Review

Refer to Lesson 33 Flip Chart. We learned that God called Abram to move away from his home and his relatives to go to a place God would show him. Abram obeyed God and traveled with his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all of his possessions to the land of Canaan.

Refer to Lesson 34 Flip Chart. God blessed Abram and Lot with lots of animals like sheep and goats. But there were so many animals in that one place that the grass couldn’t grow fast enough to feed them all!

• So what did Lot and Abram have to do? They had to separate.

  Right. They had to move apart. Abram let Lot have first pick of the land.

• Who remembers which land Lot chose? The best-looking land.

  He chose the land because it looked really good. But it was also near the city of Sodom.

• Do you remember what the Bible said about Sodom? What were the people like? Wicked.

  Yes. And Lot’s choice led to some real trouble when Lot was captured and had to be rescued. Today we’re going to hear about more trouble in this wicked place of Sodom.

The Lord Visits Abraham

• How many of you have ever had special visitors come to stay at your house? Maybe your grandparents came to visit or cousins or friends. Show of hands.
• Did you or your parents do anything special for them when they came? Allow answers. Cook special food, clean up the house, make up a bedroom, take them someplace special, etc.

  It can be a lot of fun when friends or relatives come to visit.

  Today we’re going to skip forward to a time when Abram and Sarai had some very special visitors. Now, some exciting things happened to Abram and Sarai while they lived in the land of Canaan. One of those things was when God changed their names! Abram’s name was changed to Abraham and Sarai’s name was changed to Sarah. So today, you’ll hear their new names. Let’s read about these visitors and what they had to say.

• We’ll start with Genesis 18:1–2. Who has the Bible? Please bring it up. Have the student bring up the Bible and open it to the sticky note.

  Listen and tell me who these visitors were. Read Genesis 18:1–2.

• So who appeared to Abraham? The Lord. God.

  Yes! The Lord came to see Abraham and Sarah, and he brought two angels with him!

• What did these visitors look like? Men.
  • Reread the verses as necessary so the students can hear the answers straight from God’s Word.
  Right. The angels and the Lord looked just like men. These were very special visitors! Abraham rushed around to get them some food to eat and water to wash the dust off their feet. Then they sat down to rest under a tree by his tent. While they talked, the Lord told Abraham some bad news.

  The Lord said that there were some cities like Sodom where the people were extremely wicked. Their sin was so bad that God was going to judge them by destroying the cities and all the people in them.

• What does that mean, to destroy something? Allow answers. To put an end to something.

  The Lord was going to destroy Sodom. Abraham knew many people lived there, including his nephew Lot! Oh no! Lot was in trouble again.

The Angels Save Lot

• The people of Sodom did not love God or care about him at all. The Bible says they were great sinners. What do you think that means? Allow discussion.

  We could say that the people in these cities were very, very, VERY wicked. And God knew this, so he was going to destroy Sodom and the other cities nearby and everyone who lived there. The people were very disobedient to God. They liked to hurt others and do terrible, sinful things.

  The two angels who visited Abraham with the Lord went into Sodom. Abraham’s nephew Lot met them, and he took them to stay at his house because he knew the city was very wicked and not safe. But, the evil men from all over the city came and surrounded Lot’s house. They wanted to hurt these two visitors. But when they tried to break the door down, the angels made them go blind! All of a sudden, the evil men couldn’t see anymore, and they couldn’t even find the door!

  • As you teach, refer often to the Lesson Flip Chart to keep the children engaged.
  Refer to the Flip Chart. Then the angels told Lot and his family to hurry and get out of the city.

Let’s keep reading and find out what happened next. Listen to Genesis 19:17. Read the verse.

• What did the angels tell Lot to do? Escape for your life.

  Right! Lot and his wife and daughters were supposed to run for their lives to the hills.

  Lot was afraid to go up into the hills, so he asked the angels if he could run to another city named Zoar instead. The angels said he could, but he had to hurry.

• And what did the angel tell them NOT to do? Listen again. Reread “Escape for your life! Do not look back.”

  Lot, his wife, and his daughters were supposed to run as fast as they could—and not look back.

Lot’s Wife Looks Back

God showed mercy to Lot’s family. He rescued them. But Lot’s wife didn’t obey.

• Do you remember what the angels told Lot and his family NOT to do? Don’t look back.

  Yes. But Lot’s wife did look back at Sodom. She disobeyed God and was punished. The Bible tells us that when she looked back, she turned into a pillar of salt and died.

• Show salt shaker. Allow students to take a pinch and taste it. What is salt? What do we use it for? Do you ever shake a little salt on your food? Allow discussion.

  Salt is a white mineral we use to make things taste salty. We know what salt looks like and tastes like. But we don’t know exactly what this pillar of salt in the Bible was like. We do know Lot’s wife was punished right away because she disobeyed.

  Finally, Lot and his daughters made it safely to Zoar, and God destroyed the cities with fire, including Sodom. And all the people and animals there died.

  When we read in the Bible about these things that happened, they remind us that God is holy and just and must punish sin.

• But who did God show mercy to by rescuing them? Lot and his family.

  Right. God is a God of mercy. He showed kindness and mercy to Lot and his family by sending the angels to save them.

Review

Refer to Lesson 33 Flip Chart. We learned that God called Abram to move away from his home and his relatives to go to a place God would show him. Abram obeyed God and traveled with his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all of his possessions to the land of Canaan.

Refer to Lesson 34 Flip Chart. God blessed Abram and Lot with lots of animals like sheep and goats. But there were so many animals in that one place that the grass couldn’t grow fast enough to feed them all!

• So what did Lot and Abram have to do? They had to separate.

  Right. They had to move apart. Abram let Lot have first pick of the land.

• Who remembers which land Lot chose? The best-looking land.
• What was the name of the city he lived by? City of Sodom.
• Do you remember what the Bible said about the city of Sodom? What were the people like? Wicked.

  Yes. Lot’s choice led to some real trouble when Lot was captured and had to be rescued. Today we’re going to hear about more trouble in this wicked place of Sodom.

The Lord Visits Abraham

• • As you teach, refer often to the Lesson Flip Chart to keep the children engaged.
  But first, I have a question for you. How many of you have ever had special visitors come to stay at your house? Maybe your grandparents came to visit or cousins or friends. Show of hands.
• Did you or your parents do anything special for them when they came? Allow answers. Cook special food, clean up the house, make up a bedroom, take them someplace special, etc.

  It can be fun when friends or relatives come to visit.

  Today we’re going to skip forward to a time when Abram and Sarai had some very special visitors. Now, some exciting things happened to Abram and Sarai while they lived in the land of Canaan. One of those things was when God changed their names! Abram’s name was changed to Abraham and Sarai’s name was changed to Sarah. So when we read our verses today, you’ll hear their new names. Let’s read about these visitors and what they had to say.

• We’ll start with Genesis 18:1–2. Who has the Bible? Please bring it up. Have the student bring up the Bible and open it to the sticky note.

  Listen and tell me who these visitors were. Read the verses.

• So who appeared to Abraham? The Lord.

  Yes! The Lord came to see Abraham and Sarah.

• How many visitors were there? Did you hear it? Listen again. Reread the first part of verse 2. Three.

  So the Lord came to see Abraham, and he brought two angels with him!

• What did these visitors look like? Men.
  • Reread the verses as necessary so the students can hear the answers straight from God’s Word.
  Right. The angels and the Lord looked just like men. Abraham rushed around to get them some food to eat and water to wash the dust off their feet. Then they sat down to rest under a tree by his tent. While they talked, the Lord told Abraham some bad news.

  The Lord said that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were extremely wicked. Their sin was so great that God was going to judge them by destroying the cities and all the people in them.

• What does that mean, to destroy something? Allow answers. To put an end to something.

Oh no! The Lord was going to destroy Sodom. Abraham knew many people lived there, including his nephew Lot! So he asked the Lord a question. Read Genesis 18:23.

• What did Abraham ask the Lord? Will you sweep away (destroy) the righteous with the wicked?
• What did Abraham mean by righteous people? Allow answers.

  He was talking about the people in the cities who loved God and obeyed him.

• And what did Abraham mean by wicked people? Allow answers.

  The wicked were those people who hated God and did not obey him.

  Abraham was really worried. He asked if God found only ten people who are righteous, would he still destroy the cities?

What do you think the Lord said? Listen to his answer. Read the last sentence of Genesis 18:32.

• Would God destroy the cities if he found ten righteous people there? No.

  The Lord knew about their sin, and he had come to punish them. God is very patient, but there comes a time when he must punish sin. God promised Abraham that he would not destroy the cities IF he could find just ten people who loved and obeyed him. Let’s count to ten on our fingers. Count to ten together. That’s not very many people!

  Let’s keep going and find out what happened.

The Angels Save Lot

The Bible says the two angels who visited Abraham with the Lord went into Sodom. They were disguised as men. Abraham’s nephew Lot met them, and he took them to stay at his house because he knew the city was very wicked and not safe.

• The people of Sodom and Gomorrah did not love God or care about him at all. The Bible says they were great sinners. What do you think that means? Allow discussion.

  We could say that the people in these cities were very, very, very wicked. And God knew this, so he was going to destroy the cities and everyone who lived there. These people were very disobedient to God. They were rebellious and did not use self-control. And they liked to hurt others and do terrible, sinful things.

  Lot knew this, which is why he made sure the two angels came to his house. But, the evil men came from all over the city and surrounded Lot’s house. They wanted to hurt these two visitors. But they didn’t know that the two men were angels, and when they tried to break the door down, the angels struck them with blindness. All of a sudden, the evil men couldn’t see anymore, and they couldn’t find the door!

  Refer to the Flip Chart. Then the angels told Lot and his family to hurry and get out of the city. But Lot wasn’t moving very fast—he was taking too long. So the angels grabbed his hand and brought him and his wife and daughters out of the city.

Let’s keep reading and find out what happened next. Listen to Genesis 19:17. Read the verse.

• What did the angels tell Lot to do? Escape for your life. Escape to the hills.
• Right! Lot and his wife and daughters were supposed to run for their lives up to the hills. And what did the angel tell them NOT to do? Listen again. Reread the verse emphasizing “Do not look back.”

  Lot was afraid to go up into the hills, so he asked the angels if he could run to another city named Zoar instead. The angels said he could, but he had to hurry.

• So, did God find ten righteous people in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah? No!

  Hold up ten fingers again. No. God didn’t find even ten people in those cities who loved and worshipped him. They were all wicked, and God had to punish their sin. Remember, God is holy. That means he is perfect and hates sin. But God had mercy on Lot and sent the angels to get him and his family out before he punished the cities.

  As soon as Lot and his family got safely to Zoar, God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. God sent fire and sulfur down from the sky, and everything was destroyed. All the people and animals died in the wicked cities.

• But who did God show mercy to by rescuing them from this punishment of sin? Lot and his family.

Lot’s Wife Looks Back

God rescued Lot’s family, but Lot’s wife didn’t obey. The Bible tells us what happened to her.

Listen to this verse and tell me what Lot’s wife did.

• What did she do? She looked back.
• Do you remember what the angels told Lot and his family NOT to do? Don’t look back.
• Yes. But Lot’s wife did look back. And what happened to her? Reread the verse emphasizing, “She became a pillar of salt.”

  That’s right. The angels told them not to look back. Lot’s wife disobeyed this command. She looked back at the cities that were being destroyed. And because of that, she turned into a pillar of salt and died.

• Show salt shaker. Allow students to take a pinch and taste it. What is salt? What do we use it for? Allow discussion.

  Salt is a white mineral we use to make things taste salty. We know what salt looks like and tastes like. But we don’t know exactly what this pillar of salt in the Bible was like. We do know Lot’s wife was immediately punished because she was disobedient.

  God is holy, just, and all-powerful. He hated the sins of the people living in Sodom and Gomorrah, and he had to punish them. He showed his amazing power by sending fire from the sky to destroy the cities completely!

  When we read about these kinds of events in the Bible, they are good reminders that God is holy and just and must punish sin. But it also reminds us that God is a God of mercy. He showed kindness and mercy to Lot and his family by sending the angels to rescue them.