09 May Homosexuality Was the Token Sin of Sodom
Genesis 19:5 – And they called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.”
Since the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is the most graphic account of God’s response to sexual sin in general, and homosexual sin in particular, we need to consider the reasons why the sin judged in Sodom was homosexual sex.
- The sexual sin of Sodom and Gomorrah has long been held to be homosexuality, as our English word sodomy indicates
- Earlier, in Genesis 13:12-13, when Lot chose to live in Sodom, God warned Abram about its wickedness in the days preceding the visit of the two angels saying, “Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD.”
- Genesis 18:20-21 records God’s account of the great sin saying, “Then the LORD said, ‘The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.’”
- Even Lot said their sin was wicked, which is saying a lot as his answer was the “less” sinful solution of offering his own daughters to be raped. In Genesis 19:7a-8a he says, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing. Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them.”
- In Genesis 19:5 it says, “They [the men of Sodom] called to Lot, ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.’” Some have argued that the word rightly here translated “sex” does not mean sex, but when used elsewhere in Genesis it simply does (e.g. 4:1, 4:17, 4:25, 24:16). Even in this same chapter of Genesis 19, the same word is used to explain that Lot’s daughters had not had sex with any men (19:8) which makes it abundantly clear that the men simply wanted to have sex with the “men” in Lot’s house.
- The parallel account of Genesis 19 in the book of Judges 19 likewise speaks of homosexual sex, which is likewise condemned there also.
- And, if there should be any question as to whether the sin of Sodom was homosexual sex, Jude 7 is emphatic on this point saying, “In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.”
In summary, the account of Sodom and Gomorrah from Genesis 18:16-19:29 shows God’s righteous judgment of sexual sin in general, and homosexual sin in particular.
The nail in the coffin on this point are the words of the Lord Christ who says in Luke 17:26-32, “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot – they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all – so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back. Remember, Lot’s wife.”
Jesus Christ says the story of Sodom is real, as is the story of Noah. God judged the world first by water, then fire. According to Jesus, the flames of Sodom are a warning that hell is coming and, rather than arguing with God, or editing His Word, we should be repenting of our sin and start having funerals instead of parades for our perversion.
According to Jude 7, what are we supposed to learn from God’s dealing with Sodom and Gomorrah?
To help you study the book of Genesis with us, check out the second of three free e-book study guides here.
To get daily devos sent texted to you Monday-Friday, text DEVOTIONS to 99383. Click here to find the sermon series that accompanies this devotional series.
