If he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard) – if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials … 2 Peter 2:7-9
This description of Lot adds details that aren’t apparent in the Genesis account. Here we’re told that Lot was “distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless” and that he was a “righteous man.”
In Genesis, we read, “Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom” (Genesis 13:12-13). Then, “They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom …” (Genesis 14: 12). And later he was still living in Sodom, “The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city… So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived” (Genesis 19:19-29).
Lot deliberately chose to live amongst ungodly people. It was a dangerous place to live and in the end, he only just managed to escape.
This verse teaches us that Christians will be distressed by the lawless deeds that they see and hear. (I know I often am.) It may be in the workplace, in the community, or if we live with non-Christians, in our home.
More importantly, the verse teaches us to trust God. We may find ourselves in dangerous places, either by choice or ignorance. Nevertheless, God’s desire is always to rescue, redeem, and restore. He won’t abandon us.
