Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens. Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, destroying all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land. But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. – Genesis 19:24-26 NIV

Most people have heard what happened in Sodom and Gomorrah. It was an extremely sinful place. Sodom had descended into such a den of sin that visitors of the city could not be left in public alone for a few hours without fear of being raped. Two points here:

1. The sin in Sodom and Gomorrah was so great that God sent angles to destroy it and the people who lived there. There are so many cities across this country that are so sinful that I believe that God if not for Jesus and his mercies would destroy again.
2. Lots wife disobey Gods order by looking back. She was turned into a pillar of salt. How many of us have looked back at our old life and wanted to go back or even did go back to old sinful behaviour? According this this, we would’ve turned into a pillar of salt like Lot’s wife.

“And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense. The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, to remove the censers from the charred remains and scatter the coals some distance away, for the censers are holy— the censers of the men who sinned at the cost of their lives. Hammer the censers into sheets to overlay the altar, for they were presented before the Lord and have become holy. Let them be a sign to the Israelites.” – Numbers 16:35-38 NIV

The Israelites were told not to even touch the belongings of the wicked rebels. In this case, doing so would’ve shown sympathy toward their cause and agreement with their principles. Korah, Dathan and Abiram were directly challenging Moses and God. Moses clearly stated what God intended to do to the rebels. He did this so that everyone would have to choose between following Korah and Moses, who was Gods chosen leader.

This passage shows the consequences we should face when we rebel against God. How many people you know today who are rebelling against him. If not for Jesus and the mercy of God they would’ve had to deal with the same fate.

But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother. What he did was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death also. – Genesis 38:9-10 NIV

There was an Old Testament law about marrying in the family if your brother dies. It’s purpose was to ensure that a childless widow would have a son who would receive her late husbands inheritance. God killed Onan because he failed to fulfill his obligation to his brother and Tamar. Though this specific practice is not done today, how many of us disregard our obligations in order do what we like? In the Old Testament, that deserved death.

While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods. So Israel yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor. And the Lord’s anger burned against them. The Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of these people, kill them and expose them in broad daylight before the Lord, so that the Lord’s fierce anger may turn away from Israel. – Numbers 25:1-4 NIV

Prostitution and sexual immorality was part of the Canaanite religion. At first the Israelites didn’t think about worshipping idols, they were just interested in sex, but before long they started attending local feast and celebrations that involved idol worship. The desire for fun and pleasure caused them to loosen their spiritual commitment. In these verses the Lord told Moses that these leaders in Israel that participated in sexual immorality should be killed. This type of immorality and idolatry is happen in the world today as well. They have relaxed their moral standards to do whatever feel good. According to Gods law here, those people should be killed.

“Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today.” Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them. – Joshua 7:25 NIV

Achan underestimate God and didn’t take his commands seriously. It may have seemed a small thing to Achan but the effects of his sin were felt by the entire nation, especially his family. Like Achan, our actions affect more people than just ourselves. Can you imaging today if you sinned and did something that caused your entire family to be killed by God? Thank God for mercy, Gods loving kindness and patience towards us.

While the Israelites were in the wilderness, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day. Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly, and they kept him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him. Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must die. The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp.” So the assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the Lord commanded Moses. – Numbers 15:32-36 NIV

There was no room for misinterpreting Gods holy requirements of the Sabbath. In this passage a man went outside to gather some wood. This was a violation of the Sabbath because it was considered as work. God spoke to Moses and said that this man should be stoned. This speaks to how irreverent we are towards God today. We don’t take time to worship and fellowship with him. The law said that we should’ve been stoned like this man for doing any work or breaking any of the requirements of the Sabbath. But Jesus came as the fulfillment of the law so that we don’t have to pay that price for that sin. Even though we don’t have to suffer his consequence today, we should still attempt to keep one day as our day of worship devoted to God.

When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God. – 2 Samuel 6:6-7 NIV

This seams noble and the right thing for Uzzah to do. But God’s commands and the consequences have to be carried out as he said because God cannot lie or go back on his word. Even though by the outside, it looked as Uzzah had the right motive, he still touched the Ark of the Covenant (which represented Gods holy presence) and this could only be done by the Levites. The result of his act was death instantly. Can you imaging if someone disobeyed God today and instantly died? If not for Gods mercy and Jesus meeting the Holy requirements for us, there would be a lot less people on the earth.