productive salt mines, giving rise to a great economy for its wealthy population. the water itself was extremely bitter. the residents of the cities of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zebrim were highly literary, rich and successful in salt, copper, crafts, among other ventures and produce [Genesis 13:10]
It should be noted that the residence of these cities had laws in place that disallowed strangers to enter their homes, only family friends and kin, otherwise, it would cause a lynch mob to gather outside the house mainly orchestrated by the men of Belial, only meaning, wicked or evil or worthless individuals [Judges 19:22] The servants of false gods as stated in Deuteronomy 13:13:
certain men, the children of Belial, are gone
out from among you, and have withdrawn the
people of the cities, saving, let us go and ser-
ve other gods, which you have not known.
these were promoters of idolatry, causing the residents
of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zebrim, to stray from God’s command of no
other gods before me. Idolatry, generally means nature of worship in
one form or another. Among these cities of Isrealites, Baal was the sun
god or source of life, Ashtoreth was the corresponding female version
of Baal, who ascribed either prosperity or misfortune, and worship with open practices of adultery between married couples as evidenced in Second Peter 2:6,14
“And turning the cities of Sodom and
Gomorrah into ashes condemn them with
an overthrow making them an example unto
those that after ungodly, having
eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease
from sin, beguiling [or tempting] unstable souls
at heart they have exercise with -------
practices;…which have forsaken the
right way, and are gone astray, following
in the way of Balaam, the son of Bosor,
who loved the wages [pay] of unrighteousness.
These citizen also gave worship to Chemosh, the god of Moab.
Chemosh was worshipped with human sacrifice mostly children as was Molech, the god of the Ammon. The Isrealites so often fell consisted either in making images that allegedly represented Jehovah, such as the calves of Jeroboam [1 Kings 12:28] or in worshipping, in addition to Jehovah, one of the gods of the heathen nations around them, including King Jeddiah Soloman [the son of King David] who build high places for Chemash, the abomination of Moab, in the hill before Jerusalem and for Molechi the abomination of the children of Ammon [1 Kings 11:7] The prophet Ahijah speaking on behalf of God concerning these activities stated:
“Because that they have forsaken me,
and have worshipped Ashtoreth, the
goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh, the
god of the loabites and Milcom, the
god of the children of Ammon and have
not walked in my ways to do that which
is right in my eyes, and to keep my statutes
and my judgements. [1 Kings 11:33]
The residence of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zebrim were full of pride, full of food in abundance including idleness, they cared nothing for the poor or needy, they were high strung [in other words they didn’t believe their mess stunk] and committed the—of idolatry and adultery, human sacrifices in mock worship to these idols made by man. [Ezekiel 16: 48–50]
Concurring with this fact, God Himself said in Deuteronomy 29:23–26 that;
the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt
and burning, that it is not sown, not beareth,
nor any grass growth therein, like the over-
throw of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zebrim
which the Lord overthrew in His anger and
in His wrath. All nations will say, where-
fore has the Lord done this unto those
lands, what the heat of this great anger?
Then men will say, because they have
forsaken the covenant [Exodus 20:1–3]
of their fathers, which he made with them
when He brought them forth out of the
Land of Egypt. FOR THEY WENT
AND SERVED OTHER GODS, and
worshipped them, gods whom they knew
not, and whom He had not given unto them.”
With this in mind now lets look at the prayer of Abraham on behalf of the people in those cities once he knew God’s intention to destroy them because of their idolatry. Abraham stood before the Lord. [Genesis 10:22]
Abraham drew near and said, Will you also
destroy the righteous with the wicked? Perhaps
there are fifty [who are not into idoltry] with-
in these cities; will you also destroy and spare
not the place for the fifty servants of the One
True God and who have kept Your Commandment?
[emphasis added] That’s not like you to slay Your
servants with the idolaters, will not the Judge
of all the earth do right?
The Lord said, if I find in Sodom fifty
who have not gone astray and kept my
Commandments, I will spare all for
their sake. Abraham said, look, I’ve
taken upon me to speak Lord, I am no-
thing but dust and ashes. Perhaps
there lack five of the fifty would you
destroy these cities for the lack of five?
God said, If I find forty five I will
not destroy the cities. Abraham spoke
unto him again, what if there’s
