Sodom: Another Name for Jerusalem

The men of Sodom were wicked sinners in the sight of the LORD.

Sodom: Another Name for Jerusalem
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Key words

  • Sodom: an ancient city destroyed, with Gomorrah, because of its wickedness.

Lot was saved from the destruction of Sodom, but his wife wasn't.

"It's not only righteous, it's good business," he said.

  • Grievous: having very serious effects or causing great pain

It was a grievous head wound, and he was not expected to survive.

  • Forsake: to leave forever or to give up completely

He decided to forsake politics for journalism.

  • Remnant: a small piece or amount of something that is left from a larger original piece or amount

He ate the remnants of last night's meal for breakfast.


Read the article to find the answers

  1. How many righteous men lived in Sodom?
  2. Why did God destroy it?
  3. Which prophets mentioned Sodom?
  4. Where in the Gospel does Jesus mention Sodom?

Overview

In the book of Genesis, God called the sins of Sodom great and grievous. He wanted to destroy it completely and forever. But Abraham asked God not to destroy the city; he didn't want good people to die because they lived among wicked people. God answered that He would spare the whole city if He could find ten righteous people in it, but He could only find one righteous man, Lot.

When two angels were sent to Sodom to rescue Lot, the Sodomites surrounded his house and tried to rape them. The angels blinded the men and told Lot that they were sent to destroy the city because of its great and grievous sin. The angels led Lot out of the city and God destroyed it completely.

Isaiah

Isaiah called Jerusalem Sodom in the first chapter of his book. Isaiah said that even donkeys know their owners, but the people of Israel don't know their God. He described them as a wicked and corrupt nation that had forsaken God and was therefore in a state of moral decay.

Isaiah said that God didn't want empty rituals and sacrifices; He wanted people to do good, seek justice, help the oppressed, and care for widows. God was willing to forgive their sins if they were obedient, but they continued to rebel just like the Sodomites did.

It is only because God has left a very small remnant of righteous people that we have not been completely destroyed like Sodom. Rulers of Sodom (Judah), hear the word of the Lord, listen to the law of our God.

Ezekiel

Ezekiel wrote about the sinfulness of Jerusalem and also compared it to Sodom. He wrote how the people of Sodom were arrogant and wealthy, but they neglected the poor and needy. In Ezekiel we can see that Sodom's sexual sins resulted from their spiritual sin of being proud and following their own definition of what was good instead of living by God's definition of what was good.

These were the sins of your sister Sodom. She was proud, excessively wealthy, and idle. She did not help the poor and needy.

The Gospel

Jesus taught His disciples about Sodom in chapter six of Mark's Gospel when He sent them out in pairs to preach repentance, heal people, and cast out demons.

It will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha on the day of judgment, than for that city.

Jude

Jude wrote about the sexual immorality and unnatural desires of Sodom.

Sodom and Gomorrah gave themselves over to fornication and went after strange flesh. They are an example of the punishment of eternal fire.

Revelation

The book of Revelation also referred to Jerusalem as Sodom before it was destroyed in 70 A.D.

...in the street of the great city, spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where our Lord was also crucified.

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Discussion questions

  • Do you have any questions about any of the vocabulary or grammar in this article?
  • Do you know the Bible passage quoted at the top of this article?
  • Do people in your country do good, seek justice, help the oppressed, and care for widows?
  • Do you know how Jerusalem is described elsewhere in the Bible?

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