Learn From the Story of Lot's Wife

“Remember Lot’s wife.”
                  Luke 17:32 (KJV)

Hi friends,
     How are you?  I haven’t done this often, but let’s ponder the life of someone in the Bible.  I think it helps us to learn from others, especially from those God puts in our path to teach us a lesson.  There are many people in our lives and in the Bible from whom we are meant to learn.  Today, let’s ponder Lot’s wife.

What We Know About Lot’s Wife:

     Actually, we know very little about Lot’s wife.  The Bible doesn’t even mention her name, nor when she and Lot were married.  We do know that she and Lot were living in Sodom, a city known for it’s sinful ways. We also know that she and Lot had at least two daughters. 

     The Bible talks about how Lot traveled with Abraham and they split ways.  Lot, of course, ended up in Sodom.  But, Lot’s wife isn’t mentioned during the travels.  Can we surmise that Lot’s wife was from Sodom?  Since, Lot was brought up in a family who knew God, could we also surmise that Lot and his wife were “unequally yoked”?  I don’t know.  The Bible doesn’t say.

     We also know that her story is told in Genesis 19.  Again, very little is said about her.  However, her story teaches us a great lesson.

Lot’s Wife and the Angels Who Visit:

     What is the most exciting thing that happened in Lot’s wife’s life?  Well, I don’t now about you, but I think it was probably that not only was she visited by angels, but also touched by angels and hurried on her way by angels.

     I can only imagine how her last hours on earth went.  First, angels come to her house.   If that is not exciting enough, their message is that they have come to destroy the city because of its sinfulness and that her family should leave, so they will be saved.  How cool is that? 

      Something else happens when the angels come to the house of Lot and his wife.  Lot tries to protect the angels from a mob of sinful men wanting to get at the strangers for sexual pleasure.  Instead, Lot offers his two virgin daughters.  Could you imagine being Lot’s wife and hearing this?  Can you imagine your husband trying to protect two strangers, but offering your two young daughters to such sinfulness instead?

     As a mom, I couldn’t even imagine.  I am sure that I would be extremely angry and upset with my husband.  The Bible doesn’t say that she questions it or says anything.  The Bible doesn’t give her any words at all.  However, I would say that she probably had some strong emotions going on during this time.  (In all reality, we don’t even know if she heard these words spoken by Lot.)

     Did Lot’s wife believe that the strangers were angels?  We don’t know.  It isn’t mentioned one way or another in the Bible.  We aren’t told that the angels looked or acted differently than any other visitors, except that after Lot tried to protect them, they protected Lot.  They grabbed Lot and pulled him inside the house and caused the mob to be blinded.  Does the fact that they blinded the mob and saved her husband make it real for her that they are angels?  We don’t know.  Again, nothing really is known about Lot’s wife.

     We are also told that Lot went out to warn his son-in-laws to take his daughters and leave Sodom because it is going to be destroyed.  However, the son-in-laws just mock him.  This brings up a new question.  Did Lot and his wife have more than two daughters?  It sounds like they may have had at least four daughters, the two at home and others that were with the son-in-laws.  (However, again, that is just conjecture.  We don’t know for sure.)

     I can only guess that Lot’s wife’s emotions were running rampant.  Would she have loved ones that wouldn’t be saved?  Were these really angels?  What is going on?  Are we really going to die?  I don’t know what she was thinking or feeling, but I can imagine what I might have been thinking or feeling. 

Lot’s Wife’s Fatal Decision:

     In Genesis 19:15-16 we read where the angels tell Lot to get up and take his family and leave the city.  The time of destruction is near.  We read that Lot “lingers” and the angels take their hand and put them out of the city.

     We aren’t told why Lot and his family lingered.  Could it be that they don’t want to leave their home, their family, and their friends in the city of Sodom?  Could it be that they aren’t morning people and that it was taking them a while to get going in the morning and get things together?  Only God knows the answers to these questions. 

     Maybe, it was just that “that first step” is always the most difficult to take.  I know I have had many situations where that first step was scary and difficult.  I hesitated quite a few times and even missed out, because I hesitated or didn’t take the step at all.

     Yet, it seemed like God, through the angels, “took” that first big step for them and with them, when the angels grabbed them and put them outside of the city.  I would hope that if it were I, I would be so grateful and so appreciative that I would willingly do everything I was told in return after that. 

     However, how often is that not true?  How often do we get a health scare and a near death experience and then not be moved by it or show appreciation?

     In Genesis 19:17 Lot and his family is told to go to the mountains and not look back and in Genesis 19:26 we read about Lot’s wife’s fatal decision.  It says in the KJV, “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.”

     It could be very easy to question the motives of Lot’s wife.  After all, that first big step was already done.  Mercy was given to her and at least part of her family.  They were already out of the city.  Why would she look back?  Why wouldn’t she be appreciative and just keep going?  Was it heartache?  Was it because she wanted one last look? We get some answer to this in the book of Luke.

What Jesus Says About Lot’s Wife:

     In Luke 17:32 (KJV) Jesus says, “Remember Lot’s wife.”  Taken out of context, we might not know to what Jesus was referring and why he said it.  However, our clue comes in the next verse and the context of the conversation Jesus was having with the Pharisees.

     The Pharisees had asked Jesus about when the Kingdom of God was coming.  (We read this is Luke 17:20.) Jesus goes on to tell the Pharisees that it isn’t a time when they will know.  It will be a time when people don’t know and won’t be expecting it.  Jesus goes on to tell them how it was in the times of Noah, when people didn’t know the flood was coming and then it came and people died.  He also gave the Pharisees the example of when Sodom was destroyed and people didn’t know it was coming. (Luke 17:26-31) 

     Then, as we know in Luke 17:32 we read how Jesus says, “Remember Lot’s wife.”  It is a warning or a lesson to be learned.  But, why are we to remember Lot’s wife?  What is the lesson?  About what are we being warned?

     The answer comes in Luke 17:33 (KJV) when Jesus says, “Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.”  So, it seems that when Lot’s wife was looking back, she in some way wanted to preserve the worldly life she knew in Sodom.  It is unclear as to whether she didn’t want to leave it physically, or she didn’t want to leave her family and friends, or she just wanted one last look at it for sentimental reasons or whatever.  However, Jesus used her as an example of someone not wanting to give up a past life of sinful ways and paying a fatal consequence for it.

Lessons I Have Found in the Story of Lot’s Wife:

     I have found several lessons that can be taken from the story of Lot’s wife.  Here is a list of some of them.
 
*God uses even nameless people to teach big lessons.
*God is merciful to people found even in the most sinful of places.
*Even some of the most “insignificant of decisions” can have fatal consequences.  (Who knew that just looking back would get you turned into a pillar of salt?  Sometimes people do things more significant than that with seemingly much less of a consequence.)
*God is all loving, but it doesn’t mean that He won’t give us consequences.
*Every decision we make brings us closer to life (God and His Kingdom) or death (Satan and hell).
*We should always be obedient to God.
*Nothing (not our homes, not our families, not our past, not culture) is more important or worth saving, when it goes against God’s will.
*Heavenly life is better than worldly life.
 
Did I forget any lessons?  What lessons do you find in the life of Lot’s wife?
 

God’s Word:

     The Bible is God’s Word.  Jesus is God’s Word.  The nudges we get from the Holy Spirit is God’s Word.  The answers we get through prayer is God’s Word.  Something God tells us through the words of those around us are God’s Word.  In acknowledging that, let’s use the words of Jesus in Luke 17:32 to pray.
 
Heavenly Father,
     Thank you for your Word.  Thank you for your holy guidance.  Help us to “Remember Lot’s wife” and the lessons you want us to learn from her life.  When we are about to make a wrong decision, a decision that will lead us a way from you, let us hear in our hearts the words of Jesus, “Remember Lot’s wife.”  Let those words warn us and encourage us not to make that bad decision, but to make a decision that brings us closer to you.  I ask you this through your Son, Jesus.  Amen.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like to read these similar posts:
*About focusing on God
*About guidance

Now, it is your turn.
     I am always happy to hear from you.  Oh, how do you like this new format?  Is it better than the "old" format?  Likes, dislikes, thoughts?  Please, feel free to comment below or to contact me.

     I hope you enjoy the "pin it" buttons and the share buttons.  I hope it makes it easier to share the posts with your friends and family.  After all, if you are finding value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, they may as well, right?

     If you haven't done so already, you may want to sign up below to get the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations and other "faith" content sent right to your inbox.  Don't worry, I won't spam you.  I send the email once a week.  And, if you sign up below, you will get a free gift as my thank you.  God bless.