Because of the economic crisis and countless other events, millions of Americans at this very moment are wondering if God is pouring out His judgment upon America. And if He is, will it get worse? Let’s look at two cities that were destroyed by God’s judgment and find out why they were destroyed.
We have all heard the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Lord said of these two cities that “the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great” and “their sin is very grievous”. (Genesis 18:20) What were the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah? Some might think that it was just the sin of homosexuality. It’s true that homosexuality was a prevalent sin –so prevalent in fact, that even the youth of the city Sodom were involved in this sin. Genesis 19:4, 5 “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: 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”. The word ‘youth’ refers to the age of infancy to adolescence. The word ‘old’ indicates that even the aged seniors were involved in this heinous sin.
Our country has been invaded by homosexual ideology. Homosexuals compose only a small percentage of our population; yet, they have tried to shove this sin down society’s throat. They don’t just ask that they ‘not be discriminated against’, but it appears that they want everyone in society to agree that homosexuality is not a sin. This ridiculous concept would be the same as a group of adulterers, arsonists, thieves, murderers, etc. banding together and trying to force society to accept their immoral acts.
Along with this culture decline is the lack of acknowledgement of sin. Fifty years ago, a homosexual would have been ashamed of their sin; any sinner would have been ashamed of having their sin exposed. However, that’s not true today. Jeremiah 6:15 “Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the Lord”. Isaiah 3:9 “The show of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves”.
Are there other sins for which Sodom and Gomorrah were guilty? Yes. Ezekiel 16:49, 50 “Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me”:
Is America full of pride? 7deadlysins.com defines pride as “excessive belief in one’s own abilities that interferes with the individual’s recognition of the grace of God.” Our country has been bombarded with humanistic doctrine–doctrine that puts man on a pedestal. We have been taught that life here on earth is all about ‘self’. What financial gain can I achieve? How will the actions I take benefit me? What will I receive? Psychology teaches that we must have a high self-esteem. However, Philippians 2:3 proclaims, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves”.
Has America strengthened the hand of the poor and needy? Edward Wolff, professor of economics at New York University, stated that in the United States, the richest one percent of households own thirty-eight percent of all wealth. The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, 2007 estimates that 3.5 million people are likely to experience homelessness in a given year.
Has America suffered because of her sins? Sure we have—I believe 911, Katrina and the present economic crisis are directly related to the sins of this nation. Jude 1:7 states “Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel in The Philosophy of History, Introduction (1807), wrote History…is, indeed, little more than the register of the ‘crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind. But what experience and history teach is this – that peoples and governments have never learned anything from history, or acted on principles deduced from it. It appears that America has not learned from history as she spirals down to further degradation. The Holy Bible, which is God’s inspired word, gives historical accounts of what happens when a nation becomes spiritually bankrupt. Indeed, America’s outcome looks dreary.
Yet, there is always hope in the mercy of our heavenly Father. 2 Chronicles 20:9 “If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help”. Brothers and sisters, I urge you to cry to God for help.