God’s Mercy Revealed in Sodom
Genesis 18:
17 And the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing,
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20 And the LORD said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave,
21 "I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know."
22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD.
23 And Abraham came near and said, "Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
The end of Genesis 18 and Genesis 19 deals with the sin and destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Most of the time people focus on God’s judgment against sin, but I want to bring attention to God’s mercy. It is true that God will not tolerate sin. However, judgment is always God’s last alternative. Mercy is always extended before judgment falls. The Bible makes it clear that “God is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). But the Bible also tells us that many will enter the wide gate that leads to destruction, but few will enter into the narrow gate, which leads to eternal life. Why is it that God says He desires mercy yet most will enter destruction? The Bible says that man’s condemnation is that they love darkness rather than light and people who practice evil hate the light because it exposes their deeds (John 3:19-20). Because they do not want to leave sin, they either run from the light or try to extinguish the light. God does not choose judgment; people choose judgment over forgiveness because they don’t want to submit to a Holy God.
As we walk through the history of Sodom, keep this in mind. You will see God’s loving mercy first. As men revolt against God and glorify godlessness, the only remaining alternative is justice. I believe God executes justice with a broken heart. But His mercy does not overrule justice. His mercy paid the penalty of His justice, therefore, forgiveness is freely given to anyone who will receive it.
Revelation to the Righteous
The fall of Sodom and Gomorrah begins with God revealing the sin of these cities to Abraham. God always reveals a nation’s sin to the righteous and the righteous are called to pray and seek healing. The Bible says, “The effective prayer of the righteous man accomplishes much”. The balance of the land is in the hands of the righteous. If a nation falls from righteousness, it is God’s people who have failed, not the godless culture alone. Often quoted is 2 Chronicles 7:14, “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
Notice the key phrases are ‘My people’, ‘called by My name’. It is God’s people who must humble themselves, seek God’s face, and turn from their wicked ways. A godly church can’t help but impact a godless culture. But when a church begins to conform to the culture or compromise scripture to meet the will of the culture, it loses its godly impact. When darkness and light meet, darkness disappears. There are only two alternatives to the culture verses the church: The church will impact the culture for good, or the church will extinguish its light and be impacted by the culture. There is no way an ungodly culture can sit comfortably in a church unless the church is not standing on God’s word. Our calling is to be a light in the culture – or the world. It is ok for us and others to be uncomfortable and even offended at times. God did not ask us to be non-offensive; He commanded us to shine His light. When our life doesn’t measure up to the word and principles of God, we will be uncomfortable and convicted. We are uncomfortable because we are forced into the realization that we are making a willful decision. We will either turn toward the light in repentance or we will lash at the light. The Bible says that Jesus is the rock of offense, but whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame. Or as Jesus put it, “blessed is he who is not offended in Me”. When we are convicted by His word, we are either offended or conformed to His image.
God’s reveals the coming judgment to the righteous so that we can become instruments of God’s grace. We reach out to save others as Lot was commanded or pray and intercede as Abraham did – or both. Abraham did not rejoice in the destruction of the wicked, but pleaded for mercy based on God’s own character. Proverbs gives us the same insight. We are told not to be glad or rejoice when our enemies fall because of God’s wrath. It displeases God and He will turn away from punishing him (Proverbs 24:17). This is because God takes no pleasure in judgment, but desires to show mercy.
Hatred against the messenger
Even though we are called to pray and reach out to a sinful world, we should not expect a warm welcome. When people hate the light, they will hate anyone who walks in the light of Jesus Christ which brings attention to the fact that their actions are evil. Jesus said, “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:19). This was also true here in Sodom. Look at Genesis 19:
4 Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house.
5 And they called to Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally."
6 So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him,
7 and said, "Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly!
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9 And they said, "Stand back!" Then they said, "This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them." So they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break down the door.
Lot didn’t need to tell these men that their intentions were wicked, they were willfully acting against God. They apparently knew why these messengers came. Lot reiterated this in verse 8 by reminding the men that these men shouldn’t be touched. “It is for this reason [to verify the wicked acts] these men have come into my house.” The response was, “Get out of our way.” “Who made you a judge?” “We will punish you worse.”
We see this response from our culture today. Any who dares to openly profess the truth of God’s word is silenced by our culture. Anyone who preaches against sin is called a hatemonger and intolerant. This should be a warning sign to the church. When darkness is so pervasive that the light causes such an outcry of rage, the culture is already in the balances. As society develops a hatred for God, the gospel message will not be received by the people and grace ceases to be an option. The world does not mind acknowledging that there is a god, just not the God of the Bible. They may even use the Bible to satisfy their religious objectives, but without acknowledging God as He has revealed Himself in scripture. The God who is holy and requires us to be holy is rejected. If someone rejects God as He is, they reject God completely. A sinful culture does not mind Christians as long as they do not shine the light of Christ. Peace exists with the world as long as our light is behind closed doors. Sodom obviously knew Lot was not of them, but they were at peace until he said their actions were wicked. Then they attacked him as well as the messengers sent to him.
It is our calling to shine our light in the culture around us. The darker the darkness of the world, the harder it will be to share the gospel. As people learn to hate God, the door for mercy will be closed – not by God, but by the world that does not want to be reminded. The Bible says that the godly are the smell of death to those perishing, but the perfume of life to those being saved (2 Corinthians 2:16). That is a strong description. How people respond to us comes directly from their response to the mercy of God. If someone chooses judgment, they will hate us because they don’t want to be reminded of their choice. For those responding to mercy, the message we carry will be counted as refreshing.
Sometimes we see the same perspective in churches. The people who get angry at ‘intolerant messages’ are not people who stand on the word, but those who adopt their doctrine from the world. Members who are offended often are those who deny the accuracy of the Bible, even though God said that He exalts His word above His own name. God said His word is greater than His name and even so, some people who claim His name will deny the truth of His word. Even if someone is well intentioned, to be reminded that they are contrary to God’s word can draw a hostile response.
Blindness
The farther into sin we get, the more blinded we will become. Evidence is that so many people make choices that clearly violate God’s word, and they still will proclaim that they are right with God or that God has blessed them. But the Bible says that to choose obedience is the blessing, but to chose disobedience is a curse. Because those under the curse of sin are blinded, they will proclaim they are blessed. Lot was apparently oblivious to the seriousness of the sin of Sodom until the angel told him to flee the imminent judgment. The angel also told Lot to take anyone with him that would come.
12 Then the men said to Lot, "Have you anyone else here? Son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city -- take them out of this place!
13 "For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it."
14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, "Get up, get out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city!" But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking.
Lot was not able to get anyone to listen. Judgment was on its way, but his warning was a mockery. He could not even get his relatives out of the city. Only his two unmarried daughters and wife was taken out. This rings true in our culture as well. Once someone has been desensitized to sin, they are also too hardened to fear God. It isn’t the true worshipers of God that deny the reality of God’s judgment; it is those who don’t know Him. Those who love God and experience God’s love aren’t the ones who refuse to acknowledge God’s wrath, it is those who are far from Him.
Even Christians can be blind to sin. We live in a culture that bombards us daily with acceptance of sin. We cannot drive down the highway without seeing seductive ads for products and billboards advertising so-called ‘classy’ strip clubs. Sin is presented as acceptable, fulfilling and harmless. There are two points of failure that begin to blind Christians in our culture.
One. We don’t turn away from temptation.
Matthew 5
29 "If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
30 "And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
Most people are not willing to do this. We are more afraid of missing out in this world than missing out in eternity. Jesus called for drastic measures against sin in our life. This does not literally mean to pull your eyes out. What it does mean is to take action to get rid of anything that causes us to sin – even if that means suffering or taking drastic action. The television is on just over 7 hours per day in the average home (including Christian homes). The TV is a powerful medium and the window of influence used to shape our values. Even though almost every Christian agrees that TV goes against their values, very few are willing to take a stand. Jesus said that we are to cast away anything that offends our relationship with Him, but that warning means little once we are blinded to the harm. Nearly 75% of both Christian and non-Christian households have cable TV and just over 20% of both Christian and non-Christian homes have satellite dishes. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that 7 hours of cable TV a day will reshape anyone’s values. This is especially true when the viewing habits of Christian and non-Christian homes are almost identical. In spite of this, very few people will ever take action. Even the strongest Christian will become numb to the anti-Christian values over a prolonged period. Even Christians who feel strong will eventually give into temptation if they are exposed over time. Almost all the mainstream movie channels are ‘soft porn’ in the late evening. Why would anyone who claims the name of Christ open their home to this type of programming? Why would a Christian home fund those who produce these types of programs? If we allow the world to flood us with its values, then we will become like Lot – tolerant of the culture that is intolerant toward godliness.
Two. We don’t renew our minds.
Romans 12:
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
How do we avoid being conformed to this world? By renewing our mind. We renew our mind through scripture, prayer and worship. Jesus said that we are to seek our daily bread from our Father in heaven. He also called us to take up our cross daily and follow Him. We don’t live in a world that allows us to coast in neutral. We will either drift away from God or make an effort to draw near to God. When we draw near to God, He has promised to draw near to us. As a part of living in this world, influences and culture challenge our faith daily. Even if we don’t give in, continuous exposure to a sinful culture will begin to effect our perception. Therefore we must renew our faith daily. Even when I feel strong, if I am not seeking God’s face, I will drift away. I can be ministering and working for God and then suddenly it dawns on me that I no longer feel that closeness to God. I have remembered the work, but forgotten the relationship. The most important thing in the Christian life is our personal, intimate relationship with our God. If we don’t discipline ourselves to take this time of renewal through prayer and scripture, we will drift away.
I am no better than the relatives of Lot. If I allow my mind to become polluted by this world, or if I don’t seek God daily, I can be blinded by the god of this age. Only God can purify me and my only hope is to draw close to Him. Only in Him are all good things. Everything in this world is passing away. Everything outside of God is a counterfeit. But as I am renewed, I see the reality of God in my life today and the reality of the life to come that He has prepared for all those who are in Him.
Judgment.
God’s mercies are deep, but He has also warned that He will not always strive with man. There comes a point when God has to intervene with judgment. I believe that God judges when all hope is lost. Judgment is not the same as tribulation. Tribulation may drive people back to God but this is still within God’s outreach of mercy. When my kids are taking action that is dangerous or has consequences, as a parent, it is my responsibility to intervene. If I did not, I don’t love them. No one who loves their children can sit back and watch their children develop into self-destructive individuals without doing everything in their power to direct them in the right direction. When my kids are doing wrong, I instruct them in the way that is right. If they refuse to listen, then I bear down harder. I warn them of what will happen if they continue to disobey. If they turn, all is well. If they refuse, then I punish just as I promised. Then I follow the punishment with a warning of more severe punishment. How harshly they are punished depends on when they take ownership of their responsibility to obey. The punishment is not judgment, but an act of love. I hate the punishment as much or more than they do. My focus is on enjoying my relationship with my kids but there are times when they will drift off course and correction is necessary.
I don’t believe God is any different with us. God does not desire judgment and does not want punish us. But we have the right to choose this avenue for ourselves. The Bible tells us that God chastises us as a Father that delights in His children. Tribulation does not necessarily mean that God is punishing us, but He does use trials and tribulation in our lives. When tribulation is used by God to correct our sins, this does not mean we are under the wrath and judgment of God. The warning of the judgment of God is the destruction of the wicked that have already destroyed themselves. It is always the last option when there is no longer hope for repentance.
Examples of this principle are found throughout scripture. In Genesis 15:16, God said that Abraham would occupy the land and inherit it after the fourth generation “for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete”. When the Israelites were about to enter into the Promised Land, God made it clear that it was not for their righteousness that they were inheriting the land. They were inheriting the land because of the promise, but the inhabitants were being driven out because of their wickedness. God did not dispossess the people from the land until the people were completely wicked and hope was gone.
The flood was preceded by four generation preaching God’s mercy, yet only 8 people responded and came into the ark. The rest of people had “every intent of the thoughts of [their] heart[s] were only evil continually”. God destroyed a world that was beyond repentance. The people were already self-destructing and were so callous to the call of repentance that they would not respond even in the face of death. God said of His final judgment in Revelation “that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first”. Jesus also pointed out that when He returns to avenge judgment, the church will have departed from Him. He said, “when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
You can see that God’s judgment is not an act of mercilessness, but mercy that has been rejected. God promised Abraham that He would not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah if He found just 10 people who could be considered righteous. These two cities could have easily had 100,000 people in each of them, but only Lot was found to be righteous. His righteousness was questionable, but he shows the mercy of God. If there is any light of righteousness, hope is not yet lost and mercy remains. Once that light is extinguished, judgment becomes the only alternative. Even the Great Tribulation has the promise of mercy before it. “That Day will NOT come unless the falling away comes first”. The true church – those who live in Christ and allow Christ to live through them, are the only barrier that protects the world from itself. The world will not fall until the church falls and the church will not fall until they chose the world over Christ.
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