Live Your Theology

If you ask any given person, Christian or not, what the story of Sodom and Gomorrah was about, they would most likely answer “homosexuality.” I would consider myself a conservative Christian, and until recently would have answered that question the same way. After much study and consideration however, I no longer believe that is the answer.

Have I turned liberal? Have I come out of the closet? The answer to both questions is no (and for the record I’m straight.) What I have done however, is read the story in context, and ventured to be honest with myself, which is sometimes difficult to do. In this case it is difficult because Sodom and Gomorrah was guilty of the same things that I, and possibly you, are also guilty of. Keep reading.

Genesis 18, the chapter before Sodom and the surrounding cities are destroyed, is critical in understanding the story. There also another key verse in the book of Ezekiel. Let’s start by summarizing Genesis 18:

Abraham sees three men (who are actually angels) in the distance, and offers them to take a break from traveling, wash their feet, and have some food and water. Abraham and his family prepare a feast of bread cakes, milk and curds, and meat from a calf. This hospitality is an important theme here. Keep in mind that just a few short verses ago, (and in Jewish tradition, just three days prior) Abraham circumcised himself (Gen. 17:26). It goes without saying this was extremely painful, and Abraham was probably not up to waiting on guests, but he did just the same. Abraham’s example here is where the Jews teach their mitzvah of hospitality from. Consider that the Hivites were in such pain three days after they were circumcised they couldn’t even fight back to save their own lives (Gen. 34:25). The New Testament may be referring to this show of hospitality in Hebrews 13:2, which reads “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.”

After the angels eat, they reveal to Sarah she will have another son next year. Then God (understood to be represented by one of the three angels) considers whether or not He should reveal His plans for Sodom and Gomorrah to Abraham. He chooses to do so, and explains He will go down and see for Himself if they are guilty. Abraham questions if God will destroy the righteous along with the wicked, and after some deliberation and pleading, the final answer is that God will spare Sodom and Gomorrah if there are at least 10 righteous people found.

When Genesis 19 begins, it is evening, and two of the three angels from Genesis 18 are entering the city of Sodom. Abraham’s nephew Lot, who lives in Sodom, sees the angels from the city gate. Lot offers them hospitality, but they refuse. Why? Why would the angels refuse this hospitality, when they recently accepted Abraham’s?  The answer to this question is crucial. Consider this: God said He was going to go to Sodom Himself and see if they are guilty according to its outcry (Gen. 18:21). So instead of accepting Lot’s offer of hospitality, the angels’ initial plan is to sleep in the town square. The reason the angels want to sleep in the town square is to give the city a chance – to see if anyone else from the town is willing to offer them a place to stay for the night. Why? Because as God discussed with Abraham, if there are 10 righteous people, He will spare the whole place. God is omniscient; He already knows He is planning to save Lot and his two daughters, so if at least seven more people can show themselves righteous, Sodom would not have been destroyed.

Unfortunately we know the outcome of the story – Sodom and the surrounding cities are destroyed because there wasn’t enough righteous people found in them. If my summary of the story thus far doesn’t sound familiar to you, it is probably because I didn’t mention how the men of Sodom wanted to sexually assault the angels. And I didn’t mention this because it is not the emphasis of the story. Did it happen? Yes. Was it wicked? Yes. Is homosexuality prohibited by Jewish law? Yes. Is it the chief sin for which Sodom was destroyed?  No.

Ezekiel explains it like this:

“Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy.”    Ezekiel 16:49

Sodom was a wealthy city, and according to the Midrash, the Sodomites disliked strangers and would even flood the approaches to their town to keep people out. Even when Lot admonished them, the people of Sodom were quick to reconsider his resident status and call him an alien (Gen. 19:9). They did not want outsiders affecting the wealth of their city. Sound like any other place we know?

In fact, one source I studied mentioned the possibility that the threat to the angels wasn’t necessarily made by homosexuals – but was rather a punishment to unwelcome guests of the town, which is what the angels were. This may explain why Lot offered his daughters to the town mob – if the threat was specifically against strangers, then Lot could be reasonably certain they wouldn’t take him up on the offer.

Even if this is not the case, the dynamic of the story has changed, for me at least. Now I read this story as a warning against being a prideful country, and even against myself, in the event I would be unwilling to help the poor and needy. The sexual assault is really an anecdote here; God was testing the people of Sodom for righteousness and hoping to find it. Unfortunately He did not. Will He find righteousness in America? Will He find a willingness to help the poor and needy in you?