Why Did God Destroy Sodom&Gomorrah?

    Many destructions of ungodliness are described in the Bible, but one of the most vivid is Sodom and Gomorrah’s annihilation in Genesis 19. After years of patience, God consumed these Canaanite cities with fire and sulphur. Why would God do something that drastic for a few towns? Genesis reveals in general terms that “the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord” (Genesis 13.13). We’re also told that “the outcry” against the cities was great and their evil was “very grave” (Genesis 18.20). Certainly, we see evidence of that evil in the horrific way the men of Sodom attempted to homosexually rape the angelic visitors who came to their city. However, there is nothing in Genesis that specifically reveals why God chose to remove these places from the map. We must look to other Scriptures to give us more insight.

After Genesis, Sodom and Gomorrah are referenced in thirteen books of the Bible, signifying the importance of their downfall in world history. In the book of the prophet Ezekiel, God shared more perspective on that ancient event with the people of Judah as He worked to convict them of sin. “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. They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it” (Ezekiel 16.49-50). The sexual deviance on display in Genesis 19 is appalling, but it is a symptom of deeper issues. Extreme self-indulgence (in all of its manifestations) is always driven by a heart saturated with pride. And when people make their lives about their own physical comfort and pleasure, it inevitably comes at the cost of the comfort and security of others.

Because Sodom and Gomorrah are such a key part of the Biblical storyline, God calls us to hold up these cities as a life mirror and stare hard without dropping our gaze. Who are the “poor and needy” around you in your daily life? Are you able to consciously identify a list of individuals? They could be people with monetary needs, wrecked by bad financial circumstances. They could be people who require help navigating their past experiences and emotions in the light of Scripture. They could be dependent children who need an astonishing amount of attention – not only to provide for their physical needs, but also to train the way they view life. Do we spend our lives limping towards the weekend or the next little pleasing moment, or do we take genuine delight in giving away whatever we possess?

Our decadent culture alarmingly resembles the culture of Sodom in the areas of “pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease.” May God help us to resist its pull through the power of Jesus’ cross!

By Nathan Combs