RUSSELL SANDERS
11-7-2020
SIN BROUGHT UTTER DESTRUCTION
The Plain of Jordan had five cities. We often speak of Sodom and Gomorrah, but there were also Zoar, Adman, and Zeboiim. The kings of these five cities were confederates who lost a war against Chedolaomer and three other Babylonian kings. Abram took a small army to rescue Lot, defeating these four Babylonian kings.
A point to consider is that the five cities of the plain had culture and religion in common. All five were totally corrupt and destined for destruction. Lot initially pleaded to flee to Zoar, a smaller one of the five cities. He was allowed, and fire and brimstone destroyed Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim. Zoar was spared due to Lot’s presence as God’s favor to Abraham.
However, Lot determined that he was not safe in Zoar, so he fled again. He went to the mountain where he had been told to go. There he found a cave in which to dwell. When he left Zoar, that city was also destroyed. That plain, now full of salt (brimstone) became part of what is known as the dead Sea, or Salt Sea.
At 1,290 feet below sea level, it has the earth’s lowest surface. It measures 47 x 10 miles. The depth of water ranges from ten feet to 1,300 feet. Each shore has cliffs ranging from 1,500 to 2,500 feet high. It is fed water on its north side from the Jordan River. The salt concentration of 25% is four times that of ocean water. The slime pits (bitumen) mentioned in Genesis 14:10 (during the battle) are to this day active in the floor of the lake. The presence of magnesium bromide in the lake made it impossible for centuries for any life, plant, or animal, to grow in it.
God utterly destroyed the entire plain, leveling it and making it inhabitable. The sin of homosexuality and the brutal and vicious behaviors associated with it brought down God’s wrath upon the entire area. How do you think he feels about today’s acceptance of it, - and not just by the “world” but by the “church” also?
Many Protestant denominations not only accept it they even ordain sodomites as pastors and ministers. Even Pope Francis has recently endorsed homosexual marriage (although he is now trying to backtrack on that).
Folks, God hates sin. There are many kinds of sin. Some of them we tend to regard as worse than other kinds, but God cannot stand any of them. He loves the sinner, but He hates the sin. He could not even “look upon” Jesus on the cross because Jesus had all of our sin (past, present, future) put upon him. That feeling of abandonment is why Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46 and Mark 15:34)
As born-again believers, you and I have Jesus’ blood as our cleansing. I John 1:9 says to us that as we confess our daily sins, we are cleansed. Let us “keep clean.”
