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Sodom and Gomorrah:
For the next couple of weeks I am going to talk about Sodom and Gomorrah. I get a lot
of questions about Sodom & Gomorrah & what happened there in light of grace.
Seeing what happened there can really help us to understand why faith is needed to
have life and to see that it is not God that brings death to people.
It can help us to see the way some things fit together in the Spirit of Prophecy. And we
can see what caused the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. And we can see what it
is that brings death to people, and what it means when the Bible says God kills, or that
God destroys.
I think most people think of Sodom and Gomorrah and they have an image of God as a
violent executioner coming to kill some people because they disobeyed him.
And then some know in their hearts that God is not a murderer but because they do not
understand what brought death to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah they want to
throw out those scriptures as being flawed.
But neither is true.
Gen 19:12 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy
sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this
place:
Gen 19:13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great
before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.
Gen 19:14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his
daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city.
But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
Gen 19:15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise,
take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the
iniquity of the city.
Gen 19:16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand
of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him:
and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
Gen 19:17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said,
Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the
mountain, lest thou be consumed.
Gen 19:23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.
Gen 19:24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire
from the LORD out of heaven;
Gen 19:25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the
cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
Gen 19:26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
Gen 19:27 And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood
before the LORD:
Gen 19:28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the
plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.
Gen 19:29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God
remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he
overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
Verse 24 Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire
from the Lord out of heaven.
When we think of what it means that God rained fire and brimstone upon Sodom and
Gomorrah we think of it as if God is sitting in heaven throwing lighting bolts at people to
kill them. We think of it in the sense of God committing an act of violence against
people to kill them. But, is that really what is going there.
By the way I am using brown driver Briggs for my hebrew definitions.
The word for brimstone in the hebrew is used to speak figuratively of God's breath. Or
the breath that comes forth from the mouth of God when He speaks. In the OT one of
the ways the Holy Spirit is described is as the breath of God. When God speaks His
Word it releases His breath. Just like when God spoke His Word in Jesus and it
released His breath in the Holy Spirit.
A good example of what this is saying and what it looks like can be found in Genesis
chapter 1.
In Genesis chapter 1 when it says the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
It could also be translated as the breath of God moved upon the face of the waters. So
when it says that brimstone rained down upon Sodom and Gomorrah it would be the
same as what was said in Genesis when it says God uttered let there be light and the
breath of God was released and moved upon the face of the deep.
You know in Genesis chapter 1 it says the earth was in chaos and confusion & was full
of darkness, and then the Holy Spirit moved upon the face of the deep after God
released His breath by saying let there be light.
In the same way we can say that Sodom and Gomorrah was full of darkness and chaos
and confusion had covered it. And God released His breath to move upon the
darkness and the chaos and confusion that covered Sodom and Gomorrah.
This can be difficult to explain but we can even see a form of what is said here about
God raining down fire and brimstone when the Word was made flesh and ascended to
the right hand of God and the Holy Spirit was poured out on all flesh. When God
looked upon the world they were in darkness and chaos and confusion. And just like in
Genesis 1 God said let there be light through the Word made flesh in Jesus and this
released the breath of God into the earth. It released the Spirit of God into all the
earth.
The word fire in hebrew speaks of a supernatural fire that would represent the
theophany.
The word theophany speaks of the appearance of God. It refers to the appearance of
God to human beings. It refers to the manifestation of God to people; the sensible sign
by which the presence of God is revealed.
The theophany is the visible manifestation of the glory of God.
The brimstone and fire coming down upon Sodom and Gomorrah would be the
equivalent of the presence of God appearing in the holiest place of the tabernacle. It
would be the equivalent of the shecinah glory of God appearing in the holiest place in
the tabernacle that God had Moses make when God wanted to dwell with mankind.
So when it says that God rained down brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah. It
is saying that God appeared in all His glory. It is saying that the presence of God
appeared. It is saying that the Shecinah glory of God appeared. It is saying that God
appeared in Sodom and Gomorrah with an unveiled face.
It's not saying that God breathed fire on people. It's that the glory of God; the presence
of God; the Spirit of God appears as a fire. This is why when the disciples were filled
with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost it says there was like cloven tongues of fire
that appeared over each of them.
So what destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah? What caused the people to die if God didn't
throw lighting bolts at them and He just appeared there.
We read verses like this that say God destroyed or that God killed and we read our own
biases and beliefs into what it means. We have our own set of definitions and our own
predetermined beliefs about what things look like. And then we read the scriptures
through those preconceived beliefs.
It's like the verse that says "thou shalt fear the Lord your God". For so long we read
that verse through our own definition of what it means to fear. And because of that we
interpreted that verse to say we should be afraid of God. Or we should be filled with
terror at the thought of God. Or that we better watch our backs with that guy because
you never know when He is going to get you.
But, Jesus came and interpreted that verse to mean something completely different.
He interpreted that verse to mean thou shalt believe on the Lord thy God for life. He
interpreted the word fear there to mean to believe on God. He came and interpreted
that verse as saying thou shalt believe what God believes. Thou shalt be persuaded of
what God is persuaded of concerning you and how it is that you can be clothed with
glory and immortality. Jesus had a completely different definition for the word fear.
And it completely changed the meaning of the scriptures.
It's the same way with how we define the verses that say God destroyed or God killed.
The scriptures say God destroyed Sodom & Gomorrah. But, how do we define that?
Do we have a predetermined conclusion of what that looks like? Do we say God came
& destroyed them with violence. In the sense we think of an army coming with swords
& guns and killing people that have life & God comes as the thing that takes their life?
But, is that the Spirit of what those verses are actually teaching?
Gen 19:15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise,
take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the
iniquity of the city.
This verse talks about the city being consumed by iniquity.
The hebrew word used here for iniquity means punishment of iniquity; consequence of
or punishment for iniquity.
Describe punishment of iniquity
The punishment for iniquity does not speak of there being something outside of iniquity
or external to iniquity that brings the punishment. It speaks of iniquity itself causing or
bringing punishment. It speaks of something that is the result of iniquity or something
that comes forth from iniquity. It speaks of a punishment that iniquity brings. It speaks
of their being a wage or a reward that iniquity pays. So we can say it like this, iniquity
is the punisher. The city of Sodom & Gomorrah was punished by iniquity.
Example with works of the flesh?
So why does it say that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah if they were consumed by
iniquity?
When it says that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah it is not in the sense of how
man would define the way someone would destroy something with a physical sword.
Or by committing an act of violence.
It is not in the sense of God being the cause of the destruction. It is in the sense of
Gods appearance shining light on the destruction that is already present. It is in the
sense of the destruction that was already in Sodom and Gomorrah being brought out of
the shadows and made fully manifest for what it is by the appearance of God.
Example of something that had an appearance of good and then could be seen for what
it was.... ask Beckie....
1Co 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it,
because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it
is.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and
marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Heb 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are
naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
These verses say all things are made manifest for what they are in the presence of the
Lord. Nothing remains in the shadows but everything is unveiled for what it is and
brought out where it can be clearly seen.
***Example Word showed up and brought the Father out of the shadows where He
could be seen for who & what He is. Word showed up and brought the belief we could
have life through our ability out of the shadows where it could be clearly seen.***
Iniquity is a wisdom, and it has a certain substance to it. It produces a certain fruit. In
the same way an apple tree produces a certain fruit and an orange tree produces a
certain fruit. Iniquity contains something in itself that produces a certain fruit.
Iniquity is not from God and it cannot give life. There is no life or light in iniquity there is
only death and darkness and destruction. Now because all things are made manifest
in the presence of the Lord. Everything is revealed for what it is; what it contains, and
what it produces in the presence of the Lord. Nothing can remain hidden in the
presence of the Lord. The truth about everything and what is contained there is
revealed in the presence of the Lord. So iniquity is revealed for what it is and what it
contains and what it produces in the presence of the Lord.
Example: Its like with magic markers. You could write something and it will actually
be there, but it cannot be seen and so no one knows what is really written there. No
one can see the substance of what is written there even though it is there. It is hidden.
But, in the day the presence of the black light comes whatever is written there will no
longer be hidden, but it will be revealed and clearly seen for what it is. What has been
written there all along will be made manifest for all to see.
Now did the black light write anything there? Or did the black light cause what was
written to be there? No. All the black light did was make manifest what was already
there and revealed it for what it was.
The way in which we can say God destroys or the way we want to define what it means
when we read the verse that says God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah is that the
wages of sin; the death that iniquity produces is made manifest in the presence of God.
In other words what is already contained there and is somewhat hidden and concealed
to the naked eye is brought out of the shadows where it can be clearly seen for what it
is and what it does because of the appearance of light.
Example: If you have two guys. One who has believed on Jesus and has faith in His
heart. And one who has refused to believe and has iniquity dwelling in their heart.
What is in them both will be made manifest in the presence of God. The substance of
what they have both believed on will be shown for what it is just by them standing in the
presence of God. God doesn't have to do anything but just be there in all His glory.
The same loving God, having the same heart for all people; not desiring that any should
perish but that all would have life appears to both guys. It is not one God who appears
to one guy and a different God that appears to another guy. But, the one who had faith
dwelling in his heart is glorified unto immortality and eternal life. And the one who has
iniquity as his heart perishes and returns to the dust of the ground. The only thing that
is different there is the heart of the person. So is it the iniquity dwelling in the heart that
brings death or God?
Its like the day of judgment Paul spoke of in Romans 2 when he said the secrets of
men's heart will be revealed in the return of Christ. Whether they have believed on
Jesus the substance of the faith they have in their heart will be revealed for what it is by
manifesting glory and immortality in them. Or whether they have refused to believe on
Jesus and instead believed on the strength of the flesh for life the substance of the
iniquity they have in their heart will be revealed for what it is and what it produces by
manifesting fear and shame and anguish in their souls and bringing forth death in their
hearts and in their bodies. Meaning that whatever Spirit people have believed on for
life and whatever is contained in that Spirit and is produced by that Spirit will be made
manifest in the day Christ appears in all His glory.
The day of judgment is not about God judging against some people and judging for
some people. He has come and judged for all people in the death and resurrection of
Jesus. The day of judgment is when the judgment of God concerning what brings life
and what brings death is revealed. In faith being made manifest for what it is, and in
iniquity being made manifest for what it is in the return of Christ. The judgment of God
concerning what gives life and what gives death is revealed.
So when it says that God destroys or God kills it means the iniquity that was already
there, and the substance of what is contained in iniquity was made manifest because of
the presence of the Lord. It could no longer lie dormant or remain in the shadows
because of the presence of the Lord.
It's like with a truth serum. Something can be hid in someone's heart and it cannot be
seen. But, the truth serum can be administered and it will bring what is already there
out in the open where it can be known
One of the things that happened when Adam ate from the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil is that man could no longer stand in the presence of God; they could no longer
see God in all His glory. They could no longer see the face of God.
Not because God separated Himself from them. Not because God couldn't look upon
them or because God was punishing them. It was because their conscience was now
stained by sin and death. And a conscience stained with works produces fear in the
heart unto death. This is why it says Adam was afraid and hid from God after he ate
from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
We see this dynamic revealed in the tabernacle God had Moses make. In the
tabernacle there was the holy place, and then there is the holiest of holies with a veil
separating the two and keeping everyone out of the holiest place. The Holiest place
represented the face of God or His presence. It represented the place where God
would dwell and appear. The veil that kept man out represented His face needing to
be covered from the eyes of mankind because their conscience was stained by sin and
death.
Just like Moses had to cover his face with a veil because the children of Israel were
filled with fear at the sight of the glory that shown on his face.
The veil was there to keep people out because no one could be in the presence of God
with a conscience stained with sin and death and not die. Only the highpriest could
enter the holiest place and be in the presence of God. And the highpriest could only
enter the holiest place once a year on the day of atonement after many cleansing rituals
were performed and he put on the breast plate of judgment.
The breastplate of judgement represented the highpriest being baptized in the glory of
God. It represented being baptized in the Holy Spirit. In the breastplate of judgment
was something called the Urimm and the Thummim which means lights and perfection.
The Father is referred to as the Father of Lights, and it speaks of the glory or the fire He
is clothed in. The highpriest putting on the breastplate of judgment represented him
being baptized in the perfection and the glory of God. It represented Him being
baptized in fire and life through the Holy Spirit. It represented him being clothed in the
same glory and life as God.
So No one could go into the holiest place without dying but the highpriest once a year.
Anyone who went into the holiest place would die. They didn't die because God was
angry with them for coming into the Holiest place. They didn't die because God cant be
in the presence of sinners. Jesus is God and he ate with sinners. They didn't die
because God didn't want them in there. His whole purpose was to make a way for man
to be able to see His face and stand in His presence without them being filled with fear
and that fear working death in them.
The reason no one could enter the holiest place without dying was because man's
conscience was stained by sin and death, and a conscience stained with sin and death
produces fear in the heart of a person when standing in the presence of God, and this
fear would work death in them. The reason no one could enter the holiest place was
because if a person stood in the presence of God in all His glory and they did not see
themselves clothed in the same glory, their hearts would be filled with fear and then that
fear would work death in them.
The death isnt the result of God desiring for them to die or Him coming to kill them. It is
the result of a person's own conscience condemning them in the presence of God
because it was stained by sin and death.
In exodus 33 Moses tells God he wants to see His glory. God responded by telling
Moses that he could not see His face, which is the fullness of His glory, or he would die.
So God tells Moses He will put him in the clift of a rock and cover Moses with His hand
while He passes by. And then after He has passed by He will remove His hand and
Moses will see God's back parts.
Now God called Moses his friend and spoke to him directly as his friend. He didn't use
dreams or angels to speak with Moses he talked to Moses the way he would talk with
His friend. So we can see that God had a good view and opinion of Moses. He
considered Moses Hs friend, and yet he says that if Moses were to see Him in all His
glory he would die.
God wasn't saying that He would have a desire to kill Moses. God wasnt saying that
He couldn't stand to look at Moses because of his sin. I mean God was looking at
Moses; God could see Moses. God is describing that there is a dynamic involved
where if any human being were to stand in His presence and see Him in all His glory
without being baptized in the Holy Spirit death would manifest in them. Even though
His hearts desire would be for them not to perish.
Kind of like a chemical reaction: look for good example of a chemical reaction?
Exo 19:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they
break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.
Exo 19:22 And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves,
lest the LORD break forth upon them.
In Exodus 19 God told Moses He was going to descend upon Mt. Sinai, and to put up
boundaries all around Mt. Sinai to keep people from coming up to the mount and trying
to see His face. He tells Moses to do this because He knows that if the people see His
face He will break forth upon them and they will perish.
These verses shows the heart of God is that He did not want the people to perish. He
did not want to break forth upon them. But, He knows there is something at work in the
people that will produce death in them should they try to come into His presence. He
was describing that there was something at work in the hearts of people that if they tried
to see His face they would be consumed apart from His desire to consume them.
He knew if they tried to see His face in all His glory with a conscience stained by their
works. He knew that Who He is so much that He will break forth upon them. And if
they stand in His presence clothed with a glory that is of the flesh; of their works they
will perish; they will be consumed.
God was warning them if they try to stand in His presence with iniquity in their heart that
iniquity will kill them. He is saying what will happen. Not what He will do. Big
difference.
Just so no one can be confused if you have believed on Jesus, Christ is dwelling in your
heart not iniquity. You cannot have Christ dwelling in your heart & iniquity.
Lev 10:1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and
put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD,
which he commanded them not.
Lev 10:2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died
before the LORD.
Lev 10:3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be
sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And
Aaron held his peace.
What is this strange fire?
Fire speaks of glory. When the shechinah glory of the Lord appeared in the Holiest
place in the tabernacle it was a fire.
There is a glory that is of the Lord and there is a glory that is of man. Strange fire
means a fire that is not of God. It means a glory that is not of God but it is of the works
of mans hands. Nadab and Abihu tried to stand in the presence of God with a glory
that is of the flesh; they tried to stand in the presence of God clothed in a glory that was
of their works. They tried to stand in the presence of God and all His glory without
being clothed in the glory of God. They tried to see the face of God clothed in their
works.
God didn't kill them in the sense we think of someone killing someone else because
they are filled with rage towards them. God didn't want them to die. He didn't want to
break forth upon them. God didn't say in His heart well they broke the rules so I will
now kill them. No No No. Just like in Exodus when God tells Moses to put up a
barricade to keep the people from coming into His presence lest He break forth upon
them and they die. The reason God commanded them not to come with strange fire
was to prevent people from dying by trying to stand in His presence without being
clothed in His glory.
Nadab and Abihu died because no man can see the face of God and live unless they be
clothed in the glory of God. No man can come into the presence of God and see Him
in all His glory and be clothed in the glory that is of the flesh and live. Not because
God will take their life but because their own conscience will condemn them and their
hearts will be filled with fear and work death in them.
This is why Paul said that God predestined us in Christ that we be sanctified unto His
Spirit; His glory; and His life and we be able to stand before God unblamable with a
heart that does not condemn us and is not consumed with fear but instead we have a
heart that justifies us in His presence and consumes our hearts with love.
God predetermined that we be clothed in His glory and His life in order that we be able
to stand in His presence with a heart that justifies instead of condemning. And we be
consumed with love and not fear.
He predetermined that we should be in Christ because God knows that no flesh can see
His glory and live unless they be clothed in His same glory. He doesn't desire to break
forth upon us & we die. He doesn't want us to be consumed with fear unto death in His
presence.
Connect back to what killed people in Sodom and Gomorrah.
So back to Sodom and Gomorrah
Gen 19:15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise,
take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the
iniquity of the city.
Genesis 19:17 says look not back lest you be consumed by the punishment that is
coming upon Sodom & Gomorrah from iniquity.
So these verses describe something that would happen by the doing of iniquity in the
hearts of people. Not by the doing of God in people.
Its not that God breathed fire on people like a dragon would breathe fire on something
to kill it. It's that the glory of God appears as a fire. The presence of God appeared in
Sodom and Gomorrah. God appeared in all His glory. He appeared with an unveiled
face. The Shekinah glory of God appeared in Sodom and Gomorrah.
Now because iniquity dwelled in the hearts of the people in Sodom & Gomorrah that
iniquity was made manifest for what it was in the presence of a God. And iniquity filled
their hearts with fear at the sight of God, and this fear worked death in them. It worked
death in their hearts and in their bodies.
*** look up no flesh shall stand in my presence****
So What killed them? God, or the iniquity that dwelled in them? If a person stands in
the presence of God, and their heart is filled with fear to the degree the fear in their
heart kills them. Did God kill them? Or did the thing that produced the fear in their
hearts kill them. It is not God that produces fear in the hearts of people. It is a
conscience stained by sin and death. It was the iniquity in their hearts that produced
fear in them.
Iniquity consumed the people not God.
Then use example of women in driveway.
Example of woman in drive way and man distracted because of what is in his heart and
wrecks the car. We can say the man wrecked because of the woman, and there could
be some truth to that because the woman was there. But, is the woman responsible for
the accident? Is it the woman that caused the accident. Or is it what was in the man's
heart that caused him to be distracted with the woman that is responsible for the
accident.
It is the very same way with God there ....
Next week we will talk about what Gods heart was in coming to Sodom and Gomorrah
because it was not to kill people. The bible says that God does not desire that any
should perish. And that He takes no pleasure in the destruction of the wicked.