Title: Learn From Sodom
Text: Ezekiel 16: 49-50
Date: December 19, 2013
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
I
intend to do something tonight that I normally do not do—make a few comments on
a current event that has troubled me.
Yesterday,
an article came up on the internet about Phil Robertson from the show Duck
Dynasty. The article caught my attention
because, as most of you know, I know Phil.
I used to go to his house so he could tune my duck calls back when I was
in college. He always asked, “Did you come
to talk ducks or the gospel?” We both realized rather quickly that we are not
in agreement when it comes to the gospel.
Still,
I consider him a friend so the article caught my attention. During an interview with GQ Magazine, he
spoke about homosexuality or as God calls it “sodomy” He made some comments that I thought could
have been said in a better way—things which were his opinion. But what angered folks the most is that he
paraphrased 1 Corinthians 6: 9-10 and said that sodomy is sin. One Headline read: Phil Robertson says
Homosexuality is Sin. That is not what he said it is what God said.
I have
believing friends—mothers and fathers who have sons or daughters who are
homosexual. They have asked me questions
about their sons and daughters that I simply do not have the answers to. I know all unrighteousness is sin. The only way we can be saved from our sin is
by the grace of God in Christ Jesus; the Holy Spirit has power to sanctify a
sodomite out of darkness into his marvelous light the same as he does an
idolater or an adulterer or a drunkard. But
my message is not so much about the particular sin of sodomy—it is something
far worse than that!
I told
Melinda, Phil will be strung-up in the media by the end of the day. Sure enough
late last night, early this morning, the backlash had begun. His comments were called: “hateful” and
“anti-gay.” The union for Sodomites said
his comments were "Unacceptable to fans, viewers, and networks alike.” They also said his “lies about an entire
community fly in the face of what true Christians believe." They are pressuring A & E to end the show
and succeeded in pressuring them to suspend him from the show indefinitely. There
are several aspects to this that trouble me.
I will try to bring them out in the message.
Proposition: I want to show you that the things happening in our
nation have happened before and that the problems we face are spiritual.
I. THE THINGS HAPPENING IN THIS NATION—ALL
OVER THIS WORLD—ARE NOT NEW. THEY HAPPENED LONG AGO IN A CITY CALLED SODOM—Ezekiel
16:49: Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom,
Sodom
was a city in Abraham’s day where his nephew Lot chose to live. It was full of what men today call
“trans-gender” and “homosexuality.”—what God calls sodomy. The word “sodomy” comes from this city,
Sodom.
But as
God describes Sodom’s iniquity, the Lord is speaking to Jerusalem. He declares
that these very sins of Sodom were worse in Jerusalem because they were guilty
of doing these things in vain religion. (vv1-2; v48, 51-52; Isaiah 1: 1, 10-15)
The problems we face in our nation began in the pulpit, in the hearts of
religious men.
Pride
First, the
iniquity of Sodom was, verse 49, “Pride,…” As far as we know pride was the
first sin of all—the sin of the Devil who was cast out of heaven.
Isaiah 14: 13: For thou hast said in thine heart, I will
ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit
also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14: I will
ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Pride
is the governing sin of fallen nature. It makes sinners hate the truth that “there is
none good, no not one.”—none good but God!
Pride makes unregenerate sinners hate that natural man cannot understand
the things of God for they are spiritually discerned. It makes them hate that God alone must save. But
pride is fueled by will-works religion.
Illustration: “Yes, we can!”
So the
first iniquity that led to Sodom’s overthrow was pride. They
did not need God. But they were not nearly as proud as those in Jerusalem. So
it is with our nation in our day. The pride of natural lewd sinners—in our day
is great—it is true of all lewd sinners. But their pride is nothing compared to
self-righteous religious sodomites.
The
religion of our nation has turned into a religion of pride:
·
proud of our place and nation
·
proud of our type of government
·
proud of our will
·
proud of our decisions for little jesus
·
proud of our great church cathedrals
·
proud of our great works
·
proud of our policing of the world
The heart
of the unregenerate proud nation is when you are as good as we are at
everything who needs God? Take his name
out of everything useful but use his name in vain every other breath. That is
our pride!
Fullness of Bread
The
second aspect of Sodom’s iniquity was, verse 49, “Fulness of bread.” The land of Sodom was fruitful. Bread stands
for all sorts of food. They had plenty
of everything they wanted. Listen to the description:
Genesis 13:10: And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all
the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, before the LORD
destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of
Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
Jerusalem
had even more bread than Sodom—they had much spiritual light given by God. They
had the oracles of God. God sent them prophets, gave them his law, gave them a mercy
seat and made his presence known unto them. But all this fullness of good
things apart from the Spirit of God to humble a sinner only serves to increase
the pride of heart.
When
has our nation ever had to have disaster relief sent to us from other
nations? We have fullness of bread. We have the most religions in this nation of
any other nation. Yet, we are the most ungodly of any other nation.
Abundance of Idleness
The
third aspect of Sodom’s iniquity, verse 49, was “abundance of idleness was in
her and in her daughters.” Sodom and all
her sister cities had “peace of rest.” They
did not have to labor or war. They just
enjoyed prosperity and ease, security and quietness, one generation after the
next. It produced sloth and
idleness—laziness. They had time for sin
and for wickedness
Jerusalem
was even worse in their religion. Earlier
in the chapter the LORD speaks of how he adorned Jerusalem. (vv10-14)—this was all a picture of the
privileges of the scripture and the prophets and the worship God gave to Judah. Instead of using those things to worship God,
in their prosperity and idleness, they invented new worship, they worshipped
the things to be used in worship rather than God—(Vv15-27)
Our
nation has been so prosperous. God has given us such freedoms to worship
him. Yet, in our idleness we’ve grown
lazy. Instead of using the church
building to worship God men worship the buildings; instead of using the
preaching of the gospel to preach Christ men preach man; instead of using the
scriptures to seek Christ men seek life because they read the scriptures or
seek life at their own hand; instead of making disciples for Christ men worship
their ability to make disciples; vain religion worships the things in religion
instead of using the things to worship Christ alone.
Poor and Needy
The
next aspect of Sodom’s iniquity was, verse 49, “neither did she strengthen the
hand of the poor and needy.” Sodom had
abundance and time to help their poor and needy but either she was too proud
and too idle to do so or she oppressed the poor and needy rather than strengthened
them. That is what it sounds like
here. Some in Sodom had fullness of
bread and abundance of idleness while others were poor and needy.
There
is a difference in strengthening the hand and giving into the hand. To
strengthen the hand is to help the poor get a good job, get ability to provide
for themselves and for others. But giving
into the hand makes men dependent upon a hand-out. It works oppression rather
than strength. It provides a lower class
of cheap labor for those with the abundance.
Welfare is a profitable business for the oppressor!
Jerusalem
did this in religion far worse than Sodom.
The apostle Peter said that false prophets make merchandise of men. Spiritually, the poor and needy are sinners
bankrupt of all righteousness in need of Christ. The gospel of Christ and him
crucified is the message through which Christ gives poor, elect sinners the
unsearchable riches of Christ and robes us in Christ’s righteousness by his
mighty irresistible grace!
But where
sinners are not told of their absolute ruin in sin—not taught that in Christ
alone is God is Just and the Justifier then the poor and needy are not clothed,
not fed, not enriched, not strengthened by his grace. Even worse, they are
oppressed to bring forth righteousness and holiness that they are too bankrupt
to produce. Vain religion gives a reward then lashes with the oppressive whip but
never strengthens the hand with grace. Spiritual
welfare is a profitable business for the oppressor as well.
Brethren,
here we are this proud nation, full of bread, with abundance of idleness, yet
still full of poor and needy. And just
look at what is supposed to be Christianity in this nation: its full of men
proud of their works, rich and increased and in need of nothing, yet full of
oppressed, poor and needy sinners. Sodom
and Jerusalem sounds like a description of our nation and free will, works
religion in our nation.
Haughty and Committed Abomination
The last
two aspects of Sodom’s iniquity go together, verse 50, “And they were haughty, and
committed abomination before me.” “Haughty” means they lifted themselves above
God and men. “Committed abomination” means they committed sodomy.
Two
angels came from God to Sodom, which were disguised as men. Lot entreated these
men to come to his house to protect them from the men of Sodom.
Genesis 19:4: But before they lay down, the men of the
city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all
the people from every quarter: 5: And they called unto Lot, and said unto him,
Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that
we may know them.
These
were sodomites. They openly, unashamedly said they wanted to commit sodomy with
the two men. As our text says, they
committed abomination. Our text also says they were haughty. It means they
exalted themselves over God, over his word, over his witnesses. Lot, being a
believer, a righteous man, commanded the sodomites to repent from their
wickedness. Do you think they bowed to
the word of the Lord?
Genesis 19: 9: And they said [to Lot], Stand back. [Now,
see if this sounds familiar.] And they said again [speaking about Lot], This
one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal
worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot,
and came near to break the door.
Here
was all the people, all the men of Sodom. And here was Lot speaking that which
was right according to God’s word. The sodomites answered, “How dare you judge
us!”
The thing that troubled me most about this
thing with Robertson is that the law of this land, and public opinion, is
regarded as right by men, while God and his word is held in utter contempt. I read in several comments—“How dare this man
judge us!” God says in our text, “they were haughty, and committed abomination
before me.”
Understand
this, especially our young people, though an earthly government passes a law
and makes something lawful it does not mean it is lawful before God. Our society has made same-sex marriage lawful.
Now, we are seeing it everywhere. When
sin becomes accepted in a society, and the more you see it, the more men think
it is not sinful. But just because men
say something is lawful does not mean it is so with God! Never forget that! God says in our text, “they were haughty, and committed
abomination BEFORE ME!”
So this
was Sodom’s iniquity and it is ours in this nation. Ezekiel 16: 49: Behold, this
was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of
idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand
of the poor and needy. 50: And they were haughty, and committed abomination
before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.
God
reigned down judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah and destroyed them all in one
night. He shall do that again but this
time he will do it with the whole world. This sin problem is not just in our
nation—it is in the whole world.
II. YET, FIRST, GOD SHALL DELIVER ALL HIS ELECT
PEOPLE AND NONE SHALL BE LOST
Such Were Some of You
Each of
God’s elect have been washed in the blood of Christ at Calvary and each shall
be washed in regeneration and sanctified by the Holy Spirit. This is the scripture that was paraphrased by
Phil Robertson which says sodomy is sin.
1 Corinthians 6: 9: Know ye not that the
unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?
The
word here means those who deal unjustly toward others shall not inherit the
kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6: 9: Be not deceived:
Let no
one tell you that inward character and conduct is irrelevant.
1
Corinthians 6: 9:…neither…
·
V9: fornicators—uncleanness
out of marriage
·
V9: nor idolaters,--worshippers
of the god of man’s imagination, man’s will and works, “this is what I think!”,
anything put before God is idolatry.
·
V9: nor adulterers,--uncleanness
with another’s spouse
·
V9: nor effeminate,--soft,
of no certain gender, today called “trans-gender.”
·
V9: nor abusers of themselves with mankind,--sodomites—today called “gay and lesbian”, “homosexuals.”
·
V10: Nor thieves,
·
V10: nor covetous,--heart
set on material gain]
·
V10: nor drunkards,--alcohol
or drugs, prescription or otherwise—drunkenness is what is forbidden
·
V10: nor revilers,--those
who run-down other men’s characters, who speak reproachfully of other men,
openly or secretly, by speaking behind someone’s back, by making up false
reports or by spreading reports in a public manner at the hurt of others
·
V10: nor extortioners,--those who forcefully and unlawfully rob others
1 Corinthians 6: 9: Do not be deceived—none of these--shall
inherit the kingdom of God….11: And such were some of you…Yet, these are
all sins that God has power to justify and sanctify his elect from. And such were some of you: but ye are
washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord
Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
I know
this, by the word of God, there is not one child of Adam who is not born dead
in trespasses and in sins.
Illustration: I keep hearing sodomites say, “I was born this way.” All
men are certainly born depraved!
Romans 3:23: For all
have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 5:12: Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into
the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all
have sinned:
But sinners
willfully sin because sin is what the natural born heart is. That is
not what they mean when they say I was born this way. They want an excuse. God gives none to any sinner! Our inability does not lessen the fact that
sinners are guilty and responsible to repent from our sins and believe on
Christ.
It takes
the blood of Christ Jesus to wash all God’s elect from our sins and to justify
us from all our sins. It takes the power of the Holy Spirit to sanctify us from
the darkness of our depravity into his marvelous light. When he does our profession is not in
doctrine only, not in attending worship services only, then our service and
devotion to God becomes our very character, our way of life.
And
Christ our Head has the power to do so for each and everyone of his lost sheep. He shall find us, he shall wash us and
sanctify each one through the word of his gospel, he shall turn us from our
sins to him and he shall keep us.
It is
troubling how little I have heard in the media about this being a violation of
freedom of speech, and most importantly, freedom of religion. But no worries, brethren! Christ shall keep
each one that is his and lose none! Of Lot it says, “the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth,
and set him without the city.” (Gen 19: 16)
2 Peter 2: 9: The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly
out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be
punished.
III. WHEN CHRIST HAS BROUGHT EACH ONE INTO
THE FOLD THEN HE SHALL DESTROY THIS WORLD LIKE HE DID SODOM AND GOMORRAH.
If we
could look into history for a sure example and know for certain our future then
we would be wise to do so. Here it is.
2 Peter 2: 6: [God] turning the cities of Sodom and
Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them
an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly.
Now,
hearing this word of God, sinner, what would you be wise to do? Here is what the LORD told those in Judah and
Jerusalem who he addressed as Sodom and Gomorrah.
Isaiah 1: 18: Come now, and let us reason together, saith
the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 19: If ye be willing
and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land 20: But if ye refuse and rebel,
ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Amen!