Isaac Newton's third law simply states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The kings in our story lived before Newton, so they didn’t know the rules. Nevertheless, when five kings rebelled against four other kings, the battle ensued. The reaction from the rulers against the rebels was swift and successful. Four kings beat five that day. After the rout, fleeing soldiers fell into tar pits, while others headed for the hills.
War often brings collateral damage. Lot and his possessions were carried off by the captors. Why? Did Abram’s nephew Lot have a dog in this fight? Not exactly. But he had chosen to live in Sodom, so he was vulnerable to an attack against the city. Notice his progression. Last we checked, Lot had pitched his tents toward Sodom. At some point, he must have picked up his family and moved to down-town Sodom. When Sodom’s king lost the battle, Lot was carried into captivity.
Beware the gravitational pull of sin. Most people don’t wake up with an urgent desire to destroy their lives. Nevertheless, many do. Moving close to Sodom cost Lot his freedom. If Lot refused this wake up call, it might cost him so much more. Like war, sin brings collateral damage. Remember why Lot moved away: his possessions were too great to stay close to Abram. As Jesus later reminded his disciples, “Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths corrupt and thieves break in and steal . . .” (Matthew 6-19-21). If we find our ultimate value in material things, we may lose what we most value, and more.
