire and brimstone. It should have been a powerful message from God. Just like ones I’m sure you’ve received from Him, too. How did they affect you? How will they affect you? Will you walk in complete faith and obedience, or play both sides just in case?

Charge

As we seek Him today, take the white out of any half-truths you may be telling, and come completely clean with God. Trust in Him fully and let the remains of your sin go up in smoke.