Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of Genesis Chapter 19
Metaphysically Interpreting Genesis 19:1-11
19:1And the two angels came to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot saw them, and rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face to the earth; 19:2and he said, Behold now, my lords, turn aside, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your way. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. 19:3And he urged them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. 19:4But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both young and old, all the people from every quarter; 19:5and they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men that came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. 19:6And Lot went out unto them to the door, and shut the door after him. 19:7And he said, I pray you, my brethren, do not so wickedly. 19:8Behold now, I have two daughters that have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing, forasmuch as they are come under the shadow of my roof. 19:9And they said, Stand back. And they said, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and drew near to break the door. 19:10But the men put forth their hand, and brought Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. 19:11And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
Metaphysically Interpreting Genesis 19:12-29
19:12And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son-in-law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whomsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of the place: 19:13for we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxed great before Jehovah: and Jehovah hath sent us to destroy it. 19:14And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons-in-law, who married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for Jehovah will destroy the city. But he seemed unto his sons-in-law as one that mocked.
19:15And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters that are here, lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. 19:16But he lingered; and the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters, Jehovah being merciful unto him; and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. 19:17And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the Plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. 19:18And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my lord: 19:19behold now, thy servant hath found favor in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy lovingkindness, which thou hast showed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest evil overtake me, and I die: 19:20behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one. Oh let me escape thither (is it not a little one?), and my soul shall live. 19:21And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow the city of which thou hast spoken. 19:22Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. 19:23The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot came unto Zoar.
19:24Then Jehovah rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Jehovah out of heaven; 19:25and he overthrew those cities, and all the Plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. 19:26But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. 19:27And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he had stood before Jehovah: 19:28and he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the Plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the land went up as the smoke of a furnace.
19:29And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the Plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelt.
April 18, 1937: Gen. 19:23-25
What analogy subsists between the destruction of Sodom and the overcoming of the drink habit by man? Sodom (“secret intrigues”) had to be totally destroyed to uproot the wickedness of the Plain (sense consciousness). The drink habit must likewise be completely overcome by man before he can achieve self-mastery and dominion.
What is the chief end that men seeks through the drink habit? Most men seek exhilaration and freedom from the weight of care and responsibility, rather than the mere gratification of appetite.
Can one become exhilarated in other ways than by indulging in stimulants? Speaking the word of Truth to one's own thought forces is far more exhilarating than any material stimulants. Exhilaration from the former source is lasting; that which comes from alcohol is not.
What satisfies all man's desires? The Holy Spirit consciousness in man brings him into complete and lasting satisfaction as nothing else can.
Compare the effects of alcohol on man with the effects of the inspiration of the Almighty. Alcohol incapacitates man for clear, logical thinking, and renders him maudlin instead of joyous. The inspiration of the Almighty gives man clarity of thought, power and depth of understanding, as well as bringing him deep and lasting joy. The effects of either extend into every field of man's life, the one crippling, the other strengthening and enabling.
Interpret the names Lot and Zoar in terms of practical benefit to man. Lot, meaning “dark colored,” “concealed,” “hidden,” symbolizes the natural or animal man, or that part of man's consciousness that is still in darkness. Zoar means “littleness,” “despised,” and symbolizes inferiority. He who lives on the sense level pitches his life in a mined key, renounces the higher for the lower.
What brings man the deepest and most enduring joy? Beholding the Christ in himself, in others, and in all his affairs brings man the deepest joy he is capable of feeling; “I will see you again, and your heart shalt rejoice, and your joy no one taketh away from you.”
How do we know when we are faithfully beholding the Christ? We behold the Christ when our thought processes image only what is true.
September 6, 1942: Gen. 19:23-25
What is the significance of the verse: “The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot came unto Zoar”? Lot (hidden; concealed) signifies the negative or subjective side of faith; Zoar (smallness; littleness) means inferiority. Subjective faith seems, small indeed compared with the strong, positive faith of the conscious mind, but there is hope that negative faith will develop into its positive counterpart. The sun “risen upon the earth” symbolizes this hope.
Of what is the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah a prophecy? Of the overcoming of sense consciousness by spiritual consciousness.
What reaction follows unconditional surrender to sense? Destruction and death if the surrender is long continued.
How can one gain freedom under law easily and naturally? By imbuing oneself with the Spirit of the Christ all things that express this Spirit become easy. These include freedom under law.
Metaphysically Interpreting Genesis 19:30-38
19:30And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters. 19:31And the first-born said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: 19:32come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. 19:33And they made their father drink wine that night: and the first-born went in, and lay with her father; and he knew not when she lay down, nor when she arose. 19:34And it came to pass on the morrow, that the first-born said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. 19:35And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he knew not when she lay down, nor when she arose. 19:36Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. 19:37And the first-born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. 19:38And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Ben-ammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 12-21-2013
