Good afternoon Izzy, today we speak of judgment and wrath. But before that, how was your Pesach, your Passover Seder? I understand your family hosted two Seder's this year, so what is the most important lesson?
<= = = Pei-Samekh-Cheit, Pass over, pass through, spare or exempt, that if we did not have the sign of God on our doorpost, the firstborn in our own houses would be killed. And even if an Egyptian that had caused us pain, had the sign of God on his house the angel of death passed over the Egyptian's house.
Excellent Izzy, and tell me another important lesson of Pesach please.
<= = = The removal of Chematz, or Levin from our houses and lives, this reminds us not to be puffed up, this illustrates the importance of removing sin from our lives.
And that was the problem with Sodom Izzy, they tolerated sin and it went from tolerating to encouraging and then to needing. You can imagine that if Sodom hasn't got ten righteous it is a pretty bad place. The same evening they had eaten with Abraham the two angels finally came to the entrance of the city of Sodom ( they walked slowly in hopes Abraham would ask the LORD to spare the city on behalf of one righteous), and Lot was sitting at the gate to the city, a place where the elders judged between disputes as the angels arrived. When Lot saw them, he stood up to meet them. Then he welcomed them and bowed low to the ground.
"My lords," he said, "come to my home to wash your feet, and be my guests for the night. You may then get up in the morning as early as you like and be on your way again." "Oh no," they said, "we'll just spend the night out here in the city square." But Lot insisted, hospitality was very important in his culture, so at last the angels went home with him. He set a great feast before them, complete with fresh bread made without yeast.
After the meal, as they were preparing to retire for the night, all the men of Sodom, young and old, came from all over the city and surrounded the house. They shouted to Lot, "Where are the men who came to spend the night with you? Bring them out so we can have rough sex with them."
Lot stepped outside to talk to them, shutting the door behind him. "Please, my brothers," he begged, "don't do such a wicked thing. Look--I have two virgin daughters. Do with them as you wish, but leave these men alone, for they are under my protection."
"Stand back!" they shouted. "Who do you think you are? We let you settle among us, and now you are trying to tell us what to do! We'll treat you far worse than those other men!" And they lunged at Lot and began breaking down the door. But the two angels reached out and pulled Lot in and bolted the door. Then they blinded the men of Sodom so they couldn't find the doorway.
"Do you have any other relatives here in the city?" the angels asked. "Get them out of this place--sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone else. For we will destroy the city completely. The stench of the place has reached the LORD, and he has sent us to destroy it." So Lot rushed out to tell his daughters' fiancés, "Quick, get out of the city! The LORD is going to destroy it." But the young men thought he was only joking. At dawn the next morning the angels became insistent. "Hurry," they said to Lot. "Take your wife and your two daughters who are here. Get out of here right now, or you will be caught in the destruction of the city."
<= = = What sin was Sodom destroyed for?
All of their sins Izzy, the homosexuality which is the only thing most people focus on, but the lack of hospitality, the violence. Remember the previous wrath of God ten generations earlier with Noah, Now the LORD observed the extent of the people's wickedness, and he saw that all their thoughts were consistently and totally evil. And the LORD said, "I will completely wipe out this human race that I have created. Yes, and I will destroy all the animals and birds, too. I am sorry I ever made them." But Noah found favor with the LORD.
God is in the process of establishing His people on earth, Israel and we have this rich city in the same general area where all their thoughts were evil and violent and yet Lot has moved right in. God has to take Sodom out, Israel barely makes it as it is.
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