These words were spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke
17:32). He was referring to one of the most remarkable occurrences in the
history of mankind. Lot's wife "...became
a pillar of salt." (Genesis 19:26).
To understand why this happened (about 1898 BC) we need to
have a look at the events leading up to this incident.
Lot was Abraham's nephew. The two men were very wealthy,
nomadic herdsmen. They travelled together until it got to a stage where there
was not sufficient pasture for all their herds and flocks. Abraham graciously
gave Lot the choice of whether he would stay in the land of Canaan, or move
down into the cities of the plain of Jordan.
Lot chose the cities of the plains "...and pitched his tent towards Sodom." However the next verse informs us that "...the men of Sodom were exceedingly
wicked and sinful before the Lord." (Genesis 13:13). There is no mention up
to this point of Lot being married.
In Genesis chapter 18 we read that the Lord and two
angels visit Abraham. The Lord reveals to Abraham that He is about to destroy
Sodom and Gomorrah for their very grave sin. Abraham pleads for the righteous
people in the city. He is concerned for Lot. At the end of his pleading with
the Lord, Abraham is satisfied that if 10 righteous people are found in Sodom
it will not be destroyed.
Alas, it does not turn out that way. The only righteous
person in Sodom is Lot. Lot and his wife and two unmarried daughters are
forcibly led out of their house and out of Sodom by the two angels. They are
given these instructions.
Genesis 19:17, "...Escape
for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to
the mountains, lest you be destroyed."
Lot and his wife and daughters
escape to a small city named Zoar. Genesis 19:23-26, "(23)
The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar. (24) Then the Lord
rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens.
(25) So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of those
cities, and what grew on the ground. (26) But his wife looked behind him, and she became a pillar of salt."
Lot's married daughters and his sons-in-law perished in Sodom.
When Lot tried to warn them of the impending judgement they thought he was
joking!
Why did Lot's wife disobey the command of the angels to not
look behind them as they fled away from Sodom? It is my belief it is
because she was a native of Sodom. I believe that Lot married a Sodomite woman.
Her heart and her mind were centred on Sodom. She was used to the evil ways of
the Sodomites because she was one of them.
The Hebrew gives us the sense that she looked back with
desire! This was no fleeting glance but an earnest, longing desire to be there.
The result - she became a pillar of salt! She dies along with all the
Sodomites.
Luke 17:32, "Remember
Lot's wife."
If your heart and mind is filled with this world and its
pleasures - there is a way of escape for you. There is salvation in the death,
burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Come to Him now! Remember
Lot's wife.
Jon Peasey
Words of Life blog www.jrpeasey.blogspot.com
[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version; unless
otherwise noted]
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