Charles Spurgeon Commentary Genesis 19:22

"Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar." — Genesis 19:22 (ASV)

Haste thee, escape thither;

The hand of justice was held back until God's servant was safe.

There can be no destruction of the world, there can be no pouring out of the last plagues, there can be no total sweeping away of the ungodly until, first of all, the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads, and taken to a place of security. The Lord will preserve His own. He lets the scaffold stand until the building is finished; then, it will come down fast enough.