And the reason for doing so is usually apparent rather quickly. Michael Carden, “Compulsory Heterosexuality in Biblical Narratives and their Interpretations: Reading Homophobia and Rape in Sodom and Gibeah,” Australian Religion Studies Review, Vol. That was not the original interpretation of the Sodom story, which dates back to the 14th century BC. Here’s the answer. In fact, only Lot and his two daughters survived. The other men of Sodom learn about the two strangers in their midst. Now it must be admitted that homosexual behavior was only the outward manifestation of their true sin. 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. Before I answer, I just want to make a couple of comments. "And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?" Throughout the chapter, the Prophet lists many sins of the people: rebelling against God, lacking in knowledge, deserting the Lord, idolatry, engaging in meaningless religious ritual, being unjust and oppressive to others, being insensitive to the needs of widows and orphans, committing murder, accepting bribes, etc. God can and does judge upon the motives of the heart, but he can and does also judge on the physical actions. Sodom and Gomorrah and their fiery fate crop up in the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament, in the Torah, and in the Quran. All sin is an offense to God and demonstrates mankind’s rebellion against him. The fate of these cities is held up by religious conservatives to justify the suppression of non-heterosexual people and to fan hatred of same sex eroticism and gender fluidity. All of these are manifestations of pride itself. : DVD Set, Demolishing Supposed Bible Contradictions Set, How Do We Know the Bible Is True? And we have the legal term sodomy for unnatural sex acts. What Does the Bible Really Teach About Homosexuality? We know because of Abraham's intercession. The Lord informed Abraham that “the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous.” Verses 22-33 record Abraham pleading with the Lord … 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). 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. Parents are cautioned. 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. What city could ever be worse off than Sodom and Gomorrah? Some have argued that rape was the primary sin of Sodom. They clearly note the reason was due to the sin of the city. Jesus taught his disciples this very thing in Matthew 15:18–20. The Apostle Peter, echoing what Jude would also say (Jude 1:7), pins their destruction upon living ungodly (clearly having in mind their being “given over” to the physical act of sexual immorality in the form of homosexual lust). While their sexual sins again were highlighted in Genesis 19, the real object of their sin is revealed in the pre-destruction polemic against them several chapters earlier: “But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the LORD” (Genesis 13:13; cf. The first was an outworking of the second. The Jewish historian Josephus looks at all these factors (pride, homosexual behavior, hatred) in describing the sin of Sodom. Why did God allow Lot’s daughters to later have sex with their father? In time, however, many issues arose. Jude 7 . There were likely many cases of rape in Sodom, but it seems clear that all the men of the city (except Lot, and perhaps his sons-in-law mentioned in verse 14) had become bisexual or preferentially homosexual. Why did Lot offer up his daughters to be gang raped? Although their sins of pride, sexual immorality, inhospitality, and cruelty were committed against other people—ultimately, they were a direct offense against God. It’s a deep valley and before these cities were overturned the Jordan branched out into a delta, watering the earth well and sprouting rich, lush greenery. 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. Did John the Baptist Know Jesus Was the Messiah? But as mentioned above, much of this is based on reading Ezekiel 16:49 in isolation (neglecting the rest of the Bible) and comparing Genesis 19 with other ancient Middle Eastern cultures, ancient Greek cultic prostitution, and even modern Middle Eastern countries. Zachary Pierce, “Let Us Not Be Like Sodom: Revisiting the Cultural Critique of Genesis 19:1–11 in an Age of Political Violence.” Academia.edu website, Accessed July 24, 2019, https://www.academia.edu/37585122/Let_Us_Not_Be_Like_Sodom_Revisiting_the_Cultural_Critique_of_Genesis_19_1_11_in_an_Age_of_Political_Violence. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New Revised Standard Version. That is how the term " sodomy " came to be used to refer to anal sex between two men, whether consensual or forced. Editor’s note: This discussion of this disturbing biblical account contains terminology that may not be appropriate for sensitive readers. Genesis chapter 18 records the Lord and two angels coming to speak with Abraham. Instead, the overall sin of Sodom and Gomorrah had become so great that fewer than ten righteous people lived in the city. Sodom and Gomorrah are two of the Old Testament’s most infamously sinful cities. They had settled in an area near the Dead Sea, with Lot and his followers choosing to make their stead in Dead Sea plains. 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. In light of the passage, the most common response to the question "What was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah?" Sodom and Gomorrah, notoriously sinful cities in the biblical book of Genesis, destroyed by “sulfur and fire” because of their wickedness (Genesis 19:24). Your newsletter signup did not work out. We need to keep in mind that it was God, the righteous judge (2 Timothy 4:8) who condemned Sodom, Gomorrah, and the other cities on the plain. All Scripture references are NKJV unless otherwise noted. God can and does judge upon the motives of the heart, but he can and does also judge on the physical actions. The New Testament uses these cities … As Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to fornication and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. But we must keep in mind that God was also ready to show mercy. So let’s start with examining that position. Even these lexicographers—who may or may not be Bible believers—understand the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/250180760_Women_of_Sodom_and_Gomorrah_Collateral_Damage_in_the_War_against_Homosexuality, Noah’s Flood: a Historical, Global Catastrophe. Q. This is alluded to in comparisons with Israel when it was deep in sin. One such example is listed below: Another recent hypothesis about the main sin of Sodom (and one which is often taught in concert with the “rape” hypothesis) is the lack of hospitality position. Liberal theologians and scholars and biblical critics have turned the tables on Genesis 19 and conclude that it is actually teaching homophobia. 12 No.1 (1999). 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. 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). Sodom and Gomorrah. 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). Internet Explorer is no longer supported. 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. 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 men and women of Sodom had known and been physically rescued by Abram (Abraham) in Genesis 14:14-16. of something morally repugnant and is most frequently translated as “abomination” or a “detestable” act or thing. Holly Joan Toensing, “Women of Sodom and Gomorrah Collateral Damage in the War against Homosexuality?,”. 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. Furthermore, if the sin had just been men of Sodom wanting to rape, then why judge the women of the city? 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.". Sodom and Gomorrah were so infamous for their immorality that God destroyed them by fire (Genesis 19). by Kevin DeYoung, 101 Frequently Asked Questions About Homosexuality by Mike Haley. This was highlighted in the attempt of homosexual gang rape, considered a detestable act, but was not limited to this one action. 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. What city could ever be worse off than Sodom and Gomorrah? Had there been even ten righteous people in the city, God would have spared it (Genesis 18:32). If the men of Sodom were using rape as a means to humiliate “outsiders,” then wouldn’t Lot’s daughters have qualified since Lot was considered an outsider (verse 9)? How Do We Know the Bible Is True? Why did Abraham bargain with God in regard to Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18)? In Isaiah’s day, the people of Israel had stopped following God’s laws. 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. (Read full chapter More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! Try downloading another browser like Chrome or Firefox. Please follow the instructions we emailed you in order to finish subscribing. First of all, my goal here is not to bash anybody, to make anybody feel bad. Simply put, even the women of the city were unrighteous and wicked, so the blame cannot simply be on the actions of these men. And they also had Lot living among them, who though weak was described as a righteous man by the Apostle Peter. Question: “What was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah?” Answer: The biblical account of Sodom and Gomorrah is recorded in Genesis chapters 18-19. They are repeatedly compared with Sodom and Gomorrah in their evildoing and depravity. What were Admah and Zeboiim in the Bible. They were also guilty of the sin of greed. For Genesis 19, the ideology is homophobia; the existence of the words 'sodomy' and 'sodomite' testify to its sorry career in Christianity. Words like haughty, bitter, venom, wanton, idleness, (when they could have been helping others) leap out of the verses as a description of a self-absorbed, hedonistic people who cared nothing for others. Pastors are sometimes said to be preaching "fire and brimstone." is that it was homosexuality . See … Psalm 51:4). Please refresh the page and try again. It’s also the same word used in Leviticus 18:22 when addressing homosexual acts. According to the Bible, the answer is any city that ever heard the gospel but still rejected Jesus. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. "What was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah?" Conditionalists often appeal to this verse because it says that Sodom and Gomorrah were reduced to ashes and that the destruction of the cities is an example for the ungodly. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Jude describes the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah as “sexual immorality” and “going after strange flesh.” Although other scriptures back up your claim of inhospitality, this one contradicts the idea that their damnation was not for homosexuality. What does the Bible say? 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. When the angels of God came to fetch Lot and his family, the men wanted to have sex with them. Other versions, such as the ESV use the terminology “pursued unnatural desire” here. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is closely connected to the story of Abraham and his nephew, Lot. What does the Bible say about homosexuality? The propensity for violence, rape, and adultery (which must have also been occurring in Sodom, since there were no women present at this mob scene) are all factors here though. There appear to be four main sins espoused, but only two by conservative Jewish and Christian theologians and scholars. It was homosexuality to the extreme. The first was an outworking of the second. But we must keep in mind that God was also ready to show mercy. So, some theologians and scholars have claimed, especially based on Ezekiel 16:49, that the real sin of Sodom was not homosexual behavior, but that God judged them for pride. 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. An especially wicked place is described as a "Sodom and Gomorrah." The biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah begins when two angels, disguised as travelers, arrive at the gates of Sodom. Why were they not counted among the righteous when Abraham pleaded for Sodom (Genesis 18:23-33) and stopped at 10? This was the real sin of Sodom and Gomorrah. 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. The sin of Sodom and Gomorrah wasn't independence and isolationism, it was extreme wickedness. 7 0. Contextually, that is poor exegesis. Genesis chapter 18 records the Lord and two angels coming to speak with Abraham. Admah and Zeboim were included but Zoar was spared. No. It was homosexualism; it had nothing to do with “inhospitality.” In closing, it is very important to know that, while homosexualism is indeed a sin (Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 1 Timothy 1:9-11), it is forgivable! Sodom and Gomorrah: What Was the Primary Sin? Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. Why was Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt? 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. For those who uphold biblical inerrancy and authority, the answer is obvious—yes! New Living Translation. All in all, a virtual garden of Eden. SIN OF GREED. Even in that passage, inhospitality is ranked behind pride—indeed, inhospitality is only a subset of the greater sin of hating our neighbor. 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. The names Sodom and Gomorrah (1) are bywords in our modern society. They meet Lot, a relative newcomer to the city, who insists that they spend the night in his house. What Was the Sin of Sodom and Gomorrah? 50 They were haughty and did detestable things before meTherefore I did away with them as you have seen. Privacy Policy and Society today is indifferent to sin. 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 that chapter, Simeon and Levi killed all the men of Shechem because of the rape of their sister Dinah. But what was the primary sin of Sodom (and Gomorrah and the nearby cities of the plain)? There were actually more cities destroyed than just Sodom and Gomorrah. 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 . Likewise, Jewish scholars did not associate the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah with homosexuality until Philo in the first century AD and not with any measure of consistency until the sixth century. It occurs in Genesis 19:1-29. Thus the tensions of homosexual panic amongst the men of Sodom are relieved in a way that confirms their own heterosexuality. Had there been … God considers all sexual sin abhorrent in his eyes (Galatians 5:19-21). There are far too many examples of pro-isolationism in the Bible to even consider the notion that isolationism was their problem. A third and fourth “sin explanation” has gained popularity in recent years, primarily in liberal Christian scholarship, but it is not deduced from an exegetical reading of Scripture. So yes, Sodom was judged for homosexual sin—which flowed from pride, which also led to cruelty and exploitation of their fellow men and women. 1 decade ago. However, two earlier passages are prelude to this. 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." The outcry was for justice toward their sin. They were a prideful people and delighted in cruelty and neglected any form of social justice. You can also sign up for our free print newsletter (US only). It's become popular to claim that the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was something other than homosexuality. Confirmation in Other Scriptures. Fact, only four left Sodom alive, and rather than be by! Of Sodom and Gomorrah had become so great and their sin so grievous. formed a large settlement at terminus. All in all, my goal is simply to figure out What text... City, God would have spared it ( Genesis 18:23-33 ) and stopped at 10, and only three it! 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