Monday, May 10, 2010

God's priorities...

Then he (Jesus) began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you." (Matthew 11:20-24 ESV)


Here we have Jesus telling people that the judgement will be less for those in Sodom and Gomorrah than for those who saw Jesus' works and heard the gospel and did not repent. So what's the deal with Sodom? Here's an excerpt from the story of Lot in Genesis. Lot lived in Sodom, and a couple of angels (who have come to tell him that God is going to destroy Sodom) are staying at his house. This is what the men of Sodom get up to:

'But before they 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 ESV)

For those curious as to what "that we may know them" refers to I direct you to the account of Adam and Eve.

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, "I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD." (Genesis 4:1 ESV)

The men of Sodom are planning on raping Lot's guests.

So here we have Jesus telling the cities he's visited that the judgement will be easier for Sodom than for them. Shocking stuff.

God is more angry about the rejection of the saving work of Christ than he is about rape.

Flee the wrath to come. Repent.



P.S.
Now of course it should also be noted that God also wiped out Sodom with fire and brimstone, so I'm not downplaying the seriously evil abhorrent nature of rape. The point stands, however.

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