Copyright 2011-2023 Got Questions Ministries - All Rights Reserved. Christianity Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for committed Christians, experts in Christianity and those interested in learning more. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, OT Law: Genesis 19:24 Then Yahweh rained on Sodom and (Gen. Ge Gn). 24Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; 25And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. Again Lot had no idea when she entered or when she left. Related articlesIs God More Violent in the Old Testament Than the New?The Real Reason God Had to Destroy the Tower of Babel4 Sobering Lessons from the Tragic Tale of Lots Daughters. In Genesis, during the days of Abraham, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were powerful cities that God wiped off the earth in a single evening. The people were obsessed with evil, meditating only on sin, and refused to turn to God for forgiveness, despite warnings. 27And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord: 28And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. The full account of what happened to the twin cities of Sodom Web28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. 12The two men said to Lot, Do you have anyone else heresons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? 30After a brief time, Lot left Zoar and settled in the hill country with his two daughters. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! The sinful ways of Sodom and Gomorrah were so corrupt that God destroyed the two cities with fire sparing only the family of Lot. (AS) 26But Lots wife looked back,(AT) and she became a pillar of salt. What historical periods do the 390 year and 40 year periods refer to in Ezekiel 4:1-8? Lot was a foreigner to the realm of Sodom and not succumbed to the lustful, degenerate sins rampant in the city. He said, Hurry and get out of this place, because the Lord is about to destroy the city! 14And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city. 8LookI have two daughters. Hes not one of us, and yet he thinks he has the right to judge all of us! They are mentioned frequently in the prophets and the New Testament as symbols of human wickedness and divine retribution, and the Quran also contains a version of the story about the two cities. . When the Lord addressed His decision initially, He said, Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. The devastation will surely catch up with me, and Ill die anyway. It is commonly mentioned in connection with Gomorrah, but also with Admah and Zeboim, and on one occasion -- (Genesis 14:1) --with Bela or Zoar. All that is left of her is a standing pillar of salt. It might be worth mentioning Romans 1:24-27, where sexual immorality is a consequence (almost a symptom?) As the crowd moved to break down the door, the men inside pulled Lot back inside and shut the door. In Christian teachings, vanity is an example of pride, one of the seven deadly sins. 29Now you know the story of how God destroyed the cities of the valley, but remembered Abraham and His covenant with him. 5They called to Lot, Where are the men who came to you tonight? 5 Things Christians Label as Sin That Arent Actually Sinful. He looked up and down the valley, and everywhere he looked clouds of smoke were billowing upblack, like smoke from a giant furnace. What's the difference between a power rail and a signal line? At that time, Abraham learns that Lot and his family are the only righteous people left in Sodom. Messengers (to Lot): 12Do you have anyone else here in the citysons-in-law, sons, daughters, or any other members of your familywhom you want to save? This falling down upon the houses, and upon the soil charged with combustible matter, caused a conflagration so sudden and widespread that few or none could escape. 3And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. Well never find a suitable husband around here. In fact, their drive to commit violent sexual assault was so great the Bible records, Then they pressed hard against the man Lot, and drew near to break the door down (Genesis 19:9b). The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was not simply because the city was full of homosexuality. (T) Get them out of here, 13because we(U) are going to destroy this place. Care was therefore taken for saving Lot and his family. Their story parallels the Genesis flood narrative in In the passage, Jesus was teaching in the Second Temple after coming from the Mount of Olives. Perhaps it is to mourn the past. WebWhy Did God Really Destroy Sodom and Gomorrah Genesis Chapter 18:16-21 NIV@TheWayTruthandLifeIsJesus Share The outcry to the LORD against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it.. Lot lingered; he trifled. He knew the Judge of all the earth would do right. So, feel free to use this information and benefit from expert answers to the questions you are interested in! 11Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, young and old, with blindness(S) so that they could not find the door. The Scripture History Relating to the Overthrow of Sodom & Gomorrah. Isaiah gave a prophecy against Judah and Jerusalem, because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence, For the look on their faces bears witness against them; they proclaim their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. (E) 2My lords, he said, please turn aside to your servants house. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen. (AA), 16When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters(AB) and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. Get the BEST VALUE in digital Bible study as you prepare for Easter. The full account of what happened to the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah is in Genesis chapters eighteen and nineteen, with a brief mention earlier in chapter thirteen. Abraham travelled many miles in the company of his nephew Lot. Both men prospered, which led to conflict between their shepherds. They needed to cease their sojourns. As for the title of your question, why were the cities destroyed? and my soul shall live. And as Judah is being compared here not only with Sodom but also with Samaria (capital of the kingdom of the northern Ten Tribes before they were carried away captive into Assyria) in this chapter, it's being phrased as a reminder and a comparison to things that the reader should already be familiar with. (AV) 28He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace. But Lots wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. Lot must flee for his life. God is not willing that anyone should perish, and has His hand outstretched, asking everyone to choose to have a relationship with Him forever. The citizens of Sodom wanted to assault the two angels who came to Sodom. But I'm just being nit-picky I guess. 24Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur(AN) on Sodom and Gomorrah(AO)from the Lord out of the heavens. (AD) Dont look back,(AE) and dont stop anywhere in the plain! (2) Are there any opposing views on the subject. According to Genesis 19:5, They called to Lot, Where are the men who came to you tonight? Therefore, the reference to their wickedness and ordained destruction by God beforehand (in Genesis 13:13 and 18:20) is entirely appropriate, because it was sexual sin (in this case homosexuality) which God considered grievous or grave, then later condemned and destroyed Sodom (and the other cities of the plain) for. In the book of the prophet Ezekiel, God shared more perspective on that ancient event with the people of Judah as He worked to convict them of sin. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. We saw them go in with you! of For they have brought evil on themselves (Isaiah 3:8-9). 26But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. How were they different from every other nation to exist that is full of sinners, and what led to them being wiped off the map. Bring them out here. First, the extent of Gods destruction was so great they had to flee to a smaller city some distance away not to get swept away. This The righteous Lot understood that despite the difficulties facing him without a home, getting to keep his life and his standing with God was worth much more than anything the cities of vice offered. (AC) 17As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, Flee for your lives! God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah as punishment for their wickedness, their lack of repentance, and to stop their evil from spreading. Was it just for sexual immorality? Our experts have done a research to get accurate and detailed answers for you. Lot saw them and rose to meet them and [] bowed down with his [] face to the ground. 12And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? Why was Lots wife turned into a pillar of salt? Please, let me go there instead. How then did Christ make intercession for transgressors? (AP) 25Thus he overthrew those cities(AQ) and the entire plain,(AR) destroying all those living in the citiesand also the vegetation in the land. Pellegrino, Charles. 6And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him. S Ge 17:3; 48:12; Ru 2:10; 1Sa 25:23; 2Sa 14:33; 2Ki 2:15, S Ge 13:13; Lev 18:22; Dt 23:18; Jdg 19:22; Ro 1:24-27, Ex 12:29; 2Sa 24:16; 2Ki 19:35; 1Ch 21:12; 2Ch 32:21, 1Ch 21:15; Ps 78:49; Jer 21:12; 25:18; 44:22; 51:45, Ex 9:21; 1Ki 13:18; Jer 5:12; 43:2; Lk 17:28, Nu 16:26; Job 21:18; Ps 58:9; 73:19; 90:5, Ge 24:12; 39:21; 40:14; 47:29; Ru 1:8; 2:20; 3:10, Job 18:15; Ps 11:6; Isa 30:33; 34:9; Eze 38:22, Dt 29:23; Isa 1:9; 13:19; Jer 49:18; 50:40; Am 4:11, S Ge 18:17; S Lev 10:2; S Mt 10:15; Lk 17:29, Ps 107:34; Isa 1:10; Jer 20:16; 23:14; La 4:6; Eze 16:48. Philosophically, vanity may be a broader form of egotism and pride. The full account of what happened to the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah is in Genesis chapters eighteen and nineteen, with a brief mention earlier in chapter thirteen. Through a limited, wordly, human perspective, that can seem difficult to accept. / Ezekiel 16:49 1,906 views Nov 7, 2019 Why did God destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah? Noah's Ark (Hebrew: ; Biblical Hebrew: Tevat Noa) is the vessel in the Genesis flood narrative (Genesis chapters 69) through which God spares Noah, his family, and examples of all the world's animals from a world-engulfing flood. Vote Up (AW), 29So when God destroyed the cities of the plain,(AX) he remembered(AY) Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe(AZ) that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived. Because of the immense outcry the Eternal One has received regarding the depravity of this city, the Eternal has sent us here to destroy it. Lot pleaded with the crowd to reconsider, even offering his two virgin daughters in place of the two visiting men, whose angelic identity was apparently unknown to the lustful sodomites. 25He destroyed both cities, along with the other villages and towns in the valley and all of the people who lived thereeven the vegetation was wiped out! 22Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. As Genesis 19:11-13 states, Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, young and old, with blindness so that they could not find the door. It seems that Ezekiel is turning the traditional interpretation on its head, although there is certainly room for argument in the phrase "did detestable things before me". Sodom and Gomorrah were cities mentioned in Genesis, notorious for their flagrant sin. Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.(M), 6Lot went outside to meet them(N) and shut the door behind him 7and said, No, my friends. 12And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1997. (X) But his sons-in-law thought he was joking. The story of Sodom and Gomorrahs destruction is among the more well-known tales of the Old Testament. (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.). Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. While their willingness to assault strangers was deeply evil, the hardened hearts of the people of these cities blinded them to the opportunity to repent and change. Share This is a question our experts keep getting from time to time. 19The two angels(A) arrived at Sodom(B) in the evening, and Lot(C) was sitting in the gateway of the city. Are there historical accounts of the character of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah? 8Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. He was afraid to stay in Zoar, so he and his daughters made their home in a cave. PTIJ Should we be afraid of Artificial Intelligence? Want to improve this question? WebPillar of salt may refer to: The pillar of salt into which Lot's wife was transformed in the Biblical account of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. We know from earlier in 3And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. Bethany Verrett is a freelance writer who uses her passion for God, reading, and writing to glorify God. 23The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. 3But Lot persisted and urged them to come home with him and enjoy his hospitality. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. No, they answered, we will spend the night in the square.. What does the Bible say about lust? A few verses later God concedes to Abraham and says, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it," which leads us to believe that not only were the people so wicked in Sodom, but not even 10 were found to be righteous. . (to each other) Look, this guy came to our city as a stranger. 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