SODOM AND GOMORRAH
From Genesis 19:4–5, we understand that when Lot received visitors, the men of Sodom surrounded his house and demanded that the visitors be handed over to them to have relations with them. This shocking scene exposes the depth of moral decay and sexual perversion in Sodom and Gomorrah. Genesis 13:13 had already warned that “the men of Sodom were wicked and great sinners against the LORD.” Their sin was grievous—deeply offensive to God and destructive to society.
The people of Sodom had become corrupt not only in morality but also in justice. Ezekiel 16:49–50 lists their sins: pride, gluttony, indifference to the poor, arrogance, and detestable acts. Genesis 18:20 adds that “the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous,” revealing the cries of victims suffering from their violence and injustice.
Genesis 19:24 records that God rained down brimstone and fire upon Sodom and Gomorrah, destroying them completely. Archaeological findings near the Dead Sea—such as burn layers and traces of sulfur—suggest possible sites of devastation like Bab edh-Dhra and Numeira, dating to around 1900 BCE.
Sodom and Gomorrah stand as powerful symbols of divine judgment against sin. Their story reveals how God views sin in all its forms—especially when a society normalizes immorality, cruelty, and rebellion against Him. It serves as a cautionary tale of what happens when humanity rejects God’s authority and indulges in evil without restraint.
The destruction of these cities serves as a warning to all generations. The moral and spiritual decay of Sodom mirrors the “sin-toxic culture” we see around us today. As followers of Christ, we are called to be the salt of the earth—to influence the world toward righteousness rather than be influenced by its corruption. Living a godly life amid moral decay is a great challenge, but to preserve our spiritual life, we must guard our hearts and values while remaining deeply rooted in God’s Word.
TRUE FAITH
In Genesis 15:6, we read that Abram believed the LORD, and it
was credited to him as righteousness. The life of Abraham demonstrates that
true faith always leads to obedient action, even when the path is unclear. When
God called Abram to leave his homeland and family (Genesis 12:1), he obeyed
immediately. By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later
receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where
he was going (Hebrews 11:8). Abraham's life was marked by unwavering trust in
God's promises—even when they seemed impossible.
Though he and Sarah were childless and well past childbearing
age, he believed God’s promise that he would become the father of many nations.
The greatest test of Abraham’s faith was when God asked him to sacrifice Isaac,
the very son of promise. Abraham obeyed without delay, trusting that God could
raise Isaac from the dead if necessary (Hebrews 11:17–19). Abraham’s obedience
extended to every area of his life—from sending away Hagar and Ishmael at God’s
command, to faithfully observing the covenant of circumcision. His faith was
not passive; it was demonstrated through consistent obedience and
surrender.
From James 2:17 we understand that if our faith is not
accompanied by action, it is dead faith. Jesus taught that hearing His words is
not enough—it’s those who act on them who build their lives on a firm
foundation. Galatians 5:6 teaches us that the only thing that counts is faith
expressing itself through love. Ephesians 2:8–10 clearly explains that while we
are saved by grace through faith, we are created in Christ Jesus for good
works.
AN INTRODUCTION TO BIBLE
The word Bible means "books" or "a collection
of books." The Bible contains 66 individual books — 39 in the Old
Testament and 27 in the New Testament. These books were written by
approximately 40 different authors over a period of 1,500 years. The first five
books (the Pentateuch) were written by Moses around 1400 BC. The other books of
the Old Testament were written over the next 1,000 years. The Old Testament
books were written primarily in the Hebrew language, while the New Testament
books were written in Greek. Around 450 BC, the books of the Old Testament were
compiled, arranged, and finalized. Around 250 BC, the Hebrew Bible was
translated into Greek, a version known as the Septuagint, meaning
"seventy," referring to the 70 scholars traditionally believed to
have worked on the translation. The ordering of the books, similar to what we
have today, was established during this time.
The Old Testament is generally divided into three main sections: Historical books (Genesis to Esther) Poetic books (Job to Song of Songs) Prophetic books (Isaiah to Malachi) The books of the New Testament were written between AD 40 and AD 90. The New Testament contains the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, which describe the life of Christ and the historical events surrounding the early beginnings of the Church after Him. Following these, the remaining books are mostly letters written by the apostles to churches and individuals. These writings reflect the teachings, struggles, guidance, and the growth of the faith tradition within the early Christian communities. The Book of Revelation contains descriptions of the events that are prophesied to occur in the end times. The chapter divisions commonly used today were developed by Stephen Langton around AD 1227. The Wycliffe English Bible of 1382 was the first to use this chapter format. These divisions help us locate Scripture passages more quickly and easily. The printing of the Bible began in 1455 with the Gutenberg Bible. Early manuscripts were written on papyrus (made from reeds) and parchments (made from animal skins).
We do not possess the original manuscripts of the Bible, but we have copies of copies. Today, there are more than 14,000 known Old Testament manuscripts and fragments, and around 25,000 New Testament manuscripts and fragments. The oldest existing complete Bible is a 4th-century parchment manuscript preserved in the Vatican Library, known as the Codex Vaticanus.
Currently, the complete
Bible is available in 756 languages. The New Testament alone is available in an
additional 1,726 languages. Translation work is underway in about 4,150
languages, but approximately 3,800 languages still lack any Scripture
translation.
SELF-SEEKING
In Genesis 11:4, we read about the people of that time coming
together to build a city and a tower with the purpose of making a name for
themselves. At Babel, rebellious mankind undertook united and godless efforts
to establish a name for themselves. God scattered them by confusing their
language. This is a clear example of people seeking their own glory, which
resulted in God’s judgment. Their motive was not to honor God, but to build a
legacy for themselves. They were not content with God's glory—they wanted their
own.
Building a city and a tower was not a crime in itself, but
their plan to build a tower so that they could remain united and make a name
for themselves was clearly out of line with what God intended for them. They
were openly disobeying God's command to spread out, multiply, and fill the
earth. Their actions were driven by pride and ungodly ambition. They relied on
their own abilities and expertise to move forward, rather than trusting in God
and His ways. The Tower of Babel shows us that God intervenes when we take a
path that is contrary to the one He has assigned to us.
In Luke 1:51, we read that God scatters those who are proud in
their inmost thoughts. This shows that the Lord desires humility, not pride.
Pride and self-glorification lead to downfall. Seeking a name for personal
glory can bring destruction or divine opposition. God actively intervenes
whenever we try to elevate ourselves above Him—knowingly or unknowingly. James
4:6 says that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. In
Philippians 2:3, Paul urges believers not to act out of selfish ambition but,
in humility, to value others above themselves. We are called to practice
humility.
The world and the society around us influence us with an
inward tendency toward self-interest and selfishness. There is a part within us
that prioritizes our own needs above others’, often causing broken
relationships and shattered hearts. In James 3:16, we read that selfish
ambition breeds disorder and every evil practice. A self-seeking attitude leads
to conflict and confusion. Self-seeking is a sign of moral decay and end-time
rebellion. In 2 Timothy 3:2, it is written that people will be lovers of themselves.
The Bible clearly commands us against selfishness. In Philippians 2:3–4, we are
urged once again not to act out of selfish ambition, but to consider others
above ourselves. May God enable us to repent from every self-seeking attitude
and commit ourselves to fulfilling what God has intended for us.
FAVOUR OF GOD
We often seek favour from others in our daily life. We also
pray for the favour of God regularly. In some people's lives, the favour of God
is clearly evident. By the standards of our society, such favoured ones will be
considered as lucky ones. The fact that few people find special favours from
God is visible in the Bible and in real life. When we have the favour of God,
the work of our hands will be established, and we will be the channel of the
blessings of God to others. The favour of God cannot be claimed. Favour of God
cannot be earned. God's favour is not earned as a reward, but His favour can
flow in our lives from a sincere relationship with Him.
In Gen 6:8, we read about Noah finding favor in the eyes of
the Lord. In the midst of a corrupt generation, Noah remained righteous,
obedient, and blameless. Noah’s life is evidence of great faith. When God
communicated His plan to Noah, He submitted himself along with his family to
work out the plan of God. Noah had to work more than fifty years to build the
ark. It took a lot of miseries, hard work, perseverance and faith to execute
the plan of God. Like Noah, when we commit our lives to obeying His commands
and yield ourselves to fulfill His plan through us, the favour of God will be
evident in our lives.
In Luke 1:30, we read about Mary finding favour with God. God
chose her as a vessel to bring the son of God into the world. Her life was
known for humility and obedience to God. God opposes the proud, but gives grace
to the humble. Humility can draw us nearer to God.
God's favoured life is enriching. Living a life seeking His
favour in our life is the best thing we can do to keep our lives effective and
meaningful. May God lead such blessed lifestyles.
WICKED HEART
In Gen 6:5,6 it states, “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human
race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the
human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made
human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled”. These
verses point us to how God reacts to sin. The righteous nature of God does not
ignore sin. He punishes those who continuously sin against Him. God punished
and destroyed the wicked people completely by sending flood.
We are no way better than them. Even today, human hearts are
inclined toward evil. Sin is a deep-seated issue within human nature. The
sinful, corrupted mind became the source of all the violence and oppression.
The wicked disobedient heart is a deliberate rebellion against divine
authority. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that our heart is deceitful above all things.
Evil, sinful and ungodly thoughts originate in the heart and result in wicked
living and ungodly behaviors. From Mark 7:21-23, we learn that evils like
sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness,
envy, slander, arrogance and folly originate from a wicked heart. Jeremiah
17:10 says that the Lord searches the heart and examines the mind. This means
that nothing is hidden in His sight. Perceptions, conceptions and ideas that
originate from a wicked heart are evil and are abominable in the sight of God.
Proverbs 28:13 clearly tells us that whoever conceals their sins does not
prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
We can either justify our trespasses and move on as if nothing
has happened or can confess and repent, and look Godward, keeping our hearts
aligned with the will of God. We need to decide and make the choice. May God
help us to introspect and keep our hearts aligned with His will concerning us.
Amen
ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE
From Gen 4:3, we learn that Cain, who worked as a farmer, brought the fruit of the ground and Abel, who worked as the keeper of sheep, brought fat portions of a firstborn lamb from his flock as offerings to God. And in Gen 4:4 we read that the Lord accepted the offering by Abel. Though we do not know the exact reason for the rejection of offering by Cain, this incident tells us that the practice of giving sacrifices and offerings to God was happening from the beginning of humankind and God, at His discretion, accepts or rejects it.
Sacrifices were offered to God, primarily to atone for sins
and establish a relationship with God. From the Old Testament, we understand
that the Israelites practiced various types of sacrifices, like burnt offering,
sin offering, guilt offering, peace offering, grain offering, etc. Sacrifices
were seen as a way to address the consequences of sin and restore a
relationship with God. The atonement by Christ on the cross ended the need for
sacrifice for our sin. Heb 10:10 says that we have been made holy through the
sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all.
In Romans 12:1, we are urged to offer our bodies as a living
sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. When
we dedicate our life to doing the will of God through our thoughts, decisions,
words and behaviors, we are offering an acceptable sacrifice to God. In Psalm
51:17, we read that God desires a heart that is contrite, a heart that is
broken by the presence of sin, a heart surrendered to God. When we express
sorrow over a sin-tainted life, repent and turn to God, we are offering an
acceptable sacrifice to God. Heb 13: 15 says that through Jesus, therefore, let
us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly
profess his name. When we are grateful and express Thanksgiving and praise to
God, we are offering an acceptable sacrifice to God.
Heb 13: 16 asks us to do good and to share with others, for
with such sacrifices God is pleased. When we use our resources and time to help
others, we are offering an acceptable sacrifice to God. May God guide and
enable us to present ourselves as an acceptable sacrifice to Him as long as we
live. Amen
WALKING WITH GOD
In Gen 5:24, we read that Enoch walked with God, and he was taken up without
tasting death. He was one of the two in the Old Testament who were taken up
without tasting death. Concerning his lifestyle, the author of Hebrews writes
in Heb 11:5 that he lived a life pleasing God before he was taken
up. Walking with God would mean being led by the Holy Spirit, and it will
be visible in our lifestyle and behaviors. Walking with God is testified by the
godly lifestyle and transformed behaviors. From Micah 6:8, we understand that
God desires us to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God.
When we walk with God, people around us will witness the love and power of God
in us. We will be loving, merciful, and peacemaking individuals. We will truly
display the holy life He offers. If we claim that we walk with God and live a
lifestyle conforming to the things of the world, we are under
self-deception.
God desires all of us to walk with him. His life will be
different from those who do not walk with Him. Walking with God implies faith
in God, obedience to God and fellowship with God. To walk with God means to
make a relationship with God as an essential part of our everyday lifestyle. It
is not the kind of lifestyle of spending one day in the presence of God and
living ungodly lives on the other days. To walk with God is to honor God with
our choices in every aspect of life. If we claim that we walk with Him, we have
to make consistent efforts to spend time with Him and to execute His will in
our lives.
Enoch found it possible to live in communion with God and yet
to do all the common things that men did then. We may have our own queries and
doubts to consider if we can walk with God. If what is said about Enoch is true
and if he could walk with God, we also can. May God enable us to strive to walk
with God daily.
WHEN TEMPTED TO DISOBEY GOD
Genesis 3:11 states, "Have you eaten of the tree of which
I commanded you not to eat?” When God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat from
the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they were expected to obey him
unconditionally. But when Eve was tempted by a serpent, she doubted the word of
God and ended up disobeying God. When tempted to doubt and disobey the word of
God, Eve failed in the temptation.
Firstly, she was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Satan took
advantage by finding her near the forbidden tree. The serpent initiated a talk
with her and convinced her to fall in his trick. Eve should have ignored the
initiation of Satan, but she enjoyed the conversation and gave the natural and
distinct answers to the prowling, unsuspected enemy. We can be attacked by the
devil readily when we are alone. When we step outside of Christian fellowship,
we become more susceptible to temptation and sin.
Secondly, we notice the serpent planting a doubt in the mind of Eve and
then offering his attractive false interpretation for the word of God. Thus,
the temptation by Satan begins by laying a doubt at the root, questioning and
unsettling the revealed truths. Our doubts concerning the word of God can move
us away from God. To keep us from the harmful effects of doubts, we must
saturate our minds with the truth of God’s word. Also, when we seek God, He
will clarify our doubts at the right time through the right means.
May God enable us to understand the necessity of fellowship in our Christian
growth and to seek His help whenever we face doubts.
MARRIAGE
In Genesis 2:24, the Bible states that "a man leaves his father and mother
and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh," signifying the
establishment of a new, independent family unit . While creating Eve for Adam,
God designed a perfect counterpart. God’s plan was that the two would work
together, shoulder-to-shoulder, complement one another, and balance each other
with their unique strengths. Here we see marriage as a divine institution,
established by God.
The Bible presents marriage as a sacred covenant between a man
and a woman, ordained by God as a foundation for human life. Marriage provides
companionship and support for individuals. Though the Bible teaches about
monogamy, polygamy was prevalent in the lives of many people in the Bible. And
this does not mean that God approves polygamy. As one flesh, the husband and
wife will become family to each other, with all the legal and relationship
rights and privileges that come with being so closely connected. Marriage is
presented as a permanent bond, lasting until death. Like Adam, woman too shares
the same likeness of God. Men and women each bring unique and necessary
characteristics to the human family. Our spouse’s differences are good things
God brings to us that He will use as tools to shape us into the people He wants
us to be. Failure to accept another half in life as a good gift from a loving
God leads to many problems in marriage.
Husband-and-wife relationships are like two candles burning
together—giving more light, like two well-tuned instruments sounding
together—making more melodious music. The relationship between Christ and the
church is often used as a model for the marriage relationship. In marriage,
husbands are called to love their wives sacrificially, and wives are encouraged
to respect and submit to their husbands. May God bless us with a God-centered,
God-intended family life.
WORK
In Gen 2:15 we read that the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of
Eden to work it and take care of it. When God put Adam to work in the Garden of
Eden, He gave him a meaningful job - to tend and take care of the creation of
God.
God had created a world that included work needing to be done and this suggests
that God desire us to work. Jesus himself was a carpenter. Paul himself worked
as a tentmaker to support his ministry. Paul, having heard that some in the
Thessalonian church members were idlers and disorderly, gave a strict command
that if a man did not want to work, he should not eat. Paul wrote to the
Ephesians that the believers should not earn money by dishonest means, but
should labor, doing good work with his own hands, for his needs and to help
those in need. Ecclesiastes 9:10 teaches, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do
it with all your might.”
Man was made for work and work was honorable in primitive Eden. He created man
with a mission to do work. God provides us with unique skills, gifts and
talents, equipping us with various types of works. Work is part of our purpose
as God's creatures. God gave him work to do and work is a divinely ordained
activity and it is not a curse.
Irrespective of the roles we play in our family, church, workplace and society,
we need to understand that work is rooted in God’s creation and God wants us to
work hard and faithfully. The Bible encourages believers to work diligently and
with integrity as if they are working for the Lord and not just for human
masters. The Bible values hard work and diligence. The Bible also suggests that
those who are unwilling to work should not eat.
May we glorify God through our work and serve others with a spirit of
excellence. May God enable us to do our jobs well.
REST
In Gen 2:3, we read about God making the seventh day of creation for rest. In
creation, God kept one half of the day as night, a time meant for taking rest.
Inclusion of a day of rest in the creation event in the Bible teaches us that
there is a pattern of work and rest for our existence on earth. In addition to
that, he kept one day per week for rest. This underlines the importance of rest
in our lives in the sight of God. Keeping a day in a week emphasizes the need
to cease our regular work to rest. It gives rest to the body from toils and
rest to the soul from all worldly care and anxieties.
God's intention in keeping every seventh day for rest signifies the importance
of rest to our well-being. We are often suggested to keep one third of our day
for sleep. We need to have proper rest every day and every week for the proper
function of our body and soul. Rest promotes emotional and physical well-being.
Rest improves performance and productivity.
Taking rest is God's design and plan for us. Taking a day off work to rest is
one of the ten commandments. May God enable us to understand the importance of
rest and practice it faithfully.
RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR CREATOR
The material things around us point to a creator, who is intelligent and
powerful. Things that are visible and invisible are created from nothing by God
in an undated past. The most significant part in creation is God making
humankind in the image and likeness of God. Human beings are created with an
earthly substance and with a divine substance. Though our physical body is from
the earth, there are invisible godly components in us.
The divine substance, our spiritual part, can connect us with God. By keeping
the right relationship with God, we can find our fullness in life.
Understanding the purpose of our life depends on how well we know and maintain
our relationship with our creator. Fellowship with God demands spending time
with Him and responding positively to His will. Spending quality time in prayer
and making efforts to learn godly truths from the Bible can glue us with God
and make a great difference in our lives. Such a lifestyle can build us in the
ways of God in the midst of attractions and influences that are conditioned to
take us away from God's intended life. May God enable us to understand the
importance of maintaining fellowship with God and to make efforts to grow in
fellowship with our Creator.
