In the Bible, Sodom and Gomorrah stand as twin cities of destruction, consumed by fire and brimstone for their grievous sins (Genesis 18–19). Traditionally understood as moral warnings against immorality and inhospitality, Neville Goddard invites us to see these cities as states of consciousness—assumptions we harbour that, if unexamined, will inevitably collapse.
1. The Inner “Cities” We Build
Neville taught that every external circumstance is born of an internal assumption, just as the Law of Assumption says: what you persistently imagine and feel as real will manifest in your world. In this view, Sodom and Gomorrah are not distant, physical locales but inner bastions of fear, self-judgement and craving. Their name itself—often linked to “burning” or “oppression”—hints at the fiery, consuming nature of these assumptions.
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Sodom represents the sensory-driven self, indulging in every desire without regard for higher purpose.
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Gomorrah embodies the self-condemning mind, convinced that it is unworthy and thus trapped in cycles of guilt.
Like the inhabitants of these cities, we can find ourselves trapped in patterns of excess—whether through attachment to pleasure or self-abnegation—both of which keep us from assuming the state of our true creative power.
2. Abraham’s Intercession: The Power to Re-Assume
In Genesis 18, Abraham boldly pleads with God to spare the cities if even ten righteous souls remain. Neville reads this as a parable of interceding in your own consciousness. To find grace within Sodom and Gomorrah—or within one’s own limiting beliefs—you must step into the consciousness of the desired state.
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By imagining that even a “few” sparks of truth survive within the mire of negative thought, you shift the entire terrain.
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This mirrors Neville’s technique of revision: revisiting past moments and re-imagining them with a different outcome until the inner assumption changes.
Through such imaginative prayer, Abraham (faith in action) transforms the inner landscape, raising the possibility that “cities” of despair might yet be spared.
3. Lot’s Flight: Abandoning Old Assumptions
When the angels urge Lot to flee Sodom (Genesis 19:15–17), they symbolise the inner call to depart from destructive assumptions. Neville emphasised that once an assumption is recognised as harmful, persistence in that assumption only deepens its power. Lot’s wife, who “looked back” and was turned into a pillar of salt, reminds us of the peril in lingering in old states even as we attempt to move forward.
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Fleeing without looking back is Neville’s advice for mental habits that no longer serve you.
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Clinging to past identifications—whether shame, guilt or carnal excess—solidifies those identities in the subconscious (as salt solidifies water).
Lot’s final refuge in Zoar—a small, once-overlooked town—suggests that even the smallest shift in assumption can become a safe haven for the new self to thrive.
4. The Aftermath: Transformation by Fire
The conflagration that consumes Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:24–25) represents the divine fire of imagination burning away false assumptions. Neville taught that when you persistently assume the feeling of the wish fulfilled, lesser states dissolve like chaff before the flame.
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This “fire” is not punitive but purificatory, clearing space for a renewed identity.
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What remains after the blaze is the fertile ground for new, life-affirming assumptions.
Just as the plains once occupied by those cities lay silent, your inner world becomes ready to host fresh assumptions aligned with your true desires.
5. From Ruin to Renewal: Building New “Cities”
Finally, the story of Sodom and Gomorrah invites us to replace old mental edifices with cities of light. Neville’s school of thought encourages the conscious construction of three “cities” within:
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Abraham – faith in the unseen and willingness to dream.
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Lot – the secure self that shelters the new identity.
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Zoar – the overlooked yet fertile ground of new beginnings.
By intentionally imagining these inner “cities,” you create the environment from which your outer reality must arise. Gone are the oppressive ruins; in their place stands a landscape shaped by your deliberate, imaginative will.
Conclusion
Sodom and Gomorrah, in Neville Goddard’s metaphysical reading, are not ancient towns to be mourned but inner strongholds to be redeemed. Through imaginative prayer, decisive departure from old assumptions, and the purifying fire of inner conviction, you transform destructive states into fertile grounds for new creation. In this way, the Law of Assumption turns covenant-making into a personal journey from ruin to renewal—proof that the only land “promised” is the one we courageously assume within.
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