Battle For The Truth (Part 55)
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Genesis 13:13, “But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.” (KJV)
“Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord.” (ESV)
Introduction
One thing that I pray has been clearly expressed and received is that God’s word is truth, and that God does not waste words. The challenge that invariably confronts us is to exegete or draw out the meaning of the text. There have been moments in this historical narrative where God inspired the author, Moses to place as it were a marker in the text that should cause us to pause and take a closer look to see what God is pointing out.
Because these markers are usually sandwiched between more obvious people and/or events, they are easily overlooked. For example, the previous message covered 13:5-12, where Abram and Lot separated—Lot chose the fertile Jordan Valley, and Abram settled in the land of Canaan. V.14 focuses on God again speaking to Abram reaffirming and bringing greater clarity to the promises made to Abram and his descendants. However, between v.12 and v.14, is v.13. While meditating on the text, I began to ask the usual interpretive questions:
Why did God add v.13? It seems somewhat out of place.
How do I should I understand this verse?
Does it speak to some theological or doctrinal concern?
What is God telling us in this verse and how does it fit along with immediate context of Genesis 13?
Should I mention it in passing or skip it altogether?
Is it worthy of our time and attention?
Well, after praying about it and asking these and a few more questions, I concluded that since God saw fit to include it, then it is worthy of our time and attention. Furthermore, because it’s God’s word, we can rest assured that it is relevant. My challenge is to try and show its relevance. Amen somebody.
There is an idiom that is very popular today in American culture. The expression is “to give a shoutout.” This expression is usually directed at an individual or group to express appreciation or thanks—or just to recognize their presence. I see our text today as a Shoutout to Sodom. Not just the city, but also the people of the city. This Shoutout is not to give them thanks, but to recognize them for the dominant characteristic that defined their behavior—wickedness. So, here in v.13, Sodom Gets a Shoutout. Not for righteous deeds, but for wickedness. So, for the next few minutes, I want to take a deeper dive into v.13 to see what we may be able to glean from it.
Along this journey, there have been other maker verses that all have relevance to out text today:
Genesis 10:8-10, “And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. (9) He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. (10) And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.”
Genesis 12:6 – “Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.”
Genesis 13:7 – “and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land.”
They each share a connection to Ham and Canaan, who were historically ungodly. Also, you may recall that Noah cursed Canaan (Genesis 9:25), and that curse is starting to come into focus.
V. 13, “But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly."
Sodom was a Canaanite city usually paired with its sister city Gomorrah located around the Dead Sea and the Jordan river. The word Sodom means "burning," characterized not only the lust for sexual immorality but also its fate which will soon be meted out by the Judgment of God.
The text says that “the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.” Or, as the ESV puts it “the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord.” Although the text does not elaborate on what the exact wickedness was, if you skip ahead to Genesis 19, you will find out. But suffice it to say, God said, the men of Sodom were wicked and great sinners against the Lord.
According to Vines Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, “The narrow meaning of wicked (rasha)lies in the concept of “wrongdoing” or “being in the wrong.” It is a legal term. The person who has sinned against the law is guilty:[1] Rasha˓ also denotes the category of people who have done wrong, are still living in sin, and are intent on continuing with wrongdoing.[2]
[1]Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Vol. 1, p. 287). Nashville, TN: T. Nelson.
[2]Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Vol. 1, p. 287). Nashville, TN: T. Nelson.
Well, let us cut to the chase, Sodom was famously known for homosexuality—primarily, men with men, but may include women with women. Now, even though there was no written law at the time, God’s natural law condemned this kind of behavior. The Apostle Paul brought this out in Romans 1:26-27:
“For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: (27) And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.”
Moses is setting the stage for why and how God is going to judge the Canaanites. This is what was going on in the land of Canaan. For God is going to not only deal with Sodom and Gomorrah, but the Canaanites as a group once their iniquity has run its course (see Genesis 15:16).
The frightening thing is that this same homosexual behavior and attitude towards it characterizes our culture today. Attitudes today have sunk so low that if you are against homosexuality, you are condemned and shamed. Speaking out against the sin of homosexuality may cost you your political office, your job or promotion, some business, your ministry, maybe some friends, and even some relatives.
Nevertheless, I stopped by today to tell you that the same God that judged Sodom and Gomorrah, and every other society that has embraced homosexuality will also judge our society. Amen somebody.
We better be mindful to agree with God concerning sin and righteousness. I heard Isaiah say in Isaiah 5:20-24:
Isaiah 5:20–24 (KJV 1900)
20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; That put darkness for light, and light for darkness; That put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight! 22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, And men of strength to mingle strong drink: 23 Which justify the wicked for reward, And take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! 24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, And the flame consumeth the chaff, So their root shall be as rottenness, And their blossom shall go up as dust: Because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
Finally, let me say, be careful where you pitch your tent. Lot is going to discover the error of his ways. We should strive to learn none of the ways of the wicked. Moses would later write in Deuteronomy 10:12 – “And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul.”
Also on this point, Paul gives us a warning in I Corinthians 15:33-34, he says, “Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” (34) Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.” This means be careful where you move your family and where you send your kids to school. Schools are teaching a lot more than reading, writing, and math. They are also trying to shape their attitudes and morals against what the Bible teaches. It is so wasteful to excel academically and fail in holiness. Amen somebody.
Conclusion
Saints, I know that our society is moving further away from God, and as a result will come under the judgment of Almighty God. However, I have good news! The same God that will judge sin will also forgive sin if we repent, believe, and obey the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (18) He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (19) And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (20) For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. (21) But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”
That great hymn of Frances J. Crosby comes to mind, “To God Be the Glory”
To God be the glory, great things he hath done!
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,
who yielded his life an atonement for sin,
and opened the lifegate that all may go in.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father thru Jesus the Son,
and give him the glory, great things he hath done! So, until next time, may the Lord bless and keep you, is my earnest prayer.
Until next time, may the Lord richly bless you, my beloved. AMEN