Sodom and Gomorrah

1Some Important Stuff we Missed…

• God marks the importance of the Covenant with Abram in two ways
• God changes the names of Abram and Sarai
• God introduces circumcision
• The promise of Isaac
• The most significant part of this story is found in the first sentence: “When Abram was ninety-nine years old…”
• Thirteen years have passed since the last episode
• Abram and Sarai were becoming impatient with the Lord’s promise
• Abram and Sarai concocted a way for God to keep his promise of a son.
• Abram and Hagar (the Egyptian maid) attempted to have a son.
• A son was born and called Ishmael.
• Ishmael means “God has heard”
• For 13 years, Ishmael has been Abram’s focus for an heir and a nation
• God introduces himself in a unique name
• El Shaddai is obscure in its true meaning
• This title is used only here in the book of Genesis, Exodus 6:3, and Ezekiel 10:5.
• Each time God introduces Himself with this name, it indicates a meaning of keeping promises concerning descendants.
• “Shaddai evokes the idea that God is able to make the barren fertile and to fulfill his promises.” (Wenham)
• Abram hears the renewal of the Covenant and responds by laughing 17:16
• The sign of the Abrahamic Covenant:

2There were two signs of the Abrahamic Covenant

3Changing of Sarai to Sarah and Abram to Abraham

• The sign of circumcision
• This is typically referred to as the “sign of the covenant” 17:11
  • Later performed on boys of 8 days of age
  • Circumcision was not only a sign of the promise of the Covenant alone
  • It became as important as Passover and the Shabbot
  • Circumcision clearly became a reminder of the status of people called of the Lord and obligations of that people to keep His Law.
  • Criticism of the prophets prompted them to describe the Israelites as being “uncircumcised in heart and ears (Jer.6:10; 9:24-25; etc.)
  • To love God with all heart, soul, and might was a part of this ritual.
  • The main point of the story – Abram was 99 years old
• Made clear 2 times in story – beginning (v.1) and end v.24
  • Clearly, time is a non-issue to God

4The Three Visitors

• Abraham is visited by three guests 18:1-7
  • They made their appearance during Abraham’s siesta (the hottest part of the day – after he has finished his work)
  • The wording seems to indicate that they appeared “supernaturally” (“Abraham looked up and saw…standing”)
  • Hospitality in the ANE was highly regarded and expected from honorable people
  • Abraham greeted them with lofty language – treating them with utmost respect and honor
  • Abraham backs his greeting with further hospitality in offering them food
• …We will get back to the “Child of Laughter” later… July 14
  • The identity of the men are clarified through their roles
• At the beginning, the reader is enlightened as to the identity of the men in the words, “The Lord appeared…” 18:1
  • There are three men in all, but the wording varies from singular (speaking to a leader?) to plural (speaking of the group?)
  • Finally, as the story progresses, the reader is made to assume that the leader of the group is a pre-incarnate Christ (Christophany) and the others are angels
  • The writing refers to “the men stood up…but the Lord thought” (18:16-17, 20)
• When they arrive in Sodom, they are called angels 19:1
  • Note, there are only two men by the time they get to Sodom
  • Perhaps there were only two men because Jesus Christ could not endure such presence of sin? (Wenham)
• The visitors notice Sodom and the reader is targeted v.16-20
  • Intentionally, the reader is drawn to the city of Sodom immediately after dinner (v.16). This is so the reader can know that something is afoot.
• The reader is invited to “hear” the thoughts of God v.17-19
  • The reader is now wiser about events than Abraham
  • The structure is eerily close to that of pre-flood writing – judgment is coming
  • The reason for judgment is eerily close to that of Abel’s cry for justice – as with Cain; sin is remaining unpunished
  • The setting is laid and the scene turns ominous even though nothing is said about Sodom’s fate (20-23)

5Abraham intercedes for Sodom

• Abraham is invited into the divine briefing because of his honorable status as the Father of Nations v.18-19
• Abraham begins with a nice round number 18:26
  • 50 probably represents a “half” concept regarding the city’s population
  • The Lord seems to be getting tired of the bargaining by verse 31 – he starts using the word “ruin”
  • Reasons for the bargaining session
  • God’s blessings flow over from the righteous to the unrighteous (giving what they don’t deserve: Grace)
  • God’s mercy resides upon the righteous – those around receive the benefits of His mercy (Not giving what they do deserve: Mercy)
  • Abraham takes on a prophet’s role to intercede for those in need

6The Angels Visit the City of Sin

• Lot is sitting in the gateway of the city
• This is typically reserved for those of high honor in the city
• It is interesting that no other elders of the city are mentioned
• Some believe that Lot has been estranged from the inhabitants of the city and that is why only he is mentioned
• Some believe that Lot is mentioned alone here simply because this is a normal practice of biblical writing – the other people are consequential
• The angels refuse lodging for the night in Lot’s house
• Offering food and lodging was very expected and natural in the ANE
• This only adds to the questions in the reader’s head

• Why are there not three angels?

• Why would the angels refuse lodging?

• Lot insists on the angels staying with him
• Lot “pressed” them to stay – “to urge, to insist”
• “Very” indicates an arm-twisting idea

7The Depravity of the City of Sodom

• The writer is intentional in describing the depravity of the city of Sodom
• “The whole population…young and old…” 19:1-4
  • It becomes clear that Lot may be the only righteous person in Sodom
  • The language seems to indicate a homosexuality was the nature of the attack
  • “To know” is a typical reference to sexual relationships
  • This fact is only highlighted by the fact that Lot brought his daughters into the conversation by referring to them as “virgins”
  • This sin is made greater by implying an impending rape
  • This was a greater offence in that it is completely at odds with the norms of all oriental hospitality
  • This was a dual offence (homosexuality and taking advantage of visitors to the city against their will)
• Lot attempts to scatter the mob v.6-7
  • Lot shows a great deal of bravery
  • He takes on the mob by himself
  • He shuts the door behind him cutting off his escape route and placing him between the mob and his guests
  • Lot resorts to sacrificing his daughters to the mob
  • Lot is committed to protecting his guests
  • Certainly, the reader is meant to be taken back by this offer, but it does show how committed he was to being a good host
• Lot is pushed aside and the guests begin to “batter down the door” v.9
• The “guests” reveal their true identity by taking Lot aside and striking the assailants with blindness v.10-11
  • Even in their blindness, they couldn’t find the door
  • They were still trying to find the door!

  • Why didn’t they go home?

  • They were probably more than simply “blind”, at least one of them should have found the door. God obviously intervened in more than one way here.

8Judgment is Impending upon Sodom

• The angels call Lot’s family to safety v.12-22
  • Lot is instructed not to look back
  • This probably indicates that he should move in hast
  • To be taken literally
  • Lot replies “no Lord”
  • Perhaps this means that the Lord has joined the group again
  • Perhaps this simply means a note of respect paid to the guests
  • This language is intended to be mysterious
  • Not even Lot’s sons in law would believe Lot – no resident of the city took his warning of judgment seriously (not even 10)
  • Lot offers to escape to a smaller city
  • His escape there is justified because it is small…so that he can survive
  • His escape there is not offered because it is righteous
    • NOTE: even in his escape, he is still showing a selfish motivation

9Sodom is Reduced to Rubble in the Wrath of God

• Sodom is destroyed by fire from heaven v.23-26
  • This is probably raining liquid sulfer
  • Some believe that this is the start of the Dead Sea (it was in the southern region that Sodom was believed to have existed)
• Note the condition of the land before judgment 13:10
  • Note the condition of the land after judgment
• Lot’s wife shows a lack of obedience to the command of God v.25-26
  • She forfeited her God-given salvation
  • She identified herself with the town’s inhabitants by looking back
  • Lot is viewed even more as a destroyed person
  • Lot’s wife is portrayed as a wife not wholly given to her husband
  • The conclusion takes place as the beginning takes place (27-28)
  • Abraham looks over the plain
  • This time, Abraham sees the destruction of sin and the wrath of God
  • God is pictured in his mercy once again
  • The story concludes as with the Noah narrative (Wenham)
  • Noah’s sacrifice makes atonement for the earth
  • Abraham’s prayer leads to the salvation of Lot
  • …and that is not the only way these stories conclude similarly…

10The Results of Sodom upon Lot’s Family

• Similarities are obvious between the final episodes in the Noah narrative and the Sodom & Gomorrah narrative (30-38)
• The heroes drink too much
• The children sin against both of them
• Both occurrences have ongoing effects to future generations
• Lot’s daughters seem very influenced by their former city environment
• Lot moves from Zoar to the caves (maybe because he was not so certain that Zoar would remain unaffected by the wrath of God?)
• Lot was able to move to the caves because everything he had was now gone

• Remember Lot’s great riches? (13:8-11)

• Everything that Lot had gained, sin had now destroyed – including his wife.
• Lot has fallen a long way from God’s grace
• Lot’s daughters conspire to continue the line
• Perhaps this thinking was in light of the fact that they believed there were no more eligible husbands for their father to choose from v.31
  • They may have been so overcome by the utter destruction that they thought there was no more world left
  • They may have been so frightened by what they had just seen that they begin to believe that their lives are in jeapordy
  • She may have been desperate in her mind
  • She exaggerates the effects of the catastrophe
• The purpose of the eldest was clearly to have a child, not to get a husband v.32
• The second daughter moves in on the following night seeing that her sister’s plan had gone so smoothly v.33
• The understood punishment for incest was death Leviticus 20:12
  • The fact that they got their father drunk only underlines their intentional sin
  • Conclusion
  • The reader is left to pity Lot and his pathetic plight
  • The sin of Sodom is referred to throughout Scripture
  • The wrath of God is likened to the judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah (Matthew 10:15; 11:23)
  • The “sin” of Sodom is alluded to in several instances to refer to homosexuality
  • The connection of the Sodom and Gomorrah narrative and the Flood narrative are unmistakable
  • When God remembered Noah, he began to abate the waters
  • When God remembered Abraham (v.29), He rescued Lot
  • Sodom is a picture of the complete depravity of man’s heart
  • Sodom is seen as a foretaste of the awful impending judgment of God upon men
  • In both cases, judgment would be poured out against sin
  • In both cases, there would be utter destruction
  • In both cases, a remnant would be saved

11JUNE 16 & JULY 7, 2002

12Sodom & Gomorrah

• (Genesis 18-19)