beauty of the landscape, but owns to the mournful impression. There is a most interesting description of it by Mr. Paxton quoted in Kitto's Physical Geography of Palestine. We have here the account of the first war recorded in Scripture. The king of Sodom and the kings of the adjoining cities revolted from under Chedorlaomer. He with three allies invaded their territories, and defeated them. (vv. 10–12.) "The vale of Siddim was full of slime-pits." We may see a danger-signal here—a word of warning! This valley was a dangerous place. Two kings fell there in one battle, and all the rest of their soldiers fled. How Lot must have wished himself safe with Abraham, and miles away from this valley! He had chosen a dangerous place, and he had to share Sodom's calamities. "They took Lot . . . and his goods" (v. 12)-these goods which had occasioned strife with, and separation from, Abraham. As we look down into this valley we remember God's judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. xix. 24, 25), and we learn not to trifle with sin. Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me therefore I took them away as I saw THE VALLEY OF SIDDIM. 145 good," or "according to what I saw." (Ezek. xvi. 49, 50; see also Gen. xiii. 13; xviii. 20, 21.) The notorious wickedness of Sodom sprang from pride, love of ease, idleness. Pride is always cruel. Pride sees nothing but self, and despises others. Their sin became so grievous that it called for God's immediate judgment. (Gen. xix. 13.) But we may well ask, How came Lot, a child of God, a righteous man, in Sodom? Because he chose for himself instead of letting God choose for him. Lot chose for temporal advantage only. No wonder the plain of Jordan looked beautiful when he had lost sight of God! The downward steps are very striking. Lot lifted up his eyes-beheldLot chose-Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. (Gen. xiii. 10-12.) Lot . . . who dwelt in Sodom. (Gen. xiv. 12.) What solemn words! "toward Sodom." Here began the ruin of a whole family. Probably Lot only intended to benefit by the well-watered plains, and, though near Sodom, not to mix with the people; but he was on dangerous ground, and it was not long before he was in Sodom, the city where there were not ten righteous! Although Abram rescued Lot, yet in chap. xix. I Lot is back again in Sodom. It seems probable that Lot's wife belonged to Sodom, for we do not read of his being married before he went there. She followed K him out of the city, but left her heart behind her. She came out of Sodom, but she never entered Zoar. See the inconsistent life of poor Lot! How little he thought of the results of his first choice! No praise in his life; no testimony for God. "Ah! how unjust to nature and himself, Is thoughtless, thankless, inconsistent man!" Lot professed to be a follower of God, but he did not act like it. He was a righteous man, but he made shipwreck of his opportunities. His heart was right with God, therefore his life was saved; but he lost everything else, and he stands out as a solemn warning to all mere professors of religion. We may learn from the vale of Siddim to take heed to warnings. Where others have fallen, let us beware. Let us learn to avoid bad company and dangerous places, and to let God choose for us at all times. Abram saw what God had chosen for him. (Gen. xiii. 14-18.) Whenever we go out of the path of duty, and take ourselves away from God's care, we may expect to fall into the vale of Siddim. THE VALLEY OF SHAVEH; OR, THE VALLEY OF REST AND REFRESHMENT. "THE people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness." 2 Sam. xvii. 29. “He hath filled the hungry with good things.”—Luke i. 53. "He made a feast unto all his princes and his servants. . . being before him . . . that served in the presence of the king." Esther i. 3, 10. "We have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the Lord hath blessed His people."-2 Chron. xxxi. 10. "Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled."-Prov. ix. 5. "Here, O my LORD, I see Thee face to face; "Here would I feed upon the bread of GOD, Here drink with Thee the royal wine of heaven; Here would I lay aside each earthly load, Here taste afresh the calm of sin forgiven. "This is the hour of banquet and of song, BONAR. |