LOTS DAUGHTERS (Part 2)
Afterward, Lot left Zoar because he was afraid of the people there, and he went to live in a cave in the mountains with his two daughters. 31 One day the older daughter said to her sister, “There are no men left anywhere in this entire area, so we can’t get married like everyone else. And our father will soon be too old to have children. 32 Come, let’s get him drunk with wine, and then we will have sex with him. That way we will preserve our family line through our father.” Genesis 19:30-32
In this story, we follow two young girls. They grapple with the heavy responsibility of preserving their family’s legacy. They have faced numerous challenges, but their journey began in a very different place. It’s understandable that they were still processing recent events, struggling to comprehend the magnitude of what had just transpired. In a heartbeat, their world was turned upside down as they confronted a series of unimaginable trials. They endured the heart-wrenching sight of:
- Their fiance ridiculed their father as he desperately urged with them to escape Sodom. This left them with the painful realization that their fiances had left them without a moment’s hesitation.
- In a moment of despair, their father offered them to the men outside the door, driven by their sexual desires.
- As they fled for their lives, the sounds of their home being destroyed echoed around them. Each noise is a haunting reminder of the memories and friendships being consumed by the flames.
- The anguish of losing their mother struck them deeply. Seeing their mother transform into a pillar of salt while fleeing for their lives.
- When they finally found a moment of safety in a small town called Zoar. Their father made the decision to leave it behind, choosing instead to seek refuge in a cave in the mountains.
The sister’s behavior arises from a deep sense of desperation. The suggestion or thought that they would remain unmarried and childless caused them to react. This fear threatens their family legacy. In their struggle for survival, they lost sight of rational thinking. They viewed their father more as a means to an end rather than as a loving father.
Lot had several chances to prevent history from repeating itself. God provided him and his family with a way out by divine intervention! The choices he made had the potential to change the trajectory of their family history. Allowing him to sidestep the ongoing consequences of Sodom’s devastating spiritual and physical. Yet, Lot repeatedly chose poorly, which ultimately affected his daughter’s life; resulting in an incestuous relationship. When the distinction between right and wrong becomes unclear, we often fall back on what we know best. Unfortunately, what they knew best was Sodom. Their mind had become contaminated and their perspective omits any consideration or acknowledgment of God. What do you know best the Word or the World?
Here are four key factors so we can prevent history from repeating itself in our family.
- Absence of divine perspective: When we do not adopt God’s viewpoints in our lives, it becomes challenging to cultivate sound judgment. We also struggle with reasoning, wisdom, and the foundational principles outlined in the Word of God.
1 Samuel 16:7, “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Isaiah 55:8, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.”
- Distortion on moral discernment: It is essential to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This guidance helps uncover the moral and ethical decay. This decay surfaces when our judgment is obscured, twisted, or strays from God’s will. Protect your heart from becoming a “lover of self” and a “seeker of fleeting pleasures.”
When we stray from our moral compass, we compromise our ability to make sound decisions. These decisions then become influenced by “evil spirits” rather than the Holy Spirit. Think about what your discernment is anchored too.
2 Timothy 3:2-5, ” For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!”
Isaiah 5:20, “What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.”
1 Corinthians 2:14-15,”But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others.”
- Breakdown of parental authority: A personal crisis can deeply affect a person’s capacity to make informed decisions. It impacts their legal rights and responsibilities as a parent. Especially in matters related to their children’s upbringing, care, and overall welfare.
In these challenging times, parents can easily overlook the authority they have. They inherently possess this authority to nurture and guide their children. If your own parents don’t reflect the teaching of Christ, will you take the initiative to do so? Or will you allow history to repeat itself? Through Christ, you have the power and authority to break free from every chain. You can overcome the strongholds that bind you to any generational curses.
Exodus 20: 5b-6, “I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. 6 But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those[a] who love me and obey my commands.”
Galatians 3:13, “But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
Proverbs 22:5-6, “Corrupt people walk a thorny, treacherous road; whoever values life will avoid it. Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.
- The build-up of immoral insensitivity highlights a distorted standard for how we perceive behavior. It uncovers a lack of empathy for those around us. We often adjust our responses based on what society deems acceptable. This shapes our understanding, even if it is not truthful. As a result, we become more attuned to what is acceptable. This journey molds our moral framework. It impacts our sense of right and wrong. Ultimately, it shapes our character. Often, we do not realize that we are fostering a growing insensitivity of disrespect towards others.
Romans 12:9, “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.”
1 Corinthians 6:18-20, “Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”
The sisters permitted Sodom to reemerge in their lives due to their difficulty in mentally breaking free from it. Although they had left Sodom behind in a physical sense, their decisions were still shaped by its viewpoints. They fell into the same patterns, allowing history to repeat itself, and thus their cycle of generational curse persisted. Warren Wiersbe states in his commentary, “His daughters each had a son. Their descendants would become enemies to the Jewish nation.”
It’s time to rewrite our family’s narrative!
When you think about your family’s legacy, what comes to mind? Are there aspects that need to be transformed, severed, or perhaps exposed our idolatry?
“Idolatry is the root cause for our families history to repeat itself. Idolatry is anything that keeps you afraid and keeps God from being your All in All.” (Mark Batterson)
What’s your family story? What lies are hidden in the depths of your heart due to your family’s unspoken “generational secrets?” These concealed narratives often represent unaddressed issues. Sadly, we can be inclined to pass them off to avoid confronting and dealing with them ourselves.
Are you ready to be the one who transforms and redeems your family’s legacy? What measures are you willing to take? What commitments are you prepared to make? I encourage you to step back and evaluate the legacy you want vs. what you have. It’s time to prophesy exactly what you want to leave your children and your children’s children.
Example Pray:
I choose to turn away from all the sins, rebellion, idolatry, and disobedience found in my family’s lineage. I disavow those that do not align with the teaching of the Word of God. I specifically renounce the sin of…(name it), the curses of…(name them), and the idolatry of… (name it) inherited through my bloodline over the years. I firmly reject…(name them) from being passed on to me and my children. I circumcise (cut off) and detach anything in my ancestry and family history that does not belong to the kingdom of God. I repent and ask you to forgive me for accepting these falsehoods of…(list them). I release them all to you and cast them away into the depths. Jesus Christ, I am grateful for your healing power. It comes through the cross, your blood, your name, and your Word. I am also grateful for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Teach me how to live this out and reflect only your nature! Thank you for transforming our family’s lineage. In Jesus Name, AMEN!
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