What was the sin of Sodom and Gomorra?

Many Christians speak about the two cities of Sodom and Gomorra being destroyed with the belief that it was homosexuality that caused the destruction, but that is not true.  Furthermore, because there was the complete destruction of the two cities, the belief is God sees homosexuality as deserving of death and destruction, which again is not true.  

Careful examination of the Scriptures shows us what were the real reasons, and that there were many problems in the two cities:

1. Genesis 18:27-33 details Abraham trying to negotiate with a Theophany appearance of the Lord to not destroy Sodom and Gomorra.  At the end of the negotiation's requests from Abraham to the Theophany, Abraham asked the Lord to not destroy Sodom if there can be found at least 10 righteous people.  The problem was there was not even 10 with the exception of one family.
   (a) Note that the negotiations started off with 50 people and Abraham managed to get the number reduced down to 10. 
   (b) Abraham had concerns for the cities, because his nephew, Lot, along with Lot's family was in Sodom.

   Genesis 18:31-32

   31 Abraham said, Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there? He said, For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it. 32 Then he said, May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there? He answered, For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.

2. In Genesis 19:4-11, the two Angels of God who were with the Theophany appearance of the Lord, went to Sodom to get Abraham's nephew Lot out of Sodom before it is destroyed.  While the two Angels were there:
   (a) The men of the city, that were young to old, tried to get to the two Angels at Lot's house, using force.  The scriptures states that the men had goals to have sexual relations with the two Angels, who they thought were men.  The scriptural text implies a gang forced rape.
   (b) Lot, offers his two daughters in place of the two Angels, which the men had no desire.
   (c) The two Angels, eventually struck the men with blindness to stop their attempted break-in of the house.
   (d) The two Angels take Lot and his family out of Sodom, because they tell Lot that the destruction cannot happen until Lot and his family are removed.
   (e) There is more to the incident that includes Lot's wife disobeying by looking back to Sodom, where she is turned into a pillar of salt in Genesis 19:26.
3. In Jeremiah 23, we are given a comparison of the state of Israel where Israel is committing adultery, telling lies, worshiping false gods and many other forms of evil which God compares them to the people of Sodom and Gomorra.
4. In Isaiah 36:8-9, we hear the people of Jerusalem and Judah are speaking and doing evil like the people did in Sodom and Gomorra.
5. In Ezekiel 16:49-50, we learn that:
   (a) Pride,
   (b) Not helping the poor and needy,
   (c) Haughtiness, and
   (d) Abominations
   were amongst the foremost sins of Sodom and Gomorra.
6. Additionally, as detailed in the next section of this topic, there was an additional sin with the Fallen Angels creating Nephilim in Sodom, Gomorrah and near by cities.

Therefore, the major sin of Sodom and Gomorra was the items listed in point #5 that are highlighted in yellow.

Sodom, Gomorrah and Cities about them had Nephilim

This author has not seen this in any Biblical Commentaries, but there is a reference in Jude 1:6-7 that indicates that Sodom and Gomorrah also had the the sin of entertaining Fallen Angels that created Nephilim in the cities. 

Guiding Points to knowing the full fate of why Sodom, Gomorrah and surrounding cities were to be obliterated from the additional Jude 1:6-7 reference to Sodom and Gomorrah:

1. In Jude 1:7: "Having in like manner" that indicates done exactly the same.
2. In Jude 1:7: "Given themselves over to fornication" and "gone after strange flesh" means having sexual copulation with something that is "strange" and NOT human but has flesh.  Old Biblical Commentaries, that do not recognize the Nephilim try to put an incorrect connotative transfer of the meaning of "strange" to mean homosexuality where that is not true.
3. Twice referenced in In Jude 1:6 and 7, the "these given over to fornication", because they "left their habitation", as receiving and being shown as an "example" which does NOT require the future Great White Thrown of Judgment for us to know their fate will be the Lake of Fire.  Habitation is the Spiritual Body as explained in the Nephilim topic.
   (a) Great White Thrown of Judgment is for establishing the fate and punishment for human-beings without Salvation.  Salvation is a free gift, not earned and cannot be lost, by accepting Jesus Christ as a person's Savior.
   (b) Fallen Angels and Demons know their fate where they do not know the extent of the degrees of punishment.
   (c) Homosexuality is a sin, but it is forgivable just like murder, adultery and many other sins.  Homosexuality is not one of the Four Greatest Sins!
   (d) Homosexuality does NOT cause a person to go the Lake of Fire.  Failing to accept Jesus Christ as a person's Savior will condemn a person to the Lake of Fire. 
   (e) Some people are born with same gender attractions.  Some acquire same gender attraction because of sinful sexual experiences, pride, and desires to be worshiped.  See topic on Sex with wrongful uses of sex.
   (f) Rebelling against God can have the consequences to be given over to a reprobate mind as read in Romans 1:28.  The consequences are a desire to do many types of grievous sins that may include a starting place as a same gender attraction but with additional very deviant sexual appetites in both homosexual and heterosexual sex.  Notice that the consequences are not all sexual appetites, but a desire to participate in areas that are more and more offensive to God which will always ultimately involve Satanic Possession or Satanic Oppression. 

   Romans 1:26-32

   26 For this reason 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 recompense of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which should not be done; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

   (g) Homosexuality is a sin that for the Christian will cause the loss of Rewards in Heaven.
   (h) Christians that were homosexual and even died as actively participating in homosexuality will be remorseful at the Judgment Seat of Christ

4. The Great Flood, according to some Biblical Scholars and this author, was required to deal with the Nephilim infiltration of the entire Earth that was also trying to infect the Royal Blood Line of Jesus Christ.
5. Joshua, when coming into the Promise Land, was instructed to wipe out every living creature that breathed in specific locations that contained Nephilim.
6. Jesus Christ stated when a sign of the time of His Second Coming, the Tribulation Period would be like the "days of Noah" having Nephilim.

   Matthew 24:37

   As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

7. God puts all Fallen Angels in chains in Tartarus for creating Nephilim.   Note that this author's theory, not seen in any Biblical Commentaries, is the Fallen Angels in Chains will become the Stinging type of Locusts with scorpion-type stings of Revelation 9:3 and they are in a locked prison area that the Fallen Angel Gog will receive a key to open as part of the Judgments of the Tribulation Period.

Location of Sodom and Gomorra

Many Biblical Scholars and archeologists, that have investigated the ancient location of cities, believe the two cities' ruins are located in the area or under the waters of the Dead Sea.   Some of the theories, which have some very strong evidence, have the two located on a Fault Line.  The theory is a massive earth quake with magma exploding into the air was a possible cause of the destruction.  This theory is not taking God out of the destruction, but rather it shows that the scriptures have collaboration and God often uses His Creation's natural phenomenon. 

The Fate of Sodom and Gomorra

The fate of Sodom and Gomorra was utter destruction that left nothing physically standing. 

Very important: God does not hate children, teenagers and young adults.  There was certainly children, teenagers and young adults in these cities which would be protected by the Age of Accountability.  It is often mentioned by many Biblical Scholars, that if God chooses to exercise a judgment that wipes out a group of people where children are also inhabitants, then there is Mercy in the Judgment that also allows the opportunity for Salvation for those under the Age of Accountability.

Regarding the destruction by the use of the "brimstone and fire from Jehovah", there are suggestions by some Biblical Scholars that the tar pits mentioned in Genesis 14:10 would have also caught on fire in the area, which would have caused the incineration of everything that could be burned which includes all humans and animals.

Something Amazing Overlooked?

God's City Jerusalem becomes like Sodom and Gomorra for 3.5 Years

The key link between Sodom and Gomorra and the city of Jerusalem, where Jerusalem is God's City, is

1. The Antichrist will be in charge of Jerusalem in the Tribulation Period,
2. The Antichrist had made Jerusalem, during the 3.5 years, like Sodom and Gomorra where Jerusalem becomes a city of every kind of sin against God and one another to be prevalent.  
3. The under the ruling of the Antichrist in Jerusalem in the Tribulation Period, the city will become like Sodom and Gomorra having extreme:
   (a) pride,
   (b) haughtiness,
   (c) selfishness,
   (d) every kind of sexual sin that includes murder in the act of sex,
   (c) oppression, and
   (d) all of the highest form of blasphemy against God.

Note that Lucifer's city is and has always been Babylon.  Babylon, has always had people living in the location even though it currently is not much of a city in modern times.  Babylon is destined to be judged and destroyed by God during the Tribulation Period.

The scriptural passage of Revelation 11:7-8 is detailing with:

1. Three and one-half days before the end of the Tribulation Period.
2. The Two Witnesses' mission in their speaking against the Antichrist will end with their murder.
3. The murder will be by the "beast that rises from the bottomless pit",  
   (a) The beast is identified in Revelation 9:11 as Abandon in Hebrew and Apollyon in Greek. 
   (b) The beast is also known as Gog through the further description of Amos 7:1 in KJV.
   (c) For more details read the topic on Gog and Magog.
4. For three and half days the Two Witnesses will lie in the street of the Great City, which is Jerusalem
5. Jerusalem has become like Sodom and Gomorra with all of the extreme sins against God, people, women and children.
    

What to read next?

What does the Scriptures tell us about Lesbianism and Homosexuality.  Because there is so much sexuality in advertising, entertainment industry and the Internet, consider understanding the problems of Pornography.  If you are in a marriage and need assistance understanding the needs of your spouse, consider reading the topic on roles in a relationship that we all require. 

Additionally: What is Salvation?  Is it possible to lose Salvation?  We have eternal life.  Evolution is not real.  When a Christian suffers is there benefits from it.  Rewards in heaven.  Do we Tithe?  What does the 3rd Commandment tell us?  What is Grace and Mercy?  Is there an Age of Accountability?  Is there a place of unending punishment and exile form God?