From Judgment to Grace: Lessons from Sodom and Gomorrah

February 17, 2024

Introduction:

Perhaps some of you remember the time when the attention of America was focus on Terre Haute for a sad reason. Timothy McVeigh sat in our death row waiting his execution in June 2001. Because of the FBI's infamous lost documents the original execution was delayed and we as a country pondered what a person would what would make someone do something so reckless so destructive? How do we build a system that punishes the guilty without executing the innocence.?

Of course talking about Timothy McVeigh makes you think of the other monsters of humanity throughout history like Ted Kaczynski the unabomber Ted Bundy Jeffrey dahmer and others. Newsweek once reported that 31% of people surveyed said that everyone has a capacity for evil 33% blamed poor parenting 53% said religious and moral training is the best way to fight evil.

But perhaps the best explanation for evil is found in this article written by Kenneth Woodward:

Genesis I. Introduction: The Roots of Evil

We are fascinated with evil because we are fascinated with ourselves. If the Bible is to be believed, alienation from God is the natural habitat of humanity and evil its full-blown manifestation. Indeed, the word “evil” appears more often in the Christian Scriptures than “good”—and with reason. From the Biblical perspective, our natural inclination is to serve ourselves rather than God—and in the case of a man like Timothy McVeigh, to mete out retribution as if he were God himself. In this view, evil acts are born of inordinate pride, a moral weakness that manifests itself as strength. Even saints must conquer festering self-regard. “I can will what is right, but I cannot do it” the apostle Paul confesses. “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do” (Newsweek, 36).

I think Woodward hits it on the spot in this passage that inside each of us there's this capacity for sin. For evil. The text that we will examine today examines one of the great demonstrations of evil in the Bible. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is inescapably linked with homosexuality so much so that sodomy became a synonym for the word in our world. The scripture passage is clear and specific you cannot escape what the Bible says in this passage.

Certainly heterosexuality existed in Sodom but sexual activity publicly was so rampant in the city that crowds roamed the city demanding relations with anyone who came period. The situation was so unique that God actually discussed what he would do with Abraham and had perhaps one of the most well known discussions between God and a human in all the scripture.

The Context of Sin and Judgment (Genesis 18:16–21)

Genesis 18:16–19 ESV

16 Then the men set out from there, and they looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way. 17 The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 18 seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”

So when we last left Abraham he was a host to three men who stopped by his tent. These three men predicted that Abraham would have a descendant. Sarah laughed the men questioned why she laughed and then we left the story with a commitment to God providing a son for Abraham and that was that. And that was last year and that was before Thanksgiving. Wow.

As we begin today Abraham continues to function as a host and they're heading towards the city of sodom which is in the area. And it's at this point that we're called to remember that in another part of the Bible that God refers to Abraham as his friend. And so God speaks as it were to himself but clearly it's intended for abraham's ears. And it seems to be a reminder to Abraham of his responsibility to direct his children to choose God's ways. Because in asking this question asking the question what should be done in judgment for sin God is causing Abraham to think about the consequences of sin.

Genesis 18:20–21 ESV

20 Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, 21 I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.”

In fact these verses almost seem funny or curious at least. If the outcry is so bad that it has reached God's ear then why does God need to go down and see it.? God God we know possesses omniscience.

Omniscience Omni-Science

That's a long word which is Omni science. All science. Ryan has some science. God has all science. God has all knowledge.

But despite the fact that we believe God has all science he has all knowledge this passage doesn't run afoul of that. God can know everything but still demonstrate A willingness to physically go down and see everything.

The Prayer of Intercession

This next passage will introduce an interesting question. How many righteous men does it take to remove a sinful safe from God's judgment? 502010? What does righteous mean in a place like sodom?

Genesis 18:22–26 ESV

22 So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. 23 Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” 26 And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

As on author puts it

Genesis B. Prayer of Intercession (18:22–33)

It would be easy to say that this prayer comes near to haggling, but the right word is “exploring”: Abraham is feeling his way forward in a spirit of faith (superbly expressed in 25 c where he grasps the range and lightness of God’s rule), of humility, in his whole mode of address, and of love, demonstrated in his concern for the whole city, not for his kinsmen alone (Kidner, 133).

And so we see that Abraham gets a positive answer from God and presses on. He keeps asking questions. He keeps exploring.

Genesis 18:27–33 ESV

27 Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. 28 Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” 29 Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” 30 Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” 31 He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” 32 Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” 33 And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

Have you ever wondered why did Abraham stop at 10? Why not go for four or three or 2? Maybe Abraham multiplied the five cities of the plain by the number of necessary witnesses in each city and thought that 10 was the bottom line. In scripture two is the number of adequate witnesses we don't know the real answer but we know that Abraham thought the discussion was over and left it there. Maybe he thought he won the day and saved the city. Either way it seems like the decision was left up to God. It wasn't as if God was asking Abraham for permission.

But what if at this point God did find someone righteous. The text seems to tell us that God did not find even 10 righteous in the area. This is a humbling reminder of the value of righteousness. The humbling reminder of what a righteous man does just by existing and living in a community.

The Nature of Righteousness in a Fallen World

As we dive into genesis chapter 19 think about this: Abraham wanted God to demonstrate his justice by saving lot and sparing the city. God chose to demonstrate his justice by delivering law and destroying the city. Both choices demonstrated God's justice. Justice is not something The judged get to determine.

Genesis 19:1–2 ESV

1 The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth 2 and said, “My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.” They said, “No; we will spend the night in the town square.”

When we read these first two verses we find the same kind of humility and hospitality that Abraham demonstrated in the last chapter we have no reason to doubt that lot was a sincere and godly man. But in these verses we see perhaps one of the most condemning phrases. Lot was sitting in the gate of the city. Now when you read this you've got to realize that that's not just a casual place where lot was lounging and relaxing. The gate was where judgments were passed and leaders of the city lead. The fact that lot was sitting at the gate of the city demonstrated a leadership role that lot had in this city. He had a leadership role in a city with rampant public sinful behavior.

He saw that these two angels these two men which he didn't know were angels wanted to spend the night and he insisted on hosting them. Now it's inescapable that we see lot having a leadership role in this sin filled city. But in another place in this scripture Peter talks about Lot as a righteous man.

2 Peter 2:7–8 ESV

7 and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked 8 (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard);

Think about this. The Bible talks about lot as a righteous man tormented by the lawless deeds of his time. The Bible says that lot lived in a simple city. Because this righteous man lived in a sin filled city because he lived in proximity irregardless of his associations and how he desired to live his family suffered the consequences he suffered the consequences of the sin he allowed near and in him.

One thing I also want to point out in this passage is when Abraham left lot he had just set his tent facing these cities. You remember that conversation a few chapters back and for us a few months back :). Abraham and lott realized they could not live in the same place and so Abraham let lot choose whether he would go to the plains of the Jordan river which was lush and rich or other parts of this new land. Lot shows the Jordan River Valley which contains Sodom and Gomorrah. And when we leave lot he simply has his tent pointed towards these cities. Now that we have returned to him he is in the gate a leader in the city.

Again what do we turn our attention to and allow in our lives incrementally influencing us? I believe God has called us to be in the world but not of it. God has called us to be change agents not isolationists. God has called us to be salt and light. Stay salty.

Genesis 19:3–5 ESV

3 But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. 4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. 5 And they called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.”

Some theologians who have tried to reinterpret this passage have argued that these men simply wanted to get to know or check the credentials of these two men who had visited the city. If you read the NIV translation it will say that these men said let these men come out so we can have sex with them. The actual word here means to know but in the larger context it's clear the intention of these men.

It's humbling to think that there's only one place in history where God singles out a particular sin and destroys 2 cities because of it.

Again modern theologians who tried to re interpret this passage would argue that these men were offended at some social injustice and they wanted to talk to these men.

Continuing the argument about what these men met other theologians will argue that this word Yoda meaning to know is used 15 times in the Old Testament to describe sexual understanding but over 900 times to describe mental understanding or knowledge.

But again contacts always tells us how we should understand the passage. Take for example

Judges 19:25 ESV

25 But the men would not listen to him. So the man seized his concubine and made her go out to them. And they knew her and abused her all night until the morning. And as the dawn began to break, they let her go.

Genesis 4:1 ESV

1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.”

I want to be humbly clear because in our world to day we are asked every day to accept homosexuality and reconsider old ideas on the topic.

So many people have looked at this passage and tried to imagine something else than what is said here.

Genesis 19 gives us a look at what's possible with human depravity. Passages like this one and others throughout the Bible don't exaggerate the truth of our fallen nature. In the time of genesis this sin was rampant in a few cities in the Jordan River Valley. Today homosexuality is an international cause.

Don't get me wrong. The Bible does not in any way consider this sin to either worst of all sins but it does not change its view on the topic

Let’s return to Genesis 19 .

Genesis 19:6–9 ESV

6 Lot went out to the men at the entrance, shut the door after him, 7 and said, “I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. 8 Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.” 9 But they said, “Stand back!” And they said, “This fellow came to sojourn, and he has become the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them.” Then they pressed hard against the man Lot, and drew near to break the door down.

Here's a humbling moment. Today you and I are urged to tolerate alternative lifestyles. Lot was able to overlook the sins of the city until it affected his guests and his home. But in this moment he makes a horrendous choice. A terrible offer. He tries to avoid one sin by commenting another. There is no historically adjusted excuse or reason for what he did it was wrong. And lots position in this city meant nothing to the men that wanted to tear down his door.

As one writer puts it.

Genesis C. Warning to Lot (19:1–15)

No longer were their shameful sins tolerated by a permissive society as something people had a right to practice if they pleased. It had gone far beyond that. Now the people were an open, aggressive, insistent force in the city with which none dared interfere. For their behavior was not looked upon by the Sodomites as criminal but as constitutional. They had the constitutional right to indulge their passion when and where they wished and any attempt to thwart them could be expected to lead to open riot in the city (Phillips, 161).

The parallel between this quote and our western culture is chilling.

Genesis 19:10–15 ESV

10 But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them and shut the door. 11 And they struck with blindness the men who were at the entrance of the house, both small and great, so that they wore themselves out groping for the door. 12 Then the men said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city, bring them out of the place. 13 For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.” 14 So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, “Up! Get out of this place, for the Lord is about to destroy the city.” But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting. 15 As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.”

the men blind they save lot and then we face a startling reality. Did you see? The angels asked a lot whether you had anyone else to bring out of this city with you. So lot went to his sons in law. He went to the men whom he had agreed to let marry his daughters and he told them the city was going to be destroyed. And his relationship with them was such that they laughed him off period. His relationship with them was such that even moments after offering his daughters to the mob it was not motivated enough he did not have the standing enough to be able to convince these men that there was a real and present threat. They laughed him off.

Lot is delivered from Sodom

Genesis 19:16–20 ESV

16 But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. 17 And as they brought them out, one said, “Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away.” 18 And Lot said to them, “Oh, no, my lords. 19 Behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life. But I cannot escape to the hills, lest the disaster overtake me and I die. 20 Behold, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there—is it not a little one?—and my life will be saved!”

You would think the lot would have been so overcome with gratefulness that he would have obeyed immediately and left but he was so committed to living in a city that he makes this plea for a city to be spared he doesn't realize how much grace God has given him.

Genesis 19:21–22 ESV

21 He said to him, “Behold, I grant you this favor also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. 22 Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

Amazingly, God spares Zoar because of Lot.

Genesis 19:23–26 ESV

23 The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar. 24 Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven. 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. 26 But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

Some people suggest an earthquake other people suggest brimstone and rain archaeological evidence suggests some sort of geological burst or explosion but the short thing is we know that cities throughout the plain were destroyed.

We know that God is perfectly abel to rescue godly men and hold the unrighteous for judgement. We know that Soddom and Gomorrah were judged for their sin.

Jude 7 ESV

7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

We don’t know why Lot’s wife looks back but she stands as a warming to us.

Genesis D. Deliverance from Sodom (19:16–29)

“The memory of Lot’s wife serves as a reminder to us not to turn back, no matter how temptingly the things of this world may beckon (Luke 17:32). Her hesitation cost her everything she had, including her very life” (Youngblood, 178).

A short return to Abraham

Genesis 19:27–29 ESV

27 And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord. 28 And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace. 29 So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived.

Incest in the Mountains.

Genesis 19:30–33 ESV

30 Now Lot went up out of Zoar and lived in the hills with his two daughters, for he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. 31 And the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth. 32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father.” 33 So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father. He did not know when she lay down or when she arose.

Lot begs for this town to be spared and yet he doesn't stay in it he's afraid to stay in lot is it because he's afraid this city would be destroyed as well? I don't know but the sad ending to lot is that he loses custody or control of his own body period. And even though he was out of control or drunk when this happens scripture does not place Vault on the daughters but unlock himself. He bears the guilt.

Genesis 19:34–38 ESV

34 The next day, the firstborn said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine tonight also. Then you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father.” 35 So they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. 36 Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. 37 The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day. 38 The younger also bore a son and called his name Ben-ammi. He is the father of the Ammonites to this day.

Lot becomes a grandfather and father at the same time but he doesn't even play any part in naming them they simply wanted to preserve their family line and they do that lots family as mentioned in other places in the Bible.

There's no way to make this part of the story positive or happy it's simply one of the moments in the Bible that describes human choices without slapping on them God's stamp of endorsement or approval.

Conclusion

More than half of the world's population now lives in cities and this is going to continue as a trend people love living in cities for convenience job opportunities higher salaries standard of living entertainment and more. I would imagine that all of these things appealed to lot after wandering and travelling with Abraham for so long.

But Sodom and Gomorrah as with many of our major cities today struggle with sin and corrupted lifestyles. You can very easily fall into drugs and alcohol and other serious problems depending on what friendships you engage in here in Terre Haute.

Here's the humbling thing of this passage we can argue that sodom changed lot but what if lot had changed or challenged sodom. What if God having the conversation with Abraham and when Abraham gets to to 50 righteous man God responds no problem lots already reached that many people Can you imagine lot in the same town square where these men roamed having invested the years handing out pamphlets talking to people about God singing praise choruses in the gateway of the city. Imagine the possibility of God calling the city to repentance through the testimony of 1 righteous man and his family!

What if lot had simply chosen to live differently? How many people could he have influenced? Could he have saved his sons in law? Could he have saved others?

We live in a world today that is frighteningly similar to that of Sodom and Gomorrah. Everything is celebrated and accepted and paraded around. Sins are not just considered permitted They are practically constitutional rights. The boundary for what is allowed is being pushed every single day.

What if you and I live differently? What influence would we have in our workplace, in our home, in our extended family come on in our community, in our country? What if we spoke up about the hope that Jesus offers us?

I don't present this passage to speak against homosexuality or anyone who struggles with this. If your conviction on this topic is already settled then this passage stands as a challenge to you and I to live righteous and holy lives in the communities we are in. To speak up about our faith.

If you have questions about what the Bible says on this topic or you have a friend who struggles with this I hope that exploring this passage helps you to understand a little better this passage scripture. It puts one more piece of information in your heart and mind to find clarity in what God says about our lifestyles today.

I pray that each one of us can live lives obedient and faithful to God and each one of us can use the influence and opportunities we have to influence our community and our world for God.