2-8-09

First off, we had a "Missions Fair" at church today. It's hard to separate the word "mission" from Christian faith since anything we do for God is a mission for His purpose.

Mainly, today's blog is about a question you may have in your head: "Why was Sodom destroyed?". You would come up with things such as sin, homosexuality (that's another show), and other detestable things. That's but half the answer. Here's my account after listening to the 8am sermon and stumbling upon the Wikipedia article.

Let's start with Genesis 18 and 19; Gomorrah was also in with Sodom as well. In chapter 18, God was wondering whether he should keep the destruction of these two cities from Abraham, but didn't since he was another of his homies. So, when God told Abraham of this plan, Abe then negotiated God to save at least ten righteous people. At first, it was 50, then 45, 30, and 20. Since God admired Abe's audacity, he honored the request and found but four in chapter 19.

In this, the four were Abraham's nephew Lot, his wife and two daughters. I left this out, but on 18, a few angels came by to visit Abe and as they departed, they headed for Sodom and found Lot. Like his uncle Abe, Lot also offered his hospitality to the angels and insisted they come to his house with him. This is where it happens. The Sodomites piled the place and wanted to "know" the visitors, if you catch my drift.

We all may remember the rest of the story about as Lot and his family were escaping, his wife looked back and, BOOM! (Emeril has BAM, I have BOOM), she was turned to a pillar of salt. Now, Ezekiel 16:49-50, God was saying, "This was the sin of Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned; they didn't help the poor and needy. They did haughty and detestable things before me. Therefore, I did away with them as you have seen."

In other words, it was their arrogance and decadence that ended these two cities. Decadence is where "overfed" came in. Yep, I didn't mean as in fat or obese, but too caught up in the world in which they turned their backs or denied God's existence. Thus the reason leading to Sodom and Gomorrah's downfall: decadence, arrogance, homosexuality, and other detestable things against God. Basically, they sinned their hearts out and faced God's wrath for these sins. You're welcome to any comment or edit ideas, just let me know.