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Remember Lot’s Wife
Remember Lot’s Wife
In Luke 17, Jesus emphasizes the lesson from Lot’s wife, when He warns His listeners about
the day the Son of Man is revealed. He tells us in that day we are not to return to our houses
for our goods, nor are we to turn back. Then He simply states, “Remember Lot’s wife” (Luke
17.32). Genesis 19 is the story Jesus tells us to remember. This is the only other place
Lot’s wife is mentioned in Scripture, and she is only referred to as Lot’s wife; we never learn her
actual name. It is clear why Jesus would remind us of Lot’s wife after telling us to not turn
back in the day the Son of Man is revealed.
Lot’s wife is famously remembered for turning back, as the fire and brimstone rained down
on Sodom. She was explicitly instructed by the angels who helped them escape to “not look
behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed”
(Genesis 19.17). Despite the instruction, we read that Lot’s wife “looked back behind him.
And she became a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19.26).
Why did she look back? She was actively being saved from the punishment of the city, yet
still could not restrain herself from looking back. Jesus tells us to remember Lot’s wife
because the temptation to look back still exists for us. Let’s discuss three possible reasons
why Lot’s wife may have turned back and how those temptations threaten us today.
Lot’s wife wanted to make sure her daughters were with her
Understandably, Lot’s wife would want to make sure her daughters and whole family were
with her as they were escaping the fire and brimstone. Similarly, it is good to be concerned
about your family’s walk with Christ and where they will stand on Judgment Day. However,
after the command had been given to not turn back, it was too late for Lot’s wife to be
concerned about who else was with her. The instruction to escape and not turn back had
been given to everyone. Whether or not they decided to follow the instruction was now up to
each person individually.
Jesus compares the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah to our Judgment Day. When
Judgment Day comes, it will be too late to turn and look back at who is still with you. When
Jesus comes back on Judgment Day, we are told to forget our goods and to not turn back. It
will be too late to help even our own family be saved. Lot’s daughters had their chance to
listen to the instruction to escape. The time for Lot’s wife to make sure they heard it was then
and there.
Remember Lot’s wife and take the opportunity now to make sure your family has heeded the
instructions of God’s Word because when Judgment Day comes it will be too late.
Lot’s wife wanted to see the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
Genesis 19 says “the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens” (Genesis 19.24).
A terrifying scene indeed, but one that would be truly awesome to witness. Perhaps in her confidence in God’s ability to save her and her family, Lot’s wife became proud and wanted to also watch the destruction of the wicked
while she escaped. Confidence in our salvation is important because it shows our undeniable belief in God and His Word.
However, that confidence in God can become pride in ourselves if we are not careful. If our confidence in Christ shifts to pride in ourselves, we will find ourselves eagerly turning back to see God’s judgment of the wicked because we think we are entitled to such a view. Remember Lot’s wife and do not look back on the judgment of the wicked, but rejoice in your own salvation through Jesus.
Lot’s wife wanted to go back
As they were running away from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot’s wife may have thought longingly about their life they were losing and sought to go back to it. She knew the fire and brimstone were coming, but she might have
questioned if God was really going to destroy all of it. She may have realized that her whole life is going to change. Even if she understood leaving would be better for her and her family, the change that she knew was coming could have been so daunting that she wanted to go back to what she knew.
Whether you have been walking with Christ for decades or have just begun, we have all known sin. We know that life with Christ is better than life without Him. However, there will be tempting times where it can seem too scary to keep walking
with Christ because we do not know what lies ahead. It is so tempting to turn back to a former vice to comfort ourselves in these daunting times. Even though we know the perils that sin has brought into our lives, when we are scared it can still be tempting to turn back to our former lives. Remember Lot’s wife and do not turn back.
– William Speer
