Sodom And Gomorrah

The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are thought to have been located at the southern end of the Dead Sea, now submerged. Abraham’s nephew, Lot, lived in Sodom with his wife and two daughters. They were God-worshiping people, unlike other residents who had drifted towards sinful pleasures and vices.

When God told Abraham of his intentions to destroy Sodom because of the people’s wickedness, Abraham prayed and pleaded earnestly with him saying:

“Will you sweep away the Godly along with the wicked?

What if there are fifty Godly people in the city?

Will you really wipe it out and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty Godly people who are in it?

Far be it from you to do such a thing – to kill the Godly with the wicked, treating the Godly and the wicked alike!

Far be it from you! Will not the judge of the whole earth do what is right?” (Genesis 18:23-25)

As God mercifully agreed not to destroy the city if he found fifty good people, a compassionate Abraham tried again and again! He slowly reduced his number to forty-five, then thirty and finally ten. When God agreed to ten surely, Abraham must have thought, the city will now be saved!

But God could not find ten good people so, he sent two angels to forewarn Lot and his family and take them to the safety of the nearby town of Zoara. Then he rained down sulphur and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah. Only Lot and his two daughters were saved. Lot’s wife died when she “longingly” looked back against God’s command at the burning city of Sodom. (Genesis 19:26) (Genesis 18:16-33)