The names of those cities were Sodom and Gomorrah, and the one good man who was saved by the mercy of God was named Lot. And now a strange gloomy lake called the Dead Sea covers that valley with its heavy waters, and the bare rocky hills, crusted with salt, show that the curse of God is on the place.
Let us try to carry home one thought from this terrible history. This world will one day be burnt up like those cities, and its looking safe and prosperous now does not make it safe. But God sends messengers to lead us out of it. If we attend to them, and follow their advice, we shall through all our lives be getting out of danger, and going on to a safe home in heaven; but if we care only for pleasant things here, it is like looking back, and our souls will perish with what they love. That is why our Saviour bade us "Remember Lot's wife." We should remember her when we are tempted to think it hard to give up anything pleasant, because we are told that it is wrong, and may put us in danger of God's anger.
QUESTIONS.
1. What was the name of the place I told you of to-day? 2. What was the name of the man? 3. What kind of place was Sodom? 4. Who was the only good man there? 5. Who came to Lot? 6. What did he do for the strangers? 7. What did the strangers tell Lot? 8. Why was Lot to come out of Sodom? 9. Why was Sodom to be destroyed? 10. Where did Lot go? 11. Who looked back? 12. What became of her? 13. What did God do to Sodom? 14. What sort of a place is it now? 15. What will be burnt up some day? 16. If we are not good, what will become of us? 17. But what have we to teach us to be good? 18. And how must we try to come out, like Lot?
SECOND READING.
"Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing that thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from Me."—Genesis 22:12.
BY-AND-BY Abraham had a son—one only son, whose name was Isaac. All the promises God had made were to be for Isaac's children after him: and Abraham loved God, and hoped all the more.