Sodom

Hospitality

a. The Lord appeared in human form and visited Abraham in . Early Christians, who understood that it is impossible for someone to see God the Father, understood this to be referring to the Word of God (Son of God, who

a. The Lord appeared in human form and visited Abraham in . Early Christians, who understood that it is impossible for someone to see God the

Christians, who understood that it is impossible for someone to see God the

Christians, who understood that it is impossible for someone to see God the

Father, understood this to be referring to the Word of God (Son of God, who

Father, understood this to be referring to the Word of God (Son of God, who

would later in the flesh become Jesus).

would later in the flesh become Jesus).

b. Although Sarah laughed, she is held up as an example to women today in her

b. Although Sarah laughed, she is held up as an example to women today in her

submission and respect for Abraham, and her inner beauty.

submission and respect for Abraham, and her inner beauty.

c. Abraham’s boldness and humility in approaching God regarding something

c. Abraham’s boldness and humility in approaching God regarding something

he was deeply concerned about is a good example for us.

he was deeply concerned about is a good example for us.

d. Lot and Abraham are examples of hospitality, likely what the Hebrews writer

d. Lot and Abraham are examples of hospitality, likely what the Hebrews writer

has in mind when he calls us to be hospitable, in view of the fact that some

has in mind when he calls us to be hospitable, in view of the fact that some

have “entertained angels unaware”. You never know who that visiting

have “entertained angels unaware”. You never know who that visiting

Christian might really be.

Christian might really be.

II. Men of Sodom Threaten Abuse Lot’s Visitors (Read )

II. Men of Sodom Threaten Abuse Lot’s Visitors (Read )

a. Sodom had become totally depraved. Mob of men from all over the city

a. Sodom had become totally depraved. Mob of men from all over the city

surround Lot’s house and demand that he hand over his two guests “that we

surround Lot’s house and demand that he hand over his two guests “that we

may have relations with them” (homosexual rape).

© 2017 by Chuck Pike. Permission is granted to use this material if offered free of charge, but when

may have relations with them” (homosexual rape).

i. Lot courageously goes out to the mob by himself; shuts the door

i. Lot courageously goes out to the mob by himself; shuts the door

behind him. He tells the mob, “do not act wickedly” and them offers

behind him. He tells the mob, “do not act wickedly” and them offers

his two virgin daughters instead!

his two virgin daughters instead!

ii. I don’t know what to do regarding how to view Lot’s offer here. Very

ii. I don’t know what to do regarding how to view Lot’s offer here. Very

upsetting to think that a father would do that to his daughters instead

upsetting to think that a father would do that to his daughters instead

of protecting them.

of protecting them.

1. Some claim that this reflects his knowledge that the mob had

1. Some claim that this reflects his knowledge that the mob had

no interest in women, and was diversionary;

I. Recap from the Previous Lesson

no interest in women, and was diversionary;

a. The Lord appeared in human form and visited Abraham in . Early

Christians, who understood that it is impossible for someone to see God the Father, understood this to be referring to the Word of God (Son of God, who would later in the flesh become Jesus).

b. Although Sarah laughed, she is held up as an example to women today in her

submission and respect for Abraham, and her inner beauty.

c. Abraham’s boldness and humility in approaching God regarding something

he was deeply concerned about is a good example for us.

d. Lot and Abraham are examples of hospitality, likely what the Hebrews writer has in mind when he calls us to be hospitable, in view of the fact that some have “entertained angels unaware”. You never know who that visiting Christian might really be.

II. Men of Sodom Threaten Abuse Lot’s Visitors (Read )

a. Sodom had become totally depraved. Mob of men from all over the city

surround Lot’s house and demand that he hand over his two guests “that we may have relations with them” (homosexual rape).

i. Lot courageously goes out to the mob by himself; shuts the door

behind him. He tells the mob, “do not act wickedly” and them offers his two virgin daughters instead!

ii. I don’t know what to do regarding how to view Lot’s offer here. Very

upsetting to think that a father would do that to his daughters instead of protecting them.

1. Some claim that this reflects his knowledge that the mob had

no interest in women, and was diversionary;

2. Others suggest that this reflects the high standard of

hospitality when a guest would come under your roof in ancient times in the Middle East; or a low view of women! (I don’t know what to think!)

3. Easy for people today to criticize Lot for settling in Sodom, and

then offering his daughters. However, Lot is held up as a righteous man in the New Testament. ()

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

‐ church of Christ in Woburn, MA C. Pike 04/23/2017

b. Crowd enraged by Lot’s speech and offer. They accuse Lot of judging them.

Then they threaten Lot, “Now we will deal worse with you than with them”! (Worse than gang raping the two angels.)

c. Crowd presses upon Lot and approaches the house to smash down the door.

d. Angels grab Lot, pull him inside, shut the door and strike the men outside the

2. Others suggest that this reflects the high standard of

2. Others suggest that this reflects the high standard of

door with blindness.

III. The Escape from Sodom: Six People, Three Fates (Read )

a. Lot warns his two sons in law (presumably engaged to be married) of the

impending destruction of the city. However, they take what Lot is saying as a joke.

b. Lot, his wife and his two daughters take the angels’ warning seriously, and

flee the city about to be destroyed.

c. At dawn, they flee the city. Angels each grab one of their hands and

essentially admonish the four to hurry, saying “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you... Escape to the mountains, lest you be overtaken.”

d. Lot is weary, the mountains are far; he asks to find refuge in a small city,

Zoar. The angels agree to his request. Angels won’t commence the destruction until Lot’s family is safely in Zoar.

e. With Lot and family in Zoar, as the sun rising, the Lord “rained fire and

brimstone (= sulfur) on Sodom and Gomorrah out of heaven”.

i. Both cities and the region of the plain wiped out.

ii. All inhabitants, even all plants destroyed.

iii. Much worse that US government’s ‘Mother of All Bombs’ (their most

destructive non‐nuclear weapon)!

f. Lot’s wife, who looked back behind her “and she became a pillar of salt”.

IV. Abraham Beholds Sodom (read )

a. Abraham returns to the place where he had spoken with the Lord, and

beholds flame and smoke ascending from Sodom and Gomorrah, as scene of complete destruction. What would he be thinking as he gazed and reflected on what had happened?

i. (This seems to be the first time Abraham saw supernatural sign from

God of God’s power.)

ii. Did he think, “So does that mean there weren’t even 10 righteous

people in that city? It was even worse there than I thought!”

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‐ church of Christ in Woburn, MA C. Pike 04/23/2017

iii. Did he think, “I wonder what happened to my nephew Lot and his

hospitality when a guest would come under your roof in

hospitality when a guest would come under your roof in

family?”

iv. Perhaps he thought, “When the Lord says something, he means it and

it happens. He can do anything. Wait till I show this to Sarah. Maybe then she will believe that other thing the Lord promised (that we’d have a son within a year), which she laughed at! Nothing is impossible with the Lord.”

b. Along with Abraham, let us pause to look down on the wreckage of what was

once the thriving cities of Sodom and Gomorrah; see the destruction, flames and smoke; smell the burning sulfur; and reflect deeply on this. What is there for us to learn?

i. In , Paul quotes from the Old Testament ()

and remarks, “whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

c. Lesson #1 – Take judgment warnings seriously. This is no joke. We must

be prepared.

i. God always keeps his promises. One of the most important of those is that there will be a Day of Judgment, and it will come suddenly and without further warning.

ii. God provides several stories early in the Bible to warn about the

terrible last day, the Day of Judgment. In all cases, most were caught by surprise.

1. Flood of Noah, in (only a few will be saved; they will be saved through water, this will happen suddenly).

2. Sodom and Gomorrah, in (judgment will come by

fire; only a few saved).

3. Passover, in (death comes to all families except

those protected by the blood of the Passover lamb).

4. Jericho, in (will commence at the second coming of

Jesus/Joshua; only a few saved; Rahab and her family were saved by the scarlet chord, which Justin Martyr and several other early Christians saw as foreshadowing the blood of Jesus).

iii. Read

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‐ church of Christ in Woburn, MA C. Pike 04/23/2017

1. Scoffers will come in the last days, skeptical that there will be a

Day of Judgment. (Lot’s two sons‐in‐law thought it was a joke, like most of the world does, today.)

2. The ultimate judgment will come by fire.

3. It will come like a thief in the night; we must always be

prepared.

ancient times in the Middle East; or a low view of women! (I

ancient times in the Middle East; or a low view of women! (I

4. Be diligent to be found at peace, spotless and blameless.

d. Lesson #2 – Take comfort that even in a corrupt world headed for

destruction, God can deliver the godly out of temptations.

i. Read

1. While many modern preachers and teachers may criticize Lot

for living in Sodom or offering up his daughters, Peter considers him an inspiring example for Christians, a man who remained righteous in the midst of a corrupt world.

2. Three times, Peter refers to Lot as “righteous”

3. From story of Sodom, Peter encourages us that the Lord has shown he can deliver the godly out of temptations while reserving judgment for a corrupt and depraved world.

4. No matter how bad things get around us, we can have hope and

confidence if we remain righteous.

ii. Jesus says in that no one can snatch his sheep out of his

hand. I think of Lot’s family fleeing corrupt Sodom, with the angels grabbing a hand of each of them as they fled, bringing them to safety.

1. Not a message of eternal security (once saved always saved).

The angel held Lot’s wife’s hand, but she looked back and was lost! But the angels held the hand of the other three who did not look back, were righteous, and God was able to save them.

e. Lesson #3 – Remember Lot’s wife. (Read )

i. The pillar of salt was left as a monument for us, to teach us a lesson.

Jesus said, “Remember Lot’s wife.” ()

ii. What is the lesson of Lot’s wife?

1. In Jesus says, “Whoever seeks to save his life will

lose it”.

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‐ church of Christ in Woburn, MA C. Pike 04/23/2017

2. Seems to me that the lesson is also, “Don’t look back!” Don’t look back longingly on the world that you are fleeing: its passing pleasures, its rewards, past sins (their rewards and glories). It is all going to burn up. Get out of Dodge and don’t look back at the old life you left behind in the world of sin!

a. Reminds me of what Jesus said in , “No one, having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

b. In , Moses warned that when the

people had a king in the future, he must never “cause the people to return to Egypt; for the Lord said, ‘You shall not return that way again’”.

i. Egypt represented the land of bondage and

don’t know what to think!)

don’t know what to think!)

enslavement (sin / the world) from which they escaped, through the water. Must not go back there (foreshadowing the lesson for us).

f. Lesson #4 – Don’t fall into the sin of Sodom

i. What I am about to say may be labeled ‘hate speech’ and become

against the law here (Boston) or other places in the future. So best to say it now.

ii. While teaching through Genesis to a large group of college campus

students over 10 years ago, and the room went dead silent. Everyone knew the answer, but no one wanted to say it (fear of being labeled as bigoted, intolerant, and unenlightened). Even then, they were getting indoctrinated with an obvious agenda in many programs at their schools, and it has gotten much worse on the campuses!

iii. More and more churches have abandoned what the Bible teaches on

this, and come up with fine‐sounding scholarly explanations to explain why homosexual sex is not a sin. They claim this command was culturally‐based. Also, pressure mounting to label teaching this as hate speech, similar to anti‐Jewish or segregationist attitudes that were shamefully tolerated in some Christian circles in the past.

1. Read

a. Paul warned Timothy to preach the word at all times

(when the teaching is popular and when it is unpopular).

b. Be prepared at all times, in all circumstances. No

compromise. The call for all preachers for all time.

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‐ church of Christ in Woburn, MA C. Pike 04/23/2017

c. Don’t be surprised when we see teachers rising up to

tell people what their itching ears want to hear.

2. In , Peter warns the Christians, “But there were

also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies...and many will follow their destructive ways”.

a. Later in the same chapter, Peter ties these false teachers

to lust, sexual sins and corruption.

iv. At the same time, many conservative Protestant churches do not

grasp the concept of two separate kingdoms (world and kingdom of God).

1. These churches have made things worse by trying to force the government to legislate against this, to fight in the political arena. They are attempting to make the U.S. ‘a holy nation’, which of course is impossible, a fool’s crusade. This will only degrade the church by entangling the church in politics and trying to mix the Kingdom of God with the kingdoms of this world.

2. There is also rampant hypocrisy in trying to enforce teaching

on homosexuality while turning a blind eye to remarriage after divorce, which is an epidemic in so‐called conservative Bible‐ believing churches in the Protestant world.

3. Easy for people today to criticize Lot for settling in Sodom, and

3. Easy for people today to criticize Lot for settling in Sodom, and

v. Sexual perversion / homosexual sex

1. Overview of Old Testament Law regarding sexual morals

a. No adultery (although men could have more than one

wife); seventh commandment. ().

b. Can’t covet your neighbor’s wife; tenth commandment.

().

c. Remarriage after divorce permitted, with certain

restrictions. ()

d. ‘Don’t adopt way of life in Egypt where

you came from, nor from Canaan where you are going’. ()

i. No incest. Can’t have relations with brother,

sister or other close relatives. ()

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‐ church of Christ in Woburn, MA C. Pike 04/23/2017

ii. No homosexual relations. “You shall not lie with

a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.” ()

iii. No relations with animals. “Nor shall you mate

with any animal, to defile yourself with it. Nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it. It is perversion.” ()

iv. The land of Canaan has been defiled by these

things; that’s why I cast those people out. Don’t become defiled in the same way. ()

1. Recall that the Lord had told Abraham

that his descendants would return to inherit Canaan only after 400 years, because “for the sin of the Amorites is not yet filled up”. ()

2. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tightened the laws on sexual purity for those who want to be part of his kingdom; he did not loosen them.

a. Lusting after a woman is committing adultery in one’s

heart. ()

b. Divorce is now restricted to the case of adultery, and

cannot remarry after divorce while spouse is still alive. ()

then offering his daughters. However, Lot is held up as a

then offering his daughters. However, Lot is held up as a

3. Peter goes back to the book of Leviticus to call Christians to

live a holy life. He says, “as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy’” (; where Peter’s quote from the OT corresponds to ; and 20:7)

4. Read . 5-7

a. Sodom and Gomorrah, given over to sexual immorality

and having “gone after strange flesh” are set as an example, “suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”

b. Clearly Jude considered homosexual sexual relations to

be a serious sin.

5. Read

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‐ church of Christ in Woburn, MA C. Pike 04/23/2017

a. The depravity of mankind starts with idolatry, rejecting

the Creator.

b. Leads to all kinds of shameful conduct, including

homosexual acts (men with men; women with women).

c. Ultimately degenerates to all kinds of sins.

d. “[T]hose who practice such things are deserving of

death....” ()

6. While modern world sees acceptance of homosexuality as

progress, moving forward...according to the word of God it is moving downward, backward, degrading; back to the practices of Egypt, Amorites, and Sodom.

7. Read

a. The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom

b. Do not be deceived!

c. Neither fornicators...adulterers...homosexuals

(catamites)...sodomites...will inherit the kingdom of God

d. Such were some of you (Corinthian Christians had come

out of those backgrounds)

e. But you were washed, sanctified, justified in the name of

righteous man in the New Testament. ()

righteous man in the New Testament. ()

Jesus and by the Spirit of God (hope for all!)

i. Homosexuality was completely acceptable in

ancient Greece. Yet people in the Corinthian church repented of this sin.

ii. We have no business looking down on anyone

with this background. We have all been washed, cleansed, forgiven of all types of past sin. But there must be repentance.

vi. Early Christian writer Aristides, a converted Greek philosopher from

Athens wrote in The Apology of Aristides (c. 125 AD):

1. “The Greeks, O King, follow debased practices in intercourse

with males, or with mothers, sisters and daughters. Yet they, in turn, impute their monstrous impurity to the Christians.” (As quoted in Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs, ed. David Bercot, article on Homosexuality; original from The Apology of Aristides, ANF v.9. p.279)

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‐ church of Christ in Woburn, MA C. Pike 04/23/2017

vii. From The Book of Laws of the Various Countries attributed to

Bardesanes (154‐222 AD):

1. “And what shall we say of the new race of us Christians, whom

Christ at his advent planted in every country and in every region? For lo! Wherever we are, we are called after the one name of Christ – Christians. On one day, the first of the week we assemble ourselves together, and on the days of the readings we abstain from taking sustenance. The brethren who are in Gaul do not take males for wives [note: Gaul corresponds to modern-day France], nor those who are in Parthia two wives; nor do those who are in Judea circumcise themselves; nor do our sisters who are among the Geli consort with strangers; nor do those brethren who are in Persia take their daughters for wives; nor do those in Media abandon their dead, or bury them alive or give them as food to the dogs; nor do those who are in Edessa kill their wives or their sisters when they commit impurity, but they withdraw from them and give them over to the judgment of God; nor do those in Hatra stone thieves to death; but wherever they are, and in whatever place they are found, the laws of the several countries do not hinder them from obeying the law of their Sovereign, Christ; nor does the Fate of the celestial Governors compel them to make use of things which they regard as impure.” (ANF v.8, p.733)

2. The early Christians realized there were two kingdoms. No

matter what nation they were part of, they were loyal to King Jesus, and subject to the rules and laws of the Kingdom of God. This included Jesus’ commands on sexual purity.

V. Recap of This Lesson – Four Lessons from Sodom & Gomorrah

a. Final judgment will come suddenly, by fire, and will catch many by surprised.

Be prepared, heed the warnings. This is not a joke.

b. Take comfort that God can deliver the righteous from temptations, in the

midst of a depraved world. He did that with Lot and can do it for us as well.

c. Remember Lot’s wife. Don’t look back on the life of sin you left behind, and

on the world that is headed for destruction.

d. Homosexual sexual relations are a serious sin, regardless of what the world and many churches may tell us today. Sodom’s destruction was an example for us.

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using this material in print, media, or electronic form, the following notice shall be included: “Pike,

In the light of the N.T., this chapter appears as one of very great significance, because the destruction of Sodom was specifically mentioned by the Savior himself as a type of the Second Coming of Christ and the destruction of the whole world at the end of the age.

"Even as it came to pass in the days of Lot; they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but in the day that Lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all: after the same manner shall it be in the day that the Son of man is revealed. In that day, he that shall be on the housetop, and his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away: and let him that is in the field likewise not return back. Remember Lot's wife." ()

Chuck. The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (). A church of Christ that meets in

Woburn, 23 April 2017. Web.”

The apostle Peter shed further light on this chapter by pointing out that just as God delivered righteous Lot, so the righteous would be delivered out of temptation. God does not destroy the righteous with the wicked. Also, there is evident the special offensiveness of the sins of the Sodomites to the Lord. Those to be punished will be, "chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement."

The sacred writer, Jude, made the destruction of Sodom to be a type of "the eternal fire" that shall consume the wicked at the time of the Judgment. The full references from Peter and Jude are:

Destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah ()

"Turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, (God) condemned them with an overthrow, having made them an example unto them that should live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, sore distressed by the lascivious life of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their lawless deeds): the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the righteous under punishment unto the day of judgment; but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise dominion" ().

Expository Lessons from the Book of Genesis

"Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, having in like manner with these given themselves over to fornication and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire (Jude 1:1:7).

____________________________________________________

I. Recap from the Previous Lesson

a. The Lord appeared in human form and visited Abraham in . Early

Christians, who understood that it is impossible for someone to see God the

Father, understood this to be referring to the Word of God (Son of God, who

would later in the flesh become Jesus).

b. Although Sarah laughed, she is held up as an example to women today in her

submission and respect for Abraham, and her inner beauty.

c. Abraham’s boldness and humility in approaching God regarding something

he was deeply concerned about is a good example for us.

d. Lot and Abraham are examples of hospitality, likely what the Hebrews writer

has in mind when he calls us to be hospitable, in view of the fact that some

have “entertained angels unaware”. You never know who that visiting

Christian might really be.

II. Men of Sodom Threaten Abuse Lot’s Visitors (Read )

a. Sodom had become totally depraved. Mob of men from all over the city

surround Lot’s house and demand that he hand over his two guests “that we

may have relations with them” (homosexual rape).

i. Lot courageously goes out to the mob by himself; shuts the door

behind him. He tells the mob, “do not act wickedly” and them offers

his two virgin daughters instead!

ii. I don’t know what to do regarding how to view Lot’s offer here. Very

upsetting to think that a father would do that to his daughters instead

of protecting them.

1. Some claim that this reflects his knowledge that the mob had

no interest in women, and was diversionary;

2. Others suggest that this reflects the high standard of

hospitality when a guest would come under your roof in

ancient times in the Middle East; or a low view of women! (I

don’t know what to think!)

3. Easy for people today to criticize Lot for settling in Sodom, and

then offering his daughters. However, Lot is held up as a

righteous man in the New Testament. ()

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b. Crowd enraged by Lot’s speech and offer. They accuse Lot of judging them.

Then they threaten Lot, “Now we will deal worse with you than with them”!

(Worse than gang raping the two angels.)

c. Crowd presses upon Lot and approaches the house to smash down the door.

d. Angels grab Lot, pull him inside, shut the door and strike the men outside the

door with blindness.

III. The Escape from Sodom: Six People, Three Fates (Read )

a. Lot warns his two sons in law (presumably engaged to be married) of the

impending destruction of the city. However, they take what Lot is saying as a

joke.

b. Lot, his wife and his two daughters take the angels’ warning seriously, and

flee the city about to be destroyed.

c. At dawn, they flee the city. Angels each grab one of their hands and

essentially admonish the four to hurry, saying “Escape for your life! Do not

look behind you... Escape to the mountains, lest you be overtaken.”

d. Lot is weary, the mountains are far; he asks to find refuge in a small city,

Zoar. The angels agree to his request. Angels won’t commence the

destruction until Lot’s family is safely in Zoar.

e. With Lot and family in Zoar, as the sun rising, the Lord “rained fire and

brimstone (= sulfur) on Sodom and Gomorrah out of heaven”.

i. Both cities and the region of the plain wiped out.

ii. All inhabitants, even all plants destroyed.

iii. Much worse that US government’s ‘Mother of All Bombs’ (their most

destructive non‐nuclear weapon)!

f. Lot’s wife, who looked back behind her “and she became a pillar of salt”.

IV. Abraham Beholds Sodom (read )

a. Abraham returns to the place where he had spoken with the Lord, and

beholds flame and smoke ascending from Sodom and Gomorrah, as scene of

complete destruction. What would he be thinking as he gazed and reflected

on what had happened?

i. (This seems to be the first time Abraham saw supernatural sign from

God of God’s power.)

ii. Did he think, “So does that mean there weren’t even 10 righteous

people in that city? It was even worse there than I thought!”

‐ church of Christ in Woburn, MA C. Pike 04/23/2017

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iii. Did he think, “I wonder what happened to my nephew Lot and his

family?”

iv. Perhaps he thought, “When the Lord says something, he means it and

it happens. He can do anything. Wait till I show this to Sarah. Maybe

then she will believe that other thing the Lord promised (that we’d

have a son within a year), which she laughed at! Nothing is

impossible with the Lord.”

b. Along with Abraham, let us pause to look down on the wreckage of what was

once the thriving cities of Sodom and Gomorrah; see the destruction, flames

and smoke; smell the burning sulfur; and reflect deeply on this. What is there

for us to learn?

i. In , Paul quotes from the Old Testament ()

and remarks, “whatever things were written before were written for

our learning, that through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures

we might have hope.”

c. Lesson #1 – Take judgment warnings seriously. This is no joke. We must

be prepared.

i. God always keeps his promises. One of the most important of those is

that there will be a Day of Judgment, and it will come suddenly and

without further warning.

ii. God provides several stories early in the Bible to warn about the

terrible last day, the Day of Judgment. In all cases, most were caught

by surprise.

1. Flood of Noah, in (only a few will be saved; they

will be saved through water, this will happen suddenly).

2. Sodom and Gomorrah, in (judgment will come by

fire; only a few saved).

3. Passover, in (death comes to all families except

those protected by the blood of the Passover lamb).

4. Jericho, in (will commence at the second coming of

Jesus/Joshua; only a few saved; Rahab and her family were

saved by the scarlet chord, which Justin Martyr and several

other early Christians saw as foreshadowing the blood of

Jesus).

iii. Read

‐ church of Christ in Woburn, MA C. Pike 04/23/2017

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1. Scoffers will come in the last days, skeptical that there will be a

Day of Judgment. (Lot’s two sons‐in‐law thought it was a joke,

like most of the world does, today.)

2. The ultimate judgment will come by fire.

3. It will come like a thief in the night; we must always be

prepared.

4. Be diligent to be found at peace, spotless and blameless.

d. Lesson #2 – Take comfort that even in a corrupt world headed for

destruction, God can deliver the godly out of temptations.

i. Read

1. While many modern preachers and teachers may criticize Lot

for living in Sodom or offering up his daughters, Peter

considers him an inspiring example for Christians, a man who

remained righteous in the midst of a corrupt world.

2. Three times, Peter refers to Lot as “righteous”

3. From story of Sodom, Peter encourages us that the Lord has

shown he can deliver the godly out of temptations while

reserving judgment for a corrupt and depraved world.

4. No matter how bad things get around us, we can have hope and

confidence if we remain righteous.

ii. Jesus says in that no one can snatch his sheep out of his

hand. I think of Lot’s family fleeing corrupt Sodom, with the angels

grabbing a hand of each of them as they fled, bringing them to safety.

1. Not a message of eternal security (once saved always saved).

The angel held Lot’s wife’s hand, but she looked back and was

lost! But the angels held the hand of the other three who did

not look back, were righteous, and God was able to save them.

e. Lesson #3 – Remember Lot’s wife. (Read )

i. The pillar of salt was left as a monument for us, to teach us a lesson.

Jesus said, “Remember Lot’s wife.” ()

ii. What is the lesson of Lot’s wife?

1. In Jesus says, “Whoever seeks to save his life will

lose it”.

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2. Seems to me that the lesson is also, “Don’t look back!” Don’t

look back longingly on the world that you are fleeing: its

passing pleasures, its rewards, past sins (their rewards and

glories). It is all going to burn up. Get out of Dodge and don’t

look back at the old life you left behind in the world of sin!

a. Reminds me of what Jesus said in , “No one,

having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit

for the kingdom of God.”

b. In , Moses warned that when the

people had a king in the future, he must never “cause

the people to return to Egypt; for the Lord said, ‘You

shall not return that way again’”.

i. Egypt represented the land of bondage and

enslavement (sin / the world) from which they

escaped, through the water. Must not go back

there (foreshadowing the lesson for us).

f. Lesson #4 – Don’t fall into the sin of Sodom

i. What I am about to say may be labeled ‘hate speech’ and become

against the law here (Boston) or other places in the future. So best to

say it now.

ii. While teaching through Genesis to a large group of college campus

students over 10 years ago, and the room went dead silent. Everyone

knew the answer, but no one wanted to say it (fear of being labeled as

bigoted, intolerant, and unenlightened). Even then, they were getting

indoctrinated with an obvious agenda in many programs at their

schools, and it has gotten much worse on the campuses!

iii. More and more churches have abandoned what the Bible teaches on

this, and come up with fine‐sounding scholarly explanations to

explain why homosexual sex is not a sin. They claim this command

was culturally‐based. Also, pressure mounting to label teaching this as

hate speech, similar to anti‐Jewish or segregationist attitudes that

were shamefully tolerated in some Christian circles in the past.

1. Read

a. Paul warned Timothy to preach the word at all times

(when the teaching is popular and when it is

unpopular).

b. Be prepared at all times, in all circumstances. No

compromise. The call for all preachers for all time.

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c. Don’t be surprised when we see teachers rising up to

tell people what their itching ears want to hear.

2. In , Peter warns the Christians, “But there were

also false prophets among the people, even as there will be

false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in

destructive heresies…and many will follow their destructive

ways”.

a. Later in the same chapter, Peter ties these false teachers

to lust, sexual sins and corruption.

iv. At the same time, many conservative Protestant churches do not

grasp the concept of two separate kingdoms (world and kingdom of

God).

1. These churches have made things worse by trying to force the

government to legislate against this, to fight in the political

arena. They are attempting to make the U.S. ‘a holy nation’,

which of course is impossible, a fool’s crusade. This will only

degrade the church by entangling the church in politics and

trying to mix the Kingdom of God with the kingdoms of this

world.

2. There is also rampant hypocrisy in trying to enforce teaching

on homosexuality while turning a blind eye to remarriage after

divorce, which is an epidemic in so‐called conservative Biblebelieving

churches in the Protestant world.

v. Sexual perversion / homosexual sex

1. Overview of Old Testament Law regarding sexual morals

a. No adultery (although men could have more than one

wife); seventh commandment. ().

b. Can’t covet your neighbor’s wife; tenth commandment.

().

c. Remarriage after divorce permitted, with certain

restrictions. ()

d. ‘Don’t adopt way of life in Egypt where

you came from, nor from Canaan where you are going’.

()

i. No incest. Can’t have relations with brother,

sister or other close relatives. (‐

18)

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ii. No homosexual relations. “You shall not lie with

a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.”

()

iii. No relations with animals. “Nor shall you mate

with any animal, to defile yourself with it. Nor

shall any woman stand before an animal to mate

with it. It is perversion.” ()

iv. The land of Canaan has been defiled by these

things; that’s why I cast those people out. Don’t

become defiled in the same way. (Leviticus

18:24‐30)

1. Recall that the Lord had told Abraham

that his descendants would return to

inherit Canaan only after 400 years,

because “for the sin of the Amorites is not

yet filled up”. ()

2. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tightened the laws on sexual

purity for those who want to be part of his kingdom; he did not

loosen them.

a. Lusting after a woman is committing adultery in one’s

heart. ()

b. Divorce is now restricted to the case of adultery, and

cannot remarry after divorce while spouse is still alive.

()

3. Peter goes back to the book of Leviticus to call Christians to

live a holy life. He says, “as obedient children, not conforming

yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He

who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,

because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy’” (;

where Peter’s quote from the OT corresponds to Leviticus

11:44‐45; 19:22 and 20:7)

4. Read . 5‐7

a. Sodom and Gomorrah, given over to sexual immorality

and having “gone after strange flesh” are set as an

example, “suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”

b. Clearly Jude considered homosexual sexual relations to

be a serious sin.

5. Read

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a. The depravity of mankind starts with idolatry, rejecting

the Creator.

b. Leads to all kinds of shameful conduct, including

homosexual acts (men with men; women with women).

c. Ultimately degenerates to all kinds of sins.

d. “[T]hose who practice such things are deserving of

death….” ()

6. While modern world sees acceptance of homosexuality as

progress, moving forward…according to the word of God it is

moving downward, backward, degrading; back to the practices

of Egypt, Amorites, and Sodom.

7. Read

a. The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom

b. Do not be deceived!

c. Neither fornicators…adulterers…homosexuals

(catamites)…sodomites…will inherit the kingdom of

God

d. Such were some of you (Corinthian Christians had come

out of those backgrounds)

e. But you were washed, sanctified, justified in the name of

Jesus and by the Spirit of God (hope for all!)

i. Homosexuality was completely acceptable in

ancient Greece. Yet people in the Corinthian

church repented of this sin.

ii. We have no business looking down on anyone

with this background. We have all been washed,

cleansed, forgiven of all types of past sin. But

there must be repentance.

vi. Early Christian writer Aristides, a converted Greek philosopher from

Athens wrote in The Apology of Aristides (c. 125 AD):

1. “The Greeks, O King, follow debased practices in intercourse

with males, or with mothers, sisters and daughters. Yet they, in

turn, impute their monstrous impurity to the Christians.” (As

quoted in Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs, ed. David Bercot,

article on Homosexuality; original from The Apology of

Aristides, ANF v.9. p.279)

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vii. From The Book of Laws of the Various Countries attributed to

Bardesanes (154‐222 AD):

1. “And what shall we say of the new race of us Christians, whom

Christ at his advent planted in every country and in every

region? For lo! Wherever we are, we are called after the one

name of Christ – Christians. On one day, the first of the week

we assemble ourselves together, and on the days of the

readings we abstain from taking sustenance. The brethren who

are in Gaul do not take males for wives [note: Gaul corresponds

to modern‐day France], nor those who are in Parthia two

wives; nor do those who are in Judea circumcise themselves;

nor do our sisters who are among the Geli consort with

strangers; nor do those brethren who are in Persia take their

daughters for wives; nor do those in Media abandon their dead,

or bury them alive or give them as food to the dogs; nor do

those who are in Edessa kill their wives or their sisters when

they commit impurity, but they withdraw from them and give

them over to the judgment of God; nor do those in Hatra stone

thieves to death; but wherever they are, and in whatever place

they are found, the laws of the several countries do not hinder

them from obeying the law of their Sovereign, Christ; nor does

the Fate of the celestial Governors compel them to make use of

things which they regard as impure.” (ANF v.8, p.733)

2. The early Christians realized there were two kingdoms. No

matter what nation they were part of, they were loyal to King

Jesus, and subject to the rules and laws of the Kingdom of God.

This included Jesus’ commands on sexual purity.

V. Recap of This Lesson – Four Lessons from Sodom & Gomorrah

a. Final judgment will come suddenly, by fire, and will catch many by surprised.

Be prepared, heed the warnings. This is not a joke.

b. Take comfort that God can deliver the righteous from temptations, in the

midst of a depraved world. He did that with Lot and can do it for us as well.

c. Remember Lot’s wife. Don’t look back on the life of sin you left behind, and

on the world that is headed for destruction.

d. Homosexual sexual relations are a serious sin, regardless of what the world

and many churches may tell us today. Sodom’s destruction was an example

for us.