Genesis 19: Sodom and Gomorrah, God is righteous & just
Intro
The story of Sodom and Gomorrah poses many questions. I have read through the story multiple times and spent several hours studying it, helping me to see the profound truths within the story. By understanding these truths, we can apply them to our own lives to grow closer to God every day.
When people read through the story, they question God’s mercy and unchangeable nature. The end of the story can also be confusing. We will read through the story together and unpack things as we go through them. At the end, we will see everything come together and address the many red flags and questions that remain to be answered.
God pronounces judgement on Sodom and Gomorrah
The story of Sodom and Gomorrah begins with God telling Abraham about His judgement against Sodom and Gomorrah. God said to Abraham “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry which has come to me; and if not, I will know.” (Genesis 18:20-21). There were two angels with God who left and went towards Sodom. Abraham then pled with God and implored God to be merciful. Abraham asked God if He would spare the cities if there are fifty righteous people. God said He would spare the cities for the sake of those fifty righteous. Abraham continued asking if there are forty-five, then forty, thirty, twenty, and finally ten, to which God said “for the sake of the ten I will not destroy it” (Genesis 18:32). God then left Abraham and “went His way” (Genesis 18:33).
This chapter preceding the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah causes people to wonder, is God omniscient and unchanging? It seems that God may not be omniscient because God said He wanted to go to the cities to see whether or not they have done that which He has heard from them. Additionally, Abraham seems to have been able to sway God.
First, we will discuss God’s omniscience in this matter. This passage is comparable to when Jonah preached of God’s wrath to the people of Nineveh. God knew the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah. He said this in verse 20: “the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave” (Genesis 18:20). God has heard the cry from the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah and knows “their sin is very grave” just as God heard the cry from the blood of Abel and knew Cain had killed him (See Genesis 4:10). God knows the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah but God plans to go to the cities and see if they have done that which cries out to Him. God does not need to go to Sodom to verify for Himself what has gone on, because God knows. Instead, God wants to visit Sodom with His presence just as God spoke with Cain after the murder of Abel. By God being present among the Sodomites, He is offering a chance for them to change their ways and point back to the law written on their hearts.
Second, Abraham seems to change the unchangeable God because God hearkens to Abraham’s request. Abraham interceded for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah asking if God would spare them if there are just ten righteous men. Abraham implored the mercy of God to spare the wicked for the sake of the righteous. When God answered “for the sake of ten I will not destroy it,” God had not changed His mind at all.
Prior to Abraham’s intercession, God had not said He would destroy the righteous with the wicked. Abraham asked “Wilt thou indeed destroy the righteous with the wicked?” then Abraham began to implore for fifty righteous men. Nowhere in this did God say He would destroy the righteous with the wicked.
Rather than seeing a changeable God, we can understand God by focusing on His justice and mercy. Abraham was asking God if He would spare the cities for ten righteous men, and God said He would, meaning that God is merciful because He would indeed spare the city for ten righteous men. This was a revelation of the nature of God by showing us how merciful God actually is. These cities had sinned terribly against God, yet God would spare them all to save but ten righteous men. This was not God changing His mind, instead it is an example of us, the reader, learning more about God’s mercy.
The angels visit Sodom
The two angels then visited Sodom in the evening. They found Lot sitting in the gate. ‘When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and bowed himself with his face to the earth, and said, “My lords, turn aside, I pray you, to your servant’s house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise up early and go on your way.”’ (Genesis 19:1-2). The angels declined saying they planned to spend the night in the street. “But he urged them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he made them a feast” (Genesis 19:3). Before the angels could lay down, ‘the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house; and they called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.”’ (Genesis 19:4-5). Lot then went out, shutting the door behind him, and said “I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. Behold, I have two daughters who have not known man; let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please; only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof” (Genesis 19:7-8). The men did not like this response and pressed Lot up against the door to the point the door almost broke. The angels then opened the door, brought Lot into the house, shut the door, and the struck the men of Sodom with blindness to buy themselves time.
There is a lot to unpack from this passage. First, the angels appeared as men.1 We see this because they are described as two angels in the first verse then later on are referred to as men by the Sodomites.
Second, the angels found Lot sitting at the gate of Sodom. Lot’s presence at the gate indicates that he may have been a respected elder of the city, as in, someone who settles civil disputes just as shown later on in the book of Deuteronomy 21:18-21.2 The position of judge is evident that Lot had a level of impartiality and righteousness, despite the evildoers he lived among.3
Third, Lot bowed down to the angels which is the same gesture Abraham showed to the angels and the Lord in Genesis 18, a sign of Ancient Near East hospitality. Hospitality was heavily valued in the Ancient Near East, something that continues today.
Fourth, we see that all the men of Sodom, “all the people to the last man” surrounded the house commanding Lot to bring out them men so that they “may know them.” On the surface, it seems like a fair inquiry. These men wanted to know who has entered their town, however, a closer look into the original Hebrew uncovers their actual intention. The verb “to know” is translated from yada which has a sexual connotation, meaning, these men wanted to have homosexual relations with the two visitors.4 We can see this is more than just mere homosexual attraction and instead a very violent desire as shown by Lot’s response, “do not act so wickedly.”
Fifth, we see Lot’s response, which is atrocious to us. Lot offers his two daughters to the mob, two daughters “who have not known man.” We can note this reinforces the use of the word yada5 while also gaining more insight into Eastern hospitality. In the Ancient Near East, hospitality towards strangers was seen as a sacred duty.6 During the ancient times, people could not seek shelter like we can today, instead they had to rely on the kindness of strangers, which could mean life or death. In this case, it was a life-or-death situation. The angels understood that their options were to accept Lot’s invitation or sleep on the streets, as shown as their response to Lot’s invitation, “No, we will spend the night in the street”. Lot “urged them strongly” because he knew what the men of Sodom did to vulnerable people, as shown as by the mob’s reaction to their presence in Lot’s house. This rule of hospitality plays into Lot’s offering of his daughters because he had welcomed the strangers into his home and heavily valued protecting the guests under his roof. While this is an admirable virtue, Lot made the mistake of placing these guests above his duties as a father by offering his daughters in an effort to satisfy the wicked Sodomites.7
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
After the angels blinded the men, they said asked Lot if he had any other relatives in the city. They told Lot they were about to destroy the city “because the outcry against its people has become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.” (Genesis 19:13). Lot went to his future sons-in-law and warned them of the coming destruction, however they thought he was joking and did not take him seriously. After the night turned into morning, the angels told Lot to take his wife and two daughters out of the city. “But he lingered; so the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him forth and set him outside the city.” (Genesis 19:16).
The angels told Lot to flee for his life and to not look back, lest he be consumed
The Lord rained down fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah wiping out those cities and the inhabitants. Lot’s wife looked back, and became a pillar of salt.
The angels went to Sodom to offer the chance of repentance, but determined Sodom and Gomorrah needed to be destroyed. What exactly happened?
The men of Sodom and Gomorrah saw the angels who appeared as men. Rather than offering hospitality, they desired hostility through homosexual rape. This showed a complete rejection of the truth written on the hearts of men, the truth of God. Rather than safely harboring these men, the Sodomites wanted to do them harm.
We read the angels were there all night, indicating a time of repentance, something the Sodomites rejected. The men approached Lot’s house “before the [men] lay down” for the night and then we read the angels were there “when morning dawned”. This was a period of repentance. It was clear that the men’s intentions were the cause of the blindness they were spontaneously struck with. Despite this, the Sodomites accepted the blindness rather than repent and amend their lives.
We also read “the outcry against its people has become great before the Lord” as in, the outcry against the people of Sodom has changed, it has become greater than it was. Every single man in Sodom wanted to do harm to the angels. Because of this, the rejection of God had become great before the Lord, so great that it merited God’s justice.
The passage concludes with Lot’s wife looking back and becoming a pillar of salt. This seems like a harsh punishment, however we must understand what this means. When Lot’s wife looked back, she was looking back on her previous residence, her past life. She looked back on her life in the sinful city, with her life most likely having been sinful. She had repented with Lot which is why she was fleeing, however she still coveted a look on her past life. When we repent and amend our lives, we are to leave our former lives behind. Lot’s wife did not. Instead, she looked back to that former life, still attached, with it still a part of her, meaning she rescinded her repentance.
Lot’s daughters rape him
When Lot fled from Sodom, he was told to flee to the hills. Lot was concerned the that he would be caught up in coming destruction if he fled to the hills, so he pointed to a city that was close enough to flee to. He said to the angels “Let me escape there—is it not a little one?—and my life will be saved!” [the angel] said to him, “Behold, I grant you this favor also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken.” (Genesis 19:20-21). The city was named Zoar.
After the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot and his daughters left Zoar to dwell in a cave the hills, “for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar” (Genesis 19:30). The eldest daughter said to the younger “Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve offspring through our father.” (Genesis 19:31-32). The eldest daughter laid down with Lot that night. The next day, the daughters plotted to do the same that evening but with the younger daughter. The eldest daughter bore a son, who has named Moab, who became father of the Moabites, and the younger bore a son named Ben-ammi, who became the father of the Ammonites.
The first thing to note is that Lot left Zoar because he was afraid. We can see that Zoar was also sentenced to the same fate as Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot pled to the angels to allow him to flee there, saying “is it not a little one?” The angels responded that they would grant him the favor of sparing the town. This is because the town was also to be destroyed, however they spared it on account of Lot residing there and on account of its size. Lot noted it was just a small city, not nearly the same size as Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot mentioned this because he understood it was a sinful city, as shown by him leaving to the hills because “he was afraid to dwell in Zoar” but the size of the city meant the sin was great enough to merit the same justice as Sodom and Gomorrah. This is another example of intercession, this time from Lot. The people of Zoar merited God’s justice but God extended mercy to them due to Lot’s intercession and presence.
Lot’s daughters had just seen their entire world destroyed. The eldest daughter noted their father was old, meaning he would not be around for a long time to protect them and provide for them. This meant the daughters would soon need a man to marry them and take care of them. They perceived the entire world had been devastated and concluded they were not going to find a man who would marry them and take care of them, so they took matters into their own hands and raped their father.
The daughters had just been saved by the angels of God and watched God’s power as He delivered to justice to Sodom and Gomorrah. They could have chosen to pray to God and depend on God’s providence, seeing as He had just provided them the means of saving their lives, however they did not trust in God, instead trusting in themselves. The daughters found this scheme to be acceptable, probably because they learned such things from the people of Sodom. Despite witnessing the destruction of the Sodomites, the daughters leaned on their teachings. This is similar to the Exodus. The people saw the strength of God then turned away after a short time.
The conclusion of the story often causes people to question what the Bible is condoning. There is a misconception that everything in the Bible is a display of perfect Biblical virtues, however much of the Scriptures is simply history, a history of humans, humans who are sinners. The actions of the daughters is not condoned, instead it is simply recorded history. Scripture shows the daughters acted very sinfully in this because it is against God’s law. This resulted in Lot’s descendants being born from sin, opposed to God, and ultimately opposed to the Israelites, the people of God.
Red flags and questions
While we discussed many aspects of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, there are many other red flags and questions.
Why did God do this?
In order to answer this, we have to ask, what exactly were the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah? One of the most obvious sins was homosexuality. As mentioned earlier, the men of Sodom wanted to rape the angels who appeared as men. Throughout the Scriptures we can find that God abhors homosexuality.
In the book of Leviticus we read “[Men] shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” (Leviticus 18:22)
God spoke through the prophet Ezekiel saying “[The Sodomites] were haughty, and did abominable things before me; therefore I removed them, when I saw it.” (Ezekiel 16:50). These abominable things are tied to that which was named as an abomination in Leviticus, men lying with men.
Saint Jude wrote “Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities…acted immorally and indulged in unnatural lust, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.” (Jude 7). The unnatural lost was the abominable behavior of homosexuality.
Sodom and Gomorrah were filled with more sins than homosexuality. The prophet Isaiah compares the rebellious Israelites to the sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah while naming their sins as bloodshed, injustice, oppression, and corruption (Isa. 1:10-23; cf. 3:8-9).8 The prophet Ezekiel states that Jerusalem has outdone the evil of Sodom who was deemed guilt of pride, gluttony, laziness from prosperity, and failing to be charitable (Ezek 16:49).9 In the New Testament the Sodomites are described as “those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority.” (2 Pet 2:10). Sodom and Gomorrah were filled with a plethora of sins. These are the sins that were so severe that God said “therefore I removed them, when I saw it” (Ezek 16:50).
Why does God despise sin so much?
Sin is an offense against God.10 The Psalmist proclaimed, “Against thee [O God], thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight,” (Psalm 51:4). Sin is also an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience in that “it is a failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods.”11 We can see another explanation of sin in the Book, The Four Last Things by Fr Martin Von Cochem.
“Imagine the tree divine Persons of the Most Holy Trinity on one side, with their infinite treasures of grace and glory, and on the other side the spirit of evil with all the punishments and torments of hell; and a man standing in the midst betwixt the two, debating within himself whether he show honor to God by doing His will, or whether he should act in violation of His will, and thereby cause the Devil to rejoice.”12
Every sin we make is a sign that we not only choose to act against God, but in favor of the ways of the enemy. Such sins are greatly offensive to God. The extreme culmination of all these sins in Sodom and Gomorrah is what led to their destruction.
Does this negate free will?
No, we humans have free will to choose God, or to reject Him. We have free will to sin or to glorify God. The people of Sodom had rejected God completely. The angels came to visit the city yet the men committed countless sins towards them without a single charitable act. The men of Sodom were entirely empty of the fruits of the Holy Spirit but filled with the unholy fruits of unholy spirits (see Galatians 5:16-24). Such heavy sin is an expression of their complete unrepentance. “For if any man dies in mortal sin, he is so hardened in it, that he will not desist from it to all eternity….rather than humble himself before God, and implore His pardon, he would endure yet greater tortures in hell. Therefore because the sinner will not repent of his sins, nor ask pardon for his sins, he remains eternally in a state of sin.”13
God gave the men of Sodom and Gomorrah free will to choose to follow the law on their hearts or to reject Him. These men rejected God entirely and fully, thus they were beyond the point of repentance. Instead, God brought death, their final end, early to prevent them from propagating others with such rejection of God.
Then why does God allow such similar sins to continue today?
God allows us to choose Him or sin. This is crucial for our free will. If we cannot choose to sin, then we cannot truly choose God. It is important to remember that all sin receives the punishment that is due.
The law of God was written on the hearts of the men of Sodom (see Romans 2:15). The Sodomites ignored this law on their hearts just as the sinners during the time of Noah ignored the Holy Spirit (see Genesis 6:3). The Sodomites were a group of people who had entirely rejected the Holy Spirit; “he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven” (Luke 12:10).
We see this today with people throughout the world, but we live in the time of mercy which gives us the chance to accept God’s grace and the new life offered to us in Jesus Christ. We have the opportunity to repent before God or to accept the temporal punishments of sin. When we sin today, we still have consequences. Promiscuous people are at a heightened risk of STDs. Those who attain high economic status through sinful means are often depressed, even suicidal. The list could go on but the point remains the same: there is a punishment for our sin during our mortal lives.
The people of Sodom and Gomorrah had spread throughout the valley which was why all the cities of the valley were sentenced to receive God’s justice. God’s will did not allow for these sinners to continue to perpetuate themselves. Thus, God brought their ultimate end, death, to arrive sooner than later.
Lot was called righteous??
In the second letter of Peter, we read that Lot was referred to as “righteous” (2 Pet 2:7). This may be conflicting for people who understandably condemn Lot for offering his daughters to the men. We have to understand the context of the verse from the second letter of Peter. In this passage, the author is warning Christians about false teachers who were spreading heresies. The author is reassuring the reader/listener that these people will receive their due while offering evidence that God rescued the families of Lot and Noah, because these men were beacons of righteousness in their fallen communities.14
We also see in the same passage that Lot was “greatly distressed by the licentiousness of the wicked” which “vexed his righteous soul day after day” (2 Peter 2:7-8) As mentioned earlier, Lot appears to have been a judge of the city to help settle disputes. Out of all the people in Sodom, Lot was the one who did not give into their sinful ways making him the righteous man among the Sodomites, who even the Sodomites appointed as a judge.
It is important to remember that the term “righteous” does not mean “perfect.” The Hebrew word used for righteous refers to moral completion or fulfilling one’s duties.15 We can recall that Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, was called righteous even though he was imperfect and doubted the angelic messenger (see Luke 1:6-20). Thus, saying Lot was righteous is not a means of condoning Lot having offered his daughters to the mob.
Lot’s wife
Lot’s wife turning to salt may be considered harsh by many people, but again…we have to understand what is going on. God had just condemned a city to be destroyed due to its sin. Lot was the only one found righteous and the angels were trying to help him and his family. The family was told to “not look back” (Genesis 19:17). Looking back would mean they would look on the city of sin with mourning, as in, with sympathy for their actions, rather than looking forward to the path with God. When Lot’s wife looked back, she looked back on the city in which she sinned with sympathy meaning she was no more righteous than the sinners in that city.
Why didn’t Lot’s daughters receive a similar punishment? Lot’s daughters repented as they left Sodom but they committed a sin after the destruction of the cities. The daughters received their punishment. Their descendants were born from sin, opposed to God, and grew to become opposed to the Israelites, the people of God. However, this sin was committed out of ignorance and lack of trust, whereas Lot’s wife immediately looked back with sympathy and mourning on her past sins, something she longed for, something she had not repented of.
Is there evidence that this event happened?
A valley of cities being destroyed by fire and brimstone around 1800BC should have some sort of evidence. This is a controversial topic.
An intensive study was performed in the region believed to be Sodom and Gomorrah. The article was published on September 20, 2021 but has since been retracted as of April 24, 2025. The article notes the city was a flourishing city at the time of its destruction. The cause of the destruction is considered to be an “unknown high-temperature event” resulting in highly unusual materials: pottery sherds with outer surfaces melted into glass, some bubbled as if ‘boiled’; melted and ‘bubbled’ mudbrick fragments; partially-melted roofing clay (with wattle impressions); and melted building plaster.” They also found “carbonized pieces of wooden beams, charred grain, bones, and limestone cobbles burned to a chalk-like consistency”. The cause of the event was unknown but considered “highly unusual and atypical of archaeological strata throughout the ancient Near East” The researchers hypothesize it was a cosmic airburst that destroyed the region.16 A cosmic airburst is when a fragmented comet explodes above the earth’s surface resulting in devastating damage to the area of impact.18
As I mentioned earlier, this article has since been retracted. There are various reasons for the retraction. It was determined that there was “an inappropriate level of manipulation” in dozens of images associated with the alleged airburst, to which one author of the article stated a graphic artist ““made minor, cosmetic corrections to five of 53 images.”19 They also cited that the researches were operating on “misunderstandings” of an airburst of Tunguska, which is said to have cause the researches to be led to “erroneous interpretations” of the evidence in the region.20 Additionally, those who reviewed the paper questioned many data points and found what they believed to be fabricated with the original authors unable to provide the raw data or methodology for review.21 It is claimed ‘that the re-evaluation of the study was based strictly on the validity of the results, “never on the ideological positions of any of the parties involved.”’ 22
Despite the controversy surrounding the scientific study of the region, the damage of the region is not questioned. There are sulfur balls found throughout the region, indicative of a catastrophic event, as well as many human remains.23 The destroyed remnants of the city are present, as previously described. One rebuttal to some of the findings is that the minerals that were believed to be melted by an airburst could instead be remnants of ceramic vessels fired by the inhabitants of the area.
The controversy isn’t about if an event happened, instead it is more about what the event itself was. It is not at all unsurprising that there is scientific controversy surrounding a biblical event. This is not the only event and will not be the last.
Ultimately, our Faith in this story is not rooted in a scientific understanding of Sodom and Gomorrah. Instead, our faith is grounded in a prayerful relationship with God through His word, a word that continually finds tangible support despite the controversy.
Understanding God’s justice
The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is very heavy. It can often be challenging for people to accept the strength of God’s justice. We can better understand the story of Sodom and Gomorrah by referring to the book ends of the story where we see Abraham, our father of faith, so he may help us accept the truths within the story.
At the beginning of the story, Scripture records God as though He was speaking to someone, or Himself, inquiring as to if He should tell Abraham His plans for Sodom and Gomorrah. One must wonder, who God was speaking to? While this is anthropomorphic language, it also has major implications. God is speaking to someone because God is a communion of Persons, as shown throughout Genesis. God was speaking amongst Himself within the Holy Trinity. This is important because God created us to be in communion with Him. The plan for salvation includes Abraham and his descendants. God wants to bring Abraham into communion with Him which means God desires to reveal Himself to Abraham so Abraham knows how to “charge his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and Justice; so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has promised him.” (Gen 19:19). Then the Lord said “the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry which has come to me…” (Gen 19:20-21).
Abraham knew how terrible sin was to God. All God said was that He was going to go down to Sodom to see the sins committed against Him and then Abraham knew that meant the destruction of Sodom. This must be because God had revealed to Abraham how terrible sin was and the consequences merited. How would God have revealed this? By revealing the plan for salvation. Abraham knew the plan for salvation, and that plan came about because sin was so damaging to humanity’s relationship with God. Abraham lived close enough to Sodom and Gomorrah to know what terrible sins they committed. Abraham knew that these sins merited their destruction.
But, because Abraham knew the plan of salvation, he also knew God’s mercy which was why Abraham said “far be it for you to damn the righteous with the wicked”. Abraham knew Gods love for humanity, for all people. Abraham knew that God was merciful because he knew God’s mercy since he knew the plan for salvation. Abraham knew God was merciful but he sought to understand the workings of God’s justice and mercy.
After the dialogue with God, Abraham was satisfied at just ten righteous people. Surely there were ten. Of all the people in the great cities of Sodom and Gomorrah…there HAD to be ten righteous people…right? Abraham knew God’s mercy. Abraham knew God’s justice. Abraham knew people. Ultimately, Abraham was satisfied with this because he knew God would be right and just.
The next morning Abraham awoke early to find that Sodom and Gomorrah had been destroyed. So much smoke rose up that it looked like a furnace. Knowing God’s justice and mercy, Abraham was not deterred. Abraham maintained himself as the father of faith. Abraham knew God’s justice on Sodom and Gomorrah was right and just. Abraham trusted fully in God.
Many of us with misconceptions about the Bible hold that God in the Old Testament was an angry wrathful God, however this is not the case. Through the story with Abraham, we can see that God did not take this lightly, instead we see this was a significant event for God and humanity. God took it so seriously that He determined Abraham needed to be aware so that he may better understand God.
God would rather extend us mercy and have us accept it. This is why God always offers mercy before justice. God extended mercy to Cain after murdering Abel. God offered the chance of repentance to the people of Noah’s time. The angels blinded the men of Sodom to give them the chance to repent. God sent the plagues to Egypt to offer Pharaoh the chance to accept reality. God always extends mercy before justice.
Conclusion
The story of Sodom and Gomorrah holds many truths we need to adhere to. We are to trust in God’s judgement and look to His mercy. We must leave our ways of sin behind us and keep moving forward closer to God so we may be prepared for the Second Coming of Christ on the Day of Judgement.
“Watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of man.” (Luke 21:36)
We must look to Abraham, our father of faith, and follow his faith in God. We are to accept God’s mercy whenever we recognize it and to accept the reality of God’s justice. God enacts justice carefully and when it is right and just. We must trust God in everything. If we disagree with God’s justice, we disagree with God and place a false god on the throne in our heart.
References
11995. Catechism of the Catholic Church. Canada: Doubleday. Paragraph 332
22024. The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible. San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press. Pg 81
3 Horn, Trent. 2022. “Lot Offers the Mob His Daughters . . . and Is Righteous?” Catholic Answers. December 13. Accessed December 18, 2025. https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/lot-offers-the-mob-his-daughters-and-is-righteous.
4 Healy, Mary. 2025. “What Did God Hate About Sodom?” Catholic Answers. July 28. Accessed December 18, 2025. https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/what-did-god-hate-about-sodom.
5 n.d. “Genesis 19:8.” Bible Hub. Accessed December 18, 2025. https://biblehub.com/interlinear/genesis/19-8.htm.
6 Horn, Trent. 2022. “Lot Offers the Mob His Daughters . . . and Is Righteous?” Catholic Answers. December 13. Accessed December 18, 2025. https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/lot-offers-the-mob-his-daughters-and-is-righteous.
7 n.d. “Lot.” New Advent. Accessed December 18, 2025. https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09366a.htm.
8 Healy, Mary. 2025. “What Did God Hate About Sodom?” Catholic Answers. July 28. Accessed December 18, 2025. https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/what-did-god-hate-about-sodom.
9Ibid.
101995. Catechism of the Catholic Church. Canada: Doubleday. Paragraph 1849
11Ibid.
12 Cochem, Fr. Martin Von. 2015. Four Last Things. Charlotte, NC: TAN Books.pg62
13Ibid. pg142
14 Horn, Trent. 2022. “Lot Offers the Mob His Daughters . . . and Is Righteous?” Catholic Answers. December 13. Accessed December 18, 2025. https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/lot-offers-the-mob-his-daughters-and-is-righteous.
15Ibid.
16 Bunch, Ted E. 2021. “RETRACTED ARTICLE: A Tunguska sized airburst destroyed Tall el-Hammam a Middle Bronze Age city in the Jordan Valley near the Dead Sea.” Scientific Reports. September 20. Accessed December 18, 2025. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-97778-3.
17 Fernandez, Sonia. 2025. “Destructive cosmic airbursts likely more common than previously believed.” USCB. August 8. Accessed December 18, 2025. https://news.ucsb.edu/2025/021989/destructive-cosmic-airbursts-likely-more-common-previously-believed.
18Ibid.
19 Kincaid, Ellie. 2023. “Journal investigating Sodom comet paper for data problems.” Retraction Watch. February 21. Accessed December 18, 2025. https://retractionwatch.com/2023/02/21/journal-investigating-sodom-comet-paper-for-data-problems/.
20 Ansede, Manuel. 2025. “Sodom and Gomorrah were not destroyed by the impact of an extraterrestrial object.” El Pais. April 24. Accessed December 18, 2025. https://english.elpais.com/science-tech/2025-04-24/sodom-and-gomorrah-were-not-destroyed-by-the-impact-of-an-extraterrestrial-object.html.
21 Kincaid, Ellie. 2023. “Journal investigating Sodom comet paper for data problems.” Retraction Watch. February 21. Accessed December 18, 2025. https://retractionwatch.com/2023/02/21/journal-investigating-sodom-comet-paper-for-data-problems/.
22 Ansede, Manuel. 2025. “Sodom and Gomorrah were not destroyed by the impact of an extraterrestrial object.” El Pais. April 24. Accessed December 18, 2025. https://english.elpais.com/science-tech/2025-04-24/sodom-and-gomorrah-were-not-destroyed-by-the-impact-of-an-extraterrestrial-object.html.
23 Bible, Expedition. 2022. “Sulfur Balls of Sodom and Gomorrah.” YouTube. Accessed December 18, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQl4KaRtef8.
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