Sodom and Gomorrah may have been located along a strip of land between the northern and southern part of the Dead Sea. The Bible confirms archaeological findings suggesting that the area was not always arid and lifeless. We read that Abraham’s nephew Lot chose it as a grazing ground for his flocks. 

There may be a connection between the biblical account of God’s judgement on Sodom and Gomorrah and an earthquake, caused by the rift that runs between Europe, Asia and Africa. The earthquake may have set fire to the area’s natural oil and gas sources, producing the inferno described in the pages of Scripture.

Whether or not God used natural or supernatural means, his judgement was a response to the wickedness of the cities’ inhabitants. In the Gospels, Jesus warned the people of his day not to make the same fatal mistake of ignoring God’s impending judgment and call to repentance. 

What sort of God would cause burning sulphur to rain down from heaven and destroy every living thing? It feels like such an outdated belief. And yet the reality of God being a judge can provide deep comfort. 

Was God just having a bad day and lashing out? Well, as a matter of fact, he had heard an ‘outcry’ (Genesis 18.20–21) coming out of Sodom. The Hebrew word indicates the painful cry of  a woman being raped. Now if that unsettles you – good. You’re grasping just how dark the place was. God acted because he couldn’t stand this sort of suffering.    

But it can feel like so much evil in the world goes unaccounted for. Theologian Christopher Wright described Sodom as a ‘proverbial prototype of human wickedness and of the judgement of God that ultimately falls upon evildoers’. When we look to Sodom we are reminded that there’s no getting away with it. All wickedness will be dealt with and justice will be done. If you’ve suffered at the hands of others that can be deeply comforting. 

Read on, to find out more about the story of Sodom and Gomorrah.

• Justice and mercy Genesis 18.20–19.29