The inhabitants of the Noachian world were destroyed because they were corrupted through the indulgence of perverted appetite. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed through the gratification of unnatural appetite, which so benumbed the intellect that they could not discern the difference between the sacred claims of God and the clamor of appetite. The latter enslaved them, and they became so ferocious and bold in their detestable abominations that God would not tolerate them upon the earth. God ascribes the wickedness of Babylon to her gluttony and drunkenness. {3T 162.2}

Noachians indbyggere ville være ødelagt fordi de var fordærvede og gav efter for en unaturlig appetit. Sodoma og Gomora blev ødelagt ved tilfredsstillelsen af den unaturlige appetit, som lammede forstanden så meget at de ikke kunne skelne mellem Guds hellige råd og appetittens råb. Det sidstnævnte gjorde dem til slaver og de blev så glubske og frække i deres afskyelighed at Gud ikke ville tolerere dem på jorden. Gud ridser mærker i Babylons ondskab for dets grådighed og fuldskab.