Genesis 19:15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. 16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him".... 17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. 26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
This passage of scripture records for us the sad demise of Lot's wife, and there are extremely important lessons to be derived from this experience that are directly applicable in our day. Lot and his wife, like so many of us, had originally moved to the city because of the economic advantages to be obtained there, and over the years he had accumulated vast stores of wealth, because of the profusion and trade that took place in the twin cities. But Lot's family had now been acclimatized to the general iniquity that was taking place in Sodom, and instead of them leaving that evil place, they clung on to their hopes and dreams, for it included the wealth they had accumulated over a number of years.
What is worthy of note is that Lot's soul was vexed night and day by the prevailing sins which were occurring daily, yet because of the gravitational pull his wealth and his creature comforts exerted against him, he refused to leave when he had ample opportunity to. Let's read:
2nd Peter 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; 7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds.
Thus it was when the angels abruptly instructed them to leave all of their belongings, and hard earned money behind, Lot's wife became upset, for in her mind she thought that God should have given them sufficient notice, so that they could at least sell their luxurious home, and salvage their personal belongings, some of which had sentimental value. In addition to this, she murmured because some of her kids who stubbornly refused to leave, and who had mocked at the angel's warning, were to be involved in the general ruin that was to soon envelope the twin cities with brimstone and fire. And so she reasoned and murmured, and she murmured and reasoned, until she found herself in a state of rebellion against God, who had so graciously offered them a window of opportunity to escape.
This experience of Lot's wife will again be repeated in our day, when an abrupt order to leave the doomed cities of earth is issued by a loving God. As it was with Lot, so it is with many of us Christians, for most of us are vexed in our souls from day to day, by the same blatant sins that are taking place across the land, yet because of the wealth that the cities afford, we refuse to leave when we have opportunity to. And like Lot's wife, when the time comes for us to leave suddenly, many will loathe to turn their backs on the luxury and creature comforts we have become accustomed to.
This is why the warning comes to us directly from Christ, for us not to forget the lessons of the past, for when He was referring to this very same experience, He bade us not to remember the one that was saved, but rather the one that was lost. Let's read:
Luke 17:31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. 32 Remember Lot's wife. 33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
Let us therefore be certain, that in all of our getting, and in all of our temporal achievements and accomplishments, that we do not forget this sacred truth, that we are just pilgrims and sojourners in this world, passing through on our way to the next, and therefore let us never sink our roots too deeply in the earth, lest like lot's wife, we be involved in the general ruin that is scheduled to occur, on account of the very same sins which brought the probation of Sodom to an abrupt close.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which reminds us of where we are going, and let us therefore live and so do as those who will be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before The Son of Man. Let's read:
Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. 8 By faith Abraham".... 9 "Sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 16 "Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!