Please Note:
This study uses the King James Version of the Holy Bible throughout.
To read this study with a modern English translation of the Bible Go Here
To read a more concise (less detailed) version of this study Go Here
Discerning the textual and historic context of passages is always important when studying the Bible, but in this case it is absolutely essential. Without understanding the events that preceded Sodom's destruction there is no way to correctly understand why HaShem ordered the obliteration of the cities of the plains. These people were evil, yes, but that had not always been the case! When and why did they become wicked? What role if any did homosexuality play in these events? What else was taking place at this time? The words and actions of the three mysterious Visitors who sealed their doomed was the conclusion of a much longer story. The events that happened during this period are of pivotal significance. That story is the subject of this study.
While we wont be reading the entire biblical account in this study, we do need to at least have an overview of what happened in order to understand and identify the Sin of Sodom.
The Bible describes the people of the Jordan Valley at that time as "wicked" ("ra' in Hebrew). This tells us nothing more than our English equivalent. These were bad people.
The word translated as "sinners" (chatta') is more accurately translated as "criminals" or "lawless" in modern English. The word 'sinner" is a bit more vague.
From this we know that these were bad people. The towns of the region were populated by outlaws and gangsters who engaged in a wide variety of sinful activities.
In this study we are primarily focusing on the "Sin of Sodom" in order to identify it. For this reason we note that thus far nothing in our text suggests the presence of homosexuality. The Bible says the people (the enowsh or "mortals," the people rather than only "men") of Sodom were lawless criminals. The on-going abominable actions of these people finally led HaShem to order the destruction of the entire area as we will see.
It was among these wicked outlaws that Lot "pitched his tent." He did so because the land was fertile "like the Garden of Eden" (13:10) before the cities of the plains were destroyed. Abram chose a more remote place to dwell and raise his family.
To help keep the time line of these events clear its worth nothing that shortly after Lot and Abram separated, HaShem instituted the Abrahamic Covenant (by which Jews throughout history have claimed their rightful possession of the Jewish homeland known as Eretz Y'israel). This is the time period being discussed here, circa 2000-1800 B.C.E.
After separating Abram moved his company to the Oaks of Mamre in Hebron. (13:10).
At some point after they separated a bitter war broke out in the plains (14:1-) consisting of a long and bloody series of attacks and counterattacks. When the fighting was done, Sodom had been overthrown and Lot (among others) was taken prisoner. One of Lot's servants managed to escape however and fled to Abram seeking military aid and the rescue of Lot.
Abram was outraged by the report and quickly gathered an army and went to Lot's rescue. Our first important clue is revealed in what happened next!
As Abram was approaching Sodom after winning the war, Sodom's restored ruler came out to meet and honor him. It was not surprising that he would do this, however accompanying the king was Melchizedek, High Priest of the One God (El Elyon)!
Melchizedek is one of the most mysterious and spiritually powerful figures in the Bible (consider Ps. 110:4; Heb. 5:5,6; Heb. 6:20; Heb. 7:23,24 etc)! His presence at Sodom raises many intriguing questions.
What is especially worth noting here is that the High Priest of El Elyon ("God of Might and Strength") came out of Sodom with its king to honor Abram for liberating the city! Based on the earlier texts we understood Sodom to be a deplorable den of lawless iniquity, the likes of which the world had seldom if ever known! It is depicted as being a place so evil and vile that God Himself personally demanded not only its destruction but its absolute annihilation!
Yet now we see the righteous Melchizedek accompanying the head men of the town in honoring Abram for restoring Sodom's independence!
This narrative seems incredibly bizarre! If Sodom was such an evil place why is this awesome personage there from (Jeru)salem to welcome Abram and his victorious troops? Why would Melchizedek even be associating with such people?
It seems obvious that Melchizedek did not consider Sodom an evil place at this point. It seems reasonable to conclude that while the region was lawless and godless Sodom, as chief city of the region, may have been the exception to the rule and aligned with the city of (Jeru)Salem and El Elyon. While this is somewhat conjecture it fits well with what is known.
Based on Melchizedek's presence in the city we can infer that Sodom (and possibly the other towns of the plains) were not at this point, evil places.
This is further implied by holy Master Melchizedek as follows:
El Elyon delivered the enemies of Sodom into Abram's hands and ordered His High Priest to consecrate the victory! Why would He do that if Sodom was so evil?
Where in Holy Scripture do we ever find God defending people who He deems to be an "abomination" and worthy of destruction themselves? And yet El Elyon not only defeated Sodom's enemies through Abram and his armies, but He even sent High Priest Melchizedek to sanctify the event and to offer tithes for the rebuilding of the town!
The point here is not that Sodom had been perfect before, but that it had served as a type of minor haven where justice had existed and where the True God had been worshiped. How their experiences turned the once good folks of Sodom into a people so evil that God Himself ordered their annihilation will become clear as we make our through the text. After his military victory and the ensuing celebration in Sodom, Abram returned home:
Because Abram obeyed HaShem in all things HaShem blessed him and promised that he would be the father of countless offspring. As part of his obedience to HaShem Abram rescued Lot and the people of Sodom.
Whereas we tend to focus on single events, HaShem is Lord of all. All of the events taking place Abram's life are important and interconnected like threads of a tapestry. Everything that was happening during this period was of tremendous importance.
At Genesis 15:1 HaShem specifically tells Abram, "fear not... I am thy shield and thy exceedingly great reward." Abram obeyed God in all things and part of that obedience with his overthrowing of Sodom's enemies and restoring the towns as instructed.
Chapter 15:2 records Abram's sorry at not having offspring and HaShem's promise that Abraham will father a son and that through him a multitude of people follows this. Then at verse 18 HaShem establishes the basic boundaries of Eretz Israel: from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates), that will be the eternal birthright of his descendants. So many important things are happening in this section of Genesis!
Chapter 16 begins with the lamentable scheme to use Sarai's maid (or shiphchah -- "shif-khaw") Hagar as a surrogate mother for Abram's son. This was done 10 years after Abram and lot separated and Abram had moved his family to Canaan (16:3). Hagar gave birth to Ishmael when Abram was eighty-six years old (16:16).
We read:
The text says that HaShem appeared before him and that "Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him" (verse 3). The word translated as "appeared" is ra'ah and does not necessarily mean to literally appear or manifest. Depending on the context it can also mean that HaShem revealed Himself to Abram in a vision, which is the generally assumed meaning since HaShem told Moses that "...there shall no man see me, and live" (Ex. 33:20).
This is not to minimize this experience in any way of course. Abraham had a most powerful vision of HaShem here and the description emphasizes the importance of what followed.
Instructions are then given on circumcision and so on.
At 17:15 it is revealed that Sarai will give birth to the Child of Promise, not Hagar. Abraham is skeptical and asks that the promise pass through Ishmael because, he reasons, Sarah is too old! HaShem is clear however that the Promises made to Abraham will all pass through Isaac and his descendants (the Jews).
Of Ishmael we read:
Around 613 C.E. a Northern Arab warlord named Muhammad Mustafa began preaching that this "wild man" and rejected heir of Abraham (Ishmael) was his distant ancestor. He claimed that most everything granted by HaShem to Isaac in the Torah was actually promised to Ishmael and his offspring despite the clear Words of the Torah. The Jews, he claimed, had stolen his birthright!
Muhammad further claimed that he had been chosen by God as the final prophet for all time and that no one could receive the blessings of his allah ("god") unless they came through him.
He further claimed that he had been called by the God of Abraham and Ishmael to restore the One True Religion (deen) and Nation (ummah) that one day would rule the Earth. Plagiarizing the Bible, sections of the Hindu Vedas and the Zoroastrian Avesta Muhammad composed al Qu'ran and claimed it had been revealed to him by an angel.
He further explained that the moon god idol his family had worshiped for generations at Mecca's Kaaba, one of of the 360 accepted idols of Mecca, was in reality the God of Abraham and Ishmael.
Of course Muhammad had no evidence for any of this. He merely took what worked from the various religions he entered and applied them to his family god. The people of his hometown, Mecca chased him out of town when he began preaching this. To them all of the 360 Arabian gods were sacred and Muhammad was seeking to destroy all but one of them.
Allah is not a Hebrew word, let alone name of HaShem. The name Allah simply means "the-god" in Arabic, however it does not refer to the God of Abraham but to the Moon god known as Al-ilah because he was the chief of the gods. Rejected by other Pagans Muhammad fled to Medina, raised an army, and then return to Mecca giving the people a choice: Accept him as Messenger of the one Allah or die. And so with the sword Muhammad began the religion of Islam. It is true that the Northern Arabs are the descendants of Ishmael. Beyond that, its all made up. HaShem's promise however did not pass through Hagar and Ishmael's linage but Sarah and Isaac's. Again:
Muhammad's claim was therefore false and his religion is based on a series on lies. While Islam spread tyranny and fear throughout the world like "wild men" (Genesis 16:12), the descendants of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Jacob (the Hebrews/Jews) lived as the Suffering Servants of HaShem and struggled to survive the endless persecutions of the Babylonians, the Romans, the Nicene Christians, the Muslims, the Nazis and so many others. This information is relevant to our study of Sodom because of the timing:
Israel and HaShem's promise of deliverance was established with Sodom as a back story. Like Sodom, HaShem had blessed the Noahide world in so many ways. Like Sodom the Noahides had proven themselves unworthy. As with Sodom, HaShem reached into the rebellious world and extracted one man for His service. In Sodom that man was Lot. In the world it was Lot's uncle Abraham and through him the Jews.
There are levels upon levels of truth contained with the Bible. After welcoming his celestial guests and acknowledging his unworthiness of their visit, Abraham (now renamed upon accepting HaShem's Covenant: 17:5) gave them water to drink, offered to wash their feet and invited them to rest under his shade tree while he prepared their dinner (18:4). Abraham then personally then rushed off to get them food (18:5, 6).
A person in Abraham's position had plenty of servants, however he showed his respect for these important guests by personally preparing their food -- he even "rushed" to do so. He also gave Sarai his wife detailed instructions on preparing the best possible cakes for their guests -- at which she probably rolled her eyes and thought, I can manage dear!'
Abraham next "ran" into the herds and picked the best calf he could find, had it killed and dressed (18:7,8). When all was ready, he took some butter and milk and served the calf to his honored guests.
Picture this powerful and wealthy man who had recently raised and led a victorious army, who had liberated captured cities, who had been honored by High Priest Melchizedek himself, now standing aside like a humble servant as his celestial guests ate their meal (18:8)! Such humility! Later in the day, the Visitors revealed to Abraham that their mission was to destroy the towns of the valley, including Sodom and Gomorrah.
We don't know from the text how much time passed between Abraham's restoring the town's independence after the war and the visit of the angels to Sodom, but it was probably 10-14 years or so (contrasting Gen17:25 with 21:5). During this interim something dreadful had changed in Sodom. From Abraham's lack of questions it appears that he knew of this change. He didn't ask why the town was being condemned. It appears Abraham knew.
As we continue with the text the nature of their essential sin will become apparent.
The Visitors told Abraham that the destruction would happened "because their sin is very grievous." The word translated here as "sin" (chatta'ah) simply means "offense." Chatta'ah refers to anything that is offensive. From this word have no indication of the type of sin but we note for our purposes here, that no reference to homosexuality is ever implied.
We read on:
The word translated in the King James Version as "justice" is tsedaqah and means more specifically "righteousness." This righteousness is more concerned with inner goodness than outward behavior or justice. Of course these are two sides of the same coin: righteousness being recognized through external conduct. The distinction however is worth noting here as it speaks of the absence of inner righteousness more than to external acts (including homosexuality).
The "Lord" (HaShem) is saying here that unlike the people of the towns in the valley, Abraham demonstrated righteousness to his Visitors. That primary quality was lacking in Sodom.
It is also important to note that the word translated as "judgment" ( mishpat) here does refer to outward deeds. 38 times mishpat specifically refers to manners and customs. The people of Sodom lacked the inner qualities of righteous that lead to the outward display of proper respect. This reveals a lot!
What did Abraham do that demonstrated to the Visitors that he was a righteous person (Tsedaqah) who would "do justice" ( mishpat)? This question is the key to understanding what happened next!
HaShem was doing more with People Israel than being partisan and demanding that they "play nice!" They were being educated and prepared for their collective role as HaShem's Ambassadors to the Earth. This awesome responsibility requires the Jewish People to show respect and hospitality to everyone impartially (within limits of course). This sense of justice and fair play has been a hallmark quality of the Jewish people historically and remains so today as they seek to negotiate peace with Arabs. Throughout the Tanack and the B'rit Hadashah (New Testament) we find the theme of treating strangers and those in need justly repeatedly stressed.
The Sin of Sodom was their materialism, their lack of faith, and their failure to show proper respect and compassion for strangers in need!
Within mere hours (at most) of Abraham entering he and his descendants into this crucial Covenant with God, HaShem solidified this point in the Jewish culture and paradigm forever as Rabbi Yanki Tauber of Chabad makes clear his discussion of the Sin Sodom.
Sadly, given what we know from the prophecies of John in the Book of the Revelation of Y'shua the Anointed (see my verse by verse commentary on that book HERE), it is not surprising that this message of mandated compassion and mercy has been obscured and replaced by a doctrine of intolerance and justified discrimination. What was supposed to be an example to discourage prejudice and discrimination has been turned into one of the most commonly invoked justifications for it.
Prophet Ezekiel directly identifies the Sin of Sodom here:
"... and they committed Tow'ebah ("to-ay-baw") before me..." Tow'ebah or "abominations" specifically refers to the then-common idolatrous practices of the Pagan religions as I discuss Here. This often had to do with sexual encounters wherein temple prostitutes played the role of sexual surrogates for the god or goddess and the follower symbolically merged with the deity in spiritual ecstasy (and often contracted STDs as a result as Paul tell us: Romans 1:27).
Such Tow'ebah (abominations) had nothing to do with consensual same gender relationships and so this verse is not referring it.
Like Master Y'shua, Prophet Ezekiel gives no indication that the sin of Sodom had anything to do with homosexuality. Master Y'shua said:
And again:
Prophet Ezekiel and Master Y'shua both note that the essential Sin of Sodom was its lukewarm complacency and failure to show hospitality. Of the importance of hospitality Moses, under inspiration, writes elsewhere:
HaShem says His wrath waxes hot and that He will kill His own people with the sword etc. if they dare to afflict the poor.
Remember, the Jewish people are like none other on Earth! They have been specifically chosen by God to acts as His emissaries to bless the Earth in the Name of HaShem! God takes sin this very seriously! What happened at Sodom is an example of HaShem's wrath waxing white hot due to the failure to show hospitality.
Abraham demonstrated proper hospitality in his treatment of the Visitors because...
There are scores of such commands to show hospitality and mercy to strangers in the Bible. I've quoted these two at random. In the first quote above, note the phrase: "I will surely hear their cry; And my wrath shall wax hot..."
Now consider the amount of sacred writ used in this account to describe how Abraham offered hospitality to Visitors. Clearly this is meant to establish a contrast between how Abraham treated the Visitors (correctly) and how they were treated by the people of Sodom (incorrectly) and God's judgment on both.
The Visitors told Abraham that HaShem had heard the cries of Sodom's victims and had sent them to determine what needed to be done about their abuses. Whereas the servants of HaShem blessed Abraham for his tsedaqah and mishpat (his righteousness and just actions based on that righteousness), the people of Sodom were condemned by God for their lack of righteousness and for their failure to do what was needful and proper for strangers and others in need under the Seven Noahide Laws.
This then was the Sin of Sodom: Despite all the blessings they had received from HaShem, the people of Sodom had lost their sense of righteousness and mercy. They had become paranoid and abusive to strangers and those in need in violation of the Seven Laws that governed them. That this was their chief sin will be made even clearer as this study continues and the Visitors reach the city in part two.
The Destruction of Sodom and GomorrahWhat Came Before
To begin with, please read Genesis chapters 18 and 19.
Genesis 13:1 tells us that Abram (he was not yet renamed Abraham), his wife Sarai (she was not yet renamed Sarah) and Abram's nephew Lot left Egypt and traveled to the Ne'gev. Eventually both men became very successful and in time their servants began arguing over the ownership of their respective master's cattle (13:7). In order to resolve this growing conflict and better manage the resources of the land, the two men parted company (13:5-13). Lot chose the Jordan Valley and settled in the town of Sodom, while Abram and his associates settled in the Land of Canaan.
The Inhabitants of Sodom
Genesis 13:11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.Genesis 13:14 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.
17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
18 Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD. War!
Melchizedek: High Priest of El Elyon
Genesis 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God [El Elyon].
19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.Abram and Sarai
Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
2 And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.Abraham and his Covenant
Genesis 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD [YHVH] appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
17:2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
17:3 Abram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying, 17:4 "As for me, behold, my covenant is with you. You will be the father of a multitude of nations.
17:5 Neither will your name any more be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.
17:6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you. Kings will come out of you. 17:7 I will establish my covenant between me and you and your seed after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your seed after you.
17:8 I will give to you, and to your seed after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God."Sarai Renamed Sarah
HaShem's Covenant Will NOT Be With Ishmael
17:15 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.
17:16 And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.
17:17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
17:18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!
17:19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
17:20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
17:21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
17:22 And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham. Genesis 16:12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
Muhammad and Islam
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (Israel) and the Eternally Elect of HaShem
Genesis 17:21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac...
Sodom as a Back Story
Showing Proper Hospitality
Sodom and Gomorrah
Genesis 18:16 And the men [i.e. the Visitors] rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.Missing Tsedaqah and Mishpat
Preparing HaShem's Ambassadors to the Earth
The Sin of Sodom Revealed
Ezekiel 16:48 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
49 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.Mark 6:11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city."
Matthew 10:14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city."The Importance of Hospitality
Exodus 22:21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
22 Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.
23 If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry;
24 And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. Deuteronomy 10:18 [HaShem] doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.
19 Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. The Sin of Sodom
Who cares, I'm glad YOU'RE here!
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