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There is another key Old Testament story to which Peter makes direct reference when describing last-day events: the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The cities of the plain were legendary for their wickedness and became the first example of population centers destroyed by fire from heaven.

Read 2 Peter 2:4–11, Jude 5–8, and Ezekiel 16:46–50—and note all of the details. What were the moral conditions that led to the destruction of these cities, and what parallels exist today?

The warning offered to the last-day people of this planet through the account of Sodom and Gomorrah is plain: eventually, the wicked will also be destroyed by fire, as described so clearly in Revelation 20. Sin is remarkably deceptive in that it blinds us to the state of our own hearts, veiling our transgressions under a layer of self-approval, while the wickedness perpetrated by others often remains obvious to us. In the same chapter that God talked about how much love He had poured upon His nation, He also has to warn the nation that, while it did not commit the very same sins (Ezek. 16:47), it has actually become more wicked than Sodom.

Israel had been “playing the harlot” (Ezek. 16:41), committing spiritual adultery. Imagine the surprise of God’s people when they heard that they were more wicked than people who were legendary for their wickedness.

This is nothing new, not just with ancient Israel but with all humanity. In Romans 1:18–32, Paul presents a long list of human evil that could have been written based off of today’s newspapers. Paul’s description of Gentile sin was not intended to create feelings of superiority among the Jews but so that God’s people finally could understand the seriousness of their own sins. Nathan did the same thing when he spoke to David: he told the story of a rich man who stole a lamb from a poor man. This story “greatly aroused” David’s anger (2 Sam. 12:5, NKJV), because the injustice seemed obvious; even then, it took Nathan’s declaration, “You are the man!” (2 Sam. 12:7, NKJV) to make David see himself in the story.

It is important to remember that the Bible is not primarily addressed to the outside world but to God’s own people. When we see the heinous sins of others described in a passage such as Revelation 13 or 17, it is a warning that we, too, can fall into the same trap.

Satan lied to Adam and Eve, promising them that if they ate the Forbidden Fruit, they would be like God. He sets up a worldview of grabbing and lusting for power in rebellion against God. But in the Passover feast, Jesus showed his disciples how to really become like God. Pastor Gordan explains how Jesus set an example of servitude: how his love and compassion can be our own as well.

Larry Witzel shares how keeping promises, especially to family, reflects integrity in ministry. Keeping commitments, like God does, builds trust and strengthens relationships.

AI Discussion on the Sermon delivered on a Sabbath morning at the Living Word Church. It precedes a "special investiture with our Pathfinders," suggesting a church service setting where youth ministry is a focus.

Allusions Images Symbols: How to Study Prophecy — Upon Whom the Ends Have Come — Noah’s Evangelism

Join us as we study the Bible Study Guide for the second quarter of 2025 called Allusions Images Symbols: How to Study Prophecy. We are studying the lesson for week 10 called Upon Whom the Ends Have Come.    

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