NOAH AND LOT - GRACE AND MERCY

"And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  And it repented the LORD that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart.  And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth Me that I have made them.  The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence" (Gen. 6:5-8, 11).

The Bible tells us why God flooded the entire earth.  The Scriptures warn humanity that at the end of this age (the Church Age - the time between Christ's two Advents), our planet will again experience the wrath of God (Mt. 24:3-28; Rev. 6:1-18:24).  Why?  Jesus explained why to His disciples:  "And as it was in the days of (Noah), so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man" (Lk. 17:26).  Man's hearts will continually be focused on evil, wickedness, and corruption! 

Have you been paying attention to the news lately?  More than 1,500,000 babies are murdered in their mother's womb every year in the United States.  There are millions being slaughtered around the globe, because of their religious and/or political views.  Hatred for the Jews has continually escalated, and not just by Muslims; there have been anti-Semite demonstrations throughout Europe, as well.  Christianity is under attack in many nations, and a large number of Christians have been martyred for their faith.  We hear of parents murdering their own children every day.  Crazed gunmen shoot up movie theaters, malls, and houses of worship.  Terrorists are blowing themselves up, in acts of hate which kill all those around them, thinking they will be rewarded in the afterlife.  And who can forget 9/11? 

And, there is another sign that God is about to bring destruction upon His creation:  the increased acceptance of sodomy!  Jesus described the last days as being like the city of Sodom; He said: 

"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" (Lk. 17:28-29).

With the exception of those who have their own agenda, anyone reading Genesis 19:1-29, will recognize that the entire city of Sodom practiced homosexuality.  While I have never heard anyone preach or teach this, it is possible that Lot was also a participant.  Note that he received "mercy" from God (Gen. 19:16).  I know that the only reason Noah was saved from God's judgment, was because of God's grace (Gen. 6:8), so Noah must have been kept from the wickedness, by God's grace.  Lot, did not receive grace, but he received mercy; mercy is forgiveness for sin. 

Grace is the gift of God's righteousness. 

Mercy is God forgiving man's unrighteousness!