The Sins of Sodom

I. Introduction (2 Peter 2:4-6)

• In this chapter
• Two angels arrive into the city of Sodom — they had just left having dinner with Abraham in Chapter 18
• Looking for only one man and his family
• To drag them OUT of that city
• So that God could burn everyone and everything in that city to the ground
• Why? Because of its sin!
• There is a lot to be learned from Sodom

“For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly” - 2 Peter 2:4-6

• It is an example to people who wish to live an ungodly lifestyle!

II. Background

• In Chapter 18 of Genesis
• God had appeared with two angels to Abraham to tell him it was finally time for Sarah to have their promised son, Isaac
• And God told Abraham what He was going to do to the entire region of Sodom and Gomorrah

“And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.” - Genesis 18:17-22

• Sodom and Gomorrah were real cities located where the Dead Sea is now
• In a flood plain — flat and very fertile lands for both crops and cattle
• Like the Garden of Eden (Genesis 13:10)

“And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.” - Genesis 13:10

• Sodom means, “Burning”
• Sodom became the word for such a horrific sin as sodomy

“And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.” - 1 Kings 14:24

• This was 1300 years AFTER the destruction of Sodom — people were referred to as sodomites because they were still doing their kind of sins!
• Like people are doing TODAY!

III. Message

A. Lot in the Place of Power (Genesis 19:1)

“And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground” - Genesis 19:1

• Lot is not only IN the city of Sodom (the head and largest city of the five)

• He sits in the gate

  • Lot was at the entrance of the city as a judge, powerful city leader — politician
  • Modern equivalent is, sitting on a “bench” of a court
  • Place of court judgments
  • Lot had become a counsellor, and judge in the city of Sodom — he had become a very important person in society
  • Very wealthy
  • This was the place of financial decisions, where people watched deals being made, and witnessed those deals so they would be honoured

• Lot had followed a very different path than his uncle Abraham

  • Started out alongside his uncle, Abram, choosing to leave Ur, and live by faith in Jehovah, obeying Him, following his uncle
  • Worshipping God along with Abram and Sarai
  • Blessed by God with much cattle and wealth
  • But remember when conflict started between his cattlemen and Abram’s…

• Abram told Lot he could go in any direction and have the first pick of the land, and Abram would go another way, to keep the peace

• Lot chose to go to the plains of Sodom — most fertile fields of grass

“Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.” - Genesis 13:12

• Focused his attention on the lights and wealth of the city of Sodom

• Ends up living IN Sodom (where we find him in chapter 19)

• And Sodom ends up IN his family and his home!

• But Abraham focused on making very different decisions, constantly getting right with God, and learning to wait on God, and letting God bless him and prosper him, and staying IN the Promised Land

B. Two Visitors Arrive (Genesis 19:1)

“And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground” - Genesis 19:1

• Two angels walk into the city of Sodom
  • These had visited Abraham in the previous chapter with THE Angel of the Lord
  • Remember there were three men who met Abraham and told him Sarah was going to have the baby finally?
  • They had travelled about 20 miles east to Sodom
  • Their purpose was to get Lot and his family OUT of Sodom before God destroyed it, along with 4 other cities
• Good looking men — no wings, no glow, yet real angels
• They arrive in the evening — at the end of the day, walking straight into the city of Sodom. The night life was just beginning, and they were walking right into it!

C. Lot’s Worry (Genesis 19:2-3)

“And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. And 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.” - Genesis 19:2-3

• Lot worried about their safety — he knows Sodom and its people were wicked and would hurt these men if they had the chance

• They were not worried

  • These angels were not worried about the demons and evil powers at work in that city — no threat to them!
  • They felt like staying outdoors that night — would have been safe in many other cities, and places in the world
  • But not in Sodom
  • Lot knows this!

• Lot presses (forces) them to come to his home — brings them under his protection

  • Gets them indoors hopefully before anyone else knows that they are there
  • But the men of Sodom noticed these two new men!
  • He feeds them — thinks everything is going to be fine

• Made them a feast, including unleavened bread — bread made in a hurry

• They sat and ate with Lot (their 2nd meal of the day after eating with Abraham)

• It is now 10pm, or later

• It is very dark outside — all the doors are locked

• Lot’s worst nightmare begins!

D. Sodom’s Sins (Genesis 19:4-5)

“But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.” - Genesis 19:4-5

1. All the men of Sodom (19:4)

   • “The men of Sodom” = Sodomites — a Bible word just like Israelites, and Hittites
   • Hundreds and maybe thousands of men
   • The sins of this city permeated the entire city — not just in one area — both young and old — kids and teenagers, and adults, and aged men
   • Remember that Abraham had asked the Lord to spare the city if there were 10 righteous — well, evidently there were none who were not involved in sodomy!

2. Surrounded Lot’s house (19:4) — “compassed”

   • A power move — a threatening move — terrifying to everyone in the house
   • Pumped up all the people outside, like a riot building minute by minute

3. Wanted to do something to those two men (19:5)

   • Yelled Lot’s name!
   • Screamed, “Give those men to us” — give them up to us
   • “That we may ‘KNOW’ them”

E. Sodom’s Desire Was Very Evil (Genesis 19:5-9)

“And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.” - Genesis 19:5

• To “know” someone has several meanings

  • To know means to learn about
  • But how far does it go? How much are you supposed to KNOW?
  • In this situation, it goes way too far!

• The Bible uses careful words to describe things so children can read it and not be defiled

“And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD” - Genesis 4:1

“And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her” - Genesis 24:16

“Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.” - Matthew 1:24-25

• These men KNEW each other in a sexual way, not intellectual way!

“For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.” - Romans 1:26-27

• The Bible’s word is Sodomite and Fornication — a very serious sin
• It is called Homosexuality today — a word invented in 1868
• It is a wicked perversion of sex and the human body

“Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.” - Genesis 13:12-13

• It is sexual perversion — there are many kinds of perversion — more every year!
• It is NOT an alternative lifestyle — it is perversion of design — insulting to God
• Any sexual act outside of marriage

“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” - Hebrews 13:4

• Men with men

“Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” - Leviticus 18:22

“If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” - Leviticus 20:13

• Women with women (Romans 1:22-27)

“Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.” - Romans 1:22-27

• Bestiality

“Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen.” - Deuteronomy 27:21

“Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.” - Leviticus 18:23

• Why does God have to make laws against such things?

• Because without God’s laws, it creeps back into society and defiles it! Brings God’s judgment upon the society!

• Child molestation

“Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.” - Luke 17:1-2

• Incest (1 Corinthians 5)
• Rape (Deuteronomy 22:25)

“But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die” - Deuteronomy 22:25

• No reformation. The death penalty. AMEN!

F. And That is Not All

• What was the start of such behaviour?
• No nation, no city just wakes up and becomes sodomites — there were attitudes and beliefs that all fed into a wicked lifestyle like sodomy

“Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.” - Ezekiel 16:49-50

• God doesn’t mention the homosexuality of Sodom — He mentions the sources of it:

1. Pride / arrogance - an unreasonable belief in your superiority in talents, beauty, wealth, accomplishments, rank or elevation in office, which shows itself in lofty airs, often in contempt of others, looking down on others
2. Abundance of bread — easy successes — wealth
3. Idleness / Laziness — no need for hard work
4. No justice or care for poor and needy — no protective laws or restraining government
5. No need for God — only hedonism — the feeding of your own desires
6. A total dedication to fulfilling your own lusts — worship of your self

• Generations of abuses — by adults on each other, and on the young
• No one just starts off as a Sodomite, just like no one starts off as a drunkard
• More on this next week!

G. Sodomy Abused Everyone It Touched (Genesis 19:6-8)

• It defiled Lot — being in Sodom affected Lot badly!

“And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him” - Genesis 19:6

• LOT TRIES TO REASON WITH THESE WICKED MEN

“And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.” - Genesis 19:7

• Lot offered his own daughters (virgins) in place of the two men

“Behold 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.” - Genesis 19:8

• He protects the two visiting men — probably thought they were business men

• And disregards the life of his own daughters!

• He would have allowed his own DAUGHTERS to be gang raped and brutalized — total numbing of society

• And the total depravity of Lot!

• Treats women like rubbish — rejected — the girls were not wanted by those men

• Sodomy was / is violent (Genesis 19:9) — it is abuse!

• Imagine that crowd, yelling, demanding, beating on that house…

“And they said, Stand back. 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. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.” - Genesis 19:9

• Started to overwhelm Lot’s front door and push their way into his home!
• They were going to take these two men by FORCE!

H. Sex is Protected by God!

• God doesn’t hate sex!
• God doesn’t HATE the sexual parts of your body

“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” - Psalm 139:14

• Your body is not “dirty”

• Your desire to have sex is natural — normal

• It just has to be saved for one person, at marriage!

• And then enjoyed till death when you part!

• He made us to have sex… IN the bounds of one man with one woman for life — MARRIAGE

  • For marriage only — honourable there, in the marriage bed
  • Any sex outside of marriage is called fornication, harlotry, adultery, sodomy

• God expects us to protect marriage and sex within marriage

• Bible believing Christians are not obsessed with sex

  • We are concerned with what perversion of sex does to persons, families, and societies
  • And we are concerned with a culture increasingly willing to destroy itself in the name of autonomy
  • We have the revelation of God about what happens when nations forget God and live as they please!

• Christians and especially churches and preachers should clearly stand up FOR one man, one woman for life! Not “tolerance”

• Laws SHOULD protect people from perverted sexual abuse

  • Governments used to do that — loads of laws against adultery, and pornography, and sodomy

“There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.” - Deuteronomy 23:17

• CHURCHES used to preach against all those sins, and warn of God’s judgment of all who do those things

“But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine” - 1 Timothy 1:8-10

• All those Old Testament moral laws are still valid and good for running a society!

• People who live in this sin, will suffer God’s eternal judgment

“Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” - Jude 1:7

“And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly” - 2 Peter 2:6

IV. Next Week

• What are the consequences of blatant homosexuality?
  • Reprobation
  • Delusions
  • And literal hellfire!
• How to battle the Sodom agenda (the spirit of this world)

V. Conclusion

• What sin stains your life?

  • Homosexuality is not the only one to worry about
  • Pride was the start of all of Sodom’s sins
  • Laziness is a sin, as is discontentment and greed, and pornography
  • Shall I go on?
  • We all are sinful people — there is none righteous — all of us have sinned
  • And are in trouble with Almighty God!

• What can WASH even Sodom’s sin’s stain from you?

  • So many people have messed around and played with sexual perversions — mentally, physically
  • So many have been sexually abused
  • Pushed to transition
  • They are not doomed — unless they do not want to be free

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” - 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” - Romans 5:6

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” - Romans 5:8

• Remember that “the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.” Well, Christ died for all sins!

• One thing only can wash away your sin!

  • Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
  • The death of a perfect man in place of every sin in every man, woman and child

• Christian, flee fornication — no tolerance of it in your life, and in your home! Have nothing to do with “pride” celebrations, and toleration of perversion — speak up against it!