Week 31 Ezekiel 16
I count six times where Sodom is mentioned in the chapter. The cross-reference in the margin points me back to Genesis 13 but I’m familiar with the story – a couple of “guys” from The Other Side have crossed over into this world and gone to the city of Sodom where a testosterone-jacked local mob try to gang-rape them (unsuccessfully).
The Genesis story of Sodom leaves me with the feeling that Sodom’s problem was that they were sexual adventurers who – I guess – did whatever they sexually wanted. So what Ezekiel says adds detail to the Sodom Story.
He says that a couple of other reasons the residents of Sodom were punished was because they were:
Arrogant, overfed and unconcerned
They did not help the poor and needy
They acted haughty and
Did detestable things before (the Lord).
I wonder about the list…wonder if it’s comprehensive. But my guess is that it’s more likely a representative list (for instance ‘haughty actions’ and ‘detestable things’ sound like general headings that would include specific ‘actions’ & definite ‘things’).
Ezekiel’s details are a help since Genesis is pretty generic: the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.
But I had to read more than a thousand pages between Genesis 13 and Ezekiel 16 before I get those details. So this is another good reminder to read all-of-it before coming to conclusions.
Note: quotes from Ezekiel 16: 49-50 & Genesis 13:13 (NIV)