Today's Lifestyle In Comparison To The Days Of Sodom And Gomorrah

Today’s Lifestyle In Comparison To The Days of Sodom And Gomorrah

Eileen Renders                                                                             January 2024

   This is recounted in Genesis;  Chapter 19

   The Bible shares with us God’s powerful wrath on the wicked, yet how His protection covered a faithful servant. To provide some perspective of a timeline, James Usher estimates the destruction of Sodom took place in 1897 BC. Thomas Robinson, author of Bible Timeline suggests it was 1896 BC. And Merrill Unger author of Archeology and the Old Testament gives a time of 2065 BC.

   Genisis’ writings speak about how two angels reached Sodom in the evening where Lot was sitting at the Gates. Lot saw them, stood up to greet them, and bowed to them. Lot invited them to walk with him to his home where they could rest and wash their feet. The angels resisted the invitation from Lot, but Lot continued to insist. The angels went with him, and Lot cooked some unleavened bread, and they had supper. They had not yet gone to sleep when the house was surrounded by townspeople, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people without exception.

   Calling out to Lot they said; “Where are the men that came to you tonight? Send them out so that we can have intercourse with them”. Lot came out to them at the door, and having shut the door behind him, said; “Please brothers, do not be so wicked. “Look” he continued; “I have two daughters who are virgins. I am ready to send them out to you, for you to treat as you please, but do nothing to these men since they are now under the protection of my roof.” The townspeople shouted, “Stand back, we will get them”. But the angels pulled Lot back inside and shut the door.  

   The angels warned Lot of Yahweh’s promise to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of the immorality of the people after they had taken Lot to safety up in the hills. But Lot said he could not make it up into the hills and wanted to go to a small nearby town called Zoar. Yahweh told him to go take his family and not to look back. But Lot’s wife did turn around to look back and was turned into a pillar of salt.

        The full story can be found in the Bible, and most of us are aware of how God spared Lot and his children because Lot loved, respected, and obeyed God. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were then rained down on with fire and brimstone. The moral of this story is God’s love, mercy, and protection for those who love Him and obey His Commandments. Those who were committed to the sins of rape, incest, homosexuality, and sodomy were destroyed.

    How does society live today in comparison to those days of Sodom and Gomorrah? We are in the midst of wars caused by power seekers. We have rape, homosexuality, disease, and environmental threats such as tornadoes, flooding, explosions, terrorists, and more! Still, there is no denying that God has kept, and will keep His promise of love and mercy to all who love and respect His word.   

   In conclusion, each one of us is responsible for our actions and must account to God for our disobedience should we choose to live in sin and disobedience. God is love and it is love and mercy that we are asked to give to one another. By frequenting the sacraments, spending time in prayer, and obeying His Commandments we are in line to inherit God’s promises.

   At the conclusion of each day, it is good to have an examination of conscience before retiring.