Genesis 19

 

Bible Gateway Genesis 19 NIV Link:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=19&version=31

 

 

 

OK I might ruffle some feathers on this one, but this is what I take away from this chapter. The Angels were met with hostility, and hate. They were met by every male, young and old, all the people to the last man. They were asking for Lot to turn the guests over to the mob so they could “know them” And we all know what “know” means. However, I do want to drill down on a few points First this passage is about far more than just homosexuality. It is about the sins of Sodom. Remember, the angels are there to destroy the city. The destruction has already been put into action by the angles showing up. This mob is nothing more than a reflection of the sins of Sodom. Every man in Sodom showed up. Not some, not most, not a lot….. every man. Are we then to believe that every man was a homosexual? Of course not, Even San Francisco, which is commonly called the gayest city in the world, does not have 100% participation in Homosexuality by the male community, not even 50%. I bring this up, not to defend homosexuality, but to point out that there was a lot more wrong with Sodom than just homosexuality. As you will see below they were hateful, they were pompous, they were adulterers, and many other things.

 

In Isaiah 1 Judah is compared to Sodom verse 9 reads: “Unless the LORD Almighty , had left us some survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.” So what was Judah accused of that would earn a fate like Sodom? Verse 4 tells us:  “ Ah, sinful nation, a people loaded with guilt, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the LORD; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him.”

We get more insight to Sodom’s sins by comparison to Jerusalem in Jeremiah 23:14     “And among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen something horrible:  They commit adultery and live a lie. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his wickedness. They are all like Sodom to me;…..”

 

 

In Ezekiel Sodom’s sins are clearly pointed out in chapter 16: 49 – 50      " 'Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.  They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.

 

 

Matthew and Luke both in chapter 10 show that Christ promises towns that will not welcome the prophets’ worse punishment than Sodom. SO not receiving the Lord’s disciples is just as bad as anything Sodom did.

 

I bring these points up because I believe it is important to remember there was a lot of evil going on in Sodom, not just homosexuality. Yes, homosexual acts are condemned at other places in the bible for instance in 1 Corinthians 6:9
”Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders” Without a doubt it is a sin.

 

The thing to remember is that Sodom was well on it’s way to being destroyed with or without the homosexuality. There is no gradient scale of sin with the Lord, if we break the least we break the most. That is why I personally have a hard time understanding the sheer hatred towards homosexuals yet the same Christians will hand out a “pass” for lying, adultery, theft, or any other sin. It is all the same. Don’t get me wrong here I am not saying that we should we should had out a “pass” to homosexuals as well, what I am saying is that we should treat that as sin, no better, no worse. It was not the sole reason for the demise of Sodom, and it will not be the sole reason for the destruction of the world on the day of the Lord.

 

At the end of the day we are Christians, we Love, we warn, we forgive, and if a change cannot be made, we leave. It is by the Lord’s grace that we are saved, it is in that grace we must live. That leaves no room for hatred, lest we become the hypocrite that we despise.

 

If I have left anyone with any questions please respond and ask. Sometimes I tend to oversimplify some things and it could be cause for misunderstanding.

 

Peace,

Brian