The drama of Sodom and Gomorrah unfolded when God considered whether to inform Abraham of His impending actions (Genesis 18:16-21). God revealed His plans to Abraham, as He consistently does with His prophets.
Surely the Lord God does nothing
without revealing his secret
to his servants the prophets. (Amos 3:7)
It never ceases to amaze me to know that God wants to involve humans in His decision-making process.
Abraham, upon learning of God’s intentions, interceded on behalf of innocent people in the cities. He pleaded with God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah if righteous individuals could be found there.
Despite Abraham’s negotiations, the number of righteous people fell short of even ten, which led to God’s decision to proceed with judgment (Genesis 18:22-33).
As the destruction neared, angels visited Lot in Sodom. Following a disturbing encounter with the city’s inhabitants, the angels urged Lot and his family to flee (Genesis 19:1-11).
Lot attempted to convince his sons-in-law to join them, but they laughed at his warnings (Genesis 19:12-14).
With time running out, Lot and his immediate family were escorted out of the city by the angels, marking the moment when divine judgment would be executed on Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:15-23).
Judgment
With Lot and his family safe, beginning at sunrise, the devastating judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah began.
Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven, and he overthrew those cities and all the plain and all the inhabitants of the cities and what grew on the ground.
But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:24-26).
The twofold use of God’s covenant name, “Lord,” in these verses reinforces the fact that the disaster that struck Sodom and its environs was not a freak of nature.
The Bible consistently demonstrates God’s profound love for humanity. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was not an impulsive act of an angry God.
God’s decision to allow these cities to be destroyed stemmed from a place of deep anguish. It was a last resort, taken to prevent the spread of their moral corruption.
Lot’s wife lost her life for only one reason: she willfully ignored God’s directive (Genesis 19:17).
In the face of God’s judgment, there are not three options. Option one is to stay and be destroyed. Option two is to run for your life. Option three – there is no third option. Follow God’s direction or be destroyed.
Judgment and Sorrow
As Abraham witnessed the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, we can only imagine the profound sorrow he must have felt. Despite his earnest intercession, it was insufficient to prevent the cities’ fate.
Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord, and he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the plain and saw the smoke of the land going up like the smoke of a furnace (Genesis 19:27-28).
Jesus wept over Jerusalem, knowing that even His divine intercession and boundless love could not soften the hardened hearts of its inhabitants.
As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes” (Luke 19:41-42).
Abraham’s and Jesus’ experiences highlight the heartbreaking consequences of persistent wickedness, even in the face of divine mercy and intercession.
Reflections
As a young preacher, I often tuned into nighttime broadcasts from the Moody Bible Institute. One phrase from the speaker has stayed with me to this day: “God won’t gatecrash His way into your heart.”
It is sad but true that when humanity deliberately closes its heart to God’s love, mercy, and grace, judgment inevitably follows—whether it is self-imposed or divine.
Let us pray for a world where hearts will be open and receptive to God’s presence. May we and those for whom we pray cultivate soft hearts that welcome His love and guidance.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 