The principle of “first mention” can be very helpful when studying the Bible. Here is a link to help understand “first mention.” https://www.gotquestions.org/law-of-first-mention.html

SEXUAL FREEDOM

The most prevalent issue of the American culture concerns sexual freedom. There is a community called LGBTQ+ and they are all about sexual freedom without any constraints or boundaries. Actually the acronym is much longer. It is LGBTTTQQIAA. Here is a link to understand the acronym. Definitions are also included. https://ok2bme.ca/resources/kids-teens/what-does-lgbtq-mean/

THE GOD OF THE BIBLE IS A MURDERER

In 2017 my wife and I returned to the states after 21 years of living in Russia. We knew a huge transition was ahead of us. We would need to adjust to daily life in the US as opposed to life in Russia.

One of the first things that surprised me was ardent opposition to the Word of God in the United States. I expected it in Russia but not in the U.S.

For instance, someone told me, “the God of the Bible is a murderer.” This statement was made in reference to Deuteronomy 20:16-18. It reads, 

16 “But of the cities of these peoples which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance, you shall let nothing that breathes remain alive, 17 but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, just as the Lord your God has commanded you, 18 lest they teach you to do according to all their abominations which they have done for their gods, and you sin against the Lord your God.

My initial response was shock. To say, “the God of the Bible is a murderer” reveals historical ignorance. If you have any knowledge of Bible history then you know the God of the Bible is long-suffering, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

GENESIS 18:16-33

Many people think that first mention of homosexuality is found in the book of Genesis 18-19. This is not the first time. But since this is assumed to be the first time, let’s start here:

Genesis 18:16-33

Three men appear to Abraham while he is resting near some trees. It seems the men are two angels and the Son of God, Jesus. 

When Abraham sees them he immediately offers them hospitality.

As they prepare to continue on their journey Abraham is told that they are on their way to Sodom and Gomorrah. They tell him that the cries of wickedness from this district have been heard in heaven and God intends to destroy the cities there.

ABRAHAM INTERCEDES

Upon hearing this news Abraham immediately begins to intercede for the district. He does not want the inhabitants to be condemned and destroyed. So he asks God to spare them if there are 50 righteous people in the district. And God agrees. He continues his intercession and asks for more and more lenience. Will you destroy them if 5 are lacking and there are only 45 righteous there? He continues to intercede for this area, seeking more and more leniency. Finally he begs for mercy on the district if there are only 10 righteous there. And the conditions have been established. If there are 10 righteous people in the area the district will be spared.

Abraham sets a precedence for us today. Intercede for people and ask God to be merciful if at all possible.

This truly is the desire of God. He does not want to condemn. Jesus said He did not come into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved, John 3:17.

Jesus also said he did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance, Matthew 9:13. This includes the LGBTQ+ community.

GENESIS 19, HOW BAD WAS IT IN SODOM

The two angels went to Sodom and Lot was sitting at the entrance to the city. When he saw them he offered them shelter and hospitality at his home. He insisted that they stay with him He knew that it was not safe for them to stay on the city streets.

They go to his home. Before evening falls all the men of the city, from the oldest to the youngest surround the house and insist on sexual relations with them. Lot begs the men of the city not to do this wickedness against his guests. This angers the the men of Sodom and they threaten Lot with great harm.

The scriptures tell us that angels are greater in power and might than people. These angels struck all the men surrounding Lot’s house with blindness and rescued him. Then they told him to gather everyone of his nearest kin and leave the city because of its imminent destruction.

The men of the city, even after being struck with blindness, all they could think about was sex with Lot’s guests. The text says they wearied themselves trying to find the door to gain entrance to the guests.

There were only three people, Lot and his two daughters, that escaped the destruction that fell on Sodom and the surrounding cities. That is horrible. Again, judgment comes when there is no repentance.

IF

If Genesis chapters 18 & 19 were the “first mention” we could assume that God gives his chosen a brief opportunity to intercede for such a community. Then the next day he sends angels to separate the righteous from the wicked and then judgment immediately falls on the wicked.

BUT

GENESIS 15:16

The “first mention” of such a community is found in Genesis 15:16. God is speaking to Abram and says,  “But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”

WHAT IS THE INIQUITY OF THE AMORITES

Leviticus 18:1-30

This chapter shows what the sins of the Amorites were and what God was talking to Abram about. As you read the chapter here is a short guide to help you understand what specifically was addressed. After the scripture text I will draw some conclusions about Genesis 15:16.

  1. Egypt and the Amorites (here shown as the land of Canaan) were both guilty of these sins, v2.
  2. Any ordinance in any country that contradicts the Bible is forbidden for God’s people, vs3-5.
  3. vs 6- 19 addresses the issue of voyeurism, this would be like today’s pornography.
  4. vs 20 adultery
  5. vs 21 euthanasia sometimes called abortion
  6. vs 22 homosexuality
  7. vs 23 beastiality

18 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘I am the Lord your God. 3 According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances. 4 You shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances, to walk in them: I am the Lord your God. 5 You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.

6 ‘None of you shall approach anyone who is near of kin to him, to uncover his nakedness: I am the Lord. 7 The nakedness of your father or the nakedness of your mother you shall not uncover. She is your mother; you shall not uncover her nakedness. 8 The nakedness of your father’s wife you shall not uncover; it is your father’s nakedness. 9 The nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or elsewhere, their nakedness you shall not uncover. 10 The nakedness of your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, their nakedness you shall not uncover; for theirs is your own nakedness. 11 The nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, begotten by your father—she isyour sister—you shall not uncover her nakedness. 12 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister; she is near of kin to your father. 13 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is near of kin to your mother. 14 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother. You shall not approach his wife; she is your aunt. 15 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law—she isyour son’s wife—you shall not uncover her nakedness. 16 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it isyour brother’s nakedness. 17 You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, nor shall you take her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness. They are near of kin to her. It is wickedness. 18 Nor shall you take a woman as a rival to her sister, to uncover her nakedness while the other is alive.

19 ‘Also you shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness as long as she is in her customary impurity. 20 Moreover you shall not lie carnally with your neighbor’s wife, to defile yourself with her. 21 And you shall not let any of your descendants pass through the fire to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. 22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. 23 Nor shall you mate with any animal, to defile yourself with it. Nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it. It is perversion.

24 ‘Do not defile yourselves with any of these things; for by all these the nations are defiled, which I am casting out before you. 25 For the land is defiled; therefore I visit the punishment of its iniquity upon it, and the land vomits out its inhabitants. 26 You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations, either any of your own nation or any stranger who dwells among you 27 (for all these abominations the men of the land have done, who werebefore you, and thus the land is defiled), 28 lest the land vomit you out also when you defile it, as it vomited out the nations that were before you. 29 For whoever commits any of these abominations, the persons who commit them shall be cut off from among their people.

30 ‘Therefore you shall keep My ordinance, so that you do not commit any of these abominable customs which were committed before you, and that you do not defile yourselves by them: I am the Lord your God.’ ”

What does the “first mention” of homosexuality mentioned in Genesis 15:16 teach us.

  1. God knew the sins of the Amorites in their entirety (just like he knows ours).
  2. He knew they were on a path of no return. They could not recover from their sinful choices.
  3. He knew how long it would take before he would bring judgment on them. That judgment would bring destruction on the nation and remove the remnant from their land.
  4. God also warned the Israelites that if they behaved the same way, that he would bring the exact same judgment on them. This teaches us there is no partiality with God.
  5. It was the will of God for them to repent and turn from their wicked ways. The last thing he wanted to do was to destroy them. Their will was to continue in their sins. It was their will to suffer the consequences of their sins. (We will either tell God “thy will be done.” or he will tell us “thy will be done.”)
  6. God is long-suffering, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

WHAT BROUGHT THE SINS OF THE AMORITES TO COMPLETION?

My theory:

In Genesis 6 God tells about the coming worldwide flood because the wickedness of man was great, everyone was corrupt. It also says the earth was filled with violence. When judgement comes it is because of widespread corruption (how widespread? 8 people survived the flood. Noah and his family were the insignificant minority.) and the culture has become violent.

So Abram was warned about the sins of the Amorites in Genesis 15. In Genesis 18 the same man made intercessory prayer for Sodom and Gomorrah. How corrupt were these cities. They pursued the angelic hosts who came to their city. They intended to sexually abuse them and when Lot withstood them they threatened to kill him. These men, from the oldest to the youngest were struck with blindness to keep them from abusing the angels and killing Lot. In their blindness they groped for the door to gain entrance to Lots’ home so they could fulfill their sinful desires. They were violent! And God destroyed them.

I believe God’s patience is exhausted when a culture becomes violent.

Let me show you another time when a culture became extremely violent. It was during the time that Jesus walked the face of the earth. In spite of all the good Jesus had done he was hated by a very religious and violent culture. Isaiah said this culture would mar the image of Jesus more than any other. He was tortured and punished beyond measure. Then he was crucified. Of course we know he rose from the dead after being in the grave for 72 hours, i.e. 3 days and 3 nights.

One time Jesus’ disciples were pointing out to him the greatness of the temple. And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” Matthew 24:2

Jesus was saying the core of the culture is so corrupt and violent that I will destroy it from its core. That prophecy was fulfilled in 70 A. D. under the Roman General Titus. Do note that the destruction came one generation, forty years, after Jesus brutal death! Judgment always falls on violent cultures. It is a biblical principle.

A SIDE NOTE – 1 Kings 21:25-26

Ahab was the worst king Israel ever had. He was evil. Verse 26 tells us he practiced ALL the sins of the Amorites.

25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.

26 And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel. (1 Kings 21:25-26)

ANOTHER SIDE NOTE:

God takes credit for the destruction of the Amorites. He just used the Israelites to bring about their judgement.

Amos 2:9

“Yet I destroyed the Amorites before them, though they were tall as the cedars and strong as the oaks. I destroyed their fruit above and their roots below.

SO HOW DOES THIS RECONCILE WITH OTHER PLACES IN THE SCRIPTURES?

Romans 1

In Romans 1 the Apostle Paul writes about homosexuals. He says they have a reprobate mind. Those are strong words. In Romans 2 he writes about religious elite and how they will not escape the judgment of God because they are just as guilty as the people Paul mentioned in the first chapter. Then in the third chapter Paul makes a startling conclusion: “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

The “all” in Romans 3:23 is all inclusive. No one is outside the realm of “all.” Jesus died for “all.” That’s all inclusive, too.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

I love the 11th verse! Paul said that some of the people who repented of their sins and came to faith in Jesus Christ were the most depraved of the world. This means Paul preached Christ in such a way that they considered what he said. After being fully convinced that what he said was right, they repented and trusted Christ. And just like that God changed the reprobate mind to a regenerate mind!

THREE SIMPLE CONCLUSION

A. I try to pray for those who choose to live in such a lifestyle.

B. I am not an enemy to those who choose to live a homosexual lifestyle.

C. Nor am I an ally for those who choose such a lifestyle. My message is repent and turn from your sins. Eternity beckons and time is short to repent and turn to God in humility.