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THE DESTRUCTION OF SODOM

Introduction

Chapter nineteen of the book of Genesis is an interesting chapter. There are several different approaches that we might use to look at this chapter. Over the next couple of weeks I want us to look at this chapter from three different perspectives.

1.         Sodom–There is the perspective of God’s judgment of an exceedingly sinful people that should stand as a warning to every city and every nation.

2.         Abraham–There is the perspective of God’s answering the prayers of righteous Abraham.

3.         Lot and his family–There is the perspective of God’s people falling into a spiritual decline that has devastating consequences.

First, I want us to look at this chapter from the standpoint of God’s judgment upon the sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

I.         SODOM’S WICKEDNESS REVEALED.

The sinfulness of Sodom is no surprise as we come to this nineteenth chapter.

            The book of Genesis begins pointing out their sinful condition back in Genesis 13:13–

            “But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.”

Most of the time when we think of Sodom we just think of her heinous sexual sins, primarily, the sin of homosexuality. However, that was only one of Sodom’s sins and actually was a sin that sprang forth from Sodom’s other sins.

That is the way it is most of the time–one sin usually leads to another!

            But what were the sins of Sodom? Turn to Ezekiel 16:49-50.

Ezekiel 16:49-50–“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. 50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.”

            A.        Pride.

                        Pride is arrogance or majesty of self!

                        Pride is when the heart lifts up itself above and against both God and man.

Pride includes vanity, conceit, exalted opinion of self, lower opinion of others, and an exalted view regarding ones own person, appearance or accomplishments.

                        The Bible says that God hates the sin of pride!

Proverbs 6:16-17–“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look. . .”

                        The Bible says that God will judge the sin of pride!

Proverbs 16:5–“Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.”

Pride was the first sin! It was the sin that turned angels into devils!

Isaiah 14:12-15–“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.”

                        It was the sin that plunged all of mankind into sin!

Genesis 3:6–“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”

It is pride that causes a man to say, “I don’t answer to God. I’m not a sinner. After all it was God who made me this way.”

                        To blame one’s perverse ways on God is nothing less than blasphemy.

                        Pride. . .

            B.        Fullness Of Bread (i.e. The Sin Of Gluttony Or Excess).

It was of God’s great mercy that Sodom had plenty, but it was of Sodom’s great sin that she abused the blessings she had been given.

                        1.         They Were Slaves To Their Appetites.

They glutted themselves with those blessings, ate to excess and drank to excess, and that which was given to them to be a blessing to others with, they used to gratify their own lusts.

Hear Paul in Philippians 3:19–“Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)”

                        2.         They Were Drunk.

i.e. Someone who is drunk is under is under the control of what they are drunk with.

                        3.         They Were Sensual.

                                    i.e. They were devoted to pleasing their senses. “If it feels good, do it.”

                                    They were “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.” (2 Timothy 3:4)

                        Pride, Gluttony. . .

            C.        Abundance Of Idleness.

A dread of labor and a love of ease. Their country was fruitful, and the abundance that they had came relatively easily. (Sounds a lot like our country!)

Because of that there was a temptation for them to indulge themselves in slothfulness. Their slothfulness disposed them to all kinds of abominable filthiness. They were idle when they should have been useful.

                        We need to see that if God is not using us, then Satan will!

Idleness is an inlet to much sin. The men of Sodom, who had become idle, were wicked, and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.

Standing waters stagnate and gather filth. In like manner, lives that are idle find time for all kinds of wickedness and ungodliness.

                        Pride. . .Gluttony. . .Idleness. . .

            D.        Oppression.

                        “Neither did she strengthen the hands of the poor and needy.”

                        Though she had much wealth, she did little to help others.

Sometimes, if we are not careful, we will turn our heads the other way and ignore the needs of those around us. We can get so wrapped up in self, that we are blinded to the needs of others.

1 John 3:17-18–“But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”

                        James 2:15-16–“If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?”

            E.        Haughtiness. 

                        Haughtiness means “to soar, that is, to be lofty”

This is closely akin to pride. In fact we could call it the outward manifestation of pride.It is to be blatantly and disdainfully proud.

It is being snobbish, or looking down your nose at others and considering others as riff-raff.

Isaiah 2:11-17

Isaiah 13:11–“And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.”

Proverbs 16:18–“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 18:12–“Before destruction the heart of man is haughty. . .”

            F.        Immorality.

                        “Committed abomination” means to do something morally disgusting.

                        Genesis 19:4-5

So, these were the sins of the Sodomites–Pride, Gluttony, Idleness, Oppression, Haughtiness, and Immorality.

The condition of this city that faced such severe judgment of God should concern us as Americans because the moral condition of our own nation is not far behind Sodom and Gomorrah.

            SODOM’S WICKEDNESS REVEALED.

II.       SODOM’S WAKE-UP CALL NOT REGARDED. (GENESIS 14)

            In Genesis 14 we find Sodom and Gomorrah invaded by several other kings round about.

The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah and those of Sodom and Gomorrah who weren’t captured or killed fled to the mountain. When they did that their cities were looted and some people were taken captive including Lot and all his goods.

Abraham got word of what happened to his nephew and so he came to Lot’s rescue.

He fought against these invaders and was able to gain Lot’s release as well as get back all of the goods and people that had been looted from Sodom and Gomorrah.

Understand that God allowed Sodom and Gomorrah to be invaded to begin with. And, it was all of God’s grace that Sodom and Gomorrah’s goods and people were restored.

            Sometimes God allows some bad things to happen to get our attention.

                        It might be our enemies prevailing over us.

                        It might be an illness.

                        It might be the loss of a loved one.

It might be something else.

            Sometimes God allows some good things to happen to get our attention.

Romans 2:4-5--“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;”

It might be just the day to day goodness of God.

It might be help in a time of need.

                        It might be grace shown by a servant of God.

                        It might be something else.

When we aren’t what we should be with God (whether we are lost or saved), sometimes God uses what we call “the circumstances of life” to get our attention.

            God allowing this to happen should have gotten Lot’s attention, but it didn’t.

God allowing this to happen should also have gotten Sodom and Gomorrah’s attention, but it didn’t.

Proverbs 29:11–“He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”

            SODOM’S WICKEDNESS REVEALED.

SODOM’S WAKE-UP CALL NOT REGARDED.

III.      SODOM’S WOEFUL RECOMPENSE. (19:24-25; 27-28)         

            (Or SODOM’S WORKS REWARDED or SODOM’S WAGES RECEIVED)

Our God is a longsuffering God!

2 Peter 3:9–“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

            But God will judge sin!

Romans 6:23–“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

God is patient, but God’s patience does have an end! Here we see him bringing judgment upon this city and this people who have rejected His knowledge.

            Some might think God to be unjust for his severe judgment upon this sinful city.

However, when the Lord first pointed out the sinful condition of Sodom back in chapter thirteen he did so probably some twenty or more years before chapter nineteen.

            The Lord does not act hastily in his judgment, but is patient, not wanting any to perish.

Conclusion

Genesis 19 should be a warning to anyone and everyone who would live wickedly.

2 Peter 2:6–“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;”

Sin destroyed Sodom long before God ever judged her.

Sins are the termites of our lives. Just as termites slowly and silently destroy a home, so also sin slowly and silently destroys a life.

The judgment of God is like the bulldozer that comes in afterward. It only removes what already has been destroyed.

Has God revealed any wickedness in your life? Maybe you’ve already received a wake-up call from God? What are you doing with it?

When we don’t heed the wake-up calls God gives us, then judgment is soon to come.

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NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!