Scripture Reading: Genesis 19

Turn in your Bibles to Genesis 19. Genesis 19. I'll begin reading in verse 1. Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom.

When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. And he said, Here now, my lords, please turn into your servants' house and spend the night, and wash your feet. Then you may rise early and go on your way. And they said, No, but we will spend the night in the open square.

But he insisted strongly, so they turned into him and entered his house. Then he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot and said to him, where are the men who came to you tonight?

Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally. So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him, and said, Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly. See now, I have two daughters who have not known a man. Please, let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you wish.

Only do nothing to these men, since this is the reason they have come under the shadow of my roof. And they said, stand back. Then they said, this one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge. Now we will deal worse with you than with them.

So they pressed hard against the man lot and came near to break down the door. But the men reached out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with them and shut the door. And they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they became weary trying to find the door. Then the men said to Lot, have you anyone else here, son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city, take them out of this place.

For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it. So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, get up, get out of this place, for the Lord will destroy this city. But to his sons-in-law, he seemed to be joking. When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.

And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife's hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the Lord being merciful to him. And they brought him out and set him outside the city. So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, escape for your life. Do not look behind you, nor stay anywhere in the plain.

Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed. Then Lot said to them, please, no, my lords. Indeed, now your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life. But I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die.

See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Please let me escape there. Is it not a little one? And my soul shall live.

And he said to him, See, I have favored you concerning this thing also, in that I will not overthrow this city for which you have spoken. Hurry, escape there, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar.

Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah from the Lord out of the heavens. So he overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord.

Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land, which went up like the smoke of a furnace. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt. Then Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountains, and his two daughters were with him, for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar. And he and his two daughters dwelt in a cave.

Now the firstborn said to the younger, our father is old and there is no man on the earth to come into us as is the custom of all the earth. Come, let us make our father drink wine and we will lie with him that we may preserve the lineage of our father. So they made their father drink wine that night, and the firstborn went in and lay with her father, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. It happened on the next day that the firstborn said to the younger, Indeed I lay with my father last night, let us make him drink wine tonight also, and you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our father.

Then they made their father drink wine that night also, and the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father. The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day.

And the younger, she also bore a son and called his name Ben-Ammi. He is the father of the people of Ammon to this day." Amen.

Introduction

Well, certainly an unsavory chapter in many of the details in terms of human depravity, sinfulness, and wretchedness. Remember that chapter 18, verse 1, all the way to chapter 19, verse 38, deals ultimately with the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and those cities on the plain. And chapter 19 specifically breaks down into three major sections. First, we have the demonstration of Sodom's wickedness, which we'll deal with tonight in verses 1 to 11.

Secondly, the deliverance of Lot in verses 12 to 22. And then finally, the destruction of Sodom. And so tonight, as I said, we'll look at the first section in terms of the demonstration of Sodom's wickedness.

Investigation by the Angels

Remember, these angels come to investigate the city, to confirm the city, to make sure that, in fact, they are ripe for judgment, and that is precisely what takes place. Because of the nature of the particular sin in here, homosexuality or sodomy, I thought it would be good for us to consider the scriptural teaching on that doctrine tonight. after we look at this section in chapter 19, verses 1 to 11. There's certainly a lot of confusion within the church today in terms of this particular sin, and it's very good for us to know the biblical data concerning this situation. Well, as we look at the demonstration of Sodom's wickedness, there are three things here.

First, the investigation by the angels. Secondly, the hospitality of Lot. and then finally the wickedness of Sodom, as it's clearly displayed in this particular passage. But notice first, the angels come in 19.1, now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening. Remember back in chapter 18 in verse 20, the Lord announced to Abraham, that because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and because their sin is very grave, in verse 21 it says, I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to me.

And if not, I will know. It's written in the manner of men. God certainly knows the sinfulness of Sodom. It probably foreshadows what will later appear in the law.

By the mouth of two or three witnesses, every fact is confirmed or established. And then here, specifically in 1822, we have, then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. So you have the appearance of these three men. One was, as chapter 18 verse 1 says, it says that Yahweh appeared to the Lord, Abraham looked and he saw three men.

So one of them was probably a theophany, a manifestation of God in a man's form, and the other two were angels, as we see here in chapter 19, and as we see in Hebrews chapter 13. And so what these angels are doing are confirming the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah in order to bring the judgment of God to bear upon them. They are the agents of judgment. They speak in that language in terms of bringing punishment or judgment to bear upon them.

And they do deliver Lot. They do deliver Lot's family.

Hospitality of Lot

Now notice, secondly, the hospitality of Lot. And here he is very much like Abraham. There's a lot of parallels between Abraham and Lot, but Lot's never quite as good as Abraham. Lot is the sort of fellow that is always needing deliverance, he's always needing help, he's always needing some sort of assistance, but here specifically in verses 1 to 3, the hospitality that he exercises is legit.

It's good, it's righteous, and to a fault he wants to engage in protecting these two men that come to stay at his house. To a fault because he's willing to offer up his two virgin daughters to an angry mob of rapists. So he wants to exercise hospitality, which was certainly the manner and the custom in the ancient Near Eastern world. but he goes overboard in terms of the way that he tries to appease this mob. But if you notice, he saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself to the ground.

And then he offered his home to the weary travelers. Notice in verse 2. He said, here now, my lords, please turn into your servants' house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise early and go your way.

Again, Walkie speaks in terms of the parallel. with the contrast with 19, the contrast with 19-1, and what we find in Abraham when he entertained the three men under the terebinth tree at Mamre. He says, Abraham sits in the shade of a sojourner's tent, a welcoming place to travelers. Lot will sit at the gate of an evil city, hazardous to strangers who enter. And so he extends this offer for them to stay in his house, and then notice their response in verse 2b.

It says, no, but we will spend the night in the open square. Now, Lot responds in verse 3. He insisted strongly, so they turned into him and entered his house. Then he made them a feast and baked on leavened bread, and they ate.

I believe that Lot insisted strongly because he knew precisely the character of the persons in that city. If you remember in 2 Peter chapter 3 at verses 7 and 8, Peter describes Lot this way. He says, God delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked, for that righteous man dwelling among them tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds. He knew what to expect in terms of his city, whether he knew specifically in terms of the way they would come to the house and do all that they did, I'm not sure.

But he certainly knew that this was an unsavory place for visitors to go and spend the night in the city square. So he strongly insists, or insisted strongly, so they turned into him and entered his house. Then he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. Now within this brief description, with reference to Lot, we see two indicators of further declension in his life.

Remember that initially when he occupies this particular part of the land, he takes for himself the richest and the most fertile in Genesis chapter 13. He initially pitches his tent near the city of Sodom. Now he has a house in the city of Sodom. Additionally, look at where he is according to verse 1.

Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. Now the gates in these ancient cities were the place where judges met, they were the place where the elders of the city met, they were the place where there was adjudication of matters, business was conducted, commerce took place. It was a place of notoriety. So he not only has a house within the city of Sodom, but he's also within the gates of the city of Sodom.

He had ascended within that particular city, and he has some degree of notoriety. Wenham says the gateway was the public square of the city where the elders sat, public meetings were held, and legal disputes were adjudicated. That Lot was here suggests that he was a respected member of the community. It's not a good thing to be a respected member of the community of Sodom.

See, all along the way, Lot makes foolish decisions. Lot makes impetuous decisions. Lot just looks at things based on the naked eye or the physical eye. He doesn't think in terms of spirituality.

He doesn't think in terms of company. He doesn't think in terms of declension. As we move through this chapter, again, you see this hesitancy on the part of Lot to ever leave the city. It says that Lot lingered.

Well, when angels announce to you that you flee the city because the judgment, wrath, and fury of God is going to come upon that city, you don't linger. And then he doesn't want to go to the mountains. I mean, you almost want to say, poor baby. I mean, you go where they tell you to go.

But he doesn't want to do that. He wants the city of Zoar. It's just a little city. And God, in his mercy, gives this to him.

That's what's most amazing about this. Not that Lot lingers, not that Lot doesn't want to go to the mountains, not that Lot wants Zoar for himself, but that God accommodates him. And then when we get to the end of the chapter, and we see this horrific account with he and his daughters, we see that while you can take the girls out of Sodom, you can't fully take Sodom out of the girls. And so this man made some grievous decisions along the way, And it cost him dearly.

He did not take the path of his uncle Abraham. He did not walk in the fear of God the way that he ought to have. Now, Peter tells us that he was a righteous man. And I would say we ought to praise God for the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Because as far as we can tell from the written page in Genesis with reference to Lot, it wasn't a righteousness that was his own. It wasn't his godliness. It wasn't his good family government. It wasn't his wise choice of a place to live that ultimately landed him in heaven.

It was the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ given to him and received by faith alone. So Lot makes foolish decisions. Bruce Waltke says, Lot has exchanged his tent, formally pitched near the city, for a house in Sodom. So he's in a bad or precarious position, but he knows enough to tell these men, these angels, he doesn't know at this time that they are, in fact, angels.

He believes them to be men, and he tells them to come and stay in my house tonight. You don't want to stay in the public square.

Wickedness of Sodom

And that brings us thirdly to verses 4 to 11, the wickedness of the city. Notice in the first place, it's the entirety of the city. It's the entirety of the city. Remember back in Genesis chapter 18, Abraham intercedes.

He says, if there's 50, if there's 45, if there's 40, if there's 30, if there's 20, if there's 10 righteous in the city, will you spare the city? And God says, yes, if there's 10 righteous in the city, I will spare the city. There weren't 10 righteous. The ones that were righteous, namely Lot and his family, were spared.

But in terms of having a number 10, that wasn't the case. Notice in verse 4, now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. It couldn't be any more conspicuous that it was every person in the city that was given to this particular sin. Whether they would have all participated in it, or some would have simply witnessed it, nevertheless we have everyone in the city comes to engage in this wickedness.

And this underscores for us the justice and the righteousness of God. when he does rain hell from heaven upon these cities of the plain. It's just, it's righteous. There were no righteous in the city, and so it is fitting and appropriate for God to decimate or devastate these cities on the plain. Notice the specific sin of the city in verse five.

And they called to Lot and said to him, where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally. Now last week I mentioned that some interpret the sin of Sodom as being a lack of hospitality. Now I think that is to completely miss the mark, and we'll look at that in a moment, but they typically refer to Ezekiel 16.

And in Ezekiel 16 at verses 48 to 50, God says, as I live, says the Lord God, neither your sister Sodom nor her daughters have done as you and your daughters have done. Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom. She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness. Neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

And they were haughty and committed abomination before me. Therefore, I took them away as I saw fit. Now certainly, Lack of hospitality is there, a lack of kindness to the needy is there, but it's sort of a complex of sins. The abomination in Ezekiel 16 is most likely the sodomy or the homosexuality that is displayed here in Genesis 19.5.

When they say, bring them out to us, that we may know them carnally. The New King James has, in italics, the word carnally. That is a good implication. Whenever you have a word that's in italics in the text, it's a word that's supplied by the translators.

Sometimes it's necessary, because in Hebrew or Greek, you don't necessarily need a verb. And so to supply a verb, they put it in italics so that it makes sense in English. Here this is an interpretative call, that the knowledge that these men of Sodom wanted, with reference to these men in the house, was to know them carnally. We know that the Bible uses the language of know with reference to carnal or sexual relations between a husband and a wife.

We see that with reference to Adam knowing his wife. Not always. It's not always the case when a man knows a woman or a woman knows a man that sexual intercourse is on the table. But it's certainly used that way a lot.

And as we move through the text, we see that that's how it's being utilized in this particular setting. So carnally is supplied by the new King James. And I think it is a legitimate, correct interpretation of the text. The Hebrew word yada is often used of sexual intercourse.

Again, Genesis 4.1, 4.17, 4.25. Now, to sort of make the case that they didn't want to just know them cognitively is obvious from the context. The word know means cognition, to know something about someone. But in the text, we see that that's not what their desire is.

We want to know You know, do they have wives? Do they have kids? Do they go to college? Do they have businesses?

What kind of car do they drive? We want to know information about them. That's not what's on the table. They want to know them intimately.

They want to know them carnally. They want to know them in a homosexual way. Notice first the strong insistence by Lot in verse 3 that they don't spend the night in the public square. Lot knows something about his city, and Lot cautions them.

Lot insists strongly that they don't take that particular course. As well, notice the plea of Lot in verse 6 to these men. He says, please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly. Or in verse 7, please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly.

He knows what's in their minds, he knows what's in their hearts, and he doesn't want them to engage in this. the offer of Lot in verse 8 of his virgin daughters. Now, with reference to the sons-in-law, most likely they were betrothed. The sons-in-law think that Lot is joking, and so most likely the sons-in-law stay behind, and that then brings Lot and his two daughters at the end of chapter 19. But in verse 8, he says this.

See now, I have two daughters who have not known a man. Again, cognition is not in view. What's in view is sexual intimacy. I have two daughters who have not known a man.

Please, let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you wish. Not know them, ask them questions, learn what their favorite colors and their favorite Mexican food is. That's not what the intention is. Only do nothing to these men since this is the reason they have come under the shadow of my roof.

Now the confirmation in 2 Peter chapter 2. the sins, the lawless deeds of these men of Sodom wasn't that they wanted information about passers-by in their city. And then Jude 7 specifically condemns or specifically highlights the sins of these cities on the plain was gross sexual perversion. So that's what's in view here. And may I also add that at this particular juncture, there's nothing in the text to indicate that their intention is gang rape.

As far as they're concerned, this is going to be consensual. They want to meet with these particular men, and they want to have relations with them. Now, the scene is certainly one of homosexual gang rape. But from their particular point of view, that's probably not in their mind, or at least the text doesn't indicate that.

Now, that's an unsavory thing to even have to say, homosexual gang rape. But I bring it up for this reason, because we actually have persons today saying that gay Christianity is okay, provided it's between two men, provided it's monogamous, provided it's based on love. And so the crime here in Sodom was this intent to do serious bodily injury vis-a-vis gang rape. The rape is what is condemned.

It's not homosexuality in and of itself. This is where, again, not the world is going presently. The world's been there for a long time. But it's the church, or at least some sections of the church, that are actually conceding this sort of logic, or rather illogic, which flies against the thrust of scripture.

So again, in their minds, perhaps they have formulated they're going to assault these men in a violent, horrible way. But perhaps they're simply going to entice them or seduce them with the thought of engaging in homosexual relations. unsavory stuff to talk about, but we live in an unsavory age, and it makes good sense for us to know what Scripture says concerning these particular things. Now, look at the proposal by Lot in verses 6-8. He wants to protect his guests.

Again, this was consistent and right and good on Lot's part. Notice in verse 6. So Lot went out to them, through the doorway, shut the door behind him, and said... So if they just wanted to know these men cognitively, that's an odd thing to do, isn't it? to leave the men behind, go out, to face this angry mob, and to shut the door?

I mean, that's not what they wanted. It wasn't cognition, it was sexual perversion, is what they had in mind. Now, the plea that the men of Sodom do not do so wickedly. Verse 7, please brethren, he appeals to them, he is kind to them, He is winsome toward them because he doesn't want them to pursue this particular path.

They're not brethren in terms of family. They're brethren in terms of nationally. They're brethren in terms of the city state. They're brethren in terms of the way that Chilliwackians are brethren, one with another.

That's how he is referring to them in this instance. And then the offer of his virgin daughters to the men of the city in order to protect his guests. Now, it's as if, notice in verse 8, see now, I have two daughters who have not known a man. Please let me bring them out to you and you may do to them as you wish.

Only do nothing to these men since this is the reason they have come under the shadow of my roof. Now, it's intriguing to read commentaries on biblical texts, because everybody agrees this is horrific. I mean, there's no sort of regal room out of this. I mean, you can't say, well, you know, his desire was good, and so therefore the offer of the daughters, you know, that's the price of doing business in the land of Sodom.

But guys do that. In fact, the text, in some sense, does that. It offers a rationale or an explanation, because when we're struck with the horror of verse 8a, the reality that he's going to hand over his daughters to a sexually charged angry mob, it goes on to tell us, only do nothing to these men, since this is the reason they have come under the shadow of my roof. It's almost as if this is the rationale that justifies the giving of the daughters.

But we ought to appreciate and understand he should never have offered his daughters. This is horrible. This is wicked. This is evil.

This is bad. This is absolutely illegitimate and inconsistent. Calvin says he does not hesitate to prostitute his own daughters, that he may restrain the indomitable fury of the people. But he should rather have endured a thousand deaths than have resorted to such a measure.

Amen. He should have resorted to a thousand deaths than ever to have done something like that. You don't give your daughters to an angry mob of rapists. That is simply unacceptable and you don't do it.

Matthew Henry says it is true of two evils we must choose the less. But of two sins we must choose neither, nor ever do evil that good may come of it. He reasoned with them, pleaded the laws of hospitality and the protection of his house, which his guests were entitled to. But he might as well have offered reason to a roaring lion and a raging bear as to these headstrong sinners who were governed only by lust and passion.

They weren't going to be reasoned with. They weren't going to be bartered with. They are, as he says, given over to their wickedness. Who delivers Lot?

It's not Lot. Just like Abraham delivers Lot in Genesis 14, just like these angels are going to deliver him later, they are delivering him here again. Now, not that we ought not to appreciate the deliverance of God, but brethren, we ought not to demand or put ourselves in these sorts of positions necessitating deliverance all the time. Because God is a good deliverer, it doesn't mean we should go out and put ourselves into horrible situations so that He can deliver us.

I don't think that Lot is doing this consciously, wanting to put myself in a precarious position so that the Lord will have to deliver me. I don't think that, but I think that as learners, as readers, as students of Scripture, that the lesson that we ought to glean is don't judge things based on the physical eye. In other words, defer to Abraham in Genesis chapter 13. When it comes to pitching your tent near Sodom, don't do it.

You're not that holy. You're not that godly. You're not going to affect them positively. Most likely, they're going to affect you negatively.

And when it comes to situations like these, don't rely on your own wisdom, wherein you think offering your daughters is somehow a legitimate bartering chip with reference to an angry mob of godless heathen. That's not something you ever want to do. Now notice the protection that comes. The men turn on Lot.

Verse 9. I mean, no one saw this coming, right? They said, stand back. Then they said, this one came in to stay here.

Basically, he's a resident alien. He's not even one of us, and now he's going to tell us what we get to do? He keeps acting as a judge. He thinks that he's got it all figured out, and he's going to be arrogant and tell us what we're about to do.

Matthew Henry says, those that hate to be reformed hate those that reprove them. So it says, they pressed hard against, or actually first it says, and he keeps acting as a judge, now we will deal worse with you than with them. So they pressed hard against the man lot and came near to break down the door. Now I'll give him credit for courage.

I mean, that he went out there, that he faced this angry mob, and that he shut the door on the two men that were in the house. That is a courageous move on his part, especially knowing the characteristics of the men in his city. I mean, that took a degree of guts or, you know, just more folly on the part of Lott, but he does it. Now, verse 10, he's delivered.

The men reached out their hands and pulled Lott into the house with them and shut the door. See it, don't you? Lot's there, he's staring down the face of these angry bears, and these guys just grab him by the scruff of the neck and yank him back into the house. In other words, Lot, you can't do that.

Praise God that these angels were there and they extend the arm of deliverance to Lot and bring him back into the house. And then in verse 11, they step up the ante and they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they became weary trying to find the door. Now this is the same sort of blindness that you see in 2 Kings 6.18. It's probably not total, it's probably not complete, it's probably not forever.

Klein says, it was not so much loss of sight as a sudden striking of the tormentors with a severe disorientation that frustrated their purpose. It wasn't like the removal of sight forever and ever, but it was this disorientation. But notice what happens in verse 11. They're struck with this blindness, both small and great, but the end of the verse tells us so that they became weary trying to find the door.

When they are disoriented or struck with this blindness, they don't stop. They continue trying to find the door. The fact that they didn't find the door is another indicator of God's grace, protection, provision, and mercy. I mean, if you and I were blind and we were put outside the door here, eventually I think we'd find the handle.

At some point, these guys, you know, how big was Lot's casa? I'm sure it wasn't a mansion. I mean, they could have found this eventually if in this blind stupor they just did like this. But God kept them from this.

But what's more disconcerting and more alarming is that they continued in it. Wenham speaks to this. He says, why did they not go home as soon as they were struck with blindness? I mean, brethren, think about it.

You were struck with blindness. You might interpret this as, you better stop your current path. I'd like to think that's what we would consider, right? You better stop your current path.

He says, is this another hint of how deeply rooted this sin was? Divine judgment is supposed to induce repentance. He cites Amos 4, 6 to 12. Here it does not, so yet greater calamities must be expected.

In other words, that they continue, show us how bad or how ingrained their sin is, and the only thing that is fitting and appropriate is when God does rain hell from heaven upon these cities to utterly wipe them out. These aren't innocent, peace-loving people that just wanted to engage in some extracurricular activities. These are vile, rebellious, God-hating rebels that he is going to bring judgment to bear upon. And the text is very evident, and it's very clear and conspicuous that that's what we're dealing with in this particular overthrow of Sodom, Gomorrah, and the cities on the plain.

So that is the demonstration of Sodom's depravity. The angels go, according to the will or plan or purpose of God, to investigate the city, to confirm that this is in fact the case, and then to issue or usher in that judgment of God upon them. Now, in terms of the doctrine or the teaching of the Bible with reference to homosexuality, as I said, our fight at this present moment isn't so much with the world, though it is, it's within evangelicalism, it's within Christianity, it's within the ranks of the professing blood-bought people of God, that say as long as it's monogamous, as long as it's love based, in fact some are advocating as long as you don't actually engage in any sort of touching, you can have a monogamous homosexual relationship that's loving and romantic, but yet without the touching. I don't know what leads people to come up with this sort of thing, but that's what we're dealing with today.

So it's very important that we, as the people of God, understand what the Bible says concerning homosexuality. In the first place, obviously, homosexual gang rape is condemned, but so are all forms of homosexuality. The testimony of Scripture with reference to homosexuality. A couple of thoughts. some Old New Testament texts.

God's Design at Creation

In the first place, we need to remember the intention of God at creation, because ultimately homosexuality is an inversion of the created order. God determines specific things when he made the world. He determined that men and women marry each other, one man, one woman, that it was to be forever. It was a God-blessed union.

He brought them together. Now, post-fall, there is legislation given in the event that one of the parties in a marriage sins and breaks the covenant, God authorizes, God permits, lawful biblical divorce. I will argue that till my dying day, because the Bible teaches that. But in terms of the original intention of God at creation, one man, one woman, forever.

That is His design. We see that in Genesis chapter 2, verses 18 to 25, our confession of faith, which some have suggested we need to beef up the chapter on marriage to sort of contend with the various assaults against marriage. I don't think we do. Our confession of faith in 25.1 says, marriage is to be between one man and one woman.

I mean, that's as clear as one can make it. You don't have to exclude every other sort of created thing. It really does, you know, get to the point. So the intention of God in creation.

The Seventh Commandment

Secondly, the general prohibition of the seventh commandment. The general prohibition of the Seventh Commandment. The Seventh Commandment protects chastity. It protects sexual purity.

In the Westminster Larger, it asks, what are the sins forbidden in the Seventh Commandment? The sins forbidden in the Seventh Commandment, besides the neglect of the duties required, are adultery, fornication, rape, incest, sodomy, and all unnatural lusts. Now that's just a portion of question and answer 139. But Exodus 20, 14 and Deuteronomy 5, 18 is the general prohibition of the seventh commandment against all manner of unlawful sexual expression.

Old Testament Condemnations

And then thirdly, you have the specific condemnation of homosexuality in the Bible. In the Old Testament, you can turn to Leviticus 18. Again, I just think it's important, based on the challenges that we face as the church in the 21st century, those who confess the infallibility and inerrancy of Scripture, we need to know what the Bible says concerning this ethical issue. in Genesis chapter 18 and verse 22. You shall not lie with a male as with a woman.

It is an abomination. Nor shall you mate with any animal to debile yourself with it. Nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it. It is perversion.

I remember hearing a couple of sermons by Andy Hamilton, the Andy Hamilton that we pray for in China. Prior to going to China, he pastored a church in Louisiana for 20 years. Andy went as an older man, convinced that the older seasoned men are the men that should be going to the mission field. Prior to becoming a Christian and a pastor, he played professional football. for the Kansas City Chiefs.

And then he became the pastor, and he preached a couple sermons in the early 90s on sexual purity in a sensual age. And man, those were great sermons. If you can find them, they are very excellent. But one of the things that he mentions in there, he says, it should make us hang our heads in shame. that God even has to prohibit this.

As the creature of God, it should make us all hang our heads in shame that we even have to be told some of these things. But needless to say, we do, at least some people do, and it's told in this particular instance. You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. Now in verses 24 and following, this is the reason for the expulsion of the Canaanites from the land of Canaan.

So just keep that in mind. It wasn't nice, innocent, happy people. And this God of Israel said, OK, too much. It's over.

You're gone. And send out these nice, innocent people and replace them with it. No, it's not it. They were vile, wretched, rebellious, and God judged them.

Leviticus chapter 18, I'm sorry, Leviticus chapter 18, verse 29. For whoever commits any of these abominations, the persons who commit them shall be cut off from among their people. Again, speaking to those things that had been previously mentioned. Notice in Leviticus 20 at verse 13.

If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them. And then, excuse me, to Deuteronomy chapter 23.

Deuteronomy chapter 23, verses 17 and 18. Now this is probably not your, I don't want to say normal homosexuality, that just doesn't sound right. Garden variety homosexuality doesn't sound exactly right either. But this is in the context of ritual perversion.

It's in the context of religious sort of prostitution. Notice in 2317, there shall be no ritual harlot of the daughters of Israel or a perverted one of the sons of Israel. You shall not bring the wages of a harlot or the price of a dog to the house of the Lord your God for any vowed offering, for both of these are an abomination to the Lord your God. Now, the pagans engaged in fornication in worship, and this is why the prohibition is here for Israel.

Don't worship like the Canaanites around you. See, one of the reasons why God says you need to go in and utterly dispossess the land of the Canaanites, because God knows his people. And he knows that if they don't exterminate the Canaanites, and if they don't tear down the altars to Baal, and they don't tear down the Asherah poles, it won't be long before they're fornicating before them. And that's precisely what happens in Israel's history.

And so this prohibition, it wasn't just in case, it actually did need to be in place because of what would happen ultimately with persons there. The dog here probably is a male prostitute. You see this reference in the book of Revelation to those outside the city. God doesn't have a problem with canines.

He has a problem with perverted men who engage in homosexual relations. That's what Dogg refers to in these instances. Remember it was Esau and Jehoshaphat both rid the land of the perverted persons. Kedashim.

The word Kedash means righteous, and these Kedashim, in a sort of a strange turn on the word, would be ritual prostitutes that would engage in this sort of thing. Greg Bonson says, with reference to the teaching of the Old Testament on homosexuality, which by the way, great book, by Greg Bonson on homosexuality, written probably in the mid-70s, still very excellent, very exegetically sound, it's not real long, it's a good work. But he says, from the perspective of Old Testament revelation, the conclusion is clear. Homosexuality is perverted, contrary to God's created order, immoral, contrary to God's commandment, and worthy of death, temporal, societal, and eternal." Notice what he says.

It's perverted. It's contrary to God's created order. We need to maintain God's original intention at creation, because what we find with homosexuality is that it inverts that. It introduces chaos into the cosmos, and God is not for that.

Now, in terms of the New Testament, you've got, in the first place, by way of a general observation, Jesus' affirmation of the creation account. In Matthew 19, verses 3-6, Jesus is asked by the Pharisees, is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason? Verse 4, Matthew 19, He answered and said to them, Have you not read that he who made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? So then they are no longer two, but one flesh.

Therefore, what God has joined together, let not man separate." That doesn't speak specifically to homosexuality. It doesn't speak specifically to the various forms of perversion. It affirms the man-woman principle. But the larger concern, or the larger affirmation, is the affirmation of the original creation.

See, this is fundamental in arguing ethics. When you get into a debate with pagans, and when you get into a debate with professing Christians, when you deal with ethics, yes, specific passages, which we are doing, but the general overarching intention of God the Creator. When you see that inverted, or when you see that twisted, or when you see that defaced, that's not pleasing to God. God the Lord wants or has designed that things operate in a particular way.

So Jesus affirms the creation account.

New Testament Condemnations

Notice in Romans chapter 1, in terms of specific texts. And again, some of these are hopefully familiar to you. And some of these are hopefully instructive for all of us so that we can see what God's Word consistently says with reference to this issue. In Romans 1, 26 to 27, Paul refers to homosexuality as the result of God's having given sinners up to their vile passions.

Notice in verse 26. For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. That doesn't sound good and healthy and right. The marriage bed is undefiled, it's honorable among all, Hebrews 13 verse 4 says.

It's not vile, it's not wretched, it's not wicked, it's not bad, it's not perverse. No, the marriage bed is undefiled, it's honorable among all. But fornicators and adulterers, God will judge, according to Hebrews 13 verse 4. Here at the outset, we see that an act of God's judicial abandonment of sinners results in them pursuing their vile passions.

He gives a concrete illustration in verse 26. For even their women exchange the natural use for what is against nature. And some suggest that he begins with that because that's really sort of the demonstration of a society. I mean, we sort of expect men to be beasts.

But we don't always expect that from women. We like to think they're a bit more delicate, a little bit more fair, a little bit nicer, a little bit kinder, a little bit gentler. They don't kind of engage in the baseness and the wickedness and the vileness and the wretchedness of the piggish men. So he starts off here and says, for even their women exchange the natural use for what is against nature.

Look at the terminology Paul uses. There's a natural use vis-a-vis God's intention in the created order, and there is that which is against nature. So again, with reference to arguing ethics, you need specific passages, but you need an appreciation for the doctrine of creation and how God has intended for creation to function. Birds are supposed to fly, fish are supposed to swim, men are supposed to function in a particular way, and so are women.

And when you cross the lines, or when you cross the wires, or when you take things and put them in a position they were never intended to be, it's confusion and chaos and sin and disorder that results. And so the language here suggests the wickedness in view. So he says they exchange the natural use, there is a natural use, women and men have for one another in God's world in terms of their marriage relationship, for what is against nature, that which is contrary to the created order. God's purpose for his creatures relative to marriage and sexuality.

And then notice how he describes homosexual union in verse 27. Likewise, also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men, committing what is shameful. See, the idea of the apostle is not a condemnation of homosexual gang rape. The idea of the apostle is not the condemnation of a lawful, loving, monogamous homosexual relationship.

The idea of the apostle is the condemnation of homosexuality because it's against nature. It's an inversion of the created order. It is an assault upon the Creator Himself. It is to suggest that what He has ordained is not legit, it's not right, and we're going to do what we want to do.

It is an expression of the autonomy of man, and it is wicked. And Paul says, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error, which was due. And then notice in 1 Timothy 1, 1 Timothy 1, verse 10. Well, we'll back up for just a moment to verse 8.

Hopefully, we're going to do this on Saturday morning, too, because at the end of the chapter on Burkhoff that we're on, he deals with the lawful use of the law. Someday, we may actually get there. It's a short chapter, and we've been on it for months now. But there's a right way to use the law and a wrong way to use the law.

There's a right way to use your toaster and a wrong way to use your toaster. Toasting bread, good. Drying hair, not good. Using the law as a means to expose sin, using the law as a means to inform the sanctified believer on how he or she should walk, good.

Using the law as a means of justification is an unlawful use of the law. There's a wrong way to use the law, and Paul treats at least a part of it here in 1 Timothy 1a. He says, we know that the law is good if if one uses it lawfully. Legalism is not a lawful use of the law.

So therefore, it's not a good use of the law. We know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully. Now, he's dealing with one specific use of the law. He's not dealing with all of the uses of the law.

He's dealing with one specific. And the specific one he's dealing with in verses 9 and 10 is the first use, or what the Reformed have called the first use of the law, which is the civil or the political use. In other words, the law of God as a means of restraint. It's just a big, big parameter to hopefully restrain wickedness.

If we had no restraint, you had no sort of law out there, you would just be given over to madness and sinfulness. And that's what he says, knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers, murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine. Most commentators observe is that Paul goes through the Ten Commandments. That's what he's doing in verses 9 and 10.

He's going through the Ten Commandments. So when your dispensational friend says, oh, that was for Israel. No, it wasn't. It's for everybody.

The Ten Commandments have a trans-covenantal utility. That means that they are for anybody and everybody, irrespective of the covenant that they happen to be in. Think about Sodom. Think about Sodom.

There was no law given at Sinai at the time of Sodom. Sodomites weren't the covenant people, were they? The Canaanites weren't the covenant people, but how come God has them thrown out of the land? It's because they broke his law. 2 Peter chapter 2 says that Lot witnessed their lawless deeds.

See the law of God is written on the heart of man according to Romans 2 14 and 15 man has it in him and man Suppresses truth and unrighteousness man tries to distance himself from it, but he can't evade it He can't escape it fully he is under God's law Whatever his state whatever his covenant whatever his nationality he is bound to the God of heaven and earth So he's using the Ten Commandments and in some of the commandments he goes for the the highest or the most serious violation connected to the commandment. Look at what he does specifically. In verse 9, he says, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers. That's the most serious expression of violating the Fifth Commandment you could have.

I mean, right? I mean, that's dishonoring and not obeying to the nth degree. When you murder, when you engage in patricide or or matricide, when you murder your parents. That is a violation of the Fifth Commandment.

Notice when he says, for kidnappers, after fornicators and sodomites. Kidnappers is the highest and most serious form of the violation of the Eighth Commandment. I mean, there's a difference between stealing a candy bar at Walmart and stealing a human. So you see what he's doing.

He's using kind of the most egregious examples, at least for the 5th and the 8th. And some would say he's doing the same with reference to the 7th. Fornicators, sodomites, the most serious and egregious examples are seen in those who have no respect for covenant, no respect for responsibility, no respect for decency, and actually engage in fornication, or men who lay with men, or women who lay with women. That is a serious expression of the violation of the Seventh Commandment.

So we see, again, it's not homosexual gang rape, it's not non-monogamous loving homosexual, it's homosexuality that is condemned by Paul.

Hope of the Gospel for Sinners

And then the last New Testament text, we sort of jumped over because there's a couple other thoughts we should make in conclusion, is 1 Corinthians 6. 1 Corinthians chapter 6. Verse 9, do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. Some see this and they say homosexuals and sodomites.

Aren't sodomites homosexuals? Aren't they synonymous terms? Yeah, they are in English. But Paul is reflecting two technical terms in Greek.

The first has reference to the passive partner in a homosexual relationship, and the second to the active partner in a homosexual relationship. He's using the verbiage, the language, the technical terminology of his day to illustrate that both the active and the passive, the one who plays the part of the man, the one who plays the part of the woman, Both of them alike are sinful. Again, it's not monogamous, gang rape. It's homosexuality.

That's what's condemned by the Apostle Paul. But we need to appreciate this list as a whole, because homosexuality is not the only sin. And we can't ever be high and mighty while those wretched, dirty homosexuals, while we're heterosexual fornicators. You can't do that.

That's not cool. That's not consistent. That's hypocritical. Notice, do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?

Do not be deceived. Now, there's that element, that dimension, that added ingredient that we see in Romans 1 where it's against nature. It's an inversion of the created order. But these other sins are vile in the sight of God as well.

And that's something we need to see also. Paul does not ascribe homosexuality to genetics. He doesn't say, well, you know, they're born that way. No, they're sins like other sins.

And this is where I think that Christianity is not only not homophobic, whatever that means, but we're positively homo lovers in the sense of we have the remedy to deliver them from the malady. If we tell them it's a sickness, which Freud did, if we tell them it's genetic, which modern science is doing, there's no hope. There's no deliverance. But if we tell them there's sin, there's hope in Jesus.

There's forgiveness with them that He may be feared. There is a fountain open for sin and uncleanness. You see, we have the answers for homosexuality. And this is what Paul goes on to say, verse 11, and such were some of you.

See, if it was genetic, if it was in our DNA, if we were hardwired that way, there'd be no stopping. I sat under the ministry, not full time, but I went to a conference and a man was preaching who had been a homosexual and now was happily married and had several kids. That's not DNA, brethren. You can't change your eye colors.

You can't change your skin color, but you can change and not be a homosexual anymore through the power of the Christian gospel. And that's the hope that we hold out to that. We don't do anybody any favors by, well, I guess you were born that way. I guess it's in your DNA.

I guess it's a genetic hardwire with reference. No, it's a sin. And like other sins, there is forgiveness with God in and through the gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We have good news for the homosexual, and we need to remember that.

It's a sin, like other sins, again, the added dimension or element where it's against nature, but nevertheless, such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. Have you ever read the gospel narratives? And you've read stuff like Luke 15, and it says that all the sinners and tax collectors drew near him to hear him.

Well, what kind of sinners were they? They were the kind of sinners that you and I are. They were the kind of sinners that populate our streets. They were sinners, you know?

It wasn't as if they were polished and righteous sinners. There's no such thing. Sin has always been sin. Sodom, you know, is Sodom in Genesis 19.

It's terrible. But nevertheless, the apostle highlights the forgiveness of God that can be had through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Sin Worse Than Sodomy

And one final thing we ought to appreciate. I had a couple others, but I want to finish here. Matthew chapter 11. Matthew chapter 11.

We need to understand that there is a sin worse than sodomy. There is a sin worse than sodomy. And that is to not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. In 1120, in Matthew's gospel, then he began to rebuke the cities in which 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 which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.

And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you. There is a sin worse than sodomy, and it's to not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

And we need to make sure we don't forget that. There's hope, there's forgiveness, there's mercy to be had for homosexuals in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And if you reject that, if you resist that, if you forsake that, there's going to be more judgment upon you than even for Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities on the plain. Well, let's close in a word of prayer.

Closing Prayer

Father, we thank you for your word. Well, chapter 19 in Genesis is an unsavory chapter filled with many sinful things. We see, God, that nevertheless you are full of mercy toward Lot. He lingers, He is resistant, He is hesitant, and you nevertheless show mercy to Him.

God, may these things encourage us not to be lingerers and not to be slothful, but rather to see that there is great mercy in you. And help us to think clearly concerning the Bible and its application to society today, its application in our own lives and in our own hearts and practice, and with reference to those outside of the Church. May we indeed have mercy upon, may we show love to and grace toward those who are in sin and in rebellion, and may we exercise that love that you tell us is the second great commandment by telling sinners the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord. We ask that you would go with us now, help us to have a good remainder of the week, And may we bring glory to your most holy name.

And we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Scripture References

• Genesis 2:18-25; 4:1; 4:17; 4:25; 13:1; 18:1; 18:20-23; 19:1-38
• Exodus 20:14
• Leviticus 18:1; 18:22; 18:29; 20:13
• Deuteronomy 5:18; 23:17-18
• 2 Kings 6:18
• Amos 4:6-12
• Ezekiel 16:48-50
• Matthew 11:20-24; 19:3-6
• Luke 15:1
• Romans 1:26-27; 2:14-15
• 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
• 1 Timothy 1:8-10
• Hebrews 13:2; 13:4
• 2 Peter 2:7-8
• Jude 7