Outcry
12 The two men said to Lot, “Do you have anyone else here—sons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here, 13 because we are going to destroy this place. The outcry to the Lord against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it.â€
Genesis 19:12-13
God’s judgement on Sodom & Gomorrah has elicited very different responses across cultures and history. For some, they revel in the righteous justice of God. For others, they come away unsettled. And so it is that there are at least two things we need to see.
Firstly, we need to recognise how patient God is. What’s remarkable in the Old Testament isn’t really God’s judgement. It’s how rare God’s judgement is. We often have this misunderstanding. We forgot what it means that God is holy and that sin is something like a lesion, a plague, or a sewage leak. And because of our sin, we are like plants that produce toxic toadstools. And yet, God is patient and gracious to us.
The second thing we need to see is that it is right to approve of God intervening in situations of incredible evil. Sodom & Gomorrah had become so depraved that the injustice and wickedness screamed out to God. The same sort of language/vibe will come again in the land of the Canaanites - where human sacrifice was being practised. It’s not primarily about homosexuality or even sex - it’s about the value of human life and the awareness of God and His ways. Sodom had turned so far from God that it was ‘too far gone’.
But it is also worth remembering something else. In a few months we will look at the book of Jonah. God will send Jonah to another wicked city - Nineveh. This city, hearing the proclamation of judgement will actually repent of their wickedness. God does judge. But He also saves. And of course we see that most clearly in Jesus.
Jesus, speaking of the judgement to come says, “it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.†There is a judgement coming that is eternal. But there is also salvation on offer. Even now, God is pulling people out of this doomed city of sin (the world).
For Today:
Pray:
Praise the Father for His holiness and righteous judgement. Give thanks for Jesus Christ who took God’s judgement to save sinners. Ask God for His Holy Spirit to save people under judgement.
Genesis 19:12-13
God’s judgement on Sodom & Gomorrah has elicited very different responses across cultures and history. For some, they revel in the righteous justice of God. For others, they come away unsettled. And so it is that there are at least two things we need to see.
Firstly, we need to recognise how patient God is. What’s remarkable in the Old Testament isn’t really God’s judgement. It’s how rare God’s judgement is. We often have this misunderstanding. We forgot what it means that God is holy and that sin is something like a lesion, a plague, or a sewage leak. And because of our sin, we are like plants that produce toxic toadstools. And yet, God is patient and gracious to us.
The second thing we need to see is that it is right to approve of God intervening in situations of incredible evil. Sodom & Gomorrah had become so depraved that the injustice and wickedness screamed out to God. The same sort of language/vibe will come again in the land of the Canaanites - where human sacrifice was being practised. It’s not primarily about homosexuality or even sex - it’s about the value of human life and the awareness of God and His ways. Sodom had turned so far from God that it was ‘too far gone’.
But it is also worth remembering something else. In a few months we will look at the book of Jonah. God will send Jonah to another wicked city - Nineveh. This city, hearing the proclamation of judgement will actually repent of their wickedness. God does judge. But He also saves. And of course we see that most clearly in Jesus.
Jesus, speaking of the judgement to come says, “it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.†There is a judgement coming that is eternal. But there is also salvation on offer. Even now, God is pulling people out of this doomed city of sin (the world).
For Today:
- Do you struggle with this episode in Genesis? Why/why not?
- Do you feel the weight of the holiness of God and the darkness of sin?
- What sins do you need to flee today?
Pray:
Praise the Father for His holiness and righteous judgement. Give thanks for Jesus Christ who took God’s judgement to save sinners. Ask God for His Holy Spirit to save people under judgement.
Posted in Genesis
No Comments