And the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD from the heavens. And He overthrew those cities and all the plains and all the inhabitants of the cities and what grew on the land (Genesis 19:24–25).

This is one of the first direct statements of a God who exists in three persons. The LORD on the earth, who had shared a meal with Abraham and informed him of the coming destruction, called down sulfur and fire upon Sodom, Gomorrah, and the entire plain from the LORD in heaven.

Lot, with his wife and daughters, was safely in the city of Zoar before the destruction came upon the plains (Genesis 19:23). However, Lot’s wife chose to direct her desires back to Sodom. Her looking back was not simply an act of looking at what was happening behind her. The Hebrew word indicates looking with consideration. She desired to go back to Sodom; thus, the LORD included her in the judgment, turning her to salt (Genesis 19:26). Tradition and children’s storybooks have Lot’s wife turned to salt because she looked back at the city of Sodom while it was being destroyed. This is nothing more than myth and contrary to the account given in Scripture. She turned her heart back to Sodom, not her eyes.

God remembered Abraham when He destroyed the cities of the plain, for He sent the only righteous man found in all the cities of the plain out from their midst before he overthrew them (Genesis 19:29).

And it was said that, “Whoever divorces his wife, he is to give her a certificate of divorce.” But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except concerning a word of fornication, makes her to commit adultery. And whoever happens to marry one who is released commits adultery.” (Matthew 5:31-32).

Divorce, which is derived from the concept of standing away from, is not the way God designed the relationship between a husband and wife. That which God has joined, no one is to separate (Matthew 19:5). When Adam saw Eve, he understood this fact. She is bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. Therefore, a man will leave his father and mother and be joined as one flesh to his wife (Genesis 2:23–24).

Divorce was permitted under the law only because of the hardness of the Israelites’ hearts (Matthew 19:6). Jesus’ statement concerning divorce was difficult for his disciples to understand. Their response to this news was disbelief, saying it would be better for a man not to marry (Matthew 19:10). Although not all must marry, those who can accept God’s word are to receive it (Matthew 19:11).

Since adultery is a work of the flesh, among Christians it is not to be named (Galatians 5:19). If a husband and wife separate, they are to remain unmarried or be reconciled (1 Corinthians 7:11). The only exception to this is if the man or woman who is an unbeliever determines to leave the relationship. In that case, the believer may remarry (1 Corinthians 7:12–16). However, they should only marry other believers in the same manner as when a spouse has passed on (1 Corinthians 7:39). Therefore, an abusive husband is certainly grounds for separation, even to the point of legal separation. But this situation is not to be used as an excuse to remarry. The believer is to remain unmarried until the offending spouse passes away. Only then is the one remaining free to marry another. This is a hard statement, but true to Scripture. We reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7). Marriage is not to be taken lightly. It is a covenant that ought not to be broken! And it is shameful when believers partake in such practices.

In the Millennial Kingdom, Christ will not permit divorce. We of the Church live by a higher standard, for we have all things pertaining to life and godliness in Christ. Thus, except in the case of fornication or an unbeliever departing, those who separate are to remain unmarried.

I was in spirit in the Lord’s Day, and heard a great voice as a trumpet saying, “The things you see, write in a book and send these things to the seven Churches, in Ephesus, and in Smyrna, and in Pergamos, and in Thyatira, and in Sardis, and in Philadelphia, and in Laodicea,” (Revelation 1:10–11).

On the first day of the week, as John is deep in thought, a revelation comes to him concerning the last days. The revelation that John is about to see is for the Church. It is information that will make the reader happy because he will know what is coming (Revelation 1:2). Since Christ treats the grace believers as friends, He has shared with us what He had heard from the Father concerning the things to come (Revelation 15:15).

John is writing to the seven Churches in Asia, which represent the seven periods of the Church on earth. The characteristics of each assembly describe the predominant condition of Christianity during their times. Ephesus is the first assembly after the Apostolic period, and Laodicea is the last period of time the Church will reside upon the earth.

Christ is now raised from the dead and possesses the keys of death and Hades. As the glorified One, He instructs John to write the things that are and the things that must take place after this (Revelation 1:19). In His instructions, Christ reveals that the seven stars, which John saw in Christ’s hands, are the messengers of the assemblies. The seven lampstands, He stands in the midst of, are the assemblies (Revelation 1:18).

Since the Church is not appointed unto any quality of God’s wrath, no one in the Church will go through any part of the Tribulation period (1 Thessalonians 5:9). Therefore, the book of Revelation will not cause fear for the one who trusts in God. It holds information on how God will punish those who reject the truth and bring an end to unrighteousness.