John Calvin Commentary Genesis 19:14

"And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons-in-law, who married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for Jehovah will destroy the city. But he seemed unto his sons-in-law as one that mocked." — Genesis 19:14 (ASV)

And Lot went out. The faith of the holy man, Lot, appeared in the following ways:

1. He was completely awed and humbled at the threatening of God.
2. In the midst of destruction, he still laid hold of the salvation promised to him.

In inviting his sons-in-law to join him, he shows such diligence as is fitting for the sons of God, who ought to labor by all means to rescue their own families from destruction.

But when Moses says, he appeared as one who mocked, the meaning is that the pious old man was despised and derided. What he said was considered a fable because his sons-in-law supposed him to be seized with delirium and to be vainly inventing imaginary dangers.

Therefore, Lot did not seem to them to be mocking intentionally or to have come for the sake of trifling with them. Instead, they considered his words unbelievable because, where there is no religion and no fear of God, whatever is said concerning the punishment of the wicked vanishes as an empty and illusory thing.

And so we see how fatal an evil a false sense of security is, which so inebriates, indeed, fascinates the minds of the wicked, that they no longer think God sits as Judge in heaven. Thus, they stupidly sleep in sin until, while they are saying, Peace and safety, they are overwhelmed by sudden ruin.

Especially, the nearer God's vengeance approaches, the more their obstinacy increases and becomes desperate. Wicked men are exceptionally fearful, and even terrified, when the hand of God presses closely on them. However, until compelled by force to perceive their imminent destruction, they either reject all threats with proud scorn or contemptuously ignore them.

But their complacency ought to awaken us to the fear of God, so that we may always be vigilant, especially when some sign of God's wrath appears before us.