<p>17:28 <i>Likewise even as it came to pass in the days of Lot- they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built</i>- There can be no doubt that the sexual aspects of Sodom's sins have great similarity to the moral filth of our present world. But significantly it was not this aspect which our Lord chose to highlight when speaking of how &quot;the days of Lot&quot; typified those of His return. Instead He spoke of those things which were more likely to ensnare His people: &quot;<i>They</i> (as well as our present world) did eat, <i>they</i> drank, <i>they</i> bought, <i>they</i> sold, <i>they</i> planted, <i>they</i> built&quot;. Their obsession with daily activities without an awareness of God was as bad as their other sins; a point we would do well to be aware of. However, their eating and drinking must have been to gross excess- Ez. 16:49 defines &quot;the iniquity of Sodom&quot; as being &quot;fullness of bread&quot; among other things. Some lavish Christian lifestyles frequently feature &quot;fullness of bread&quot; - but because it is not perceived as a gross sin, this unhealthy similarity with Sodom slips by unchallenged.&nbsp;&quot;They bought, they sold&quot; suggests that Sodom was a major trading centre, rapidly increasing in wealth; &quot;they planted, they built&quot; implies a real boom town. Such success resulted in the people being proud and haughty (Ez. 16:49,50); the wealth created at the expense of others brought about &quot;abundance of idleness in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy&quot; (Ez. 16:49). It is these aspects of Sodom which are so precisely matched by our self-centred, money mad world. As our Lord realized, it is these aspects which are most likely to ensnare the child of God. Yet Sodom's people were not completely unaware of their religious conscience. Jeremiah likened the false prophets of Israel to the people of Sodom, who effectively taught that sin was service to God, (Jer. 23:14). This is another hint that the people of Sodom had some degree of responsibility, as have latter day Israel whom they typify.</p><p>Lot is presented here as representative of the latter-day believers. But he was hardly strong in faith. He chose to live in Sodom, first pitching his tent near it and then getting a house within the city and even becoming a judge. His wife was consumed in the materialism of the city as were most of his children. He argued with the Angel about leaving Sodom and was only saved by grace; and even after that, he slept with both his daughters whilst drunk. And yet he was counted as faithful. All the virgins in the parable slumber and sleep at the time their Lord comes; when clearly the last generation is exhorted not to slumber but to keep awake. We can conclude that the last days will be a time of spiritual weakness for the church.</p>