4 Inconvenient Truths about Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible..... Clarence L. Haynes Jr.

 

4 Inconvenient Truths about Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible

• Clarence L. Haynes Jr.

Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens. Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, destroying all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land. – Genesis 19:24-25

This is the end of Sodom and Gomorrah—the moment when God executed judgment on them and the surrounding cities. But how did we get there? 

In getting to this end, you will discover what I will call some inconvenient truths about Sodom and Gomorrah. The truths are inconvenient because we don’t want to acknowledge them or simply because, sometimes, we forget them.

In the Bible, the beauty of the Scriptures is that God gives you truth...sometimes it feels good, and sometimes it doesn’t. As they say in church, sometimes you say ‘amen,’ and if you can’t say ‘amen,’ say ‘ouch.’

This story is filled with those types of moments.

The Background of Sodom and Gomorrah

You cannot look at the story of Sodom and Gomorrah without considering Lot, who was Abraham’s nephew. He is really the person in the story you root for.

Because of his connection to Abraham and because you like Abraham, you tend to root for Lot.

However, what you see in Lot is a series of bad decisions that become the foundation for these inconvenient truths.

Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible was defined by one word…wicked.

Now the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord. – Genesis 13:13

Despite the wickedness of the city, for some reason Lot was drawn to live near this city which leads us to the first of four inconvenient truths in this biblical account:

Truth #1: You can’t decide to live near sin and think it won’t affect you.

Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom – Genesis 13:12

Lot pitched his tents near Sodom. Notice he did not live in the city but was somewhere outside the city. Yet the influence of Sodom would soon impact Lot’s life. In the New Testament Paul reminds us:

Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” – 1 Corinthians 15:33

This is exactly what happened to Lot. If you fast forward in this story, notice where the angels find Lot when they go to rescue him. 

The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. – Genesis 19:1

Lot was no longer outside the city or near the city, he was sitting in the gateway of the city. This was no small thing. It was an indication that he was a leader in the city.

Lot went from being an outsider to being a leader in a city where the people sinned greatly against God. Clearly, he either disregarded or participated in the depravity of this city. Either way, the influence of sin either seared his conscience (so he no longer saw sin in the same way) or it allowed him to be a participant.

The lesson here for you and I is: if you hang around sin long enough it can become normalized. When this happens, what should be appalling and repulsive reaches the point of being acceptable.

What’s fascinating about Lot’s story is that he had the opportunity to choose where he wanted to go and he chose to live near the people of Sodom. How could he think that the influence of the city would not come near him and impact him?

The same is true for us.

We should never be so foolish to think that we can pitch our tents near bad influences all the time and they will have no effect. Lot made this bad decision, and too often, many Christians make the same bad choice. If I could say it in one thought, anything that is constantly around you will eventually impact you.

So be wise where you pitch your tent.

Truth #2: Lot was just as depraved as everyone else in Sodom.

I know we don’t often think of Lot in these terms. After all, he is Abraham’s nephew. But Lot was just as depraved as the people of Sodom. Consider this discourse in Genesis which shows you his depravity.

Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom—both young and old—surrounded the house. They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.” Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing. Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.” – Genesis 19:4-8

I am a father of two children, one boy and one girl. There is no way I am offering my daughter to any man or group of men to have their way with her. You would literally have to kill me first.

However, this is what Lot did.

This shows you the depravity of his mind and how he had been impacted by living in Sodom. Lot was not saved because he was a righteous man. He was saved because God was merciful to Abraham.

If anything this should remind you to never stop praying for those wayward family members, because God hears those prayers.

Truth #3: God’s grace does have an expiration date.

Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous – Genesis 18:20

Because of the sin happening in the city, God had to respond. If there are words to describe God the first ones that come to mind are usually loving, gracious, merciful, and kind. In fact, Paul tells us:

Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? – Romans 2:4

Yet as merciful, patient, and gracious as God is—there is a point where God’s grace has an expiration date. This is what happened in Sodom.

While we’re not sure of the exact population, we know Sodom and Gomorrah were part of five cities that made up the plain of Jordan in this area. Regardless of the size of those cities, here is a stunning truth about Sodom and Gomorrah. The Bible lets us know there weren’t even 10 righteous people in the entire city. God promised Abraham he would not destroy the city if there were 10 righteous people in the city.

Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?” He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.” – Genesis 18:32

Well, we know what happened. This speaks to the great depravity and wickedness that existed in this city. Not only were they not righteous, they sinned greatly against God. The wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah made it impossible for God to extend any further grace towards this city.

We must be very careful not to take the grace of God for granted. God is still the final judge. For those who choose not to repent (like Sodom and Gomorrah), there will come a day when God’s grace towards you will expire and you will have to pay the price for your sin.

Truth #4: Prosperity is not always a sign that God is pleased.

Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) – Genesis 13:11

When you live in a farming and herding community, you want well-watered plains. This is a sign of fertile land, useful for growing crops and herding cattle. In other words, this is a land that is flowing with the potential for great prosperity. This is a land that is prime for overflow.

However, this land (as fertile as it was), was also a prime candidate for the judgment of God. 

Too often in our world, we equate economic or financial success with God’s blessing, or as an indication that God is pleased with our lives. While in a sense, economic or financial success is a blessing from God—it is by no means an indication that God is pleased with your life.

This is probably one of the hardest and most inconvenient truths from Sodom and Gomorrah. The Bible says: 

He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. – Matthew 5:45

Let’s not be so callous as to think that our bank accounts, and what we have, are evidence that God is with us and for us. It simply is not true. This is true of individuals, families—even nations. 

God’s favor and blessing will always rest on those who honor God and do what he desires. This may not be a pleasant truth to some, but it is the truth, nonetheless.

Conclusion

How do you sum up the inconvenient truths of Sodom and Gomorrah? The Bible gives us the answer in one of my favorite verses:

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. – Joshua 1:8

Love God. Love his word. Do what it says. If you do that you will never see or experience the hand of judgment like the people of Sodom and Gomorrah.

I Will Strengthen Thee ..... Streams in the Desert

 I Will Strengthen Thee 

Streams in the Desert

They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn and grow as the vine (Hosea 14:7).

The day closed with heavy showers. The plants in my garden were beaten down before the pelting storm, and I saw one flower that I had admired for its beauty and loved for its fragrance exposed to the pitiless storm. The flower fell, shut up its petals, dropped its head; and I saw that all its glory was gone. "I must wait till next year," I said, "before I see that beautiful thing again."

That night passed, and morning came; the sun shone again, and the morning brought strength to the flower. The light looked at it, and the flower looked at the light. There was contact and communion, and power passed into the flower. It held up its head, opened its petals, regained its glory, and seemed fairer than before. I wonder how it took place--this feeble thing coming into contact with the strong thing, and gaining strength!

I cannot tell how it is that I should be able to receive into my being a power to do and to bear by communion with God, but I know It is a fact. Are you in peril through some crushing, heavy trial? Seek this communion with Christ, and you will receive strength and be able to conquer. "I will strengthen thee."

YESTERDAY'S GRIEF

The rain that fell a-yesterday is ruby on the roses,
Silver on the poplar leaf, and gold on willow stem;
The grief that chanced a-yesterday is silence that incloses
Holy loves when time and change shall never trouble them.

The rain that fell a-yesterday makes all the hillsides glisten,
Coral on the laurel and beryl on the grass;
The grief that chanced a-yesterday has taught the soul to listen
For whispers of eternity in all the winds that pass.

O faint-of-heart, storm-beaten, this rain will gleam tomorrow,
Flame within the columbine and jewels on the thorn,
Heaven in the forget-me-not; though sorrow now be sorrow,
Yet sorrow shall be, beauty in the magic of the morn.
--Katherine Lee Bates

When God Looks on Us with Favor ..... Dr. Charles Stanley

When God Looks on Us with Favor

Dr. Charles Stanley

Isaiah 66:1-2

Believers are always under the canopy of God’s grace and love. Nothing we do can change that. At the same time, our behavior and heart condition do determine whether we receive the fullness of His blessings. Today’s passage teaches us how to experience the Father’s favor.

First, He desires that we have a contrite heart and a humble spirit (Ps. 51:17). For that to be the case, all aspects of our lives must be surrendered to Jesus. Yet some dreams, desires, and people are difficult to release into His hands.

Anything we do not give over to His authority is evidence of pride, the exact opposite of what our Father wants in His children. Remember that “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Lack of submission proves that we think our way is better than His plan.

Second, God tells us to tremble at His Word (Isa. 66:2). Scripture—the unfolding revelation of Jesus Himself—is living and powerful to teach and transform us. Consider how we treat this treasure. Do we devote time each day to know what the Bible says and how to apply its principles? Do we hunger for more of the Word in our lives so we can know its Author better? One measure of our reverence is obedience: to honor the Lord, we must obey Him.

We all desire God’s favor. Are you living in a manner that positions you to receive His full blessings? Prayerfully consider whether you have submitted all areas of your life—from finances and health to relationships and work habits—to Jesus Christ. Recognize His authority in all things, and revere His Word.

Worries Turned into Worship..... LARA CASEY

 Worries Turned into Worship

LARA CASEY

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NIV)

I burned soup. Soup! I put the milk in the pantry. The lettuce, too. The eggs would have landed in the freezer if it hadn’t been for my 8-year-old daughter walking by: “Mom, what are you doing?”

I was trying.
Trying to be present.
Trying to keep everyone happy.
Trying to finish my to-do list.
And, despite my efforts, the only thing that felt done was me.

This has been the year of the burned dinner.
The year our plans didn’t go as planned.
The year the world turned upside down.

The year of endless opportunities for worry — hence the charred soup and romaine in the pantry.

As the fridge door shut on the eggs, I was already halfway to my bedside table. I opened my Bible and settled right on the floor, journal and pen in hand. I needed to write the Word — the actual words of Scripture.

My verses for the day:

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior” (Habakkuk 3:17-18).

The world quieted around me as my pen turned living words into swoops of ink. Every word of Scripture I laid down on the page became written on my heart, too.

I wrestled with the words as I wrote them. How could Habakkuk worship the Lord when everything around him felt like it was falling apart? Failed crops would have been enough, but his hypothetical list went on.

Habakkuk’s name means “one who embraces” or “wrestles” — one who wrestles with his thoughts and God. He complained to God at first, but what intrigued me most was that his wrestling eventually turned into worship, trust and praise.

When it feels like things are falling apart, my natural instinct is to complain, too. Complaints can be clues. God tells us in His Word that out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45) A complaining mouth is a clue our heart needs intentional and tender nurturing.

Writing Habakkuk’s words, I remembered what he finally knew, too: God is in control. No matter what happens in the world, no matter what worries are on our hearts, God has already won the battle.

When life feels undone and plans seem unclear, we say, God, I trust You.
When we’re waiting, we say, Your will be done.
When we feel lost or alone, we say, God, You are in this place.
When the world presses in on us, we say, Lord, You are mighty.

And when our minds are full and our souls feel empty, we say, God, You have what I need. Lead me to Your feet.

God doesn’t need you to be perfect or worry free; He just needs your willing heart. Open your Bible, right where you are, in the midst of it all. Remember who God is every day as you write the Word and turn your heart to a place of worship.

Lord, thank You for giving us Your Word! Thank You for meeting us right where we are and helping us remember the Truth: You are in control and always near to us. Help us bring our worries to You and turn them into worship. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Isaiah 25:1, “LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.” (NIV)

Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (NIV)

Abounding in Thanksgiving in a World of Grumbling..... by Mike Pohlman

 Abounding in Thanksgiving in a World of Grumbling

by Mike Pohlman

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. - Colossians 2:6-7

My family and I just completed our first full week in our new home in Richmond, Virginia after leaving Los Angeles to begin my new job. And if I’m honest I cannot say I’ve been “abounding in thanksgiving” over the last several days. No. In fact, “abounding in grumbling” may be the more accurate phrase to describe my disposition of late. I’ve grumbled about the weather, traffic, leaves, the movers and a myriad of other things petty and not-so-petty. None of this grumbling, however, has been constructive or justified. And, most importantly, it’s been sinful.

To help combat this steady bombardment of grumbling I corralled our children the other night for a family time of thanksgiving. You’ve probably practiced this exercise many times as well: go from person-to-person and highlight things you’re thankful for (it’s tough to grumble when you pause to consider the many blessings in your life).

It took my nine-year-old Samuel some time to get warmed up, but eventually he offered a short list of things he’s thankful for, including our new church. Anna was next. What would our seven-year-old daughter express gratitude for? Her new neighbor friends across the street and the Bible. Good stuff. Finally it was John’s turn. He echoed his big brother on some things and agreed with Anna that the neighbors are great, and then with the zeal of most six-year-old boys who love sports, Johnny thanked God for his new basketball hoop out front (and proceeded to remind me of how he beat me in “21” over the weekend, 21 to 17). As Julia left to put our newborn down for the night, I shared with the kids several things I was thankful for. But it wasn't until the next day that I realized the inadequacy of my list.

While I voiced gratitude for God generally, I failed to highlight specific attributes of God that, when I consider them, cause me to “abound in thanksgiving.” Driving to work the next morning I found myself asking, “What is it about God that I am most grateful for?”

The one attribute of God that flooded my heart and mind was His providence—the fact that He orchestrates everything in my life for His glory and my good. It’s the promise of Romans 8:28: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

In his helpful book, Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate, Jerry Bridges applies Romans 8:28 to the sin of ingratitude. He counsels: “The meaning is that God causes all things to work together for good; for ‘things’—that is, circumstances—do not work together for good themselves. Rather, God directs the outcome of those circumstances for our good.” And what is the “good” God is working? Christlikeness. Indeed, all of our circumstances God uses as a means of our sanctification. I began to abound in thanksgiving as I visualized God as the great conductor over my circumstances, using them as an instrument for my growth in grace.

This Thanksgiving holiday I want me and my family to be “abounding in thanksgiving.” And for this to happen I know being thankful for God in a merely general sense will not suffice. We need to meditate on some particular glories of our great God—not least of which is His sweet providence over our lives. For this I am most grateful.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Take a moment this Thanksgiving and ask yourself, “What specific attribute of God am I grateful for?” Perhaps you’ll recall His love or mercy or grace or forgiveness or patience or wrath or providence. Challenge your mind to meditate on, and prayerfully consider, some particular glory of God as a means of abounding in thanksgiving

He Is Near to the Brokenhearted ..... by Lynette Kittle

 He Is Near to the Brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18)

by Lynette Kittle

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” – Psalm 34:18

In much of Christian content and chatter, it’s easy to believe that God is looking for the strong, the go-getters, the over-achievers in life. Many individuals and groups assert that He is closer to those who are strong, to those who are achieving their goals and making things happen around them, the “Movers and the Shakers” of the faith.

Perhaps you’ve believed it, too? At your lowest points, maybe you’ve doubted if God is close by, or wondered if He’s turned His back on you?

When looking at Scripture, we realize God never turns his back on his children. So much is written of God’s heart towards those who are weak, broken, and in despair.

Jeremiah 31:25 states how God wants to refresh the weary and satisfy the faint. Isaiah 40:29 also reveals His compassion, describing how “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”

Often when experiencing heartbreak, disappointments, setbacks, weakness, weariness, and more, it’s easy to feel like God isn’t near, like He doesn’t care or even has time for you.

Yet Psalm 147:3 assures that, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

Still, it’s too easy to feel hopeless and fearful believing there is no one around to help you.

Nevertheless, Isaiah 41:10 encourages you to “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Through His Word, God reaches out over and over again to the weary and despondent.

Scripture describes how the Apostle Paul dealt with an ongoing weakness, yet reassures of God’s presence in the midst of it. 2 Corinthians 12:9 states, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

During discouraging times, 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 encourages you to remember God is with you, even if you are hard-pressed on every side, you’re not crushed. If you’re feeling perplexed you don’t have to be in despair, and if you are being persecuted, you can be confident God has not abandoned you. Even if you have been struck down, because God is with you, you are not destroyed.

Psalm 73:28 tells us that it is good to draw near to God. So take heart today in the knowledge he always closely present in your life.

A Prayer to Recognize False Teaching..... By: Emily Rose Massey

 A Prayer to Recognize False Teaching

By: Emily Rose Massey

"As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life. These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him" - (1 John 2:24-27 NASB).

Charles Spurgeon once said: “Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right.”

Living in the age of information literally at our fingertips as well as the reality of “fake news” means that sometimes it can be overwhelming to wade through what is true and what is not. This is also true for Christians when it comes to what is being proclaimed as truth from the pulpit.

False teaching distorts the Bible and your view about God. Most often, false teaching is a sticky trap for the undiscerning; It is subtle because it is often masked in truth yet mixed with error, so we let our guard down because we recognize the truth in it. Soon that error will begin to distort the truth you may already know. Deception is often progressive.

The only way we can avoid the trap of deception is to abide in God’s Word daily and be serious students of the Bible, for it is a light unto our path and lamp unto our path (Psalms 119:105). Thankfully, we are not left alone in our studying of scripture; We have been given the precious gift of the Holy Spirit, who is our great Teacher. The Apostle John admonishes us in his first letter to abide in the truth and promise of eternal life and the gift of the Holy Spirit:

"As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life. These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him"
(1 John 2:24-27 NASB).

At the root, we will find the fruit produced from false teaching will inevitably be bad because bad trees do not produce good fruit. The fruit of false teaching will not nourish one’s soul or renew one’s mind in the long-run because even a little error mixed in with a lot of truth will leave you starving and lead you astray in the end caught up in the thorns and briars of deception.

Jesus gave us direction in John 15 as well that can ensure that we are protected against deception:

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (vs 5, NASB).

May we abide in the Lord and abide in His Word our great Teacher, the Holy Spirit, will teach us and help us discern what is right and almost right.

Lord, we know the enemy is the father of lies and he wants nothing more than to bring confusion by mixing truth with error. He often tries to mask himself as an angel of light so we pray that you would give us eyes to see through his lies that are masquerading as truth.

Father, we thank You that You are a giver of good gifts and so we thank You for sending us the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth and helps us discern all things.

We ask that You would create in us a deep hunger in our hearts to help us be students of scripture. We pray that You would give us the discernment and wisdom to always line up what we are hearing and thinking with Your Holy Word.

We abide in Jesus who is the Vine so that we can produce fruit that lasts and that we can point others to You and Your truth.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen

WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL THANKFUL..... Pastor Jeff Schreve

 WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL THANKFUL

Pastor Jeff Schreve

He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me.
Psalms 50:23

What do you do when your life is going south? What do you do when it is “THANKSGIVING” and you have just lost a loved one… or just lost your job… or just lost your marriage? Surely you cannot be expected to give thanks… can you?

Sometimes thanksgiving is a sacrifice.  Sometimes we must thank God through clenched teeth and chocked back tears. Thanksgiving in the midst of a terrible storm brings tremendous joy to His heart. It shows the Lord that we really trust Him… regardless of the adverse circumstances we are facing.

THE THANKSGIVING CONSTANT

Perhaps you are one this year who is having trouble finding good in your life. Look no further than Jesus. He never changes. Despite everything you might be facing, you can rejoice in Him. You can give thanks for Him and His love and care for you. You can give thanks that He promised to work all things together for good.

Train yourself to give thanks in everything. Remember… a sacrifice of thanksgiving brings honor to the Lord. Thank Him for that trial you are facing. Thank Him for that sorrow. He will use your thanks for His glory and your ultimate good!