In 1965, Ruth Graham, the wife of Evangelist Billy Graham, famously remarked, “If God doesn’t soon bring judgment upon America, He’ll have to go back and apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!”
In the days of Abraham, God declared, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is immense, and their sin is extremely serious” (Genesis 18:20).
So, God commissioned two angelic messengers to visit Lot, Abraham’s nephew, who lived in Sodom. Not knowing their true identity, Lot hospitably greeted the two travelers, saying, “My lords, turn aside to your servant’s house, wash your feet, and spend the night. Then you can get up early and go on your way” (Genesis 19:2). Lot knew the dangers that lurked within the city gates.
Read this part slowly.
“Before they went to bed, the men of the city of Sodom, both young and old, the whole population, surrounded the house. They called out to Lot and said, ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Send them out to us so we can have sex with them!’ ” (Genesis 19:4–5).
Wretched. Vile. Abhorrent. Nasty. Yuk!
Just as in the days of Noah, “the Lord saw that human wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every inclination of the human mind was nothing but evil all the time” (Genesis 6:5). And as He had done in Noah’s day, God determined to punish the wicked.
As the rioting mob pressed for Lot to release his visitors, the angels “struck the men who were at the entrance of the house, both young and old, with blindness” (Genesis 19:11).
Quickly, the angels urged Lot and his family to safety. “Get up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city... Run for your lives! Don’t look back and don’t stop anywhere on the plain! Run to the mountains, or you will be swept away!” (Genesis 19:15-17).
God isn’t messin’ around! “Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows he will also reap, because the one who sows to his flesh will reap destruction” (Galatians 6:7–8).
“Out of the sky the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah burning sulfur from the Lord. He demolished these cities, the entire plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and whatever grew on the ground” (Genesis 19:24–25).
God certainly isn’t going to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah, and He will not allow America... or Russia... or China... to arrogantly flaunt their sins before Him.
“The Lord is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love... But he will not leave the guilty unpunished!” (Exodus 34:6–7).
