Jude 7just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and went after other flesh, are exposed as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
Jude’s third example recalls the sad story of the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrah described in Genesis 19. The fate of these cities provides another example as a form of warning to the readers of the danger of turning away from Jesus in disobedience, particularly indulging in sexual immorality and unnatural desires. These cities became symbols of sexuality immorality and God’s response to it.
Two significant words occur in this verse. Sexual immorality (ekporneusasai) has as its root the word from which the English “pornography” is derived and is used for photos or videos of immoral activities. Immorality was a common cultural practice in many Greco-Roman cities in the first century. Many passages in the New Testament call Christians to avoid such practices and seek God’s help to overcome temptation. People could not walk down the street without seeing temples or shrines of religions that glorified such activity. Today, we are saturated with visual temptations that dull our minds to the immorality of our society.
The other key word of warning is flesh (sarkos). The use of this word in the New Testament can have a morally neutral meaning of the physical aspect of our lives, or a negative meaning of how our bodies and natural instincts are used in a negative way to satisfy our self, often by making victims of other people. The desires of the flesh can become so distorted that they go beyond God’s plan as described in the creation accounts of Genesis 1-2. These distorted desires include “sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these” (Galatians 5:19-21). In many cultures today, acts of the flesh have not only been accepted but even celebrated.
Jude strongly warns to his readers about accepting a fleshly lifestyle like these ancient cities. God not only destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah but the whole valley (Genesis 19:25; Admah and Zeboiim, according to Deuteronomy 29:23). The fire that fell fits in the same category as the destruction of the unbelieving Israelites in verse 5 and the angels’ chains in verse 6. Indulgence in sins of the flesh often causes others to fall as well. Sin and temptation must be taken seriously because the consequences of falling into the trap of sensuality and rebellion bring destruction.