READING:
One-year plan: Ezekiel 16-19
Two-year plan: Jeremiah 11-12, 1 Timothy 5:17-6:2
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Sometimes just a few verses of Scripture give you information you may not have fully known before — but that is critical to understanding the entirety of the teaching of the Word. In today’s reading, we learn more about the sin of Sodom that we did not learn from the city’s primary description in Genesis 19. In that chapter in the first book of the Bible, the sin of Sodom so dramatically described was homosexual activity — so pervasive that young and old men alike came from every quarter of the city to try to sleep with Lot’s guests.
Yet, we learn much more about the sins of that city from the book of Ezekiel: “She [Sodom] and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me” (Ezek 16:49-50). Note the nature of their sins now added to the list: pride about themselves, luxury and ease in life, neglect of the poor, and detestable moves into sin. Materialism marked their life. They had abundant food they shared with no one. Injustice and immorality followed. Arrogance apparently convinced them they had no need to confess sin.
You see, it’s easy to condemn Sodom for its blatant homosexual activity–but we don’t like bearing the conviction of not ministering to the poor and instead living according to our own prideful plans. Yet, we’re just as guilty of these latter sins as the people of Sodom were also guilty of the sin of homosexuality.
Truth be told, all of us probably need to repent of a little bit of Sodom in us today.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Are you at all like the people of Sodom? Why does that question matter?
PRAYER: “God, help me to keep my eyes on you alone.”
TOMORROW’S READING:
One-year plan: Ezekiel 20-22
Two-year plan: Jeremiah 13-14, 1 Timothy 3:1-21
MEMORIZATION VERSE (September 1-15)
“For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his life?” (Mark 8:36)