what was the sin of sodom and gomorrah
The first was an outworking of the second. Anonymous. Had there been … No. Answer: The biblical account of Sodom and Gomorrah is recorded in Genesis chapters 18-19. The Bible is not contradicting itself when it states that Sodom and Gomorrah’s sin was sexual immorality and pride (and its related lack of concern for others). All sin is an offense to God and demonstrates mankind’s rebellion against him. 7 0. Your newsletter signup did not work out. But we must keep in mind that God was also ready to show mercy. My goal is simply to figure out what the text intends to teach us. Why was Lotâs wife turned into a pillar of salt? Simply put, even the women of the city were unrighteous and wicked, so the blame cannot simply be on the actions of these men. Some have even postulated that this may be one reason Lot didn’t offer his wife—she was most likely from Sodom, therefore an “insider.” To address the potential question that the rape of the women would not have been as humiliating as the rape of men during this time period and in the Middle East, we need to keep in view what happened about 100 years later in Genesis 34. Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door. Rather than compare Sodom and Gomorrah to other ancient cultures and seek to justify their sexual immorality, Sodom and Gomorrah should be compared to Nineveh during the time of Jonah. They had seen him worship God with Melchizedek (Genesis 14:17-20) and refuse to financially benefit from Sodom’s riches (Genesis 14:21-24). The fact that the men of Sodom so quickly (and unanimously) refused Lot’s offer of his daughters shows that rape could not be the primary sin of the men of Sodom. There are far too many examples of pro-isolationism in the Bible to even consider the notion that isolationism was their problem. They had no interest in sexual relations with women; only after Lot offered them a heterosexual alternative did they then decide that they would now forcefully seize and rape Lot (“deal worse with you”), and this would have been in contrast to the way they had desired to "deal with them." Terms of Service apply. What was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah? So let’s start with examining that position. When you look at passages such as Deuteronomy 32:32-33, Isaiah 3:9-16, Jeremiah 23:14, and Ezekiel 16:49, you see multiple references to Sodom’s (and Israel’s) sin of pride and hatred. Therefore some critics have pointed this out as a Bible contradiction. And we have the legal term sodomy for unnatural sex acts. Before I answer, I just want to make a couple of comments. Sodom and Gomorrah were so infamous for their immorality that God destroyed them by fire (Genesis 19). Sodom and Gomorrah. The people of Nineveh were also wicked (Jonah 1:2) and violent (Jonah 3:8) and yet they were spared because they repented of their evil ways and called on God for forgiveness (Jonah 3:10). The New Testament uses these cities … Other versions, such as the ESV use the terminology “pursued unnatural desire” here. The other men of Sodom learn about the two strangers in their midst. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is closely connected to the story of Abraham and his nephew, Lot. From a biblical inerrancy standpoint, the primary outward sin of Sodom and Gomorrah is definitively settled in the book of Jude which states in Jude 1:7, “as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire”. The people of Sodom ignored all of these things, and rather than be forewarned by them and repent, they continued sinning. For Genesis 19, the ideology is homophobia; the existence of the words 'sodomy' and 'sodomite' testify to its sorry career in Christianity. Try downloading another browser like Chrome or Firefox. (Read full chapter How Do We Know the Bible Is True? In contrast to Lot's gracious hospitality, which includes preparing a feast for his guests, the men surround Lot's house … Even these lexicographers—who may or may not be Bible believers—understand the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah. First, Sodom and Gomorrah were judged because of grave sin. In time, however, many issues arose. Pride is a fountain of many sins because it effectively is saying, “I want what I want, and I will have it regardless of what God says or the cost to someone else because I am better than they are and deserve it.” If that lustful passion is for “strange flesh” or “unnatural desire” as Jude 1:7 terms it, then that can lead to homosexual behavior. In light of the passage, the most common response to the question "What was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah?" God can and does judge upon the motives of the heart, but he can and does also judge on the physical actions. So, the Bible is clear that sexual sin and homosexual behavior, in particular, was the outward sin for which they (Sodom and Gomorrah) were destroyed. Editor’s note: This discussion of this disturbing biblical account contains terminology that may not be appropriate for sensitive readers. Holly Joan Toensing, “Women of Sodom and Gomorrah Collateral Damage in the War against Homosexuality?,”. Genesis 18:20 KJV And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; The sin committed in these cities and the surrounding cities was crying out to God in heaven. However, two earlier passages are prelude to this. Society today is indifferent to sin. Not all the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah centered around sexual indiscretions. Jude 7 . Had there been even ten righteous people in the city, God would have spared it (Genesis 18:32). While most Orthodox Jewish and Christian scholars have held the position that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of their rampant homosexual behavior (namely, sodomy), there are others who believe that those cities were destroyed because of their pride. You can also sign up for our free print newsletter (US only). That was not the original interpretation of the Sodom story, which dates back to the 14th century BC. It’s also the same word used in Leviticus 18:22 when addressing homosexual acts. While this latter sin is mentioned in the second half of Ezekiel 16:49, it is not (as posited in the second quote above) the primary sin of Sodom and Gomorrah. Biblically, one could see the initial validity of making this argument—but it is placing all the emphasis on verse 49 and ignoring verse 50. Genesis chapter 18 records the Lord and two angels coming to speak with Abraham. The SIN of Sodom in short: Ezekiel said, while condemning the people of Jerusalem, shortly before the city was destroyed, Ezekiel explicitly stated the source of Sodom‘s guilt; “behold, this was the iniquity of those sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. This is alluded to in comparisons with Israel when it was deep in sin. Can this apparent contradiction be explained? While it is true that all sin begins in the heart and then works its way outward (James 1:14–15), the outward sin reflects the inward desire. … Sodom and Gomorrah, notoriously sinful cities in the biblical book of Genesis, destroyed by “sulfur and fire” because of their wickedness (Genesis 19:24). From the text of Genesis 19:4-9 though, if rape was the primary sin of Sodom, then the men of the city would have been just as willing to take Lot up on his suggestion to sexually abuse his daughters. Why did Abraham bargain with God in regard to Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18)? : DVD Set, Demolishing Supposed Bible Contradictions Set, How Do We Know the Bible Is True? The men and women of Sodom had known and been physically rescued by Abram (Abraham) in Genesis 14:14-16. All Scripture references are NKJV unless otherwise noted. Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. Please refresh the page and try again. Sodom and Gomorrah along with the cities of Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar (Bela) constituted the five “cities of the plain,” and they are referenced throughout both the Old and New Testaments and the Qurʾān . As it was, only four left Sodom alive, and only three made it to safety. Sodom and Gomorrah were so infamous for their immorality that God destroyed them by fire (Genesis 19). For those who uphold biblical inerrancy and authority, the answer is obvious—yes! It was homosexuality to the extreme. of something morally repugnant and is most frequently translated as “abomination” or a “detestable” act or thing. This interpretation of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah seems to make sense when viewed with what the other Biblical writers had to say about it. In Isaiah’s day, the people of Israel had stopped following God’s laws. But we must keep in mind that God was also ready to show mercy. Genesis 18:20 says, “And the Lord said, ’The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave.’” Indeed, not even ten righteous people could be found in the city. What city could ever be worse off than Sodom and Gomorrah? 12 No.1 (1999). The Jewish historian Josephus looks at all these factors (pride, homosexual behavior, hatred) in describing the sin of Sodom. What city could ever be worse off than Sodom and Gomorrah? The narrative in that chapter makes this claim a weak one. In other words, in threatening to now rape Lot, they were admitting that their desire for the angels was pure lust, not dominance in the form of rape. Volumes 1 & 2. First of all, my goal here is not to bash anybody, to make anybody feel bad. The Bible is not contradicting itself when it states that Sodom and Gomorrah’s sin was sexual immorality and pride (and its related lack of concern for others). Rather than reading the attempted rape of the angels as an instance of homosexual violence I believe it should be more accurately read as an instance of homophobic violence.5. Michael Carden, “Compulsory Heterosexuality in Biblical Narratives and their Interpretations: Reading Homophobia and Rape in Sodom and Gibeah,” Australian Religion Studies Review, Vol. Although their sins of pride, sexual immorality, inhospitality, and cruelty were committed against other people—ultimately, they were a direct offense against God. An especially wicked place is described as a "Sodom and Gomorrah." See … Sodom and Gomorrah are two of the Old Testament’s most infamously sinful cities. When the angels of God came to fetch Lot and his family, the men wanted to have sex with them. God can and does judge upon the motives of the heart, but he can and does also judge on the physical actions. Out of more than 20 references to Sodom and Gomorrah in the rest of Scripture, none mention same-sex behavior as even part of the reason for Sodom’s destruction. Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. Seeing a neighbor in need and having the ability to help with that need and refusing to do so is showing malicious hatred (Luke 10:30–37, 1 John 3:15–19). The first was an outworking of the second. 1 decade ago. But there is hope for all mankind because God has provided a way of salvation and is patient with us “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9). What Was the Sin of Sodom and Gomorrah? More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! There appear to be four main sins espoused, but only two by conservative Jewish and Christian theologians and scholars. Thank you for signing up to receive email newsletters from Answers in Genesis. The story of the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah is told in Genesis 18–19.Three men come to Abraham in the plains of Mamre.After the angels received the hospitality of Abraham and Sarah, the Lord reveals to Abraham that he would confirm what he had heard against Sodom and Gomorrah, "and because their sin is very grievous.". This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google The traditional list, is summarized in the Catechism which states The catechetical tradition also recalls that there are “sins that cry to heaven”: the blood of Abel, the sin of the Sodomites, the cry of the people oppressed in Egypt, the cry of the foreigner, the widow, and … Gomorrah ( Genesis 18:23-33 ) and stopped at 10 who uphold biblical inerrancy and authority, the men wanted have... According to us but to God you in order to finish subscribing were! Also had Lot living among them, who insists that they spend the in... 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