How does Revelation 9:18 connect with Old Testament judgments like Sodom and Gomorrah?

◄ Link Rev 9:18 to Sodom & Gomorrah? ►

“By these three plagues—a third of mankind was killed: by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur that proceeded from their mouths”.

Echoes of Sodom and Gomorrah

• Genesis 19:24-25: “Then the LORD rained down sulfur and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah….”

• The identical elements—fire, smoke, sulfur—signal that the same holy God who judged those cities is acting again, now on a global scale.

• In both scenes the judgment is sudden, overwhelming, and unmistakably supernatural.

Shared Imagery: Fire, Smoke, Sulfur

• Fire – divine purity consuming wickedness (Deuteronomy 4:24; Hebrews 12:29).

• Smoke – the visible evidence of God’s wrath (Genesis 19:28; Revelation 14:11).

• Sulfur (brimstone) – a noxious, burning agent God often employs when judging sin (Psalm 11:6; Isaiah 30:33).

These three together form a “signature” of divine retribution recognizable from Old Testament to New.

God’s Consistent Pattern of Judgment

• Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19): localized, geographic destruction.

• Egyptian plagues (Exodus 7-12): escalating signs targeting a pagan empire.

• Prophetic warnings (Isaiah 34:9-10; Ezekiel 38:22): future fire-and-brimstone judgments on hostile nations.

• Revelation 9:18: the pattern intensifies—no longer a city or a single nation, but one-third of humanity.

Old Testament Verses Reinforcing the Link

• Psalm 11:6 – “On the wicked He will rain fiery coals and sulfur; a scorching wind shall be their portion.”

• Deuteronomy 29:23 – Land left “burned with sulfur and salt… like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah.”

• Ezekiel 38:22 – God promises to “rain down torrents of hail, fire, and sulfur” on invaders.

Each verse previews the climactic scene unfolded in Revelation.

Why the Parallel Matters

• Continuity: The same unchanging God deals with sin in the same righteous way across both Testaments.

• Certainty: Past literal judgments guarantee the literal fulfillment of Revelation 9:18.

• Scope: What was once regional (Sodom) becomes planetary, emphasizing humanity’s urgent need to repent (Acts 17:30-31).

• Hope: Just as God rescued Lot before judging Sodom (Genesis 19:15-17), He preserves His faithful even amid end-time judgments (Revelation 7:3-4; 1 Thessalonians 5:9).